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A witches' brew that turned into banana milk
EDIT: My original review was a little rant after watching the first 12 episodes. I have since completed the series. The following is an edited version of my original review plus my final thoughts on the last 4 eps and the Show as a whole.I start watching this show because of Park Min-young (PMY). I loved her in Secretary Kim and Her Private Life is one of my favourites. Her more recent projects have been a mixed bag.
The first few episodes got me excited. PMY was front and centre showcasing her many talents. The zany plot looks like fun! This could be the PMY starrer I've been waiting for.
However, after the promising start, the plot became quite makjang by mid way and got more so as the show progressed.
Part of the problem is that the FL is a martyr to everyone's cause except her own. She sometimes sends the wrong message to the wrong people unintentionally. She can be very straight talking or very obtuse depending on the script. No wonder we are perplexed by the hole she is digging for herself.
Madam Yoo is an opaque and unsettling character at this point. Her concept of identity and affection is totally warped. She ruined PMY’s life 13 years ago and she seems to be doing it again. It beggars one's mind when you consider the FL is 30 years old.
The 2ML is a man-child. An entitled, low EQ, ill adjusted top star. His idea of love is a crush which turned into an obsession. His earlier actions and behaviours made him unlikeable.
Parachuting the ML’s ex-wife into this witches' brew was the last thing we need. Even after ruining their marriage, she still thinks he has feelings for her, and they deserve a second chance.
I cringed when the Show drops moments of comedy in the midst of piled on angst and horrible machinations. There is an unpleasant and dissonant note to the script.
This is my impressions up to ep.12 and I was considering dropping the show.
Then ep.13 happened.
It is like the writer-nim had an epiphany and realised that the show is heading to story hell and hit the brakes. Within the span of several scenes, the Show has flipped on its axis and gone full rom-com again.
All the funny, sweet and swoon-y bits are back in the show. Almost all the characters are realigned. I don’t mean the usual redemption arc but a full rehabilitation. Madam Yoo became a caring but eccentric lady who was just misunderstood. The 2ML became an obedient son and a top business executive without a trace of his top star baggage. The ML’s ex is now his biggest supporter with no hard feelings. The list goes on. Even the main antagonist is bundled out of the way without making a fuss. It was as if nothing nasty ever happened and no serious repercussions to all concerned.
I’m happy that the OTP’s love line remained sweet and engaging. The ML is no longer deadpan and their growing love filled us with joy. Their skinship is heartfelt and swoon worthy. It won’t be a k-drama if we didn’t have a mini breakup but it didn’t last long and both characters grew from the experience.
The FL’s gay flatmate is sensible and sensitive. Unfortunately, he usually ended up being the punching bag. What really annoyed me though is that he is not allowed to be gay openly, he is in limbo. His sisters still harangue him and his parents considered him their failure. That is until they found out that he might become an idol singer. What kind of message is that? He is still living a lie. There is potential for greater harm to befall him once he is famous.
In the end, this Show is better than Forecast Love but the Show as a whole doesn't sit comfortably with me. The tonal shift and character rehabilitation later in the show was jarring. I’m glad that I didn’t drop the show, but it did leave me with a sour taste that is only partially remedied by the last few episodes and the sweet HEA ending.
As a fan of KMY, I loved her performance but as a jaded drama viewer I am disappointed. Her recent script choices is also concerning.
While the makjang plots took half the show to develop, they literally disappeared with the snap of a finger. Those plots were troubling and uncomfortable to watch but they were there for a reason . . . I hope. Am I short changed? It is good to end on a high note, but the path there feels inelegant and forced.
The production quality is high, but the number of PPL is also high which can be irritating. OST is good. I can’t sit through the whole show again but a swoon-y highlight reel would be nice.
I have increased the show's final score. :)
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Boring
Have to admit that I started it because of the actors and since I've seen some of their other work, I really expected a lot, but unfortunately it's boring, after episode 10, I started having issues to keep up with it and I'm still trying to finish it, but I feel like I'm wasting my time and honestly just finishing it out of commitment.Main leads have no chemistry to be honest. Wouldn't recommend it or rewatch it.
