Perfect Marriage Revenge (2023)

I really like the drama especially at the start. I have read the manhwa version of it, and I like that there are parts that they retain and most of the parts that is added is well executed to me as a watcher. The major difference I see is that Yi Joo is more human here than in the manhwa. Maybe others would argue that she should be as ruthless in the manhwa as is in the drama, but I prefer her emotionally vulnerable here.

The female lead is so good as Yi Joo, she is perfect for the role. I was in awe with her acting her, I don't know if it is her first main role, but applaud, she really did well. The male lead is fine with me, he delivered his role perfectly.

I was a bit sad that it is just 12 episodes, I thought it would be 14 episodes, and I would have liked it more if the male lead's POV was given, but the 12th episode was there, so happy for that. The antagonists of the story especially for the brother was not really given the chance to be explored, which is sad for me since it was deep in the manhwa. It would have been great if it was shown much more but I have no complaints since the main leads were given the priority and I like that.

Overall, really great revenge drama.

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Perfect balance of ups and downs.

Honestly speaking, I’m not that into makjangs. A full on makjangs is a trip to ruined mood and constant annoyance. What I do enjoy is a "soft" makjang, where the shenanigans are still ridiculous and over the top, but there are some breathers incorporated to make you actually enjoy the plot. Perfect Marriage Revenge is like that - perfect balance of ups and downs.

We get all the evil mothers and stepmothers, neglect, abuse, attempted murder, secrets and betrayal, cheating, crime - all the entertaining twists known. But we also have a healthy relationship of the leads, nice and smart supporting characters, some fluff and comedy. The leads are not exactly complete underdogs who are beaten to the ground to raise in the last episode and win the prize. It’s rather an even fight between them and the bad guys, and that’s what makes it fun to watch!

The show is beyond unrealistic, but if that’s anyone's complaint, you picked the wrong genre. Makjang is not supposed to be realistic. There were many scenes where I laughed out loud with how detached from reality they were - that’s the beauty of dramas like that.

For the romance - the chemistry was chemistrying. Sung Hoon ain’t a good actor, but he knows about romance, that’s for sure. What’s strange - his lack of skill was actually a perfect match for the drama. I honestly don’t think I would enjoy it as much with a “better” actor.

Jung Yoo Min won my heart with her performance as Yi Joo. I bought both the naive and good hearted, and cunning and strong. The emotional scenes tug at my heartstrings, the badass scenes made me clap like an excited kid.

Big props to Jin Ji Hee too. Han Yoo Ra might ended up as my favorite character. Amazing performance, and surprise nuance in how the character was written.

Overall, I binge watched it in 2 days. Once I started I could not stop. Addicting is a perfect word to describe it. I planned to just skip the scenes and watch the romance, but I ended up being glued to the screen and seated for 12 hours with hands away from that right arrow on the keyboard.

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I LOVE THIS DRAMAꨄ︎

I really like revenge genre dramas, and this drama really suits me! Han Yi Joo, an innocent and cute woman who lives with distrust because the people around her always hurt and lie to her, has the intention of revenge to improve her life after being given the opportunity to go back to 1 year ago.

I really like the role of women who are smart and brave, I can find that in Han Yi Joo, even though she is emotionally and mentally unstable, she is not reckless and thinks about all her plans well.

Seo do guk, talking about this man feels like a dream! very handsome, smart, calm and loyal like where can I find a man like this??:"((

I like Seo Do Guk's family, especially his grandmother and mother (not his half-brother), even though the family is a conglomerate but they are not evil and side with Han Yi Joo

Han yoo ra, I hate her but sometimes feel sorry for her, she is also a victim of Lee Jung Hye, her biological mother:( her character cannot change because she has been educated like that since childhood. Lee Jung Hye, just hearing her name makes me annoyed, she really succeeded in bringing her character to a villain.

The chemistry of Seo do guk and Han Yi Joo is very impressive, the story plot is very fast but easy to understand so you don't waste the time, this drama is packaged very well. It's quite emotionally draining to watch this drama, so I'll just rewatch the sweet parts only─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

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Trash, but good trash

This is such a fun ride, not much substance and to be honest quite predictable but oh so much fun as this low quality cinderella meets marry my dead husband and just takes us on a short ride of evil mothers a show of just how little orphans are worth ans a bunch of other stuff.

Our male lead is so in love, he will do anything for the female lead yet manages to stay cool while doing it.

The female lead starts off as pathetic as it gets but has this bag of development and while one may think a sudden change would bring a bunch of second hand embarrassment they actually seem to stay clear of it.

The women in this are the bomb, either as evil as evil gets or fun as fun gets all strong characters and 0 middle ground...

