Perfect Marriage Revenge (2023)

To be honest, I was surprised by how much international fame this drama gained. Usually, this type of stuff is not very popular and poorly rated. I think the success of this drama came from ml who really cared about fl. It's interesting because I feel like you could feel the makjang vibe everywhere except the main couple (although at the beginning we also had Yi Joo as a damsel in distress).

Personally, with all the makjang cliché scenes, I really enjoyed this drama. The plot itself was interesting, although for me there were no plot twists. What was supposed to be a surprise was rather predictable.

The actors did quite well. They played their roles in the way expected. As for the OSTs, they were really good.

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Bad first impression, but they managed to turn it around

Based on my experience watching episode 1, I really thought I would drop Perfect Marriage Revenge early on. The acting underwhelmed me, the scene-to-scene pacing felt off and slow, and a lot of my pet peeves were hit in the plot early on.

I can’t stand protagonists, especially heroines, who are presented as the ultimate victim of the world’s cruelty, a flawless do-gooder who only suffers due to external, black-and-white circumstances. I just find that boring and irritating. And this is essentially how the FL, Han Yi Joo, is introduced. All of ep 1 is just tragedy after tragedy being committed against our hapless heroine.

HOWEVER. I’m glad I stuck it out for a few more episodes because the writers really turned things around. The characters were rounded out and got more depth. The acting seemed to improve as the actors settled into their roles. Basically, the show turned from a badly produced makjang to a stronger, more nuanced but still guilty-pleasure-entertaining drama.

I loved how we got to explore all the main characters’ inner lives.

FL: Once Han Yi Joo time travels back in her life, she resolves to no longer be a victim. She plans her cold-blooded revenge, but she doesn’t easily take on that role. In stressful times, she reverts to that timid, helpless girl she was, and the writers give her appropriate time to grieve for everything she lost by not standing up for herself sooner.

ML: Sung Hoon as Seo Do Guk did a wonderful job playing Simp of the Year. He was so madly sweetly in love with the FL, he would just glow on the screen whenever he was looking at her. I’m usually not a fan of Sung Joon but this might be the first role I’ve ever seen him in that I loved.

SFL: The heroine’s adoptive sister, Han Yoo Ra, was to me the most interesting character in the drama. She begins as the classic makjang minor villain — a spoiled, hateful brat who lords her power over others and throws tantrums when she doesn’t get her way. Over the course of the plot, we see other sides of her, as well as the effect that being raised by her awful, evil mother has had. I love a mean girl character, and while the PMR writers don’t try to redeem her, they do try to make the audience empathize with her, which was brilliant.
They pulled off a similar arc with the SML, the FL’s original husband who betrays her, though I found him less interesting.

The only completely unapologetic, black-and-white character is the villain mother, Yoo Se Hyeok. And wow, was she evil. Whenever she was around, the makjang vibes returned in full force.

So, I’m glad I stuck it out and gave this surprisingly well-rounded drama a chance to hook me.

TROPES (light spoilers):
- ML falls first, fast, and hard
- transmigration: time travel, return to one’s own past
- contract marriage
- domestic abuse, emotional and physical
- chaebols, succession politics, business drama
- fast burn, good intimacy and great kisses between the leads
- third act breakup (but it’s brief and not a big part of the plot)

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Smokin' Hot Series!

Smokin' Hot Series!

This is pure dynamite @2 episodes in. A blast...of sheer ...unadulterated delight! It feels all the more special....because dang it ...since Lost You Forever, My Journey to You, Alliance and The Legend of Zuohua... it has been a while since we felt so lit..
but.... the buzz baby .....is on!

Things I loved:
First, The ML:
I have been a fan of Sung Hoon since his Secret Romance days...but the general consensus is that his last few scripts could've been better. Thankfully...this script suits him perfectly. Physically...he fits the role. He is a man of substance, broad and big. He is decisive and tough and sure about what he wants....and she appears to be what he wants....but why is that exactly?
Is he a sucker for girls in crisis..or is there a mystery? I am betting there is more to the story. Lol.
But he meets her and she needs a savior..so he rescues her ...and then... presumably he is gonna take her home?
Oh yeah.....it seems like the plan...but it was the way ... he did all of this ...that made it the stuff of dreams.
And please ...notice my restraint as I haven't even mentioned his kisses.... lol.