I think the only thing that i joyed here were the coworkers at the courthouse and the roomie, I really loved him and felt bad for him, because that friendship is so one-sided, but anyways I give it a 5.
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It’ll pass the time…
Look, it’s not that this drama is bad it’s just really not that good. If you’re in a lacklustre mood and want to curl up on the sofa in your jarmies and stuff your face with chocolate whilst lamenting the state of your work life, then this show might be a sucky blanket to help you through the week.To describe this as a comedy is not really accurate. Yes there are a few smile moments, but this is a romantic drama with a classic romcom set-up that takes itself seriously. And that is both its strength and unfortunately its weakness.
The script isn’t quite up to delivering the impact which the story demands. It’s sitting on an edge of seriousness but trying to keep itself light. It’s not sure whether it’s a drama or a romance and consequently the more serious themes sit uncomfortably with the sometimes superficial and cliché dialogue. It really wants to explore the characters but doesn’t have sufficient skill or gravity to give them the required depth and it turns into a long drawn out inching forward.
Although the Single Life Helper starting point was original and interesting, the plot gets caught up in trying to make the standard chaebol arranged marriage theme fit with it and it doesn’t quite work. You could see the plot twists in episode 13 from 15 episodes previously and there is also insufficient plot to give the story dynamic impetus.
The antagonists are stereotypical and not carefully enough drawn, with a single mode of operation that conveniently causes trouble. Neither are they important enough to have any real impact. For most of the drama they hang around like flies, creating an annoying buzz and then get unconvincingly swatted at the end.
There are three ok leads, but they could have been better given more in the script. The best performance came from Kim Jae Young as Kang Hae Jin, who had the most opportunity to create a rounded character. Park Min Young dusted off her acting skills again and displayed a little of her talent but nothing outstanding and she was beaten in the showing-credible-emotions stakes by Jin Kyung as Ji Mi Ho. I’ve seen better performances from Go Kyung Pyo who tried to do something with his character, but acting the classic buttoned-up ML is always a challenge. (My vote for the best rendition of this character type goes to So Ji Sub in “The Master’s Sun”.) Kang Hyun Suk was the best of the supporting cast with a lovable performance as Woo Gwang Nam.
What my rating means: 7+ A watchable drama, but nothing exceptional. Good enough to qualify for the race, but finished with the pack. The sort of thing that promises more than it delivers.
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Why make it so complicated?
I will never understand why Korean writers are so obsessed over adding so many external conflicts to every drama ever, while also making them so over the top and not relatable for the majority of their audience. Love in Contract is a rom-com, not a business politics drama, we do not need this much focus, or even any focus on the shenanigans of the chaebols.I honestly think removing the whole aspect of the “rich elites” from this show and making it at best 12 episodes long would vastly improve the quality. The whole second half was just a dramatic mess. All the important bits about learning how to rely on others, trust them, move on from past traumas, heal, find your own dreams and goals - drowned in the pool of misogynist powerful men and overprotective mothers.
That said, the first half of the drama was a blast to watch. Choi Sang Eun is a great female lead with a strong personality, clear views that impact her behavior, but also a solid dose of insecurities that we get to explore as the drama progresses. Jung Ji Ho, being one of the most unique male leads in dramaland, had some of the most solid character developments - improving his communication skills, creating social connections, improving his understanding of other people’s views and perspectives, while still keeping the core of his persona true.
Out of all the supporting characters, I for sure enjoyed Jung Ji Eun the most. Appreciated her understanding nature and willingness to improve and not just be a menace to the main couple. And it would be a crime not to mention Woo Gwang Nam. I have to say, that’s honestly a solid representation - a character that is gay, but his whole existence, personality, internal and external conflict do not only resolve around his sexuality. He was neither comedic relief, nor the typical tortured soul. Easily the most complex and well established supporting character this drama had to offer.