It is the kind of drama that you watch knowing it is trash, but couldn´t care less about it being trash as it is the really good type of trash.

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Makjang done right

So, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had seen a bunch of edits on tiktok and when I tried watching episode one it felt very... cheap (im just being honest). It just felt like a very basic weekend (50 episodes) drama. So I basically gave up like 10 mins into the first episode. Idk what drove me to pick it back up but I'm so grateful that I did.

It may seem very makjang like but I began to love it. The cast was phenomenal and the story was just so fun and exhilarating.
I'd advise anyone who's looking for a short and sweet revenge drama to check this out. Because revenge is totally served in the end and it was very satisfying, especially seeing Yoo Ra's demise.

Speaking of characters...
One character I really disliked was the father. Yi Joo's father pissed me off. I hated how she was harsh on her mom but not harsh or disrespectful to him. He basically saw a child get abused for YEARS and did nothing. It shouldn't have to take him being her "real" dad for him to notice the wrongs and mistakes made over the decades. I hated how it was just brushed under the rug when everything came together. To me he was the worst villian in the story. Much much worse than Jungwook and Jung Hye. Because if he didn't provide Jung Hye with that much authority over the household then all the shit that took place wouldn't have happened.

Going off course...
ALL the dads were jerks. Because Do Guk and Jungwook's dad wasn't much better. He favoured Jungwook sooo much and hid all his wrong doings. He didn't even apologize to Do Guk for all the hurt he had to face. He is one of the factors that contributed to Jungwook being the way he is.
Moving on to the other dad... Yi Joo's grandfather. If he hadn't messed up his son's relationship and cut Yi Joo's mom off when she was pregnant none of what took place would've happened (again). So basically all the men in this drama except Do Guk, Sun Kwon and Jaeho were jerks. Everyone of them expect for those 3. And anyone who wants to say that you missed Jaewon, the cute Secretary guy..
NO, I DIDN'T. He was an ass to her when she was living in the future. He literally tried to frame her for everything then, because Jung Hye told him to. Yes, he had his own agenda and that may have been the best way to go about it but I don't forgive him. Even if he redeemed himself when she was transfered to the past. He wouldn't have helped her unless he benefited... which he did.

But anywho....
Yes, it'll be a journey and you'll start maybe disliking characters and feeling like ripping your hair out, as it is a makjang but it'll all come together.
Give it a try and you will not be disappointed.
So yea, that's just my tiny review. Nothing in depth or extensive
One of my fave of 2023. Totally on my top 10 list.

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Binge it if you can

I’ve never read the webtoon so this is based off this show as a standalone drama and not as an adaptation. I started watching this 4 episodes were out because I saw that hair-tying scene on my Twitter/X timeline and it completely convinced me. And the show proved me right — I binged all the released and couldn’t wait for next week. The main leads had amazing chemistry, the antagonists felt like actual threats, and I couldn’t wait to see how the revenge would play out.

As the weeks came around, I still enjoyed the episodes, but I did feel like the show started losing steam.

First, the main leads’ screentime dwindled and we got more and more scenes of our antagonists (of which there were many). It added good tension to see things from their perspective, but it also added frustration. The leads had so much chemistry and tension and we only got to see a few minutes of that every week.

And as more episodes went on, we ran into a different issue: we did get screentime for our leads, but it didn’t necessarily feel like they were progressing. We’d get the same hugs and conversations where they talked about being there for each other and fighting together against the bad guys. These scenes were cute but it felt got sort of repetitive, especially now that we’d gotten all the tension-filled conversations out of the way earlier and it seemed like the next plot development wasn’t happening anytime soon. I still really enjoyed scenes where they cared for each other, but all the stakes felt a little lower by this point, and I started to feel like the revenge was almost too easy. Sides had been chosen, secrets were already revealed, and most importantly, the main antagonists had stayed quiet or had lost too many battles in a row.

Honestly, I was pretty lukewarm on the entire plot by then. Looking back, I don’t remember a singular satisfying moment where our main female lead got to face off against her mother in a moment where I felt like they were on equal footing, where the stakes were high and I truly didn’t know who was going to win. The revenge plot seemed to delve into smaller moments where they would address this one thing first and then that other thing, and I wasn’t sure there was a climax. Even the build-up to some other reveals and to the ML’s perspective felt overdue and a little underwhelming.

