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Review

8.5/10 is my rating

Scroll down for a unique synopsis if you want to know what this is about. There aren't a lot out there and it gets confused with others of similar title.

Marry You is what I feel constitutes a hidden gem. I have watched over 400 Asian dramas, mostly Korean, and mostly rated on average 9.0 and above. So, I am very selective, but I am also running out of things to watch that fit all my criteria. I dug deep in my search to find some hidden gems, and this came up as one of them. This Korean romance isn't one of those high-profile hits everyone’s talking about. And I think it is somewhat a factor of it not being widely available or maybe the opposite is true. But the fact that it is not all the buzz is part of its charm—it's a hidden gem that fellow movie and drama lovers who enjoy sweet, feel-good tales might want to seek out. I rated it an 8.5/10, which for me means it's solidly enjoyable and worth recommending, even if it doesn't quite reach perfection. I'd still suggest it to anyone who likes romances that tug at the heartstrings without getting too heavy.

Overall, the story follows Bong Cheol-hee (Lee Yi-kyung), a kind-hearted bachelor from a quiet island village, and Jung Ha-na (Jo Soo-min), a civil servant who had a bad experience which made her firmly against the idea of marriage for herself. What unfolds is a predictable romance in the best way— the kind where you know from the start that these two, one who is ready for marriage and one who has sworn off marriage, warm to each other, build a connection, and hopefully find their happy ending. It's heartwarming and cute, with plenty of moments that made me smile and root for the characters. Bong Cheol-hee, in particular, is the standout; he's such a sweet, genuine guy—helpful to everyone around him, including the adorable niece and nephew he's raising—that it's impossible not to cheer for him. Jung Ha-na is sweet too, but her past created some emotional flaws more guarded in her emotional interactions. She portrays this happy go lucky persona but her deep self is uncertain and unwilling to gamble her emotional well-being for love. The supporting cast, including the quirky team at the marriage agency bring some fun energy and light humor without overdoing it.

If you're looking for a cozy watch that celebrates kindness and second chances in love, this one delivers. It's not groundbreaking, but in a sea of more intense dramas, its simple charm is refreshing. Just know it's the type where you settle in for the predictable beats of a good romance—you're always hoping they'll get that good ending. If you know me I am not one to recommend anything that has a tragic ending.

Spoilers

There are several plot holes and frustrating aspects that keep it from scoring perfect on my scale.

First off, the whole setup with the marriage agency felt inconsistent. The mayor pushes this as a special project to boost his re-election, pulling in the entire team like it's a temporary gig, but then it suddenly seems like a well-established operation with long-term plans. At one point, they're handling over 90 clients—that's no small number, and it makes the agency feel way more permanent than the initial "quick fix" vibe suggested. It just didn't add up smoothly. They also aren't really experts in relationships but that is the role they are playing in the way they interview each client. And then they are held responsible if there is not a good outcome as if they are somehow matchmaking experts. No-one has that formula of love that dialed in. Sometimes opposites attract and sometimes they absolutely detest each other. There is just way too much complexity in human emotional interactions for anyone to predict the perfect match. So, it was an odd unit in that regard.

Then there's Jung Ha-na's (Jo Soo-min) past relationship with her college ex (the one who faked an affair to break things off). It's weird that she forgives him so easily once the truth comes out about his father's gambling debts. And he should've been upfront and let her decide, instead of staging something so hurtful—it left her feeling rejected and pitied, which is a real stigma for a woman. So when he comes back, tells her the truth of what happened when their relationship ended and claims he wants her back it never reached second guy vibes because, obviously, she wouldn't fall for that. Or she certainly shouldn't. But what really made it so I never got strong second contender vibes, is she friend zones him, he tells others he hopes to win her back but then does absolutely nothing to show romantic interest; he just seemingly accepts the friend zone and acts disappointed later without making any real moves. It was frustrating to watch, like if you want someone you have to tell them. Just watching and having some kind of weird jealousy from afar does not make you a strong second man character. He expected her to come back to him without her ever even knowing he still hoped for that.

The dynamic with Oh In-ah (Ji Yi-soo) was another head-scratcher. The show build them as a possible second romance. That the two rejected exes will wind up together. They were friends enough to conspire to make Ha-na think they are having an affair. Then they meet regularly to talk about how much they long for the leads. Even stalk after them a bit together spying on their growing attachment. And, there is this pizza scene that shows how much they think alike. Almost completing each other's sentences. Serious couple vibes. Any minute they should be confessing, and it would make sense given the entire series seemed to build to that. But, last few episodes she not only gives up on lead guy but then she jumps into an arranged marriage while Choi Ki-jun (Koo Jun-hoe) stays a bachelor? It didn't make narrative sense. Why the build up to a second romance if that was going to be the conclusion?

