Perfect Marriage Revenge (2023)

Un drame revanchard qui s'assume

Voilà un drame de revanche qui va jusqu'au bout des choses sans prendre la route du pardon. Plutôt que de montrer patte blanche (comme ce serait habituellement le cas), Perfect Marriage Revenge garde sa cape vengeresse jusqu'à son dernier épisode.

Dans un drame comme celui-ci, j'attends toujours le moment où le karma viendra faire son travail. Tout au long de l'histoire, on me fait ressentir des émotions négatives envers les antagonistes au point que je n'attends qu'une chose, une punition. Et c'est toujours incroyable lorsque ça arrive.
La mère (Lee Jung Hye) et la fille (Han Yoo Ra) sont des purges qu'on déteste, qu'on méprise et qu'on imagine plus d'une fois dans un broyeur. Elles sont méchantes et cruelles dans le seul but de pourrir la vie de Han Yi Joo et d'être supérieures à tout et tout le monde. Leur chute est aussi exquise qu'un nounours en guimauve (et j'aime vraiment les nounours en guimauve). Si elles sont assez caricaturales (tout comme une majorité des personnages), cela n'enlève en rien la haine qu'on alimente envers elles, ni le plaisir quant à leur destin.
Le seul envers lequel j'ai eu un élan de sympathique à un moment donné n'est autre que Yoo Se Hyeok. Le type est juste amoureux de la mauvaise personne. Si cela n'enlève en rien ses agissements à l'encontre de Han Yi Joo, c'est bien le seul que je peux voir comme victime de manipulation affective.

Le couple est très agréable à suivre. Leur évolution semble un peu rapide, mais le rythme permet de rendre l'ensemble entraînant. D'ailleurs, le rythme est bon sur toute la durée du drama. Il se passe toujours quelque chose au point qu'on a pas le temps de s'ennuyer. Bien sûr, certains éléments ne sont pas nouveaux, cela dit l'ensemble fonctionne par son rythme, son ambiance et ses acteurs/actrices qui sont tous très bons.

En bref, un drame de vengeance et quelques griffures ici et là. Si certains points sont sans surprises et avec des personnages un peu stéréotypés, il n'en est pas moins un drame plaisant avec cette pointe de satisfaction quant à sa ligne vengeresse qui s'assume jusqu'à son final.

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Un drama convenu mais très solide

Si ce drama n'invente rien, il est, par contre, très bien scénarisé et réalisé. Alors, certes, les ficelles sont un peu grosses mais on ne pourra pas lui reprocher cela, puisqu'elles sont inhérentes au genre. De plus, je trouve que la multitude de rebondissements est amenée avec douceur et certaines interrogations des débuts trouvent leur explication "logiques" ou astucieuses dans les derniers épisodes. Certes, ce drama n'est pas dénué défauts, mais ils restent mineurs. Ce qui explique, aussi en partie, ma note est un dernier épisode particulièrement réussi, qui prend son temps, là où d'autres dramas ne savent pas éviter l'écueil du bâclage. Une mention toute particulière pour l'excellent jeu d'actrice de Jin Ji Hee.

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Un bon dosage de vengeance et de romance

Après le très décevant "Boss & Me" (version chinoise) que je venais d'abandonner en cours de route tellement l'héroïne enjouée et neuneu m'agaçait à force de ne jamais s'affirmer (à sa décharge, ce drama a presque 10 ans donc bon...), la série coréenne "Perfect Mariage Revenge" a été un parfait remède ainsi qu'une excellente surprise.

