Not Your Typical Revenge Drama: A Quiet Story About Healing and Second Chances
IF YOU’RE SKEPTICAL ABOUT JAPANESE DRAMAS OR WORRIED THIS WILL BE ANOTHER OVER-THE-TOP REVENGE TALE, WATASHI NO OTTO TO KEKKON SHITE MIGHT SURPRISE YOU.This compact 10-episode series isn’t about loud confrontations or cliché payback. Instead, it’s a subtle, introspective journey centered on self-growth, forgiveness, and the courage to take new chances in life.
A WINDOW INTO JAPANESE CULTURE:
The drama reflects the quiet emotional restraint often found in Japanese storytelling. It explores deep themes like regret, guilt, and personal change, not through explosive scenes, but through quiet conversations, small gestures, and meaningful silences. If you're new to J-dramas, this is a gentle, reflective introduction that balances emotional realism with cultural nuance.
ACTING:
The cast delivers nuanced performances that pull you in, especially the leads whose chemistry feels natural and restrained rather than forced. They carry the emotional weight with believable depth, no melodrama, just real human moments.
DIRECTING & VISUALS:
Director Ahn Gil-ho (The Glory) brings his signature subtlety here, using soft lighting and careful framing to create intimate, emotionally rich scenes. The visuals never distract; they enhance the mood, guiding you gently through the characters’ inner struggles.
SCRIPT & PACING:
With only 10 episodes, some plot elements get trimmed, and the story feels tight, sometimes almost too tight for deep emotional investment. But this brevity works in the show’s favor, making every scene count. The script smartly focuses on character development rather than convoluted twists.
SHORTCOMINGS:
The limited runtime means some storylines and character arcs get less development than they deserve, leaving a few threads feeling rushed or underexplored. If you prefer intense drama or complex plot twists, the pacing might come across as too quiet. Viewers who enjoy deeper immersion may also find it challenging to fully connect in such a short span.
WHY WATCH:
If you want a drama that’s more about healing than hurting, more about quiet courage than loud revenge, and if you appreciate thoughtful storytelling wrapped in beautiful visuals and strong acting, give this a chance. It’s a breather from typical tropes and a reminder that sometimes, growth is the best kind of payoff.
QUICK TAKE: Highly recommended if you want something compact, emotionally honest, and quietly powerful without the usual drama fireworks. Actual rating: 8.5, bumped up to a 9 because this is how you wrap up a story right.
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❤ 私の夫と結婚して❤
This is one of the best dramas I have watched this year and I really loved it. The protagonist Kanbe Misa who is too kind and always puts others first believes in her best friend and husband to continues to do her best but she loses her life due to their betrayal. In the first life she loses her life through death of her friend and husband who betrated her with the worst scenario. One day she suddenly realizes that she has traveled back in time to 10 years ago, she wakes up and re-lives the second life which then she plans a revenge into her friend and ex-husband. She then meets her work manager Suzuki Wataru who she falls in love with but he has known her since a little kid. He has taken care of the turtle [ kamekichi ] which is the first friend of kanbe-san. Suzuki bucho has always been next to Kanbe-san for a long time and in the end they finally get married ❤❤❤Was this review helpful to you?
This is surprisingly good!!
I have to admit that I was skeptical about this one, I really didn't see the need for a second adaptation. I only tuned in half out of curiosity and half out of admiration for Satoh Takeru's acting.I have read the webtoon and watched most of the Korean adaptation which was pretty good until they decided to add an absolutely unnecessary character that annoyed me so much that I had to quit.
But this one, I might say, having watched all 6 currently available episodes, is better than the source material! and I expect it to get even better for the upcoming episodes.
The acting is great, the dialogue, the scenery and the slight changes make the story feel fresh for someone who's experiencing it for the 3rd time. I've always said that for a hero to worth rooting for an great villain is needed and and this girl playing reina is doing so good so wonderful it's a pleasure to watch her beautiful face change from sweet to venomous my favorite version of the character no doubt about it, while Misa is too nice for her own good she's not as dumb as she looks a really good hero to rooting for. I am really loving the wholes cast. and while it's a bit odd that the cat is now a turtle, but, I'll allow it and I am excited to watch the rest of the episodes.
