143

The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract: Episode 1-2

Yet another contract marriage K-drama has hit the airwaves, but this time our heroine hails from the Joseon era. She’s spunky, ambitious, and ahead of her time — until suddenly she isn’t. Transported to the year 2023, she finds herself woefully out of place and decidedly behind the times, but maybe the man with a familiar face will help her adjust to the 21st century.

EPISODES 1-2

The Story of Park's Marriage Contract: Episodes 1-2

The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract isn’t a groundbreaking drama — not that it pretended to be. In fact, the first episode contains enough K-drama tropes to fill up a bingo card, and yet, I found the premiere utterly charming. (So far) The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract has managed to do what many dramas before it have failed to do: Frankenstein a bunch of plot devices stolen from past iconic K-dramas into something that feels fresh despite its unoriginality.

Our amalgamation begins with the introduction of our leading lady, PARK YEON-WOO (Lee Se-young), who moonlights as the mysterious and highly sought after hanbok and undergarment designer. Yeon-woo is the daughter of a noble family, and although her wealth and loving parents have granted her more freedoms than the average woman of her time, she desires complete independence. She’s simultaneously keenly aware of the unfairness of her circumstances, and utterly naive in thinking that the solution to her problems is a fresh start in either Qing or the Americas, where — let’s be real — we all know an unmarried Joseon woman isn’t going to fare much better.

The Story of Park's Marriage Contract: Episodes 1-2

Yeon-woo’s dreams first take a hit after her male business partner betrays her and starts producing clothing copied from her designs. Her brand has lost its value, but Yeon-woo is a woman with a plan. She decides that the way to rebuild her reputation is to have the eldest son of the Kang family — a man so ugly that he remains unwed at the ripe old age of twenty-eight — married while wearing her designs. Yeon-woo theorizes that then people will attribute the end of his bachelorhood to her clothing designs. And just like that, Yeon-woo’s brand will rebound.

To put her plan in motion, Yeon-woo sneaks into the Kang household, intent on making her marriage proposition to the ugliest man she can find. Instead, she meets KANG TAE-HA (Bae In-hyuk), and he’s so handsome that his meet-cute with Yeon-woo is worthy of not one — but two! — swoony moments full of prolonged eye contact and falling cherry blossoms. Before Tae-ha can introduce himself as the “ugly” bachelor Yeon-woo’s seeking, she has to make a hasty exit because she spots her mother among the guests arriving for the youngest Kang son’s birthday party.

Unfortunately, at this point, things go from bad to worse for Yeon-woo’s secret business. The king catches the princess wearing a mini-skirt and bans all scandalous, immoral clothing from the kingdom. And just like that, Yeon-woo’s business goes up in (literal) flames. To make matters worse, Yeon-woo’s mother (Kim Yeo-jin), who has known all along about her daughter’s secret profession, delivers some harsh truth bombs. The freedom and independence Yeon-woo dreams of cannot be attained by women, and the few privileges she has benefited from over the years have been due to her parents’ leniency and social status. Being a single, independent woman won’t make her life better.

Yeon-woo resigns herself to her status in life and an arranged marriage to the “ugly” Kang bachelor — but not without first making one last ditch effort to run away. Tae-ha catches her in the act of climbing over the wall, but instead of snitching on her — or being offended that she would try to run away from their upcoming wedding — he takes her on a date.

You see, Tae-ha has been smitten with Yeon-woo since a one-time encounter as children, and ever since then, he’s cherished the butterfly norigae she left behind. Yeon-woo, however, has no recollection of meeting him — or at least she doesn’t recognize him — but each time she encounters Tae-ha in the present, she grows more and more fond of him because he’s charming and — more importantly — supportive of her dreams. Little does she know, he’s her husband-to-be, but before she can find out that tidbit of information, her father finds her and takes her back home, where she resigns to follow through with her duty as a daughter.

The wedding day arrives, and while I was eagerly anticipating the moment Yeon-woo discovered her new husband’s true identity, I failed to pick up on the subtle cues that not all was well with Tae-ha. As the story intended, I assumed Tae-ha was just another staunchly independent man who was either averse to the idea of marriage or holding out for the right woman (e.g. Yeon-woo). But sadly, our nobleman has a heart condition and fears dying young — thus leaving his widow behind to navigate his stepmother’s (Jin Kyung) machinations without him.

On their wedding night, Tae-ha cuts the strings of their hanbok to signify the end of their marriage, but Yeon-woo is staunchly against an annulment and falls asleep blocking the door to prevent his exit. As Tae-ha gazes fondly at her sleeping form, his heart rate accelerates, he coughs up blood, and before the sun rises on their married life, Tae-ha dies. Despite the unexpectedness and abruptness of Tae-ha’s death, it didn’t feel rushed to me because the story did well with Tae-ha’s introduction and characterization. I felt appropriately sad and outraged by his demise.

The Story of Park's Marriage Contract: Episodes 1-2

I can’t say the same, however, for Yeon-woo’s subsequent trip to the future. One minute she’s mourning her husband and telling her deceitful mother-in-law that she will properly perform her duties as a widow (despite the Kang family’s duplicitousness of hiding his condition prior to the wedding) — the next she’s being kidnapped and tossed into a well. Would it have killed the drama gods to have given me five more minutes to process Tae-ha’s death with Yeon-woo before we moved on to the fantasy story element?

After falling into the well, Yeon-woo is magically transported to the future, where Kang Tae-ha (2023 edition) fishes her out of a hotel swimming pool. This Tae-ha is nothing like the sweet one from the Joseon era. Instead, he’s the K-drama stereotype of a stoic CEO. His only act of selflessness is the inconvenience of faking an elaborate marriage to appease his grandfather, KANG SANG-MO (Chun Ho-jin), who refuses to get a life-saving surgery in the United States until after he’s seen his grandson settled into wedded bliss. So when the fake bride-to-be fails to show up for the wedding, Tae-ha turns to the crazy, chlorine-drenched woman already calling him “husband.”

The Story of Park's Marriage Contract: Episodes 1-2

Yeon-woo, poor thing, thinks she’s arrived in the afterlife and is utterly devastated that her husband doesn’t remember her, so when Tae-ha proposes marriage — albeit fake — she complies, hopeful that this marriage is some sort of afterlife ritual that will result in them being together. After the wedding, though, Tae-ha grows frustrated by her clinginess and crazy behaviors, and unsympathetically explains that she’s in the year 2023. Not Joseon. Not the afterlife.