Bien qu'elle n'évite pas les clichés habituels (une Cendrillon abusée par tous se voyant offrir une seconde chance et décidée à se venger, l'habituelle romance avec le PDG beau gosse d'une grande entreprise, secrets de famille et luttes de pouvoir, une mère & une sœur adoptives machiavéliques cherchant à pourrir la vie de la FL...), cette histoire sait les agencer de manière logique, efficace et sans temps morts. Ainsi, malgré certains rebondissements qu'on voit parfois venir à l'avance, il se passe toujours quelque chose et à aucun moment je ne me suis ennuyée. Ajoutez à cela des dialogues pertinents, des jeux d'acteurs relativement bons, des personnages consistants, le tout relativement bien dosé, et vous obtenez un drama coréen parfait pour occuper un week-end cocooning. Par ailleurs, la série sait aborder avec justesse les conséquences d'abus psychologiques et la difficulté de se libérer d'une famille toxique alors qu'on a désespérément besoin d'être aimé. Il faut souvent un déclic radical avant d'ouvrir les yeux et de s'autoriser à choisir une nouvelle route, et si le procédé n'est pas nouveau (après sa mort dans un 1er épisode où elle s'en est pris plein la gueule, l'héroïne a l'occasion de retourner une année en arrière et de changer le cours des choses), en tout cas il est pertinent et efficace.

Vengeance et romance s'imbriquent relativement bien, et même s'il est évident que le côté vengeance est surtout un prétexte à l'installation de la romance, le dosage reste assez bon. Une fois qu'elle a enfin ouvert les yeux et cela de la manière la plus douloureuse qui soit, notre héroïne apprend à s'affirmer et rend tous les coups qu'elle a reçus. En cela, le drama est plutôt jouissif et fait office de bonne catharsis quand on vient de se taper une énième daube présentant de manière romantique les abus de pouvoir d'un patron froid et tyrannique sur la pauvre employée au bon cœur qui affiche une moue puérile et boudeuse au lieu de voler dans les plumes de ceux qui profitent d'elle. D'ailleurs, même si nous avons droit au beau PDG, l'histoire parvient à s'écarter de ce schéma traditionnel en développant une romance saine malgré un point de départ téléphoné (un mariage à durée déterminée conclu comme un contrat où chacun y trouve son compte). Dès le début le ML se révèle comme un partenaire respectueux des traumatismes de la FL et le parfait soutien dont elle a besoin pour reprendre confiance dans les autres, et à aucun moment il ne cherche à abuser de la situation. Quant à l'héroïne, elle est loin de la classique demoiselle en détresse. Il est vrai que le support du héros est crucial au début, néanmoins cela découle de ses décisions à elle sitôt qu'elle a choisi de prendre sa vie en main et de chercher les ressources nécessaires là où elles se trouvent. Après avoir expérimenté une dépendance affective avec son ex, elle se montre désormais plus indépendante et sa nouvelle histoire d'amour est beaucoup plus équilibrée. Certains ont pu s'étonner dans les commentaires que l'amour du ML pour l'héroïne est un peu rapide voire facile, pour ma part son affection m'a semblée logique et compréhensible au vu du déroulement de l'histoire et des révélations ultérieures, d'autant qu'il a également vécu un traumatisme familial. Sachant cela, il est normal qu'il s'identifie en partie à elle et que cela favorise le lien qui les unit. Et même si j'ignore si c'était intentionnel - en tout cas ça m'a sauté aux yeux et j'ai trouvé ça plutôt futé - la série réussit à mettre en parallèle deux situations où cette notion d'identification est présente, mais dans le premier cas (le 1er époux reconnaît son propre côté pitoyable dans l'image que lui renvoie la FL) cela ne peut aboutir qu'à l'échec alors que dans le second, ça devient constructif grâce au soutien qu'ils s'apportent mutuellement pour atteindre un objectif commun.

En conclusion, si on passe sur ses rebondissements parfois attendus et ses méchantes un peu caricaturales, on profite pleinement de cette histoire rythmée, bien agencée et construite intelligemment. Un drama qui ne renouvelle peut-être pas le genre, mais qui fait du bien au moral.

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Vengeance au féminin

Ce drama est vraiment bien fait! Le premier épisode nous met directement dans le contexte et je peux vous dire que j'ai failli en casser mon écran! Les "méchants" sont vite repérés et il me tardait de voir comment elle allait s'y prendre. Chaque épisode nous apprend quelques chose et sa vengeance évolue en fonction des personnes concernées. Je trouve qu'elle aurait put aller encore plus loin par moment mais c'est tout pardonné tant ce drama est devenu addictif.
Les deux acteurs principaux ont une alchimie imposante, dés qu'ils sont ensemble ils écrasent tout à l'écran.