I just finished the series and I loved it!! I read the webtoon, I watched the Kdrama and this Japanese version is the best!! I didn't think it could be possible but Reina is far more unhinged than Soomin!! I loved every second of her she's the perfect villain!
Just give this show a chance if you haven't, it is so worth it.
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This review may contain spoilers
Surprised to find a crisp interpretation that make it stand on itself
I had pretty low expectations—remakes seldom live up to their originals, and I was bracing for an impersonation of Marry My Husband starring Park Min‑young. But after seeing Fuka Koshiba (as Misa) in a few feel‑good dramas, I wondered how she would handle the more cold‑blooded FML role. Incredibly, the writers leaned into her natural brightness and warmth instead of molding her into a terse avenger, and it works beautifully. The show skips the dramatic showdowns that the Korean version leaned on and instead delivers its revenge arc more subtly and tightly, all within just 10 episodes—about two‑thirds the length of the original—for efficient pacing that avoids padding.Storywise, it follows the same time‑travel/revenge premise, but the boyfriend is sleazy here, not really making you hate him like how it is in the korean version, and the best friend is more cunning, adding layers that feel sharper in Japanese context. Misa’s transformation is well-balanced: now she plots with more emotional nuance rather than cold cruelty, which suits Koshiba’s strengths in soft transitions and hidden grit.
Acting across the board is solid, but Koshiba and Satoh’s chemistry truly surprised me—they build tension through looks and understated moments instead of shouting, making their dynamic more grounded than the emotionally magnified original pairing. I think that Koshiba “steals the show … winning praise for her natural acting and emotional depth, even surpassing Park Min‑young”, making Misa felt more relatable and self‑aware rather than perpetually hurt.
Music in the drama isn’t flashy—nothing memorable stuck with me after the episodes—but it serves the mood: supportive, understated, occasionally sweeping during emotional beats.
I found the show surprisingly rewatchable. In ten tight episodes I kept catching little character beats or the intentional foreshadowing and cultural touches (Japanese office norms, tea‑room moments) that reward a second viewing.
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3.5 ☆ ── almost satisfactory
i haven't watched the korean version and neither have i read the original materials so this review is based solely on the japanese series. what i liked most about the show is that misa focuses on being a self-sufficient person and doesn't depend on wataru bcz she realises that she did have the choice in her past life to stop depending on other people. she doesn't dump every bad thing on others and instead focuses on what she can do in a given situation. i also liked that she goes through moral dilemma even in the last episodes bcz there is def a grey area in setting up other people for your mishaps; given how good/naive she was, she'll obviously not turn a villain without a second thought. i really liked misa and the actress's portrayal was more than satisfactory. in the second half however, reina stood out to me and reminded me of the supporting actress of the drama '49 days'. the young actress and the older actress both played reina so well. they acted with their eyes, i felt so bad whenever she even so slightly let slip the hurt that motivated her to do what she did. at the end of the day, reina was just a kid who wanted some attention and love and with no role model to follow, she leeched onto misa. the casting for reina and tomoya was perfect, tomoya just looks like the irritating good-for-nothing momma's boy and reina is creepy and psychopathic. it's just sad that she never tries to be better than misa, she wants to have exactly what misa has. i liked wataru for being level-headed and solution-oriented although in the last episode they made him superhuman-like with the wound. however, the actor lacked expressions so it was difficult to gauge what he was feeling at times. overall, the writing is good and quite coherent.Was this review helpful to you?
Surprisingly good!