Second: The FL:
I love this FL..she has been oppressed by her very powerful family and has accepted that as her fate...but an important event has jarred her wide awake... and like any prize fighter...she came out smacking her gloves together and did not wimp out once the buzzer rang! But now.... the fight is on. Because they will be coming for her and I am expecting a dirty fight. But I am laying odds on her and I want ring side seats for the final smack down! Yippeeee

Third: Fizzy Fun:
Yeah, I know this is a completely nonsensical review....but it was so dang fun to watch and sometimes you want something that will make you smile. This one gave us some great moments..for instance, when the two leads were in the hotel lobby and he stood up and put his arm around her shoulders and they walked off to the elevator together...that was the bomb!
Especially since nasty sis is watching with her mouth open.....you gotta love that! And we did!
And when he asked her why she wanted to marry him...and she told him...he smiled and said that is what I needed to hear...
and I am thinking ...really? Revenge is a good reason?
 But I am guessing he wanted her honesty and he got it. So unexpected dialog... that made us believe.
But the best part was how he saw her at her worst (any other guy would be running for the door, right?) but he ignored all of that..and knelt to give her a flower ring! How cool is that? 

And then she misunderstands and impulsively kisses him .....and banged his mouth, hard. Afterwards embarrassed she is frantically waving her arms everywhere and that felt so instinctively legit.
And....ummm... .there might've been a few more kisses afterwards...can't really remember that part....lol.


I am loving the trend of strong FL's like the one we just saw in Alliance...who not only fight back against those who have betrayed them, they also get their zest for life back. It is early for a review but this will be a short series at 12 episodes, and I promise I will be back to update...

@4..It is proving as exceptional as we had hoped it would be., and if we thought it was a simple romance ...we now know better.
This writer is good and the story is much more complex than we first thought.
And those deep cracks just beneath the surface of both families? Well, something is gonna break things wide open.

@7 Hard to imagine..but this series is getting better. There are ppl who say well, it is just a soap opera..but I hate soap operas. This is NOT that! This is clever and inventive writing...with heartfelt, butterfly inducing, rock your socks kind of fun.

@8...Wow, some emotional moments in this one. The scene with her cooking teacher (mother? savior?) was perfect.
And when she met with her long lost housekeeper and they wrapped their arms around each other and held on......
I felt sudden tears.
And if you cook as I do to show your love for others....then the scene with her cooking for his grandmother was especially meaningful and poignant.. It felt as if she was pretending she was her granddaughter for real. Very intuitive and lovely writing..

And the morally bankrupt mom and daughter ahh... well they can't help themselves...they just keep plotting.
But her ex at least...has seen the light!!! That is a good thing, cause he was wearing me out. Lol.
I am counting on gramps and bodyguard...to save the day in the courtroom....
So fingers crossed everybody... this is gonna be fun!

@11 Wow, another marvelous episode. And the thrills keep coming and it ended with another curve ball. This has been so wonderful, gonna be sad when it is over and yet because it was so short, it seemed power packed and I loved it. We are on our tippy toes..and loving every minute!

@ Final: I don't know how they did it, but they pulled off a spectacular series and the wrap up was to die for. Not one boring minute in the entire series. It was good to the last second. Do not miss this one!

Happy Watching!

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A verry addictive series with a great OTP

PLOT: FL, adopted daughter of a “good” family, mistreated by her in-laws and her adoptive family, discovers that her husband has always been in love with her sister. She has a fatal car accident and finds herself transported a year earlier, planning her wedding. She decides to change her life and take revenge on her family by marrying the ML, a young and handsome CEO, coveted by her sister. With the help of her husband, she will regain control of her life and thwart the traps of the villains.

PROS:
+ super addictive series, with no downtime and constant suspense.
+ an intense CL, where the 2 leads (Sung Hoon & Jung Yoo Min) display their incredible talent. The chemistry is natural and they are both so cute (♡´౪`♡)
+ All the actors are very good: we HATE the villains +++ and the ML family (or almost) is very endearing.
+ the story is smart, coherent, credible. The characters' development is consistent until the end.
+ Very satisfying happy ending.