Okay, fine, Yeon-woo might accept that she’s traveled to the future, but she has a harder time believing that Tae-ha is not her husband. His hair may be shorter, but the name and face are a match! But then Tae-ha ditches her and leaves his assistant, HONG SUNG-PYO (Jo Bok-rae), with instructions to pay her off and take her to a hospital. The uncaring abandonment is decidedly uncharacteristic of her kind husband.

Instead of going to the hostpital to get her mental health checked, Yeon-woo wanders off on her own, distracted by a group of foreigners in hanbok who lead her to Gyeongbokgung Palace, where Yeon-woo officially accepts that she’s a time traveler. Along with this acceptance comes the terrifying reality that she has absolutely no idea how to survive in this crazy world, and Yeon-woo’s utter cluelessness is not only extremely amusing, but also a testament to this drama’s attention to detail. Sure, we get the expected fish-out-of-water-and-time clichés — like the inability to walk in high heels — but I thought Yeon-woo’s struggle to use a lever door knob was a stroke of genius.

Yeon-woo continues to bumble her way through Seoul, aided briefly by a knowledgeable young boy, which only emphasizes Yeon-woo’s child-like wonder and helplessness. Luckily for her, though, Sang-mo’s surgery was rescheduled, and Tae-ha finds himself desperately needing his fake wife. After only one night of homelessness, Tae-ha locates Yeon-woo and offers her money in exchange for pretending to be his wife for the day. Having finally figured out how to use modern currency, Yeon-woo accepts, realizing she will need the cash to survive in 2023.

However, after charming Sang-mo’s socks off, Yeon-woo refuses to leave Tae-ha’s home. You see, now that she’s processed her situation and accepted that the grumpy Tae-ha does not have her back, Yeon-woo’s mind has cleared and her savviness has returned. She’s aware that Tae-ha needs her to keep up his charade of having a wife, which gives her the upper hand. So, until she finds her own place, she blackmails Tae-ha into letting her crash with him. After all, what will happen if Sang-mo stops by for another unexpected visit?

The next surprise visitor, however, is Tae-ha’s half-brother KANG TAE-MIN (Yoo Seon-ho), who already had a rather contentious meeting with Yeon-woo during her brief period of homelessness. Right behind him is Tae-ha’s stepmother MIN HYE-SOOK (also played by Jin Kyung). She’s another familiar face from the Joseon era, and Yeon-woo is instantly on guard when she sees her former mother-in-law — as she should be.

All signs point to history repeating itself. Not only is Hye-sook giving off some seriously sinister vibes — which makes me wonder how far she will go to block Tae-ha from inheriting his grandfather’s company — but the way Tae-ha tracks his heartrate suggests he has a similar heart condition to his Joseon counterpart. At this point, I’m seriously hoping it’s a misdirect, because I don’t want the potential death of our male lead looming over the rest of our story. I grew abnormally attached to Joseon Tae-ha after only one episode, and I’ll probably cry if I have to watch another version of him die — especially if I have the time to watch him grow from a stoic grumpy pants to a loving and doting contract husband.

Overall, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the first two episodes of this drama. As I mentioned above, the plot isn’t original, but I think this drama is off to a good start because of its characterizations. The characters are likable, and although their Joseon counterparts are portrayed as being perhaps a bit too modern, it makes me all the more excited to see them in a time and setting where those personalities can shine.

Take Yeon-woo’s relationship with her handmaid, SA WOL (Joo Hyun-young). It’s pretty common in sageuk for the noblewoman to be “friends” with her maid, but the companionship between Yeon-woo and Sa Wol felt genuine. In particular, the scene where they drank the king’s milk made them feel like equals. Again, not the most historically accurate portrayal of a noblewoman and her servant, but for the purpose of this K-drama, I was happy to see that Sa Wol somehow traveled to the future, too. I can’t wait to see them reunited and under circumstances where they can freely toss aside the caste system.

Along that vein, I appreciate how this drama gave a purpose to the time travel plot device beyond it being a means for Yeon-woo to find love and/or correct the past, which is usually the case for such stories. In Joseon, Yeon-woo wanted freedom and independence that was denied to her by her status as a woman. Now, she’s in a time and place where she can — for the most part — achieve what she desires. So, in addition to a love story, this drama is about female empowerment and independence, and I’m curious to see how the drama will continue to balance that theme with the romance plot — especially when our present-day Tae-ha hasn’t been the greatest ally to our leading lady.

RELATED POSTS

Tags: , , , ,

143

Required fields are marked *

This drama way better than the other premier...please do not kill Bae In Hyuk in early episode again 🙏🙏🙏. The first 2 eps were definitely good enough for me to hook a special interest of another kdrama again (after a long slump)

11
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree. I liked both premiers, but this one stands out for me.

3
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

We lucked out with two good premiers. Let’s see what two more for next week have in store.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

This almost feels like a reverse gender version of Queen In Hyuns man.

I was suprised at how much i enjoyed the first 2 episodes, Lee Se-young is an always reliable leading lady, even when the drama is not good,she is never bad in it.

Also can we please stop typecasting Jin Kyung as the cold-rich-evil-middle-aged woman who hates her own children lol

19
11
reply

Required fields are marked *

I second this, almost all the dramas Jin Kyung gets cast in as a mother, she is a nasty one.

9
7
reply

Required fields are marked *

But she's nice in the Dr Romantic 1, 2 and 3!

4
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

But not in the role of a mother

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Pinnochio, Extraordinary WYW, My Lovely Liar, Love in Contract. Those are that I know of, the list probably could go on.

7
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

She was a nasty mother >< cult leader who loves to blow off other pregnant mom's fetuses/wombs in LUCA: The Beginning ... yikes!

3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm getting retraumatized just reading that list. I dread seeing her on screen because I've loathed every character I've seen her play (I don't watch medical dramas).

5
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

She doesn’t give pleasant vibes and makes my hackles go up every time I see her on screen. I’m re-traumatized too. Great acting but eew.

4

Oh Gosh! The poor lady! I quite liked her nuance in EAW.. Haven't seen the other stuff, feel bad that she is being typecast!

3
reply

Required fields are marked *

One of the things I really liked about Queen In Hyun's Man was the way the ML could go back and forth between the two time periods. That could be an interesting twist for this story too.