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A MEMORABLE MINI MAKJANG!

***DISCLAIMER: This is just my opinion. We don’t have to agree and I’m not here to argue with anyone.***

I'm gonna keep this brief because I don't have the time to say everything I want to say.

Main Takeaway: "Revenge is a dish best served cold."

IDK IF THEY PUT CRACK IN THIS OR WHAT BUT FROM THE VERY FIRST EPISODE THIS DRAMA HOOKED ME AND I’VE NEVER LOOKED BACK. IT IS SOOOO ADDICTING!

First things first, "What’s better than a contractual time travel romance with mystery, revenge and lots and lots of drama?!" This show legit has it all. They said spicy makjang in 12 episodes and thats exactly what they meant!

When I tell you the pacing feels just right and no episode feels like a filler, just know I’m being so serious. I have never been bored for even one second. This drama starts out confusing in episode one but by the end of the episode and onwards you understand everything perfectly.

I LOVE LOVE LOVED the chemistry between Do Guk and Yi Joo!!!! These two are masterful performers and you can literally feel the tension, angst and passion dripping from them anytime they have a really intense scene together. The chemistry between these two is to die for and I feel like they truly fed us with the development of their relationship. They have definitely made top 5 best kdrama couples of 2023 for me.

AHHHH I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS DRAMA. Even the characters I hated… you must know they’re doing an amazing job for me to want them to die, rot in jail or be hit down by the infamous big white truck. I know I keep saying it but drama is just so so so so good!

Like many others I do believe it is one of the best webtoon to drama adaptations. They kept the major plot points and original webtoon readers seemed to be satisfied with the outcome. So there aren't much complaints here!

One of the main things I disliked about this drama was the 3rd act conflict breakup. It was cliche and unnecessary to say the least. I also feel like Yi Joo struggled and endured so much even when she set out to get her revenge. It was heartbreaking watching her be in constant pain and agony as she uncovered all the secrets as the story unfolded.

Another minor thing I disliked was Do Guk's wardrobe. It was evident the production team went ham and spent all the money on the women's wardrobe leaving very little for the men. They definitely could have budgeted better and put more of an effort into our leading man's fashion. To be honest I just ovelooked it because Sung Hoon's visuals and performance made up for all of that.

Additionally there are some plot holes and aspects that could have been more properly developed but I feel like they did the best they could with the 12 episodes.

In my opinion, more makjang's should take a leaf out of this one. Unlike others it did not need 100+ episodes to make a good and convincing story. I feel like had the drama been any longer then people would have started to lose interest.

Perfect Marriage Revenge is definitely one of the most enjoyable dramas I've watched in 2023 and I would rewatch it in a heartbeat!

If you are on the fence about starting it I suggest you do so immediately! It’s seriously such a treat and you do not want to miss out.

With all of that said I gave this an 8.5 rounded up to a 9/10.

Tysm for reading!

❤️

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Another Cinderella, all-out, taking her sudden chance for revenge

"Perfect Marriage Revenge" is based on a webtoon and tells the story of a second chance in life, set in the top percentile of society. Another Cinderella story. And as is the case with fairy tales, you can hear them over and over again...

This version is particularly enjoyable, being peppered with gratifying moments of retribution. Cinderella wants to get one over on the mean stepmother and her nasty daughter! She doesn't want to be nice and well behaved anymore. Splendid! Of course the others obviously attempt to push back on her new self. This ultimately leads to a lively exchange of blows between two of the country's rich business families.

"Perfect Marriage Revenge" delivers intrigue and makjang, cleverly mixed with emotional complications and well-placed retaliation, which is, however, repeatedly and tirelessly parried. It´s like ping-pong - reckoning here, malice there, self-respect here, nefariousness there. What a delight, if you´re in the mood for just that.