CONS:
- Sung Hoon's extra wide pants (*,,ºัωºั,,)

=> A MUST-SEE that I will happily watch again, not for the suspense (since I have already seen it) but for the OTP.
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PLOT: La FL, fille adoptée d'une "bonne" famille, maltraitée par sa belle famille et sa famille adoptive, découvre que son mari est amoureux depuis toujours de sa sœur. Elle a un accident mortel de voiture et se retrouve transportée un an plus tôt, préparant son mariage. Elle décide de changer sa vie et de se venger de sa famille en épousant le ML, jeune et beau CEO, convoité par sa sœur. Avec l'aide de son mari, elle va reprendre le contrôle de sa vie et déjouer les pièges des villains.

PROS :
+ série super addictive, sans temps mort et avec un suspense constant.
+ un CL intense, où les 2 leads (Sung Hoon & Jung Yoo Min) déploient leur incroyable talent. L'alchimie est naturelle et ils sont trop mignons tous les deux (♡´౪`♡)
+ Tous les acteurs sont très bons : on DÉTESTE les villains +++ et la famille du ML (ou presque) est très attachante.
+ la story est smart, cohérente, crédible. L'évolution des personnages est cohérente jusqu'au bout.
+ Happy end très satisfaisante.

CONS :
- les pantalons extra larges de Sung Hoon (*,,ºัωºั,,)

=> Un MUST TO SEE que je regarderai à nouveau volontiers, pas pour le suspense (puisque je l'ai déjà vu) mais pour les OTP.

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It could have been longer

I enjoyed this drama so much.
Loved the characters and the development of the story.
Sung Hoon’s character, Seo Do-kook, is another green flag, and Jung Yoo-Min’s, Yi-Joon, was so cute. Also, I loved Do-koo’s mother.
Hated the villains so, the did a good job.

My only complaint is that it was too short and felt a little rushed.
I haven’t read the webtoon, but I understand there were a lot of exciting moments and facts that didn’t make it to the TV series.
I loved how the relationship between them grew until he became her safe place.
The last chapter had too many commercial mentions.

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Perfectly Vengeful

Perfect Marriage Revenge is not the kind of drama I typically get into, but every once in a while one catches my attention and I'll end up watching it. And what fun it was! Brought back to life after suffering a lifetime of abuse and neglect, Yi Joo comes back for revenge, but along the way finds love and the family she'd never dared to hope for. It's one of those dramas that you know is going to have a happy ending, but the ride to get there is a touch bumpy and the drama is delicious.

I tend to struggle with Makjangs because they always feel slightly too long and somewhere in the middle things start to lag and I lose interest. At 12 episodes though, Perfect Marriage Revenge mostly avoided that issue because there was so much going on that there just wasn't a whole lot of time for filler nonsense. There's a fairy tale element here, I think someone mentioned Cinderella, which is certainly apt given the evil stepmother and sister vibe, but in this case, Cinderella is, in many ways, her own fairy godmother and the handsome prince is more than just a pretty face. Yi Joo spent her entire life as a door mat, letting pretty much anyone and everyone walk all over her. Yet, despite the extreme abuse she suffered, she refused to let it turn her bitter, at least until she's on her deathbed and begins to realize just how deep that abuse ran. Given a second chance at life, she sets out to take revenge on her adopted family and utterly destroy them for the pain they caused her. Her first move, is stealing her sister's love interest, who is all too willing to join forces with Yi Joo. Do Guk had fallen in love with Yi Joo before he even really met her, her paintings capturing him, and when they died on the same day, he wished for her to find the love she so desperately wanted. Also given a second chance at life, he throws his lot in with Yi Joo, determined to help her seek her revenge and make her fall in love with him along the way. Of course, it's not smooth sailing. Their enemies, namely Yi Joo's adopted mother and Do Guk's brother, aren't entirely stupid and they manage to win a few hands, but in the end, good prevails and evil falls. Being a soap opera, naturally you have to throw common sense out the window and just go along with the absurdity. There are plenty of twists and turns, most fairly obvious, but with one or two that actually did surprise me. The ending was a tad prosaic. Everything gets wrapped with a neat little bow and it's almost too perfect. Still given everything our leads went through, I suppose they deserve a non-dramatic ending. The pacing was decent all things considered. It did get a tad laggy about midway, mostly with repetitive scenes, particularly between our leads as they reassured each other that they were in this together and they would succeed. Yes, we got that the first five times you said it. But otherwise, things progressed pretty steadily.