I’m not sure what prompted me to watch this. I’ve not seen the original kdrama nor read the manhwa. But I saw it on Amazon Prime and thought, sure, I’ll check this out. And I’m glad I did! It was a fun show. While it was a “revenge” type drama, it really also was about Misa living her best life and finding happiness. She starts wearing clothes she likes, she gets a good haircut, she eats amazing looking food, she finds new friends, and gets rid of the toxic people in her life. So while the revenge plot was fun and it was cool to see how Misa manipulated things so that Reina married her husband, it also was just great to see Misa be happy. The show did not drag, nor did it feel rushed, which I found a little surprising given that the original was 16 episodes. I’m not sure what they changed, but whatever they did worked. I enjoyed all the characters, even our delightfully evil ones. Everyone did a great job acting, especially the one for Misa’s role. The plot twists and turns were fun, and there were funny moments and more melodramatic moments that were well-balanced. Overall, I had a good time watching this show!Was this review helpful to you?
More nuance, great addition
Overall, a great addition and viewpoint of this revenge story where a woman goes back in time in order to re-write a fatal destiny with her boyfriend/husband and best friend from school.Some thoughts on this version vs the Korean version.
Japanese version:
The emphasis here on the FL is more introspective, and the flow of the story is slower as it unwinds. This is more about a woman's journey and does a better job showing a meek submissive girl grows into a confident (but not abrasive) woman. I do think the way the FL died in her original timeline was more interesting.
How the ML fits into the FL's story is also more mysterious until finally revealed. I thought the ending was far more dramatic and the scenery spectacular. The ML seems more tortured here vs the K-drama he just comes across as sad.
Here the best friend BF gives more of a "I'll wear your skin and take your life!" vibe. The parents being affair partners doesn't happen (which is something a bit too coincidental in the K-drama version).
On the down side of the J-drama the background sets were ho-hum. There is a lot of standing or sitting around talking without much action. The K-drama was more dynamic in terms of staging the actors and the backgrounds were more vibrant (although the J-drama ending was better imo).
Korean version:
Most of the action happens in the office environment and the heroine comes across as confrontational very quickly. The romance happens faster and there is more of it. I also though the financial manipulation that the FL did with the stocks was explained better and fitted into a returned to the past story. Who wouldn't want to take advantage of your prior knowledge!
The FL and ML plot together midway through and while I liked the beginning, the FL's ruthless attitude about making her former husband and friend suffer started to sour me on her. She didn't give them a chance to change. The FL and best friend relationship gave off a bit of girl love vibe as I definitely could see the BF thinking "I'll have her or no one will."
Overall, if this storyline intrigues you, watch them both! Together they act as bookends to a great storyline, providing different angles to the characters.
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A celebration och divorce and breaking loose from toxic relationships
Though I pretty much knew the plot (since I had seen the K version) it was still a very enjoyable watch that I dare say is slightly better then the K, as it has less annoying elements or moments of "oh come on".This is a drama that truley shows how difficult it can be to break loose from old habits, obsessions and the breaking free from an abusive relationship (or two) is extremely dangerous but worth the risk. And yes it is better to be alone than stuck with the wrong people.
The drama shows some really good friendships, nice shots of food, scenery and has some pretty okay lines as well as a decent romance somewhere between the evil /self-defence plotting.
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Another remake masterpiece!
First, I would like to congratulate the whole cast, especially the three leads Suzuki Wataru (Satoh Takeru), Kanbe Misa (Koshiba Fuka) and Esaka Reina (Shiraishi Sei). The Korean version (original) is already great but this Japanese version stamps it with their brand of greatness. As you already know, this is a remake and the story revolves around Misa and her reincarnation to rewrite her story that ended with her death in her first life. For people who have already watched the Korean version, we know the story, but this story, although the plot line is the same, gives an original spin and makes you hooked and root for it.I especially like the eerie feel to it that was fully embraced by the actress Shiraishi Sei, her character is so complex, that is not quite evil but borderline insanity at first, to full-blown insanity at the end was portrayed perfectly. Since at the end I pitied Reina, while in the Korean version which the actress who also portrayed it greatly, is an outright bully, and I felt satisfaction in what I feel she rightly deserved. The ending of the villain Reina in this version is haunting and sad but you know that nothing can save her since she is too far gone and she also knows it, that in itself, is the fitting end for her. I mean, what's with the villains in these two versions that they really capture our attention? They are great!