Episode 11 was a turning point. Things that needed to be revealed had been revealed, it felt like the revenge had been finished, and the antagonists had been out of the picture — most of which was off-screen, I might add, which made the story feel somewhat incomplete — long enough for The Time Jump to happen. Yes, the dreaded time jump. I’ve never been a fan of the time jump. It’s fine as an epilogue but I’ve never once enjoyed it done in the middle of the story and this was no different. It just felt kind of…weird. Like they didn’t know what to do after all the villains were put away, so they had to bring them back, but had to wait some time for them to be able to. Story-wise, it was a bit confusing to have it happen after everything was seemingly over, but ultimately I don’t think it was blown out of proportion, which was good.

I think part of the plot simmering down also had to do with the female lead, who was really proactive in the first half and then started being more aimless in the second half. Still, I liked the message the drama left us with — that the best revenge for her was having a happy marriage, a healthy family, and a good life. Despite the slowdown, I think this drama had a really good finale episode.

Overall, it was still a pretty good watch — this was my second favorite watch behind Castaway Diva during its runtime, but if I were to recommend it to someone I would suggest binging it rather than watching it slowly. You might be able to retain more momentum that way.

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Everyone gets their yummy desserts

Not all makjang are made equal and I’m glad that this is a good’un in my book.

Makjang storylines, by definition, are meant to be convoluted and outrageous. While for a shortish 12 eps run, it does traipsed through many tropey plots, it is hardly a witch’s brew. I am pleasantly surprised by how well paced, coherent and logical the script is, well, once you get past the whole cancel death shenanigan.

I’ll be honest, the do-over plot device is old hat by now. Every year, there is a new crop with minor variations. This one started fairly typically. Death by misadventure and (GASP) you wake up and get another chance to get things right or in the FL’s case, exact revenge for many years of pain and suffering in the hands of her family.

There are no shortage of shenanigans, foul deeds, mental as well as physical torments. It is full on and yet it feels manageable, relatable. The A-plot needs the darker tropes to make the story work, but it doesn't take them to the extreme just to earn the torture porn badge.

Once the show established the lowest point in their lives, death will do that to you, it is a steady and engaging climb back to the top. Of course, it is never going to be easy for our leads, but they are quite a power couple. They might not be all loved up from Day 1 but their relationship is refreshingly pure and solid. While the FL thought that she is just using the ML as a stepping stone to archive her goals, the ML has other ideas.

I know that sounds bad but in fact, it is quite the opposite. While the motivation of FL’s initial actions is pure revenge, once she takes greater control of her life and learn more of the truth, their relationship changes and evolves. The show changes focus to healing and getting a second chance at life. That is so much more rewarding to watch than a show that is hellbent on Mutually Assured Destruction.

Another gratifying aspect of the show is while the antagonists knows all the dirty tricks, they are not omnipotent. Their plans are effective, even devastating at times, but our leads are not hapless punching bags. They have their wits about them and they have the measure on the evildoers. The show doesn’t jump feet first into non-sensical plots just to meter out endless pain and sufferings to our OTP.

In terms of acting, it is a definite mixed bag. The highly emotional plots and extreme situations are fertile grounds for overacting. Still, I have seen worse. They are within the realm of “normal” behaviours rather than pantomime grade performances.

In the end, I enjoyed this show very much. More because of the leads' growth and their healing journey than the revenge angle. Also, for a change, I can cheer them on without having to facepalm later because the show threw the kitchen sink at them and make them suffer for no reason other than for our “entertainment”. The last ep is purely fan service and I give thanks. It ties up all the loose ends. All key characters are given their moment in the sun (or in purgatory) so we are not left hanging. It is not award winning stuff but it is a solid production.

For some, this might be a weak example of a makjang but I will take it. There are enough troubles in the world today. I don’t usually rewatch this style of drama but I can make an exception in this case. Peace out.

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De-Railed Revenge : A Binge Worthy Melodrama

Perfect Marriage Revenge is an entertaining blend of makjang drama and revenge that follows the journey of Han Yi Joo, who grapples with familial betrayal and seeks to alter her life when a second chance is given to her.

The drama starts strong with an engaging premise and believable chemistry between the leads. However, as the series progresses it begins to lose its initial spark. The focus shifts increasingly to all the antagonists. While their stories and perspectives did add tension and drama, the main lead's interactions felt a bit sparse. Yes, the motivation for the villain's actions did add more depth to the story, but I was frustrated with the wasted potential when the dynamics between the leads were strong and it was just sidelined.

The second half of the story felt very repetitive. The revenge plot, which felt compelling initially, seems to resolve 'too easily' as major conflicts are either sidestepped or wrapped up quickly. While the chemistry between the leads is heartwarming, it felt very fragmentary. I wish they would have focused more on 'her revenge' rather than her being one of the side characters in other people's drama.

Acting-wise, all the actors did believable jobs, but the antagonists often outshone the leads for me. However, there were a few moments like slapping unnecessarily and throwing drinks at each other (Lol!), that reminded me of the chaos which is expected from makjang dramas. xD A whole new level of melodrama!