Ah, the over the top characters, dramatically plotting, hunting down secrets and desperately trying to conceal secrets, righting the past and attempting to destroy the past. They're all larger than life and almost to a man, or woman, polarizing.
- Yi Joo is the perfect woman. Despite her family's abuse, she continued to go through life with a smile and refused to let their hatred tarnish her. But once she set her heart on avenging herself on them, she was ruthless, meticulously tearing them apart. The change in her from the first episode to the next is stark. Gone is the naive, trampled young woman and in her place is someone who knows her worth and is willing to go to bat for herself. While the need for that change is clear, it's still abrupt. And while not apparent in that first episode, it's quickly shown that she is a very intelligent woman, though how she has some of the knowledge she possesses is unclear. Her relationship with Do Guk, while slow moving, is overall well done as she grows to trust him and then to love him. Despite the drama surrounding them, their relationship is relatively drama free, save for when she discovers that he was also brought back. Even so, they maintain communication and soon overcome that obstacle. Yi Joo's character development, despite having a few moments where it stalls, is also well done. While Do Guk certainly serves as her biggest support, she is not without agency and is pivotal in changing her own life around.
- Do Guk is the perfect man to Yi Joo's perfect woman. Caring and loyal with a strong moral compass, he comes alongside Yi Joo to help her accomplish her mission in taking revenge on her family. Obviously taken by Yi Joo from their first meeting, it's not revealed until much later just how deep those feelings go. While the reasons Yi Joo fell in love with Do Guk are more obvious, Do Guk's reasons are more shrouded. His feelings originated from how her painting made him feel and grew from there. He serves as a safe space for her and she for him. His character development is much more subtle and yet it's still present as he comes to find his own purpose and gain the strength and courage to pursue it.
- Jung Hye is Yi Joo's deliciously malicious adopted mother. Rotten to the core with a cruel streak a mile wide, she made Yi Joo's life a living hell, until she comes back and Jung Hye finds that she's met her match. A woman willing to do absolutely anything to get ahead, she is a master manipulator. Lying comes as easily to her as breathing even when it comes to her own daughter. She's consistent in her vile ways until the bitter end when she's left with the knowledge that she has been utterly forsaken.
-Yoo Ra is the worshipped daughter of Jung Hye who can do no wrong. She looks down on her older sister because she's adopted, flirts with her sister's husband, and is a pampered princess. While not generally taking an active role in her mother's schemes, she attempts to do her own damage to Yi Joo and discredit her, though she's rather inept and her own reputation is damaged instead. Piece by piece she is brought down as she discovers she's not even her father's daughter, her mother has been lying to her, and she's pregnant with the wrong man's baby. I was concerned for a bit that they were going to go for a redemption arc with her, but was very glad they didn't as that just wouldn't be as satisfying.
- Jung Wook is Do Guk's conniving older brother. The presumed heir to the family's company, his moral compass points in the exact opposite direction as his brother's. Willing to cut corners, lie and cheat his way to success, there's very little he won't do to get ahead. Holding the event that left him with an injured leg over his brother's head, he actively seeks to leave Do Guk out in the cold, making home an uncomfortable place for him and reminding him of his supposed superiority. While Jung Wook never shows any remorse for what he does to his brother and Yi Joo, he is eventually brought down a few pegs when his father reveals that all the resentment he'd built up and held onto, blaming his father for abandoning his mother, was all for naught as it was in fact, his mother who abandoned them.
-Honorable mentions go to Do Guk's mother and grandmother who were both badass women in their own ways. I loved them both and how willing they were to accept Yi Joo as a member of their family. And, of course, can't forget Yi Joo's own mother who overcame so much to be reunited with her daughter. The one character I did feel a bit bad for and whose ending wasn't wholly deserved was Se Hyeok. There's certainly an element of he made his bed and now he has to lie in it, but he at least seemed to have actual remorse for his actions and was trying to turn over a new leaf. It's a pity that he couldn't escape Yoo Ra.