7
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I liked that too. And yes, I thought the same thing about the reverse Queen In-Hyun’s man. I am looking for another time slip drama that gives me the same feels as that one.

3
reply

Required fields are marked *

She was a caring mom in Oh My Venus though I think more of the emphasis was on her being the model daughter in law while trying to raise the model son only to be basically ignored and taken for granted until something happened with the son and she/they were kicked out(?). That makes it sound like they were kicked out because of the son; I don't think that's what happened but I don't remember exactly what happened.

She was treated that way cause she was the second wife and not the mother of the prodigal son/grandson.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I unfortunately haven't finished watching this week's episodes because I want to sit, watch and enjoy properley, but utterly charming is the exact term I'd use as well. I really like the FL and her spirited nature lots and whilst fusion sageuks tend to be hit or miss for me (the Joseon era storyline could be classified as fusion right??) this one hit all the right notes! And if this recap is anything to go by, it sounds like the shift into the modern setting will be just as entertaining.

12 episodes = super tight writing I presume, and I'm quite optimistic now seeing how this first episode is faring.

13
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

We're watching the same drama again - Yay!!! 🥰 I love your description - yes, utterly charming is how I would describe the opening week, too! I also hope the 12 episodes means the writing stays satisfying.

3
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

We are! How exciting!! 💕 Manifestation circle for this to stay charming till the end and make for a great live watch for both of us!

3
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes yes yes!!! 🙌 🤞🥹

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I did not like the first episode because the FL's character was made as a caricuture to show her as rebellious and independent woman. I neither found the short skirt scene to be funny nor stylish. I also think some of dislike towards the premiere is because of the certain context similarities with "The Matchmakers" drama, which the later has established with better writing and execution. So, it was such a relief when I found the second episode to be far far better because Lee Se Young is one of my favourites and I did not want to drop this like "Law Cafe".

The leads have fantastic chemistry which is evident from Ep 2 and I laughed at the silly riddles that Harabeoji kept asking, but I am tired of the villainous mom even before she can show her claws. I think in the present she is a step-mom or aunt. As much as the FL is smart in adapting to new environment, everything has been done before, so I am not much amused.

I am going to try something new with the drama, skip all scenes and watch only the romance scenes between the leads.

14
14
reply

Required fields are marked *

I have an inkling that plot may have FL waking from coma in 2023 or as a long lost little kid of a chaebol family in 2023 with no recollection of her past due to some accident. If that's not the case, will she go back in time to alter the fate of the ML in Joseon era?

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Oh, I thought I was the only one who could not finish Law Cafe
It didn't last a big enough impact to talk about hating Law Cafe. But it gave me no enjoyment what-so-ever. So, I'll follow your lead with this particular drama and give it a chance!

8
7
reply

Required fields are marked *

@DarkCc I dropped "Law Cafe" after Ep 2 and I don't think that counts as "struggling to finish" 😅😅, but I don't think this drama could bore you any worse than LC did.

3
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

I gave it 5 episodes and could still not love any of the characters, or even the plot line... I like to suffer from a few episodes just to give everyone a fair chance... Either that or I like the pain. Not sure.

1
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

What drama in 2023 spared you from voluntary or involuntary "pain"?

1

@emsel - to answer your question: definitely not The Good Bad Mother (was it 2023? It feels ages ago) and not The Uncanny Counter 2

As I am still elbow deep into it, I’m tempted to say Perfect Marriage Revenge for now. No pain despite the fact I was expected so much boredom and rage at the writing. How wrong I was!
I’ll have to check through my 2023 drama list to provide more than one title (i am still shocked that it is nearly December and I am not sure where the year has gone)

2

@DarkCc are you publicly announcing your secret love for PMR despite those 100 page rant report? :O :P

0

@emsel - i will continue to deny it vehemently… but *cough cough*… maybe a little bit?

The drama has definitely been such a pleasant surprise (i regret going through the horrendous webtoon 😭)

0

I too dropped Law café after a few eps. I found no chemistry between the couple.

5
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think they already had great chemistry in the Joseon scenes. At least I enjoyed their moments together.

8
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I did not care for any of them in Joseon era and probably did not pay attention to their chemistry. 1st episode did not grab my attention like second. I think this drama would have benefitted from having the scenes in Ep 1 as flashbacks.

3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Me too. If he hadn’t been so sweet and adorable, I don’t think I would have had patience for his modern day tsundere chaebol character. Other than the usual chaebol fatigue, I kept thinking, that he clearly thinks something is wrong with this woman, clear mental health issues from his perspective, and yet he ropes her in for his little scheme. It was a bit discomfiting.

8
reply

Required fields are marked *

I didnt like the short skirt scene either. Am I getting old? But I think it was more because the colors were garish

6
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I found it ridiculous to have such a short skirt at this period in time.
But the princess made me think of a kpop idol and I saw the fun in the scene.
I'm in for the ridiculous fun.

4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thank you for the recap, DaebakGrits! ✨

I'M IN.

1. LSY is KILLING IT. She's awesome in this role! I feel like the character is 100% cool, but LSY's acting is making her 200% better. I just LOVE Yeon Woo. She's wonderful.

2. I totally fell for the ML in his past life! He was lovely. I'm gonna miss him till the end.

Tbh, I just wanted the show to continue there in Joseon. I wanted to see them fall in love after marriage, I wanted to see him support his wife with her dream. I know he would've done something to help her make clothes again. Maybe they would've scape together? Idk, I just wanted them to be happy. T.T

But I liked the second episode, and the new ML seems as nice as chaebols can be in kdramaland, he's secretly a softy. So I'm going to support this new ship and hope we get back some of the sweetness we saw in episode 1 (before episode 16, please).

2. The girls!!
I really liked the women in the first episode.

I love how confident and bold Sa Wol is. When she threw water to the guard, when she flexed her cooking skills, when she said the best was money and men, and then she asked FL why she didn't give the money to her instead of that traitor. LOL I just loved every scene with her.

And the mom, aww, she was just a mom taking care of her daughter. I feel kinda bad things ended this way because I wonder if there's people looking for the FL in Joseon or if they think she's dead or what. The mom just wanted to protect her, but things ended up like this... Aigoo.