A campaign of revenge with an open visor. With an explicit protagonist who allows herself to act impulsively, intuitively and cleverly at the same time. In her authenticity, she is able to win the hearts of allies as she is fighting her battle not out of greed, but out of self-love for her self-respect.

As I said, with plenty of gratifying moments...
And as a fairy tale it surely delivers...
No more, no less.

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The perfect 10

I usually find at least one aspect of a show that detracts from the perfect 10 overall, but not with this show.
From the story, to the acting, to the setting, to the music, this show was the perfect 10, and I couldn't have been happier with it.

Our story is about a girl who's adopted into a rich family from an orphanage at a young age. Unfortunately, she grows up being hated by her evil stepmom and evil stepsister. They abuse her while her father is indifferent to her and her suffering.

Desperate to leave her home, she believes she's found love when she meets and marries her husband.
To her continuing misfortune, after marrying him she learns that he's never loved her at all and only married her in order to be closer to the evil stepsister- the woman he really loves.
On the heels of this devastating realization, three things happen in tandem: her evil stepmom frames her for art theft and embezzlement, her husband asks for a divorce, and she gets into a car crash- which ultimately kills her. As she lays in the hospital succumbing to her injuries she realizes that there is not a single moment in her life that she will miss. Overcome with grief, she makes one dying wish, "let me live so I can do it all over again. I want to really live life."
Her wish is granted and she wakes up safe and sound in her bed- one year in the past.

Determined to live, she seeks revenge on those who abused her.
Step one is to dump her awful husband- who's still her fiancee at this point.
Step two is to marry the man whom her evil stepsister wants to marry - he happens to be the rich, powerful and handsome second son of a chaebol family.
She approaches him with an offer of a convenient marriage, and he agrees to her terms.
Little does she know that her lovely new husband has agreed to marry her for reasons of his own- which have nothing to do with financial gain or revenge.

The story then develops as we see her relationship with her new husband blossom- and she blossoms along with it.
She gains strength from him, and takes some on her own, overcoming her long-lived abuse, finding a warm welcome amongst her friends and her husband's family. Eventually, as secrets come to light, motives are revealed, and the evil ones are unmasked, we get to see her perfect marriage, and her revenge- AKA her happily ever after.

I love how everything comes together so well.
Everyone got what they deserved (with maybe the exception of the FL's dad, but I'll forgive that since the FL chose that for herself and I'll respect that choice for her).
I love how the FL went from 0 to 90 when she went back in time. It must have been hard as hell to overcome a lifetime of abuse and conditioning but she did it well and bravely.
I love how the male lead was always, always, there for her, in ways big and small. We love a devoted ML.

The music was wonderful. The setting was wonderful. The acting was terrific.
Overall 10/10.
Highly recommend it. <3

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Perfect Or Imperfect marriage revenge?

this is lowkey irrelevant to the review but I don't I am just gonna mention it anyways so like I'm currently prepping for an entrance exam and feeling stressed. While doing my accounts homework, I wasn't enjoying the music, so I randomly chose to watch a drama. Surprisingly, this got me addicted after a long break.

So this is Makjang or Soap Opera type drama which revolves the female lead, granted a who is second chance at life, navigates the challenges of altering her past decisions, rekindling lost relationships, and discovering the profound impact of seemingly small choices on her future, mainly focusing on Yi Ju's quest for revenge against her family, along with Do Guk as the male lead. Although it might be just another revenge drama, it stands out for me It's not like i haven't seen dramas like this before, it's predictable, most of the time, still the acting captivates me to watch it. And how they will bring a closure to this drama.

The female lead, Yi Ju, captivates me the most in the entire drama. Her expressions are a such highlight, ALSO I love her attitude of "YOU BETRAY ME, YOU'RE OUT" LIKE FSGCSK, rare to see since a lot FL characters forgive and give in due to emotional capacity, I really liked her confidence and overall attitude; there's a distinct aura she brings to the scene wherever needed. Kudos to the stylist for the breathtaking wardrobe choices; every outfit, especially those heels, like girl stamp on me NAUR.