Would be lying if I said I was impressed by any of the performances, since I feel I have seen similar characters from these actors in their previous roles. I’d even say it’s impressive how type-cast the drama was.
I have little to nothing to say about the production value. There was nothing bad, nor outstanding about the directing, editing, soundtrack, set design. Sure, the female lead’s outfits were amazing, but that’s not enough for me to praise the overall quality.
Overall, the show was simply basic. It had great moments, nice supporting characters, but when it’s surrounded by mediocrity, I question if it’s worth watching the whole show for scraps.
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It's quite messy and frustrating but there are merits to it
Choi Sang Eun (Park Min Young) has a unique job as a single-life helper: where she contracts herself to be a wife. She is a master at adapting herself both to her clients and the situation she needs to be in. After 10 years, she decided to retire and leave the country. She easily ends all contracts except for one long-term client, Jung Ji Ho (Go Kyung Pyo), who she’s been visiting every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for dinner together. Will she be able to end her contract with him and cut ties with no feelings?I appreciated how quickly I got invested in the characters and the story from the first episode. Then I found out that the story wasn't all fluffy romcom, it has an unsettling dark mystery surrounding Sang Eun's past. Someone was also being portrayed to be potentially dangerous, but it was obvious that it's a red herring. Those twists gave an unpleasant and dissonant note, so I put it on-hold for months before being convinced by a friend that it gets better...
So I came back to give it a second chance, mainly for our stoic, awkward and endearing Ji Ho, I like that his speeches are really on point! I also like how his companionship developed, I even like how the love triangle played out. Both Go Kyung Pyo and Park Min Young were very well casted in their roles and I love their chemistry. Their relationship is one of the healthiests and their growth together was great. That being said, I never like the messy family story, uninteresting and too dramatic. I also disagree on some characters’ redemption and some did not getting what they deserved. So whether I like the drama overall, is questionable XD. I guess the romance and Go Kyung Pyo makes it worth watching!
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Meh.
The only good thing about the show is the dynamics between the leads. The plot of the story is pretty much nonexistent and survives on cliches. It gets dragged after a point, such shows would do better with 8-12 episodes max, but the writers drag it until 16. The SML is super annoying throughout, all he does is hinder the FL. And even the kiss that he initiates when she’s drunk which she ends up for apologising was ridiculous. I want to see PMY in a good drama, but I guess this was definitely better than her previous drama. There were some good comedy scenes, but for most part it falls short.Was this review helpful to you?
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Disappointed....
Some people might not agree, but this turned out to be a disappointing drama for me.I had been waiting for a new drama worth watching from Park Min Young but like Forecasting Weather, I ended up dropping this one as well. (is it just me or does Park Min Young look haggard and old in this drama?)
The plot is actually absurd. Yes, she has a job acting as wife and girlfriend for men; and by doing so, people she came into contact with are bound to know of her. The INA group angle where she was being groomed to be a chaebol's wife is also weird.
The only moments worth mentioning are her interaction with the ML, Go Kyung Pyo. It would have been nice if the story focused on them more.
Hopefully, she makes a new drama just as interesting as Secretary Kim
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Disappointing script
I love the leads in many of their roles, so I was excited to see the pairing in this promising drama.No fault to the acting but the script is too absurd.
Matched up with some overly annoying support characters like the Madam Yoo , the ex wife of ML, the Mother of 2nd ML, Female office worker.... it was really hard to watch.
The plot of raising an orphan child bride just served no purpose.
Then pops in the ex wife adding to the annoyingness of the whole story
The few parts I did enjoy:
ML's character in general. His awkwardness and comments in the beginning episodes were hilarious. The more awkward he got the more FL finds him cute.
Gay roommate/BFF/BF/Husband. His character is the most lovable.
Pretty much those are the only factors why I continued with the drama.