The flashback we see in the present, when the FL remembers the song her mom used to sing to her broke my heart. 💔

One thing that made me feel bad about the time travel plot was watching Yeon Woo all alone. She used to have such a loving family, a home. But in 2023 she lost everything. But like DaebakGrits said, "In Joseon, Yeon-woo wanted freedom and independence that was denied to her by her status as a woman. Now, she’s in a time and place where she can — for the most part — achieve what she desires.". I think this is what the show is trying to achieve and I'm happy about it.

I'm also glad Sa Wol will be there for her. I hope they meet soon. Our awesome duo!

And I can't shut up about the short hanbok, that scene was everything. The princess all happy with her exotic clothes and then the court lady talking about the lingerie she bought for her, and the two of them being all happy and excited. 😊 What that scene said about the relationship between those two and their personalities, made me want them to be recurring characters. They seemed like another chaotic duo I would love!

3. Back to 2023. The cute haraboji and the secretary were my favorite new characters.

Men obsessed with cake is the new trend? 😆 It was adorable to watch the haraboji act so curious about what was inside the cake. That scene was so cute. And I liked how smooth he was trying to take money from his secretary LOL. The poor man was minding his own...

20
19
reply

Required fields are marked *

[...] And I liked how smooth he was trying to take money from his secretary LOL. The poor man was minding his own business driving and then haraboji was like "give me 2000 won, you didn't get my joke". LOL

And the secretary is so jumpy? Idk if that's the word, but I feel like he could go "ERROR 404" at any second. Why so nervous my man? Hahaha. He's fun too, I liked him.

Anyway, we have a cohabitation —pretty soon marriage contract— trope in our hands! This can only be fun!

And I want more of Yeon Woo trying to figure out the "new Joseon". The scene where she can't open the door was brilliant. And the fight with the TV... LOL I loved it. When she threw the money tho... That hurt me. Hahaha. But I'm glad she was able to eat thanks to the adorable kid.

This was such a fun weekend, I hope we get more of that next week! And Tae Ha please don't be sick!

And I need to stop writing such long comments. Ha.

10
16
reply

Required fields are marked *

No, I enjoy reading your opinions as numbered points😂

2
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Hahaha, thanks!<3

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Keep writing long comments. I feel like they cover most of what I want to say so phew!

And I'm also IN with both shows (you know what I mean :). Such fun premieres. Tho I'll always lean a little more toward a more mature show with tragic romantic undertones and interesting messaging about women, but that's just how I roll.

Now waiting for the next weekend premiere to drown in dramas (because surely there will be underwater scenes in that one too).

6
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Agree with you on the long comments. @enriquequierecagar I like reading your numbered opinions😂😂

3
reply

Required fields are marked *

*snorts over “because surely there will be underwater scenes in that one too” 🙄 right?

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks! ^^

More underwater scenes for us! Hahaha. I hope we have as much fun with the new new shows as we had the (old) new shows this past weekend.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I love all your comments!! Keep it up!! You said everything I was thinking - I agree with all your points!! 😁

1
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thank you! *Next time uses 5 comments too finish what she was saying*. 😆

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

All this! And Choco pie!

1
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

It was cute and hilarious when she came out with a meaning for "choco". I also like how she made Tae Ha buy her a full box of it as part of the agreement to help him. 🤣

2
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yup! And that expression when she bit into it!!

1

That money throwing scene hurt me as well. If she only knew what she threw away. The brother did not even care that she threw money at him. Lol

I am most looking forward to the cohabitation shenanigans. There are a lot of potential in that with this two!

4
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

The brother was worse than her tho. She didn't know that was money. But he did know what it was and he didn't care at all. Maybe he thought of it as a payment for the dry cleaning? LMAO

Yes!! The refrigerator scene was already cute. So I can't wait to see what else it's gonna happen in that big house. 🤗

4
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes! maybe he thought it was payment for the dry cleaning but his ego was more bruised

2

I was surprised that no one in the street moved to catch the money. Maybe they thought it was fake?

5

@jillian for a second, I thought he was going to be one of those chaebols that gets obsessed over things like this, and I thought he was going to start a manhunt for her or something. LOL
Like "how dare she, I need to find her and make her pay". But maybe he felt offended for a sec, took the money and left. 😂

@darwi the people that saw her throw the money maybe though it was fake (or dirty?) But if there was still money on the street after she left, it's probably gone now. Haha.

1

"Tbh, I just wanted the show to continue there in Joseon."

So did I :) I'm a Sageuk lover so no surprise there...but also the first episode was just so pretty! I would've been content to see Madam Butterfly with all her beautiful embroidery for a while longer.

The flashback of Yeon Woo's mother singing to her got me in my feelings too 😢 It was lovely.

2
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Exactly. The first episode was so pretty! We had a nice group of characters with fun dynamics, an adorable couple and an interesting story. It was sad to see that go.
But I believe we'll have a good time in the "new Joseon". Fighting!

That flashback... 🥺😔

3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Hum...

I'm not fond in the FL yet. I think the too modern sageuk part didn't help to make me understand the FL. If I understand that heroines want more freedom in this patriarchy world, in sageuk, it still needs to make sense. In her situation, she's a noble (a big house, food, clothes), she has nice parents, she has a good servant and friend. There is nothing to complain about in her life. I wished they showed more about her skills in brodery and how she developped them than and overall a beautiful clothes and not this awful pink skirt that the Princess was wearing...

She adapted pretty fast and well in the modern world. Playing the ligghts reminded me the French movie, Les Visiteurs, when the servant played with the switch of the light "Night, day, night, day" :p

For Tae-Ha we didn't know a lot of Tae-Ha in the past, except, they have a childhood connection that they ignored. I'm not sure why he coughed up blood if he had heart issue.

For Tae-Ha in the present, he reminded me Dan-Oh with his heart issue and his watch that goes off with the FL's presence :p Of course, there are family issues with step-mother, step-brother and a nice grandpa who wants him to marry (and who has secrets too).

Like for My Demon, I'm more interested in the future tropes that will be brought by their fake marriage.

7
8
reply

Required fields are marked *

I kinda feel like the stepmother killed Tae Ha and wanted to blame Yeon Woo for it.

10
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

I was wondering too but we didn't get many scenes in the past after his death.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

She didn't tell Yeon Woo's family he was sick, then he suddenly dies after making that confession to the FL on their wedding night. Then the FL tells her that she knew he was sick, and she gets kidnapped?

I feel like the stepmother didn't expected him to tell anything to Yeon Woo. She poisoned him and expected him to die quietly that night, but things got noisy because of Yeon Woo so she got rid of her.

