Love in Contract

Had me feeling many things—and not in a good way

Was initially interested in this one because I expected a fun and very light-hearted romcom where I'd be laughing and falling in love over and over (and I did get it for about 8 episodes???). Instead, I got a plot-heavy drama with a deus ex machina to solve all their problems in the end, some plot device established early then was forgotten for many episodes then somehow just came back again to add more drama, and not to mention a selfish second male lead whom I blame for quite a lot of the problems that happened in the show (though I do end up forgiving him in the end).

At one point, I considered just skipping to the end because everyone and everything was just so frustrating to watch. I didn't sign up for this. Not to mention how the ending—for the leads and the side characters—wasn't as satisfying as it could've been for quite a lot of reasons (for me).

All in all, it was good but I'm not sure if it's one I'd recommend nor one I'd rewatch so soon. The actors were amazing though! I love them all.

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Enjoyable and moving

There are series that we watch that we somehow don't expect much from - we don't hear about them on various social media outlets, and not many talk about them (say unlike CLOY and others). I came across this series by accident and thought I might like it. Going in with very low expectations, I did not foresee liking it much. Let alone love it. Yet, love it I did.
The series starts in an unexpected way - characters cannot be deciphered. The plot and storyline are unlike anything we typically see in Korean series. The male lead seems to have a dark and suspicious cloud over him. Yet as episodes go on, the characters reveal themselves in the most unexpected ways - and we get so hooked on their trajectories, growth, and wish for true love to win. When you realise that the crazy business the female lead was running had a very particular and tragic reason - you reach the conclusion that this series is like an onion with many layers to peel.
The chemistry between the leads is wonderful, as is their acting. Some scenes you think you can cut with a knife - and they make you feel like you are drawn into the air they breathe.
This series stands out among the many suffocatingly conservative Korean series out there. We finally meet characters who take their own path, forge their own thoughts, and decide to swim against the current. Very enjoyable and heartfelt.

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Done!

Finally finally finally finished this!
I was actually following this story while it was airing, but I had to go offline for a while.
I know the last 5 episodes felt quite rushed, but I am happy to watch the episodes where I resumed better than I expected.
I was actually bracing my self for the worst of Jung Ji Eun (Ji Ho's ex-wife), but her character quite floated well.
As for Hae Jin, from the most annoying 2ML to the Saint of all Saints. Lol. I know I hated the character so much, but they gave him a super anti-climactic ending.
Same with Gwang Nam's. Gosh he did not deserve that ending. My very kind boy Gwang Nam.
On Madam Yoo's, it was quite expected, but at least it still gave me a little, tiny, bit of surprise there. Well the revelation on Sang Eun's part was for convenience, I guess.

Anyway, I didn't really expect this to be over the top drama, I just like this kind to pass time, or to entertain, cause I admit, the main leads' chemistry was second to none!

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A fresh concept with lot of cute moments and angst!

Okay, hear me out first. I loved this show and I feel like I’m a minority view here, lol. But, I just couldn’t find much too hate.

I have actually not seen this concept before even once in a k-drama so that was the first selling point for me. I enjoyed how they handled the concept of a woman's agency to do whatever she wants, in this case make marriages/dating her career. While doing so they very nicely depict the kind of outlook Korean society has on such things where they start evaluating her mental health basis her work, harsh reality women in such situation face. Never have I seen such an evaluation for all the chaebol men who have 3 wives, often the age of their grand daughters, and 2-3 mistresses. Goes to show very beautifully just how patriarchal the Korean society still is. So that was probably one thing I enjoyed the most.

The second thing I absolutely loved was Kang Hae Jin. I can’t recall a character I’ve loved as much as I loved Kang Hae Jin. He's positive, a major green flag, respectful of the FL's wishes and also not vengeful like your usual second leads in most East-Asian dramas. Like, there are 2-3 episodes where he hangs onto her and tries his best, but once its absolutely clear to him who the FL chooses, he does not push her or use cheap tricks to make her his when he has numerous opportunities to do so (through their family, the lawyer who wants to do it, excuse of public image since he's an actor and she's selfless, etc.). The way he looks at her and thinks of her before doing anything has me swooning and I'm definitely looking for my own Kang Hae Jin now, possibly at he main character, lol. :P

I also enjoyed how PMY was her usual cheerful, bubbly and pretty self. They've shown her as this selfless, easygoing and perky woman that although seems impossible but is a dash of energy to this otherwise quite heavy show as we see the ML (and also the second lead) struggling with his personality a lot. The show is not dark in the sense of how we use that genre but like the feelings are so heavy that it feels like a layer of gray coating everything, so, PMY's character brings a dash of light to their everyday lives and conversations. Also just a side note, but she's still so pretty and wears such great clothes , I love it!