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Wasted potential
This drama had a superb first half - I was hooked the moment I started, and waiting for the next episodes gave my life purpose. The first half had all the elements that promised a classic, even with the occasional detour into heavy territory. (Let’s just say I watched Ep 6 five times.)But it had to take the melo route and blow up into a hot mess before ending with a whimper. Eps 10 onwards were wildly uneven and weak. Examples include the strange decision to centre the drama’s plot around the 2ML at one point and excessive makjang that no viewer cared for. We’re supposed to believe the FL is a strong lead but it seemed like she was just responding to events most of the time, rather than having any agency in them. The ending was satisfactory but underdeveloped.
Looking back even the main couple’s romance disappointed me somewhat considering the expectations it had built. Many moments were merely spent on them staring at each other lovingly (which is fine) but they underdelivered on the sexual tension. If they had eliminated all that makjang there could be so much more that they could’ve done together. That being said their relationship is one of the healthiest you’ll find in kdramaland and their growth together was great.
The show’s saving grace is really Ji-ho. Oh Ji-ho, Ji-ho, Ji-ho… I did not know it was possible to love a character so much. I joined MDL for him (check out my username). I made stickers of him. He single-handedly defined my ideal type. He is the greenest flag. He is everything. I can’t go back to childish male leads anymore after this.
The cast was fantastic. The breakout star is indisputably Go Kyung-pyo. His acting is phenomenal down to the micro-expressions. He managed to make a stoic character funny, sexy, and complicated all at once. Kang Hyung-seok is a close second with Gwang-nam, who stole every scene despite his disappointing plotline. Park Min-young, Kim Jae-young, and Jin Kyung also did great with whatever they had. The actors who played Ji-ho’s colleagues were hilarious.
Despite all my criticisms I’m still giving this a 7.5 because I love Ji-ho too much to be rational about this. And I did have a lot of fun chasing it. I guess I’m like him after all. <3
tl;dr worth watching if you fast-forward all the scenes with Kang Hae-jin and the makjang. Then you’ll get the best of both worlds: a shorter drama and a fun romance.
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Not the best, but no the worst either
I personally had high hopes for this drama. Before it aired, the trailers and promotions seemed promising and MISLEADING to some. However, the drama turned out to be lacking in script and writing and thus making it not that good.Plus, don't let the name fool you. This drama is not that ROMANTIC. There are barely kiss scenes and skinships.
Story:
Typical marriage contract but with a twist. The FL's job is to marry guys who need partners for various reasons. There are some good guys and some psychos involved. There are SML and SFL and so many side stories going on, which seemed so unnecessary at times. I can dare say more than half of the drama got draggy and cringe-worthy. Character development was not ok, especially the SML and FL's relationship was written poorly. The only people with decent character development were ML and FL's roommate. Personally, i believe that this drama could've turned much better with a good team of writers :\
Acting:
I have seen all PMY's dramas and honestly, her last dramas were a turndown. GPK's acting was superb! i have seen him in a few dramas before and he delivered the best character in this drama. The second ML, albeit a bit cranky and quirky, acted pretty ok. The second leads and the supporting cast delivered a somewhat acceptable performance, yet again the only thing that overshadowed their acting was the bad script.
Music:
Nothing extraordinary in my opinion. Very limited songs and they didn't match the scenes very much.
Production:
From the looks of this drama, we can figure it had a decent budget. The dresses PMY wears are all sponsored by high-end brands. The cars, buildings, houses, etc, were expensive. The drama looks glittery to the eye, but without depth.
Chemistry:
Even though the drama's name is love in contract, the love is barely visible. We get to see the leads so lovey-dovey, but that's just it. Their love is not that genuine, more like platonic to me. The ML is really caring and starts loving FL, but the FL is so lost that can't deliver a good romantic partner. The kiss scenes were all too short and shallow.