9
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I don't know, there was the weird woman who seemed to be a part of it.

5

I too thought of this because the ML's sad mom in Joseon did not worry too much about his failing health. She was more interested in getting him married than finding him miraculous cure or exotic medicines.

5
reply

Required fields are marked *

Because she had good parents and she saw that there was love between them, she probably wanted the same for herself. As long as they didn't force her to get married, she lived freely and was happy. The more freedom you have, the more you want it. It wasn't her parents that were the problem, it was everyone else, the society that limited her. Ultimately, she agreed to get married because she probably thought that her parents didn't want anything bad for her, since they had always loved her. Even if she thought the groom was terrible, she probably thought that her parents wouldn't marry her off to someone who was really bad for her.

8
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

And then she found out she had just married her crush. At least for some minutes she was the happiest girl in town, I guess. I would have been over the moon.

5
reply

Required fields are marked *

Except, it's not really true. It's not she wanted to marry someone she loved but she didn't want to marry. She didn't try to find someone, she wasn't just not interested at all in marriage.

Like I said, yeah it was a patriarchy society, but it still is a sageuk and in this way, I don't really like how they decided to portray her as modern as they did. But it's just a detail and my opinion.

4
reply

Required fields are marked *

I thoroughly enjoyed the first 2 episodes. While the plot was fast-paced, it was sufficiently believable as it did take time to flesh out the hijinks Yeon-woo faced in 2023 while trying to figure out all the modern mechanisms like how to open lever doors, how to get into a car and trying to climb into the TV as a sageuk was airing, thinking it was her door back to Joseon. Least to say, super funny!

And I love the reference to Reborn Rich by having Grandpa go meet Soonyang Group's chairman HAHA.

The last part of Episode 2 with the mysterious Joseon lady with blue / green eyes and Grandpa opening up a cupboard to a painting of a Joseon lady (is that FL?) seems to hint that repeated time-travelling(?), or a repetitive cycle of reincarnations(?) or fateful destinies between our 2 leads which always resulted in tragedy(?) Colour me intrigued.

14
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

The flower tree too holds some meaning. It was shown during the FL's conversation as a kid with her own grandfather and by the side of the pool in 2023. She also grabbed the short branch of the flower tree and seems to carry it in 2023. Maybe thats the key to time travel.

7
reply

Required fields are marked *

The picture the grandfather has is the same one that Joseon-era Tae-Ha painted (or had). It's of the FL at the time when they met as children. So why does 2023 grandfather have it? And is hiding it? Is he a special character who has been living/present throughout the past 200 years? He did seem awfully excited when he saw the FL at the wedding ceremony... like his plans were working out... 🧐

8
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Hmmm... the more I think about that... probably why the FL got the grandfather's jokes too! They're Joseon-era dad jokes haha

4
reply

Required fields are marked *

I did fill up my bingo card between laughts. :)
I know that I'm partial, but Lee Se Young is very funny.
They found details that are credible to illustrate the time travel displacement: the non-sliding door, how to enter the modern carriage and the hope to enter the joseon drama on TV.

Our cold CEO seems already smitten to me: his heartbeart increased just by rememoring their encounters. His pulse tracking watch is giving me Melting ptsd. I'll pardon them if they give us something at the shower-kiss level.

There are too many family members already. I hope that the succession war will be kept minimal, and that the drama will have plenty goofiness as in there first two eps.

16
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

"I have a rare heart condition"; mmmm, tuberculosis??? 😂😂😂 It's always secretly tuberculosis.

12
8
reply

Required fields are marked *

Interesting. I was nodding along with the poison theory above, I never thought of consumption (gotta go with old timey names). Could be! Tho rather sudden onset.

Poison? Heart? Lungs? We shall see.

2
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Oh no... This is ... This is a joke about how if anybody is sick in a film or a drama, or dies of poisoning or heart disease or literally anything else, even an injury that wouldn't cause it, they keel over and cough up blood... Which is a symptom of tuberculosis lmfao. Pffffft.

9
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I don't think the poison is a valid theory yet. He said he has a disease, he collapsed due to chest pains and present day him has a heart disease too. I think it's part of his character and part of their story and their fate, that keeps repeating etc.
We'll find out but for now it's funnier to make fun of a drama for perpetuating the coughing up blood trope when nobody ever has TB. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

9
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ha ha. Joke’s on me then.

I know more of blood coughing from Cdramas, where I dunno, it seems like a running gag. In fact, I stopped watching one recent Cdrama just cos of so much blood coughing (if you know you know!).

Ofc I just googled if you can cough up blood if you have heart disease. And the answer was yes! (Tho it’s much more fun speculating :)

4

Omo now everyone shall have heart disease. 🤭

3

It seems to me that he is simply always poisoned by his stepmother. Heart disease results from poisoning, not an actual disease.

4
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Haha accurate or not, whenever someone in a historical drama has a longstanding illness, or is coughing up blood, I always whisper *POISON* 🧐😐

9
reply

Required fields are marked *

This wasn't. A serious theory or comment. 😅😅😅

4
reply

Required fields are marked *

The rating for both episodes
..are amazing, though it is still a new drama. I can clearly see why from the two episodes...when the writer put in some Joseon history, women empowerment theme, the chaebol factor and a nice time travelling theme (all found in this drama). Though it might not be 100% historically accurate (it does not have to be as one had My Dearest and Goryeo-Khitan War), it kept me entertained!

5
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

A solid start.
I really enjoyed Yeon-woo with her handmade Sa wol, who looks like she might steal a few scenes and I was glad to see she has also time travelled to 2023.
I'm here for some light hearted high jinks and look forward to the romance as the leads certainly have chemistry.

14
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Handmaid….oops.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes, the actress was great in Extraordinary Attorney Woo too. I was happy to see she too went through the water.

7
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ooh, I'll bet she saw the FL dumped in the well and jumped in after her to try to save her.

8
reply

Required fields are marked *

Independent women, time travel, contract marriage...... this show has everything to grab my attention, but I was bored. YeonWoo was more spoilt brat than spirited girl. Joseon TaeHa was sweet and modern day TaeHa wasn't bad either, but I get second lead vibes from Bae InHyuk. He isn't my idea of a swoony chaebol ML.

There are suddenly a lot of dramas to watch, and if I'm not able to keep up with all of them next week then this is the one I'm most likely to drop.