Bong Cheol-hee’s (Lee Yi-kyung) backstory as a former firefighter had this bizarre side plot where he saves a rich guy, who later picks him up in a fancy car. I thought it was building to something meaningful, like the guy becoming a benefactor or mentor, but nope—it just fizzles out. It seemed like it was only there so Jung Ha-na (Jo Soo-min) could mistakenly think he was involved with shady types like the mob, but it came across as a forced, pointless detour. And he just gave up being a firefighter and is now what? A sous chef? An island bum? I mean I really liked him but he has two kids and now a girlfriend and needed to have something serious going on. I thought that was a little weird. It ends with him coming on as a special member of the team - but that didn't seem permanent.

There was a recurring pattern of immoral or near-criminal behavior getting brushed off too easily, which really pulled me out of the story. For instance, Oh In-ah (Ji Yi-soo) essentially pays to have Bong Cheol-hee’s (Lee Yi-kyung) niece and nephew kidnapped and shipped off to boarding school without his permission. When it's revealed, she just shrugs it off like, "Oh, I thought you'd like it," and everyone forgives her. You arrange to have the dead beat father come kidnap the kids and ship them off - that is not a forgivable action. But it was like oh well she is sorry and thought she was doing the right thing. I mean there is a whole scene where he essentially says that and that was so out of character for him. He adored those children. Why would he forgive some girlfriend for trying to ship them off? And his brother? He is like bad on you man. And that is essentially it.

Even creepier was the mayor's son storyline. There are all these reports of women being assaulted and how it is not safe for women to be out and all indicators point to this masked mystery man. It builds like he's this predatory figure, almost leading to something as serious as date rape, with all the tension around women not being safe alone implying he's the culprit. And he acts so creepy to In-ah and tries to do something we don't fully know to her when she pretends to be drunk. Yeah, she head butts him and he ultimately apologizes but what he did was criminal. They figure out it is the mayor's illegitimate son who has mommy issues because of it, and the mayor is feeling guilty and going above and beyond for the son, and they all feel sorry. So, the mayor asks nicely, and they just drop it—no charges, no fallout. The whole thread vanishes, which felt like a massive cop-out after the buildup.

What was really frustrating in terms of the romance itself was we waited so long for Bong Cheol-hee (Lee Yi-kyung) and Jung Ha-na (Jo Soo-min) to finally get together. They are finally admitting their feelings and showing affection and she suddenly gets cold feet about long-term commitment and marriage? It contradicted her earlier damage from the breakup, where she was heartbroken because she truly wanted to marry. Why flip that now? Hadn't she forgiven the ex, admitted she probably would not have followed through herself had she known the real reason, and had all these insights on relationships through observing other couples. Wasn't she emotionally grown and healed now?

Bong Cheol-hee (Lee Yi-kyung) absolutely carried the show—he's so sweet and decent to everyone, from the women in his life to all the people around him, that you can't help but root for him. The niece and nephew are just precious, adding that adorable family element. In the end, they do end up as a couple, which ties things up nicely. There is no permanence, like it shows a proposal but I wasn't clear if she accepted or not. Just an "I love you" I guess that was a yes? But they are a couple plus two. And she just seemed like good buddies with the kids. I wish Jung Ha-na (Jo Soo-min) had stepped up more as a true mother figure for the kids. They needed that stability after losing their parents, but she comes across more like a friendly aunt or distant relative—playing guitar while they're in the background, not really engaging like a committed partner would. A happier resolution for me would've shown her fully embracing that role, making the family feel complete. Still, despite these quirks, it's a recommend from me for its overall sweetness.

Synopsis

This is a 2024 South Korean romantic comedy drama with 10, 60-minute episodes.

Bong Cheol-Hee (Lee Yi-Kyung) is a warm-hearted single guy from the quiet island village of Cheongdo who is juggling odd jobs while raising his mischievous twin niece and nephew, Bong San-Yi (Seo Woo-Jin) and Bong Ba-Da (Ahn Tae-Rin). He was featured in a documentary just about being a young bachelor and the island and that results in him getting roped into a quirky government matchmaking scheme. The mayor formed a special team to help solve the decline in marriage problem and appoints the only civil service expert they know of, Jung Ha-Na (Jo Soo-Min), to act as the "government expert" on matchmaking based on a former job she had at a dating agency. At first reluctant, because one of her previous matches resulted in tragedy, she is promised a promotion and decides to accept the special assignment short term until she meets the criteria for promotion. Ironically, Ha-na actually hates the idea of marriage largely because of her ex, Choi Ki-Joon (Koo Jun-Hoe). And, as luck would have it, Ki-Joon, who is also a civil servant, is assigned as the supervisor of the government matchmaking team. Ha-Na, as the perceived expert, is assigned Cheol-Hee who is seen as a difficult case due to his carefree lifestyle and the fact that he comes with two children. But determined to get that promotion, Ha-Na pushed Cheol-Hee toward eligible ladies like the fancy chaebol heiress Oh In-Ah (Ji E-Suu). But proximity breeds unintended feelings and even though they are like country mouse and city mouse and there are a lot of hilarious mix-ups there are also a lot of heartfelt moments centered on love and family. Cheol-Hee may be the only one that can convince Ha-Na love is worth the emotional risk.