As for Satoh-san, his portrayal is also one of a kind. In this version, he seemed more involved, like his regrets are tangible, like you can touch them. He is more vulnerable with his feelings for Misa. I am not sure if I capture with this description what I feel watching this version of the male protagonist. I love how he portrayed this character, the longing, the regrets, retribution and the atonement are so vivid.
As for our female protagonist Koshiba Fuka , this is the first time I have ever watched her drama. At first, I don't like her portrayal but as the series progresses, I understand the whole picture, she is also fully embracing the naive, pitiable and confused character of Misa. Her change is very subtle, so that when you imagine it in real life, you will not really notice. The character building for her character from naive and gullible to a strong woman who fully realizes her worth is very good.
There are some stiff moments and awkward acting from the supporting characters that need improvement, but it's minuscule that I can forgive them because most of the actors did their part splendidly.
Like I said, although for me these three actors really shine in their portrayals, the supporting cast gives complex dynamics and oomph to their characters. Congratulations! I normally do not watch remakes, especially since it hasn't been long since the original aired, but this one is worth it. It didn't take away any greatness from the original instead, they spin it as fully their own interpretation that works splendidly.
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Best adaptation of the webtoon
The Japanese version of Marry My Husband is, in my opinion, the best adaptation of the webtoon so far. Compared to the K-drama version, this one feels fresher and more emotionally engaging. The male lead is absolutely stunning and easily the best-looking male lead among the adaptations, which adds to the overall appeal.One thing that stood out to me was the chemistry between the leads—it felt more natural and intense here than in the Korean drama. The emotional buildup and romantic tension were portrayed beautifully, making the story even more enjoyable.
The ending was perfect, though there were some significant changes from the original webtoon and the K-drama. For example, Reina’s death was a surprising twist since it didn’t happen in either the webtoon or the Korean adaptation. Additionally, there was no wedding scene, which some might miss, but honestly, the story still felt complete and satisfying.
Overall, while there were many changes,they worked well and gave the show its own identity. If you’ve read the webtoon or watched the K-drama, this version is still worth watching.
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Live without regrets, without waiting for a chance that might never come.
I will be perfectly honest - if I have not seen the Korean version, did not know how the story goes and was able to experience it all for the first time watching the Japanese adaptation, I would rate it higher. Knowing all the twists and turns did take away from the excitement I could have felt.With that, I would for sure recommend not even looking at the Korean version and just watching this one. It’s better in almost all areas.
Starting from the story - cutting the number of episodes to 10 was a wise choice. The pacing has to be tight to keep the tension up. At the same time, they managed not to bombard me with rage-inducing scenes one after another, giving me time to breathe and calm down with heartwarming moments between leads, but also truly adorable scenes of growing friendship between Misa, Yuriko and Miku. I don’t know how, but they were able to seemingly blend borderline telenovela and slice of life and all the scenes had perfect flow and smooth transition.
I truly appreciate how, despite the crazy plot, the whole show felt weirdly grounded in reality. All thanks to the characters’ writing. Four main leads truly felt like real people rather than exaggerated caricatures of cliche tropes (as they did in the Korean version). Kanbe Misa was not as much of a pushover in her second life as I thought she would be. Suzuki Wataru, while still ridiculously perfect, had that goofy side in him that made it a bit more believable. And both Esaka Reina and Hirano Tomoya were not as psychotic (this is one of the aspects I actually liked in the Korean version more - Soo Min was just a different level of evil).
Most big plot moments were delivered in just the right time, with just the right amount of flare and drama. The execution was close to perfection in hitting these highlights. Wish it had more romance? I guess cutting episodes means removing some aspect, they did leave all the important bits in, and it's more about Kanbe Misa and her journey anyway, but damn I wished to see more romantic scenes, because Satoh Takeru is just that hot.