Sung Hoon exudes a charismatic aura, even though the exploration of his characteristics is limited. His performance shines in scenes requiring depth, leaving no room for complaints.

The supporting characters, while at times infuriating, contribute to the low-key enjoyment. very dramatic over anything over any news, there are some truly dumb scenes, yet they somehow manage to fit seamlessly into the overall narrative and character dynamics. In the end, it's all part of the fun, I suppose. HAHAHA!

The romance between the leads was undeniably sexy , with them adding a cute and swoon-worthy dynamic to the storyline. However, the background music, unfortunately, didn't always hit the right notes, being played at inappropriate times.

Despite the occasional misstep, the overall viewing experience was enjoyable. While the script may not be flawless, it carries a sense of makjang drama which is why it was a fun watch. There are moments where you just need to switch off your brain and indulge in the drama, and you'll find it surprisingly addictive.

THANK YOU FOR READING ^^

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Story so addicting you can't help binge-watching it in one day!

This review is long overdue. I finished this one almost 2 weeks ago but only now I feel calm enough to sit still writing this review. This drama was not even on my PTW list but I was curious about that rating and all the rave about it so I started this one on whim. Wow by the end of ep 1 I was sold! Hence I binge-watched this in less than a day.

What I liked :-

✅️ Addicting ,angsty and no draggy storyline. The plot remind me of makjang drama I used to watch 10 years back. 12 episodes is just perfect. No filler scenes that will make you abuse your FF button.
✅️ Good acting from all cast. This was my first Jung Yoo Min drama and I enjoyed her acting. Her acting reminds me much of the actress Lee Min Jung. So pretty like her too.
✅️ Contract marriage.
✅️ FL getting revenge on people who did her dirty in satisfying way.
✅️ Main couple who most of the time does communicate with each other.
✅️ Great chemistry between leads.
✅️ Green flag male lead .
✅️ A mother-in-law that is not evil for once. When most of family dramas potrayed an evil MIL , it was refreshing to see this drama broke that trope.
✅️ HEA.
✅️ Pleasant to listen to OSTs. My favourite is Halo by Sohn Yerim.

What I liked the least:-

☑️ Cinematography could have been better.
❌️ ML's wardrobe style. His stylist need to be fired. Some of his clothing were hideous fortunately Sung Hoon's good look made it hurting my eyes less. While all the females in this drama got the best wardrobe why they did not do the same for the males...

Overall, PMR is one of the best K-drama I've watched this year. If you like what I liked, watch it & you might enjoy it like I did.

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Perfect balance of angst, romance and vengeance

The last quarter of 2023 saw a rise in time travel coupled with fake marriage k-dramas. Perfect Marriage Revenge is one of these. The kdrama blends romance and revenge but how does it set apart from the other shows?

The story follows Han Yi Joo (played by Jung Yoo Min) a naive and trusting woman who taught everything in her life is picture perfect. After learning her husband is in love with her stepsister and her stepmother is only using her, she suddenly dies in a tragic car accident. Moments later, she woke up but seemingly travelled back in time 1 year prior and she is now determined to take revenge on the people who have wronged her.

Jung Yoo Min effortlessly play the innocent and demure character as well as the fierce and strongheaded woman she has become when she was given a second chance in life. Watching Yi Joo get deceived and trampled by her stepmother and stepsister will remind of every cinderella remakes. But what I appreciate the most about this show is how Yi Joo came to realize her worth and she is not a damsel in distress who needs saving. She is determined in changing her destiny and living a life full of love instead. Yi Joo transforming from the naive girl into a girlboss will make the viewers rooting for her.

Seo Do Guk (played by Sung Hoon) is the epitome of a leading man - tall, deep voice and toned body. On top of that the way he talks and acts around Yoo Min just exudes good masculine vibes. He protects Yoo Min not because she is weak but because she is important to him. There is also a power balance here as Do Guk turns out to have a traumatic past that still haunts him. Later in the story, we learned that there is an invisible string between the two of them.

On top of that, there is also a palpable and sizzling chemistry between the leads which will keep you glued to the screen. Every time Yi Joo and Do Guk has a scene together, I bet viewers will be left with heart-shaped eyes.