Lastly, Jung Ji Ho was a depiction of a real man and the problems one faces in life. My main issue here was that throughout the show nothing has been revealed as to what made him the way he is today. I know there were previous marriage issues but we don't know the issue or what he was feeling. Like, we don't know any relevant background to understand his character more. I enjoyed his blankness but it would've been better to know why he was being so. At first, this ambiguity put me off and I dropped this show for a year. Rewatched it and was able to get over this monotonous aspect thereafter. This might be a dealbreaker for many people.

Other than the leads, my favourite characters were of Gwang Nam and Mi Ho. What stellar acting. The relationship between Gwang Nam and Sang Eun is gold. I love how they support one another and stand up for each other. That is how we describe bond more genuine than even blood bonds. Absolute magic.

In the end, I would definitely recommend watching this show. It's been a really enjoyable and great watch for me.

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Love it !

God I love it ! The actors are one point! (maybe I'm biased because it's Park Min Young 🙈) I fell in love with Kim Jae Young. It's the first timr that I saw a drama with him in it and damn I'm not disapointed at all! I'll definitly watch more dramas with him in the cast !

I understand why some people don't enjoy this drama, some elements in the story are at first not logical or meh! But everything finaly make sense in the last 3 episodes.

In my opinion it's a really good drama with awesome caracters, good music, and some plot twist that I enjoy! Can't wait for the final !

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I wouldn’t mind a contract romance with the Judge!

There is something appealing about a relationship contract so I was hoping this show checked all my boxes.
For the most part it did – but I felt as though there was TOO much plot. Is that possible? It absolutely is (IMO) the first part was super engaging, I love how Park Min Young portrays a high-class female lead who is talented in everything. She’s one of my favorite Korean actresses and I’ve loved her other shows. This character wasn’t far off some of her other roles.
But by the middle of the show, I was a little bored and fast tracked through a lot of the needless plot, especially about both sides of the warring families. I couldn’t truly understand why they had beef or wanted to plot against each other. Had the show been kept tighter between the leads and the contracts it would have been better paced episodes, but the show threw in stalkers, ex-wives, horrid families that it distracted a lot from the growing romance.

Loved the judge. That stoic, stiff and awkwardness in social settings are some of my favorite character traits (I also love Seo Do Jae from The Beauty Inside for the same characteristics) He was so delightfully awkward, especially with his staff (who were so fun! And a notable mention for his mentor boss friend who was fantastic. Every time he called his wife “my queen” I melted) some of my favorite scenes were him and Sang Eun sitting opposite the dinner table together. The dialogues were awkward yet masterfully executed.

The mother figure, Yoo Mi Ho, proved to be quite interesting. It was difficult to discern if she was a villain or seeking atonement. I, for one, could never have let her off the hook, given the extent of her misdeeds.
The same situation applied to Gwang Nam's family. Oh my god, they totally blew my mind with how awful they treated that sweetheart of a man just because he was gay! I hated them, but the show had to change their dynamic with him once they learned he was becoming a singer. Why? Why? Not everyone has to be fixed up in the end. Trash the crappy characters. Gwang Nam deserved a better outcome. I wish his role had been bigger – he was wasted just being the sidekick best friend.

Lastly, I got such “True Beauty” Seo-Jun vibes from Hae-Jin that my heart ached all the way through for him and was desperately keeping my fingers and eyes crossed that he’d find his own piece of happy romance by the end. Alas, like Seo-Jun that never happened so I’ll be quietly sobbing into my handkerchief for those two sweetheart men with second lead syndrome.
At least he got some love from his Jamie cat by the end. *sniff sniff*

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Such a frustrating watch!