Acting wise, as much as I love Satoh Takeru and I truly believe he aced the role, the true star was undoubtedly Koshiba Fuka. I believed every tear, every smile, every smirk and every line. Be it happiness, sadness, anger, helplessness or hopefulness, frustration, excitement, surprise, confusion - she hit the right note for every emotion. She also looked freaking stunning!
As for visuals - beautiful. Aesthetic feast. The best aspect? Lighting. The way they just knew when to film to make the sceneries look better - no words to describe how grateful I am. Indoors, outdoors, morning, night - no matter when or where, they did their best to give us the most stunning views.
Random specific things I enjoyed a lot/liked better than Korean version:
First of all, the conclusion they gave for Kanbe Misa and Esaka Reina was extremely satisfying, had more depth and actual emotional impact than the original version.
Not name dropping BTS for cloud (or any other popular group). I am sorry, but that “favorite song” moment in the Korean version was so ridiculous and cringe worthy I borderline wanted to drop the drama because of it.
Suzuki Wataru not being a “barely emoting wall of perfection”. It was so good to see all these emotions clearly visible on Satoh Takeru’s face.
The views! Again, I am amazed with how beautiful this drama looked.
Overall, yes I am aware this review focuses a lot on comparing this show with the Korean version, but I honestly want to make it clear that if one has to pick one over another - they should go with the Japanese version first. Even though the drama is literally about getting second chance, at the end of the day it sends a clear message that one should not wait for miracle to happen, and should start living the life they want to live now - no regrets, no hesitation, not doubt.
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To love and to be loved are different things.
Do you remember that song from Eurovision 2025, where the singer shared this deep life philosophy?“Life is like spaghetti —
Hard until you make it.
No stresso, no stresso,
It's gonna be espresso.”
Well, I’m pretty sure the main character of this series took that advice to heart. She made herself a double espresso macchiato and told the annoying ones dragging her down that this time, it wasn’t going to happen. Because life is too short to be poisoned by people who don’t respect you—especially when you can sip espresso in peace, surrounded by good company… and the person who takes care of your turtle.
Something like that, just with more dramatic flair and a background ballad.
First:
I haven’t seen the original, so I’m not burdened with comparisons or expectations.
Second:
It’s a series about love, friendship, and the big question:
What would you do if you had the power to go back and change the future?
That’s not to say it’s all sunshine and feel-good moments. It was sad and lonely at times, but also fun and romantic.
I really loved the two main characters.
Wataru especially stood out—he’s not a man of grand declarations, but one of quiet actions. And sometimes, that’s even more powerful. He was kind, thoughtful, a little awkward, but so genuine. He gave Misa exactly what she needed: time, space, and a safe place to find herself.
And Misa needed exactly that. To grow up, discover her strengths, and learn how to tell the difference between real friends and people who are just… there.
I liked watching Misa grow, and how her love for Wataru blossomed. She remained kind and gentle—but only to those who truly deserved it.
And most importantly, she finally learned to love and respect herself.
I also loved that the story had more going on than just romance—the workplace scenes, the meetings with friends, even her colleague’s family.
It was a soft reminder that fate doesn’t disappear—it simply changes direction.
As for the ex-girlfriend and the ex-fiancé?
They got the justice they deserved—very Korean (crossed out) Japanese drama style: quiet, graceful, and with no need for a dramatic monologue.
The new friendships reminded me that true connection is mutual. It’s built slowly, carefully, with effort from both sides. And if that effort’s missing?
That’s okay. Just walk away.
Honestly, I don’t have much bad to say about this series.
I just didn’t connect as deeply as I thought I would.
Did I like it?
Yes.
Did I love it?
Not quite.
That’s why it’s not a 10-star for me—more like a solid 8,5.
The romance was there, sure, but I wanted it to burn a little brighter. I expected more spark.
And… that’s it.
I’ll take that espresso macchiato now.
I’m not kidding
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