This show was surprisingly entertaining and addicting to watch even if the plot is one that we have seen many times. There is lots of melodramatic turns that keeps you on the edge of your seats and drooling over Sung Hoon's deep manly voice.

The show also sometimes gives off classic sitcom vibes despite the turbulence going on in romance, revenge, sibling rivalry and traumatic pasts. It also offers larger-than-life stepmothers and their flamboyant dresses. Seeing them clash and go head-to-head is another hidden gem of this series. We have a wicked stepmother trying to look sophisticated but in truth, she's rotten and evil inside. Then, we have another stepmother who has a penchant for flashy color dresses but tries her best to treat all her children equally.

Conflicts and misunderstandings are also not dragged for too long. It's refreshing to see how smart and witty leads are able to catch up with the villain's evil plans.

All in all, Perfect Marriage Revenge is definitely a guilty pleasure watch with the perfect running time. It keeps the storyline short and easy to follow yet contains all your favorite romantic tropes and, of course, irritating villains. This show is certainly not groundbreaking but Sung Hoon and Yoo Min's earnest portrayal of a couple who will go against all odds and even destiny will keep you running back for more.

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Plot ≠ WEBTOON, But Has Its Own Charm

Before I begin, let's introduce the fact that I read the webtoon (which is still ongoing), making me very excited once I heard there would be a drama adaptation. Great, moving on.

Plot: Since this was based on a WEBTOON, the plot came from there. But if you're expecting it to be the WEBTOON in drama form, you won't get that. It starts off with a scene that, while enjoyable, was DEFINITELY not in the WEBTOON, and a person who should have had a certain role ascribed was not given such because it would have created more scenes. HOWEVER...as a standalone, the plot was pretty well done. My favorite WEBTOON scenes were shown, they cut out a lot of fluff that I thought dragged down the WEBTOON, and although they rearranged the order of events, I hardly cared given how well the story flowed anyway.

CAST: Wonderful. I'll admit I was skeptical when I saw the cast list because I didn't think Do Guk was casted well, but wow was I pleasantly surprised. He gave off a more rugged aura but it worked so well and he definitely brought both the charisma and eye candy factor. (*secretly wipes drool*) Ahem...Han Iju was casted well also, I loved her character portrayal. And the villains, wow. I really hated them, and that proves how good they were. Especially Han Yura, I kept thinking "she doesn't have the villain look, she looks like a cute FL" but she really played her role so well that while I hated her, I also pitied her. Her mother on the other hand...first of all the actress is beautiful, but wow I both wanted to punch her and cower in fear. Even the minor characters came alive. The story fleshed them out so well that they all felt like integral parts of the story.

Music: 10/10. I loved all 5 tracks, especially the first 2, which I couldn't stop replaying. "Halo" is probably my favorite, and the song that plays at the opening credits "Meaningless" is *chef's kiss*. I love how it even sounds like a vengeful song, it works very well with the opening credits so much that I never skipped a single one. Applause all around for the singers and everyone involved with the singmaking processes.

REWATCH VALUE: I'm not the best a rewatching things in general, but as a fan of the WEBTOON as well as being impressed with the adaptation, I'd say I would rewatch it for sure.

Overall, not the same as the WEBTOON, but has its own charm.

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Perfection Achieved.

Are you looking for an intelligent plot? An absorbing story-line? Some intriguing characterization? Gripping emotional roller-coasters? Rewarding conclusions? Award worthy acting performances? No expenses spared production? On point direction? Engaging OSTs? A flawless ending? ...OR maybe a satisfying overall watching experience?

Well, what the heck are you waiting for? Tune in! This one has it all. All in one place, And all done exceptionally well.

This starts good, but it doesn't stay just good rather it gets even better and better and better. From start to finish, you won't be leaving your seat, that much I guarantee

I won't review this one, as everyone should go in blind to watch this one and gain an experience of their own.

As I said before in my title, 'Perfection Achieved', Loved it, No Complaints, Easy 9/10.

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