6
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

"Joseon TaeHa was sweet and modern day TaeHa wasn't bad either, but I get second lead vibes from Bae InHyuk. He isn't my idea of a swoony chaebol ML."
I always liked him in all his dramas. In all his dramas, I always looked at him, not at the other actors. So maybe it's a personal preference for people/actors. For me, he fits the role perfectly.

8
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Glad it's working for you. He is promising for sure.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Bae InHyuk feels more boy than man, and I have only seen him as student in other dramas so I'm not totally sold on his leadership position. But I'm willing to be convinced, and to enjoy the dimples smiles along the way.

3
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

We are so spoilt by gorgeous boys in Kdramas that even someone with A+ visuals doesn't seem swoony enough now 😄

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I didn't like the first part of the first episode because I wasn't connecting with that kind of humor, but then the second half was beautiful and I loved the main leads when they were sharing scenes.

The second episode had lots of commonplaces and tropes already known for many older dramas but I didn't get bored
(watching Park Yeon-woo trying to enter the car through the window was hilarious, and grandpa is funny) , so I'm in. In fact, I'm looking forward to watching the next episodes.

(I prefer Tae-ha in Joseon, he was so sweet 😍).

8
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

The car scene was so funny 😂

5
reply

Required fields are marked *

My favorite drama at the moment. It is as enjoyable as eating a delicious dessert. I love everything about it, every second. Currently I'm only watching this drama and "Castaway Diva". The latter is, in my opinion, more calculated, I don't care much about the fate of the characters and I don't like ML. That's why I treat "The Story..." even more as a gift from the drama gods.

6
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

What can I say - these episodes were lovely! I knew from the get go this wouldn’t be mind-blowingly innovative considering the plot, but as a creature of comfort I don’t mind that at all. The execution was good, the pair definitely has a nice chemistry, the humor humors me (the revelation that is💡”chok-ho” pie, complete with wind machine introduction 😂), the scenes in Joseon were beautiful. Was laughing at the cooking scene and her sneaking into ML’s house. Made for the most swoony meet cute!

I like that the FL is a capable woman, who is able to make her own living as a designer. This will surely help her in the current timeline. And how handy her contract husband is the boss of a large department store? Sounds like synergy effects ripe for the plucking.

Was also wondering a bit about the slightly abrupt demise of Joseon husband, but you know, coughing up blood might not have been medically explicable, but definitely made for a most dramatic exit scene. I blame it on directing rather than poison. But who knows? Evil moms being evil... *slight eye roll*

Those dimples tho. 👀

17
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

Love your take - I had the same reaction as you!! "Creature of comfort" - yes!! These episodes were lovely and not at all stressful (aside from feeling sad for Joseon Tae-ha). I hope she builds a modern lingerie empire!!!

6
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Oh yes, a lingerie* empire! 😂 Would definitely be making the most of her ability and newly found freedom.

* original with butterfly embroidery

4
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Bringing ankle lingerie back in fashion? 😀

3
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

🪭🐧 🤣🤣🤣

“Yeonwoo lingery - offending scholars and nobility since Joseon”

6

Fully satisfied with the stellar smiles on my screen this weekend - between BIH, CJH (Castaway) and BWS (Strong Girl), several cities were lit up...

4
reply

Required fields are marked *

I loved the first two episodes! The humor worked for me and made me laugh out loud (Lee Se-young is hilarious), and Joseon-era Bae In-hyuk was soooo sweet. I'm relieved that modern Tae-ha isn't as rude and terrible as I worried he'd be, and there's plenty of time for him to warm up. Worried about his heart, though... I also loved grandpa, and how he's besties with his secretary, loves cake, watches variety shows and dramas, and has a stockpile of dad jokes 😂 What I didn't like is Tae-ha's younger brother, who I think may supposed to be "cute" or "funny," but who I found to be both terribly grating. Hopefully he mellows out. Looking forward to next week!

12
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

Grandparents in several dramas out now are just fantastic.

5
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

True!!! Perfect Marriage Revenge grandpa has turned a corner and is great, too!

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think his little brother is supposed to be a rich assh***, not cute or funny. like a playboy who thinks he's something bcs he's rich. I still think its funny that bae inhyuk and yoo seonho are playing brothers once again so fast

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

The heart watch is giving me Extraordinary You anxiety hahahah his heart starts speeding up and I'm like aww but then my heart is also speeding up because I'm worried something will happen 😂 Also Joseon era story, those two worked their magic, because although it seemed like they'd only known each other a few days (or I guess Tae-ha had known her for longer but he'd only seen her for a bit), I was totally convinced that they were ardently smitten with each other, and it made me tear up somewhat when the wedding night scene happened 😭

And also I can't work out whether, and it's far too early to tell I guess, his half brother? is meant to be like that arrogant airhead that doesn't mean any actual harm or whether he's going to end up being baddie jr and take a leaf out of his mum's book. I guess time will tell. It is hilarious seeing YSH playing such a different character though, to the one he played in Queen's Umbrella which is so fresh in my mind (literally finished the rewatch a day ago!).

3
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I KNOW, they completely sold me on the Joseon-era part - the wedding night scene made me tear up, too, and then I was almost crying AND I was surprised, because I hadn't realized I was already so attached to him!!!

I'm 100% in the poison, curse, or etc. camp for his heart condition... I'm not sure what to make of the brother, either! I had assumed they were full siblings and didn't have him pegged as a villain until I started reading these comments, and now I'm not so sure (about their relationship, or younger bro's moral alignment 😅) Mom is definitely up to no good, though 😂

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

...so why exactly is FL not wanting to get married such a sign of independence? The FLs nearly always have maids and the expensive clothes and the only thing their family demands in exchange is for them to get married. I find that not-like-other-girls trope downright exhausting, especially considering that it somehow paints the women who were being realistic and responsible in those times as shallow or basic.

3
6
reply

Required fields are marked *

I do think that the women in these fusion sageuks are often anachronistically feminist (of a certain type), and certainly not like those other Joseon girls. However, if we really wanted a more realistic rep of Joseon women, it’d probably make for a far more depressing drama (My Dearest, TRS, etc).

Also, having known many affluent women forced into arranged marriages in the *present day* I can say for some the trade-off was worth it, but for others, so not. It wouldn’t be worth it to them for all the pretty clothes in the world.

More so, consider in Joseon, after marriage women essentially went from being the property of their fathers to becoming the property of their husbands. All of Yeon-Woo’s independence was due to her liberal parents, but the chances of her husband and the family she was marrying into granting her that was very low.