Despite the issues, the drama wraps up satisfactorily. The idea that true fulfilment comes from personal happiness rather than vengeance was beautiful. Yi Joo finally having a loving family was the perfect end!

Overall, this was a very entertaining watch for me. Though it has flaws, it's a binge-able choice if you enjoy melodrama and over-the-top chaos.
7.8/10

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A show that seamlessly balances of what you're currently experiencing in your watchlist.

Perfect Marriage Revenge is a wild rollercoaster of family drama, betrayal, and second chances that serves up a tantalizing blend of familial intrigue, heartbreak, and a dash of romance that had me hooked from the get-go.

The drama unfolds with intense emotions, unexpected turns, and a hint of romance. It's a captivating series that keeps you hooked with its intriguing mix of family secrets, love triangles, and the quest for justice. Plus, the cast is sizzling hot, adding an extra layer of spice to the already gripping narrative.

I could say a binge-worthy watch, blending the complexities of relationships with a touch of glamour, making it a must-watch for anyone craving a mix of emotional depth and plot twists.

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What a good watch, old fashioned drama fun

I have watched so much this year, high concept, big buget, head line stars, that have not pulled half the weight as this. Its retro, do mature women wear chiffon in the day, completely over the top, bitchfest fun,
The writing and direction mean from from the first couple of lines of any charector, you know who the are and the actors play it up to the hilt.
OK its not realistic, its over the top, but so well acted and directed, no scene does not add to the plot, and they have made the most of what budget they had. Just do not think too closely about about the plot. If you are not hooked in the first two eps its probabely not for you.
Entertainment value a 10

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It served them right!

First of all I'd like to say thank you to the drama. It was so interesting that it got me out of my habit to skip those long scenes. I was like a behaving toddler. Sitting and watching with interest.

Everything was sooooo satisfying and everyone got what they deserved. I only feel bad fo Se-hyeok. Yes I hate his guts but he didn't deserve to be involved again with Han Yoo-ra at the end.

There were things I couldn't predict and I think that was what got me to continue to watch the series. I highly recommend watching it. You may want to throw your tv or laptop out the window sometimes but it's worth it.

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Karma is REAL!

This show was absolutely amazing, I loved the plot and how the main lead got revenge on everyone who wronged her and treated her poorly. I love the vibes of the drama and the main lead's outfits were nice. I love the relationship between the main female lead and the family of the main male lead. At some point, his family became her family and it was so nice to see her finally getting support and comfort after her hard life.

Story :
The story was perfect and interesting. I love how the way everything played out. The main leads get into a car crash to take them both back into the past. This is a chance for the female lead to get her revenge and the male lead to fix his mistakes. It was so nice to see all the people who did the main lead wrong get what they deserved. Revenge is a dish best served COLD. I just don't really like how towards the end, it felt a bit rushed and like the producer was trying to finish everything so quickly, but for 12 episodes everything was pretty well done. It was amazing to see the main female lead get revenge along with finding herself at the same time. She made a ton of friends and allies which helped her overcome her wicked mother and evil daughter.

Music :
The songs were pretty good. Perfect songs are used in the right places, like dark and intense songs for the revenge and nerve-racking part of the drama. The ending song was also really nice but not anything really special.

Acting:
The main lead acting was soooo good. The on-screen chemistry was perfect. The main lead just gave off the best main character energy. The male lead is a huge green flag, and the way he agrees to her terms even if she was just marrying him to use him and his power, he still willingly did it. Like come on, a guy like that is hard to come by. The female lead was also amazing, the way you can feel her anger and sadness in certain scenes. Ugh PERFECT! You know the acting is good when the antagonists in the drama make you hate their guts and you just want to go through the screen and get rid of them. Like they were so annoying and irritating which makes their acting top-tier. LOVED the chemistry between Do Guk and Yi Joo!!!! These two really sold their roles well and actually managed to touch me. You can feel the tension and they were just oozing with chemistry. The smaller couples were also really cute. The female lead is so good as Yi Joo, she played the role perfectly. The male lead also did well.

Ending:
The ending was nice, the fact that the main couple accepted each other and decided to live the rest of their lives happily and not worrying about anything else was so sweet. The MIL and the aunts of Yi Joo's reaction to her pregnancy were so cute. THe ending felt a bit rushed with the reveal of Yi Joo's real mother, how they got separated, etc. Also how the male lead got into a car crash and almost didn't make it, but that was what brought them out of the time loop. Ending the drama with the main couple living happily in their home with their new born child was the perfect way to end the drama providing a satisfying ending for all the viewers watching.

:)

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