Overall, a somewhat OK drama. Not the type you will go back and rewatch your favorite episodes(or you might lol). it could have been better. The drama had the potential to be much more sweet and enjoyable, yet as it happens in Kworld, writers can't deliver a good piece lol
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NOT a typical sweet and fluffy romantic comedy
I think some viewers like me who just watched the trailer, read the synopsis and saw the poster would have thought this is a romantic comedy with many sweet and fluffy scenes while FL gets to choose between two great guys. Well, “Love in Contract” definitely has comedic moments, but it’s not really a romantic comedy. Aside from romance, there are childhood traumas, tragic family background stories and conglomerate marriages & business battles. I personally enjoy the first half of the drama more than the second half. This is not quite a solid 8.5 drama but a rounded up 8.5.What I Like:
Jung Ji Ho (ML) - Ji Ho is the kind of male lead that I like. Awkward and adorable, sweet and caring, but doesn’t have much experience in the romance department. Of course, he changes after he meets FL. Ji Ho has great character development in the drama. He learns to interact and socialize with his co-workers, recognize and communicate his feelings. I also enjoy watching how his wardrobe changes with his personality. Go Kyung Pyo plays the character well. I enjoy his facial expressions when he’s embarrassed, confused and awkward. This might be my second favorite character that Go Kyung Pyo plays, after his role in “Chicago Typewriter”.
Contract Marriage - One of my favorite tropes ever. The concept of a single life helper is interesting to me, and I enjoy the short stories of the marriages shown in this drama. I would have loved the drama to focus on these marriages a little more, but I came to the conclusion that “Love in Contract” is a lot more than just about love in contracts.
Main Characters - Choi Sang Eun (FL) is an interesting heroine. She’s independent and strong in her own ways. She seems so perfect and perfectly put-together all the time, yet when she’s home you can see how messy and child-like she could be. Park Min Young, of course, can play this role well. It’s a combination of her roles in “What’s Wrong with Secretary Skim” and “Her Private Life”. I’ve read comments about how many viewers do not like the second male lead, Kang Hae Jin, especially in the earlier episodes. I don’t find him annoying and think his clinginess is justifiable because he reunited with his first love after 13 years. I don’t blame him for wanting to get close to her and wanting to sign a contract. Hae Jin also undergoes good character development as well.
Supporting Characters - We have quite an interesting bunch of supporting characters. Woo Gang Nam, FL’s BFF, is a fan favorite and I like him as well. I want good things to happen to him and always look forward to his scenes with Sang Eun. When Sang Eun is with Gang Nam, that’s when she can let loose and act silly. Madam Yoo is a scene stealer. Veteran Jin Kyung plays the elegant and snobbish Madam Yoo so well. Every time she shows up, my focus goes straight to her and I want to see what’s going to come out of her mouth. We have comedic relief in the Chief Judge and ML’s co-worker Kim Yu Mi. Both characters are over-the-top but because their screen time is kept to a minimum, I don’t find them too annoying but funny.
Wardrobe - This drama must have a big budget or sponsor for clothes. Park Min Young looks beautiful, as always, and her clothes are fabulous. Same goes to Madame Yoo’s high class fashion. The two male leads also look dashing in their suits and casual wear.
What I have Mixed Feelings about:
Main Romance - For me the romance and chemistry are just good and not great. Although the three main characters are good-looking people, I feel that the chemistry is not sizzling enough for me. If I compare the chemistry of Park Min Young with her other co-stars, hers with Go Kyung Pyo her pales in comparison to Seo Kang Joon (When The Weather is Fine), Kim Jae Wook (Her Private Life) and and Park Seo Joon (What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim). Is the chemistry with Go Kyung Pyo bad? No it’s not. But I wanted more and I am not feeling it. Maybe also because most of their scenes are in the apartment, facing each other at dinner and they really did not have many normal dating scenes. I probably go into this drama expecting a lot more kisses because, you know, it’s Park Min Young. There are dramas without much skinship and I can feel the unspoken sizzling romance, but not in this drama, unfortunately. But I do like the proposals in the last episode and how they fit the character's personality so well.
Cartoonish villain - I don’t even know if he qualifies to be a real villain. He is just not very smart, but maybe he is not supposed to? Because I feel that “Love in Contract” is not a typical funny romantic comedy, nor is it a serious business drama, it makes it hard to see a cartoonish dumb villain fit nicely in the the story. I have to say the casting is done right, as the actor has the face that I want to punch. LOL.