In any case, Yeon-Woo did become more realistic and sensible as you say and agreed to marry. So, in a way, after her rebellious youth, she did become like other girls. It was her luck her husband-to-be was so loving and understanding but ofc she didn’t end up being all that lucky after all.

14
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think her parents would have been fine with marrying her off to the guy she chose as long as he had some resemblance of the status. The problem however is that in similar scenarios the FLs never even attempt to search for the guy with an intention to marry him.

1
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Why didn’t she try on her own to find a man who let her work after marriage? It’d be pretty rare I’d say. As it was, I found it hard to believe her parents gave her the freedoms they did. And living with her in-laws (not just her husband), well we know how controlling MILs are. 😀

I suppose my world is closer to that of Joseon so I understand her struggling but eventually giving in to an arranged marriage. I see it all the time.

10
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I suppose my world is closer to that of Joseon so I understand her struggling but eventually giving in to an arranged marriage.

Ouch! The bitter truth in conservative and patriarchial asian families.

4

I think she was planning to run away to Qing or America (unrealistic, I know) and thought she had a lot of time to do so since one of her grandfather's wishes was to grant her more freedom. But as she had gone a step too far (making sexy undergarments and having the king wanting to have the designer caught), her parents finally and suddenly drew the line.

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think for me it depends on how it's written. For example, I love the 3 sisters in The Matchmakers. But their story make sense. They don't want to abandon their mother, they saw her marriage and they're independant.

5
reply

Required fields are marked *

@DaebakGrits, thanks for the recap !
I stayed with it and will check out next week. Another 12 episode drama , that prompts the Show to hurry right along.
Fusion Joseon isn’t my favorite genre although Matchmakers is one big squee fest 🥰
I did like her handmaiden So Wol Joo Hyun Young
The Time slip Chaebol arc is where I assume the rest of the show will play out.
Hope it isn’t too Chaebol-ish and they get the right blend.
It feels like Matchmaker with a dash of Durian’s Affair and it is the Durian’s Affair chaebol aspect that concerns me. 🤔
Has anyone read the webtoon ? If so, how was it ?

7
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I fully enjoyed this. It is also a tight 12er, so I am looking forward to no filler.

6
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm a big fan of the new trend toward more 12-episode dramas! The pace moves at a nice clip, and the writers have less room to steer the story into the ditch 😂

6
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Agreed!!!

3
reply

Required fields are marked *

My much anticipated drama did not disappoint! Lee Se Young and Bae In Hyuk are perfect for their roles. Although, I didn't expect Joseon Tae Ha to die so soon. Yeon Woo wanted to experience her wedding night! I also wanted YW to fall for him. I guess she can do that in the present time too.
I can assume that the present is repeating what happened in the past some way. So Tae Ha was murdered by stepmom (another evil stepmom in dramaland) so she and her son can gain importance in the family. Plus the wealth of course.
Chaebol Tae Ha is still cold and distrust our FL which is expected if he has a stepmom trying to wrest control of the conglomorate from the rightful heir.
I didn't expect Sa Wol to join YW to the future. It means she was also thrown into the well by the same masked villain. But its all for the better, YW and SW can get into various hijinks in the future together.
Overall, it was fun and interesting first two episodes. If this continue, I will definitely watch all 12 episodes.

10
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think YW had fallen for him in Joseon before the wedding. Or at least she was smitten with him when she asked him if he was married.

3
reply

Required fields are marked *

once again bae inhyuk dying as soon as he puts joseon clothes, poor guy lol

3
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

That's right! At least in Under the Queen's Umbrella, he get to enjoy married life and beget an heir.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm still not sure about this and I think it's because I got really attached to Joseon Taeha in his 30 minutes of screentime and 2023 Taeha sucks. Can we speed up his character development? For me?

6
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Same, I loved Joseon Tae-ha more than expected and modern Tae-ha is supposed to be a curmudgeonly contrast, but I'm uncomfortable with how exploitative he is.

Minority opinion, but I found the first two episodes disjointed and a little flat. This should be whimsical fish-out-of-water fun and it just … isn’t. The modern-day set-up feels rushed and yet the subsequent action feels slow. The FL has too little reaction to the newness of everything around her - standing next to the window in a skyscraper without turning a hair? Motorized vehicles alone should scare the daylights out of her, but we don’t see her startled until she gets in one. So far it’s a bit less than I hoped, but I trust this cast to go above and beyond whatever the writer gives them and will tune in next week in hopes that it brightens up.

7
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I liked the first episode even though it moved pretty quickly, but the second one went into overdrive. I wasn't expecting so much to happen so quickly and I wasn't enjoying it as much as well. Hopefully it'll tighten up.

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm typically blah about Bae In-hyuk. Under the Queen's Umbrella made me like him a little more. Joseon Taeha has made me fall in love with him, even though I know he is just playing a character. It's the way Joseon Taeha looked at Yeon-woo and was just quietly helping her out.

6
reply

Required fields are marked *

I went into this mildly interested about the story and neutral about the leads so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed these episodes! Lee Se Young totally nailed the sassy, silly, and funny vibes! The fish out of water moments were great, but I also liked how quickly she assesed her situation and how astute she was when she knew Tae Ha needed her help.

The repeat of the underworld lines was nice along with other callbacks to the past.

Bae In Hyuk killed me with his secret smiles. I was hooked from the first fall & embrace. Lots of slo-mo, pretty moments. I love it when the guy is in love first. Too bad that part was so short. I wanted to see them more in Joseon before we moved to the present.

I didn't mind his cold, stoic image. Typical of chaebol characters so it didn't phase me. He's probably keeping his emotions in check to prevent his heart rate from rising so he has a hidden medical issue.

I hope the romance blooms well in the present because Yeon Woo hadn't fallen in love with Tae Ha back in Joseon yet.

I have never seen Chun Ho Jin play such a kind, quirky grandpa type role before!! It's a nice change. Loved his riddle scene with Yeon Woo. I wish my very limited Korean was better to appreciate the puns more, but I did get the war general one! Hehe

I'm excited to see more of Yeon Woo and Sa Wol in Seoul! They make a great pair. They looked close and Sa Wol really had Yeon Woo's back.

The only thing I groaned about was seeing Jin Kyung playing another villainous character, ugh!