This series had a great cast that really embraced the drama. Jung Yoo Min was lovely as Yi Joo. She did a great job of combining Yi Joo's softness with an iron will. Sung Hoon was effortlessly charming as Do Guk with an added depth that gave the character dimension. Together their chemistry was a little more subtle, but also very much present. They didn't need excessive amounts of PDA to show that they loved each other. Lee Min Young did her job very well as I absolutely despised Jung Hye. Kang Shin Hyo as Jung Wook, however, was not as compelling. I certainly didn't like his character, but my feelings were much less strong when compared to how Jung Hye made me feel.

The production was quite good. I liked the cinematography. Possibly because painting and art work played a part in the story, there seemed to be a higher level of attention paid to color in the costumes, set, and design in general. It was very pleasing to look at. The women's costumes in particular were gorgeous. It was clear that a lot of time and effort was put into those. The men's, however, was lacking a bit and it would have been nice to see them given the same attention to detail.

Perfect Marriage Revenge is not a drama to take seriously or try to find sense in. It is a soap opera so anything goes, no matter how absurd. But there is humor to be found in the absurdity, fun in the drama, and satisfaction in the knowledge that good will triumph over evil.

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Revenge was Never Sweeter

This is one drama that I had high expectations and it definitely lived up to them. I was not in the least disappointed. You will feel yourself being drawn into the world of “revenge” by two main characters. The first being FL (Jung Yoo Min aka Han Yi Joo) who is a painter and was adopted by Han Jin Woong and Lee Jung Hye and ML (Sung Hoon aka Seo Do Guk) who is the grandson of the Taeja Group’s founder.

Han Yi Joo knew how her family felt about her. She was not loved by her parents, or her younger sister Han Yoo Ran. They made sure to isolate her and make her feel worthless by bullying and poisoning her as well as attempting to kill her several times. Her world and her marriage to Jung Se Hyeok fell apart the day of the “VIP party” that was held at the family’s art gallery.

Kim Jae Woo, assistant to Lee Jung Hye had ask Han Yi Joo to retrieve a document and bring it to the gallery. As she made her way into the gallery carrying the family portrait, she noticed her husband’s car which only a few minutes ago she had called the office to find out that he had taken leave for the day. Why was his car there? Walking over to his car, she spotted a piece of paper on the ground. She opens it up and finds it's his resignation letter.

Meanwhile, inside the gallery, Han Yi Joo’s husband Jung Se Hyeok is living streaming for her sister Han Yoo Ran.

Entering the gallery with her portrait and the document for Kim Jae Woo, Lee Jung Hye and her daughter Han Yoo Ran never missed an opportunity to ridicule her, so they began discussing the portrait that Han Yi Joo had painted but several prominent women interceded. They liked the portrait so much until Lee Jung Hye was forced to display it. Han Yi Joo noticed there is paint on the edge and begins to clean it, enter Seo Do Guk. As they exchange pleasantries, Han Yoo Ran and Jung Se Hyeok join them.

Realization finally rears its ugly head for Han Yi Joo when her mother is accused of forging paintings by one of the women that Lee Jung Hye had previously sold to. In full denial, she pleads with Han Yi Joo to take the blame promising her that she will find the best attorney for her. Lee Jung Hye’s assistant, Kim Jae Woo, produces documents to the police showing it was Han Yi Joo who was forging the painters not her mother. She is the one going down in flames. But her reality is not yet done being crushed. She overhears Jung Se Hyeok and her sister, Han Yoo Ran talking. Her husband confesses his love to her sister. He tells her that he only married Han Yi Joo only to be close to her. He thought being near her would be enough until he saw her with another man. He could not live without her and said he would leave his wife.

Han Yoo Ran tells him that she knew that he liked her and that only someone as clueless as her sister would not be able to tell that. She told him that she thought he would stop. She only tolerated him because he was cute. Then she told him that he should know his place. He was too greedy for something he couldn’t have, which was her.

As they both turned around, they were confronted by Han Yi Joo who stared horrified by what she just heard. But Han Yoo Ran just walked away, leaving Jung Seo Hyeok to clean up the pieces of his marriage with her sister. He told her: “I felt sorry for you. Trying so hard to impress your parents and somehow smiling all through all of it. You reminded me of myself. I felt sorry for you, like I felt about myself. You’re right. I’m wrong.”