PPL - I don’t remember a recent Korean modern drama I watch that has sooooo many product placements. So many different products and so in-your-face! As a drama watcher, it is very annoying. But if I am the advertiser, this is a gold mine because I have bought Kopiko coffee candies at a Korean supermarket before, and I want to go back and buy more after watching “Love in Contract”. And yes, those candies are tasty! ?
Pacing - I enjoy the first half of the drama a lot more and the pacing is good. This is when they focus more on FL’s occupation and the contracts she has with the leads. The second half starts to mix the family background and conglomerate battles and this slows down the pace. I feel like they go back-and-forth about the conglomerate marriage.
End of crisis - After spending so many episodes on how to resolve the crisis and putting everyone at risk in the last few episodes, it seems quite anti-climatic to have FL come out and take care of it. It sure is effective but why spend so many episodes dragging down the pace of the plot in the last few episodes when the solution is so simple? I was expecting higher stakes, a more complicated plan to resolve the issue.
Completed: 11/12/2022
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Clichés in Contract with a sweet scent of broken flowers
The opening scen of this dram draws us in a we hear the narrative of a girl who was raised to become a commodity to be sold by entering the contract of marriage . Dark and orange red lights accompany us to the view of Go Kyung Pyo stepping in to the shower while she steps out though the dark apartments door in to a light hallway... Giving us a feel of high end dark and a bit naughty... However viewers are then thrown int to the light bubbly sweetness which is basically Park Min Young. Giving us a story of love, geometry, corporate politics and human relationships viewed from a bunch of angles.The budget for this drama seems to be pretty big, not only seen by the star studded amazing cast but also bu the amount of PPL to pay for it. As there is so much PPL in this that it is impossible to miss out on it, even though you may be shocked by the missing Subs from Subway and face masks you get cars, Kopiko and the ever folding Samsungs instead.
Go Kyung Pyos character is wonderfully portrayed, awkward, straight forward, introverted to the core, a sweet little puppy and as usual the king of back hugs, there is no doubt that this guy is good at his job making great use of his eyes and slow mo it is hard not to fall for this guy.... Especially when put next to a fluffy cat.. Kim Jae Young also delivered a memorable performance, with captivating flirty smiles, playfulness this guy is the warm bubbly, emotional, perfect contrast to the other guy. Having both the cat an girl between these two was a lot of fun to watch in this highly contracted and respectful (most of the time) love triangle. The addition of Lee Joo Bins character in to the love geometry was the cherry on top for this geometry lover (yes I admit it I love em).
The ex husband/roommate played by Kang Hyung Suk may not have added to the geometry but was amazingly casted, well preformed and made me wish for a spinn off (I rarely want spinn offs) where he gets to be the star of a rising star rom com of his own.
There where a few annoying side characters who got a bit more screen time than I would have wished for taking down the score a bit, however they are manageable and though they did make me reach for the mute button I did not feel the need to skip the scenes with them all together. There are a few decisions that seemed to be there only to prolong the plot without actually giving it any substance, most of the twists were highly predictable but I do not really mind predictability so it did not really bother me.
The umbrellas in this drama are top of the hill... Red warning umbrella was so well used I could not help but laugh at the sight of her. There are also a bunch of good poetic lines here and there, which come off as oddly funny when delivered by the cold male lead. " Broken flowers smell the sweetes" (or something like that) would have felt like a way to slick buttery line if not delivered with a stone cold face.
The story really is nothing new, had I seen this a year or two ago I would probably have rated it higher as it does indeed hava a bunch of cliches and stuff I love but since there is some meeh moments, a few draggy parts , highly mutable parts and other parts that could have been explored a bit more I realised that no matter how much I love the cast and found most of this drama enjoyable I could not ignore them completely and thus settled for 8,5.
So to sum it up, if you like the cast, enjoy geometry and do not mind a bunch of cliches go for it this is a good choice for you.
If you want something new and exiting and hate PPL pick something else.
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