Did not get enough of Yoo Seon Ho to tell if he will be friend or foe.

7
7
reply

Required fields are marked *

The fish out of water hijinks were so fun!! Lee Se-young's FL is like a more street-smart version of the Legend of the Blue Sea FL reacting to her new world 😂 I agree with your assessment of Bae In-hyuk's characters... there's plenty of time for him to warm up!! Omo, the actor for grandpa - it took me a hot second to realize the last time I'd seen him was as a stone-cold villain in Joseon Attorney! He's so nice here!!

3
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

YES! I also thought of Shim-cheong, beyond the fish out of water trope similarity, the characters do have a fair bit in common, especially with their ✨all smiles & sass✨ personalities.

1
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yeah exactly!!! It's a great character archetype, and I'm happy to see it again!!

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yea having street smarts is good. Haha, the last time I saw grandpa was in My Liberation Notes where he was quite the opposite - quiet and stern. I'm not used to him being so cute and friendly. 😂

1
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Chun Ho-jin seems to alternate between sweet and scary characters. He was just in Twinkling Watermelon as a (mostly) kind harabeoji with not only the same hairstyles but exactly the same hair accessories. 😂 I guess he was filming both at the same time, and it's an especially funny juxtaposition since the two characters' personalities and circumstances are very different.

2
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

OH MY GOSH I'm watching TW right now and I didn't make the connection!!! I'm going to go with "this dude is great at inhabiting his roles," and not that my memory is vague 😅

2

Yes to his little secret smiles! I miss Joseon Tae Ha. Hopefully Chaebol Tae Ha will have his own little cute quirks going for him.

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Better and less cheesy than I expected. Fast-paced and good casting. I love Sa Wol - and even more after I realized she was Dong Geurami in Extraordinary Attorney Woo. I eagerly await her reunion with her lady.

I went in for Lee Se-young and came out of it a Bae In-hyuk admirer.

And Joseon Kang Tae-ha really knows how to look at Yeon-woo like he's been in love with her for his entire life. I didn't expect Yeon-woo to be that in love with Tae-ha even I knew she liked him a lot.

The amount of blood-spitting - would make cdrama producers proud.

Modern Tae-ha needs to watch some contract marriage dramas. He was dumb for expecting that his grandfather wouldn't want to see the granddaughter in law after the wedding. Just terrible planning. And no last name for "Vanessa" during the wedding ceremony? And the grandfather didn't find it suspicious? How are these people in high positions?

I loved how Yeon-woo knew that this dude who shares the same name and face as her husband was really not her husband after he's been a jerk a few times. I'm a little irked that she's going to fall in love with the inferior Tae-ha.

I have a renewed admiration for Lee Se-young's talent for comedy acting.

8
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Omg I didn't realise this was the same actress as Geurami!! This makes so much sense though, I really liked how expressive and lively Sa-wol seemed, which is also what I adored about Geurami!

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I also found his lack of planning for the "after wedding" un-CEO-like. "This is Vanessa from Italy, now she's going back". This not short on backstory, this is lacking a backstory. He needs a better assistant.

4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Maybe his grandfather is really laid-back about details and not strict about Tae Ha marrying into a well known family or someone with high status.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

The first two episodes was decent. The tropes kept on coming 😀. There were some good moments and leads are wonderful. I miss the sweet smitten Tae Ha. Their interactions were adorable in the Joseon era. I hope our chaebol falls for her soon.
I wonder at what point he will truly believe her story.

I am glad Sa Wol made it to the present day too! I can’t wait for them to get together and be equals, like friends and be free in this new world.

6
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Anyone else getting a whiplash at the amount of popular older actors in the recent new dramas??
Jo Bok Rae, Ahn Kil-kang, Jin Kyung & Cheon Ho-jin in here,
Kim Hae-sook & Seo Jung-Yeon in My Demon!
Not forgetting Oh Eui-sik cameo & the ever versatile Lee Seung-Joon in Castaway Diva too!! I was pleasantly surprised to see them all again!

Anyways onto the main review, I was silently praying hard that they would send best girl Sa-wol over as well and SCREAMED when they did! I cant WAIT for their joint shenanigans.

Aside from that, this debut eps was quite entertaining! I lost my mind when she headbutted him out of nowhere. Although I'm not really feeling their chemistry yet but I'm giving myself the next few episodes to let these two really settle in for me before jumping the gun on anything.

3
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Cant believe I left out Kim Yeo-Jin omg

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I thoroughly enjoyed these two episodes, so many lol moments! Squirting ketch-up, door handles, but best of all the was our time travellers delight at eating the chocolate snack. Superb acting from Lee Se-young!

7
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

OKAY I finished both eps finally! LOVE IT!

* Although I’ve seen him in a fair few dramas now, I keep getting surprised by just how charismatic Bae In-hyuk is. I don’t know what it is or what he’s doing but he really makes a memorable impression no matter how short a scene it is. In the same vein, it’s so lovely to see Lee Se-young’s comedy chops in action! I didn’t gel with Law Cafe so my most distinct recent memory of her is from Red Sleeve, but I knew she had a great sense of humour thanks to the BTS clips from that show. It’s nice to get the best of both worlds now with her as a Joseon era character who’s really funny and endearing.

* I see what people who vibed more with the second ep are saying now - episode two is much stronger and seamless, but I still like episode one a lot because it did well to establish characters that episode two is riffing off of.

* Also smart to have nice Tae-ha be our first impression, because I keep superimposing that Tae-ha on this current cold chaebol version - I’d find him intolerable if I wasn’t able to do that.

* The ‘afterlife misunderstanding’ at the start was hilarious 😂

* I love how she took charge of the situation with Grandpa and cornered Tae-ha into letting her stay at the house for a few more days; a born businesswoman she is!

5
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yayyy!! I feel like Bae In-hyuk is quietly charismatic, whereas some actors are more in your face about it... I like it! I care about BOTH of his Tae-ha's here! Oh man, the "Seoul as the afterlife" misunderstanding is probably my favorite reaction to time travel I've ever seen 😂👍

2
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yeah I agree! Something understated and I'm not even looking for it but suddenly I'm like wow you're good. 2023 Tae-ha has his moments, I think I warmed up to him a little more towards the end of episode two!

2
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Haha I had the same reaction to him in these episodes!! 😊

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Harabeoji Cheon Ho-jin will make me watch this show for laughs.

4
0
reply

Required fields are marked *