Such a frustrating watch! It really didn't need need 16 episodes. It started out so promising with the single helper with a thriving business. I feel like literally any other direction would have been better than the romance of Sang-eun and the judge. I tried so hard to like that guy but he was sooo hard to like. Their conversations were so flat and drawn out.
Hae-jin was a much better match in so many ways. They had easy chemistry, he was emotionally open and he was devoted to her. He was even a great boss. It would have been so dope if she has chosen him and they'd been a power couple who does what they want despite the conglomerate constraints - or whatever.
With the judge I felt like she was carrying that whole relationship on her back. She had to teach him how to function as a partner and even at work. I was so confused when she started talking about how the judge was too good for her. Like gal, what do you mean? I also really disliked how his character was supposed to be stoic but he kept making all these weird impulse decisions. Like saying I want to see you right now - at late hours of the night. Chugging alcohol that he can't handle etc. How he'd revert to being a mean boss when things weren't going well with Sang-eun. Then she even proposed! She was really doing too much.

Yoo Madam was my favorite, in my opinion, the best written character. She was so complex. And the actress did an amazing job of bringing out the character. I kept wondering, is she the mom or not? I was so delighted when she was.
I also liked all his workmates with their colorful characters. As well as his superior's wife. They were all so fun. It balanced out the fact that he was grumpy at work and created a difficult working environment. His ex-wife was cool too.
I was also excited to see the LGBTQ representation! It would have been nice to see him liking people and dating them, and just more about his life. I loved the bestie dynamic with him and Sang-eun. I did like the fact that he stayed to be a top star and didn't go to Canada.

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for me the only good parts were these:
jiho's personality. it's so rare to have a shy ml in dramaland. tho they did treat him like a freak, it's like the dude didn't like what "insa" people liked, but was he a psycho? no..
he just didn't like attention, or crowds, or fake social behavior to please other people. he was not "traumitized". sure he had a bad past but not every "social slowness" is a faulty personality
and yes, by now you've guessed it right, it's personal xD I'm shy, socially awkward, and slow with the fun hangs, but I'm not an idiot with a rock head.
as a kid I did say no alot, and in uni I changed it to a "hmm yeah". because I didn't really wanna do it but I also didn't not want to do it

here, especially with the drinking, or the wedding preps at the end, jiho didn't "like it", maybe he is stuck in my no phase but sangeun wasn't really considerate, she wasn't pushing him out of his shell she kept dragging him out then kinda making fun of him, "teaching" him he should "be like other people"..
so I personally didn't think they matched. like again the wedding prep, he was ready to put himself through the struggle cuz she said she wanted a big wedding, and she didn't listen when he said he didn't want it big. then she goes and says she was doing it for him


anyway, atleast with jiho his shyness and lack of social personalty didn't come with low self esteem, doubt, self consciousness and ready to escape
no drama can survive that way so all of those traits went to saguen ;D
I'm glad he always said he'll never misunderstand her and he'll wait for her pov before making a judgment, that's 1000000 lvl male lead behavior~ also he was never shy or reluctant in showing intimacy which is another +A move

gwangnamah was a sweeite, it's nice to have male characters without ulterior or obsessive behavior towards the fl, most fl "brother zoned" end up with a secret 10 year crush
he was a good person, had his own life, worries and dreams, he could easily get a spinoff where he finds happiness, love and acceptance

another point I liked was the past childhood connection, and the ones that did have them ended in divorce or one sided crush which heavily highlights how a person is different from what one projects on them

I did however dislike the 5 year "eating mate" with 0 attempts at conversation and honestly the whole drama was flat with zero substance, I'd have tbh preferred them preparing for a wedding, looking more at "what people do to please others who think one should do that" while trying to navigate happiness and marriage. I also wanted a scene with a baby to show he's not afraid to show affection and she also adored her baby and stuff life that

anyway, I only started it for a mom watch, and stayed for her + jiho and tbh the last like 40mins were my favorite part of this drama xD

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An enjoyable watch with a unique premise for a rom-com.

I was all set to give this a 10 rating because(a) the characters were charming, the road to romance was unique and I really looked forward to watching each episode; (b) a happy ending was easy to predict; and (c) the main couple made it all the way through the show as a team w/out a break-up or noble idiocy.
Until the end of Ep. 15 where [SPOILER} Sang Eun (FL) apparently left and abandoned Ji-ho (ML). Ep. 16 tried to explain why she did it but it was incomprehensible (he was “too good” for her). So, a fairly well plotted romance with back-story intrigue and mystery fell flat in the last episode with a phony “break-up” that was strung out far too long. Ep. 16 was a mish-mash of disparate scenes and the final scenes were cute but the charm was missing.
Finally, can’t leave without saying that this is my first time watching Go Kyung Pyo but it won’t be the last – his portrayal of Ji-ho WAS charming throughout to the very last minute.

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