But after all this high drama she couldn't take it and runs to her car. Driving through tears, she makes a U-turn and another car hits her but then a truck comes and hits that car which the driver was Seo Do Guk.

Still scheming to get out of the forgery implications, Lee Jung Hye looks at Han Yi Joo as she is laying in her hospital bed fighting for life and decides this was the perfect opportunity for her to kill her daughter at last. Pulling the ventilator pull from the wall, she sits beside her daughter's bed. Smiling she leans down to her daughter, she whispered:

“It’s finally quiet, isn’t it? Just the two of us, finally. Can I be honest with you now? Yi Joo. From the beginning, I never liked you. Do you remember when we first met? You tried so hard to make me like you. And it worked. But, at home you cried because you felt sorry for the others at the orphanage. Living in a good house, eating nice food, I couldn’t believe it. More and more I became curious. How long can you hide your greed? How long will she act pathetic? I felt it in my bones while looking at you. A life where you can’t even say what you want out loud, a life where you don’t even know people scorn and insult you behind your back. How awful that is. Considering our relationship, let mom give you advice for the last time. Yi Joo. In your next life, don’t be too kind. That just makes your life harder.”

As Han Yi Joo could feel the anger, rage and tears filling her eyes, she closes her eyes only to wake up back in her room at home. Wondering what just occurred, she looks at the date and find she is back to one year earlier when she was engaged to Jung Seo Hyeok. She realizes this is her opportunity to make the wrongs that had befallen her.

She then goes to the hotel to meet the man that her sister wants to marry--Seo Du Guk. She tells him that she wants to cut to the chase and instead of marrying Yoo Ran to marry her. Before he agreed, he ask her if it was for revenge towards Han Yoo Ran and Lee Jung Hye. She told him yes it was and that is why she chose him. As you know he agreed. They married.

In the words of Seo Du Guk and Han Yi Joo:

Seo Du Guk: "Did you see your painting?"

Han Yi Joo: "But why do you have it, Du Guk."

Seo Du Guk: "How I first knew about you, was through that painting. I fell in love with this painting by an unnamed artist. I ended up buying it. As I was looking for the artist, I found out it was you. At the time, you had just married Mr. Yoo. I watched you in secret. But when I saw you at the party celebrating the Savings Bank acquisition, I got angry. At your family for treating, you that way and at you for taking it. But really, I was angry at myself for not being able to do anything about it. I regretted speaking that way to you. On my way back, the accident happened."

Han Yi Joo: "Then you came back in time."

Seo Du Guk: "Yes. I was back in 2022, a year ago. You were a completely different person. When you said that you needed me to get revenge against your evil family, I was glad. Really glad.

Han Yi Joo: "So why? Why did you accept my offer?"

San Du Guk: "I realized that I was already in love with you. Yi Joo. I love you. I am so in love with you."

Their marriage was one filled with much love and happiness. But what Han Yi Joo never realized is that Seo Du Guk also prayed to go back to give her something as well...that was his love and to be loved. She had never known that in her life. He wanted to be the one to give it to her now and forever.

In the final words of Han Yi Joo:
"I once thought happiness was something that I couldn't have. I thought it was something to special for me. Something I couldn't dare dream of. That's why a happy family only existed on canvas for me. But not anymore. After meeting you, I learned that happiness is in the every day. That it's in the moments we pass by daily. So, this is our perfect marriage."

This drama to me was perfect in every way. It will definitely leave you smiling and wishing for more, hmmm, maybe that is the sweet revenge for all of us...wanting more!

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a mix of romance, drama and even a touch of suspense

series takes a unique approach by mixing elements of romance, drama and even a touch of suspense, keeping viewers hooked on a rollercoaster of emotions. The Revenge of the Perfect Marriage” is a different and engaging proposal. a work that deserves attention. Unfolding in a narrative where love and hate go hand in hand, this drama defies convention and promises to take the viewer on a complex and rewarding emotional journey. The plot deepens when Yi-joo opts for a contract marriage, aiming to take revenge on those who mistreated her, including her husband and family. His path crosses with that of Seo Do-gook, played by the charismatic Sung Hoon, a man who also chooses an arranged marriage for personal reasons.

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