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The Story of Park's Marriage Contract korean drama review
Completed
The Story of Park's Marriage Contract
20 people found this review helpful
by Kate_735
Nov 27, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

Unexpectedly Captivating!

This series is from a web novel, which (in my view) often portends good things. I confess, it was a surprise to me, as I was expecting something lighthearted, rather than the very impactful way in which her story is told. There are comedic moments..such as her first ever revolving door and her first taste of ketchup…lol…but it is also very affecting as well. 



Lee Se Young stars as Park Yeon Woo, who lives in 19th century Joseon. Her father is the Minister of the Interior. He is a kind man who adores his only daughter and gives her enough freedom that despite the constraints on women in the 19th century she has some independence. Her relationship with her parents, her friendship with her maid, and the story with her grandfather and the crepe myrtle tree were very touching.

She is portrayed as someone who is dauntless and strong willed. Happy as she is, she sees no need to marry, but her parents have other ideas, lol. So to please them…she finally agrees to marry a man she doesn’t even know.
To her shocked delight… her groom Kang Tae Ha (played by Bae In Hyuk) is a man she has briefly met and liked.
Unfortunately for him and for her…he will die on her wedding day.
His mother angrily blames her and has her kidnapped and thrown down in a well, where she will travel to modern day Seoul.
She will surface in a hotel swimming pool where she will be saved from drowning by her dearly departed husband Kang Tae Ha. 
He of course has no memory of her and thinks she is deranged. However, he realizes she might be his chance for an immediate wife. So he convinces her to play the role of his wife for one day to please his grandfather.
Since Kang Tae Ha is portrayed as an emotionally detached, arrogant, chaebol heir..he sees nothing strange about using her for a day, paying her off, and assuming he will never see her again. But Fate ....has another plan. 



Things I Loved:

The Script: Even though time-slip romances are nothing new..still in this one...the time travel element was imaginatively well done. 
The storyline is also unexpectedly absorbing and appealing.
The Cast: Already, both leads are proving to be irresistible to watch. She is no stranger to most of us…having performed beautifully in several well-loved dramas such as The Red Sleeve and The Crowned Clown. She is mesmerizing in this one.

So if the script continues as it has begun, this series will be a ten, I cannot wait for the next episode and I am not alone. According to Nielsen Korea, this series scored an average nationwide rating of 5.6 percent for its first episode which is a great start, especially as there is stiff competition during this time frame, so we will see if they can keep pulling that off week after week.
Personal Note: I submit early reviews..because after much consideration, I realized the first thing I do when starting a new series is read the boards and reviews for clues. Reviews are a tool to help viewers decide whether or not to watch a series.
So in my view, early reviews ..have merit. Lol. My sincere apologies if that offends anyone.
But here is my promise to you. I never post a review without follow up. I promise ..I will be back to update this review, and be prepared...the rating may up or down as more episodes come in..
For now, this is a recommend...it has the potential to be very good.

@3..Really fascinating episode. Our watch party group had a blast with this one..it was funny, a touch whimsical and very affecting. And our ML...well, he is still a bit confused about her, but that is changing. Already he is having heart palpitations..only these are the good kind.

@6 This series is breathtakingly good and both leads are giving us a heck of a performance.
Their success however, would be nothing without a good scriptwriter...and this script has delivered the thrills.
There are funny scenes i.e. her learning to "curl" like an Olympian with the mop and robot vac...and some really tender and romantic moments such as when they got caught by the lawn irrigation and fell together in the wet sheets.
There are twisted characters with some sinister moments, all of which add up to very solid series.
I mentioned the ratings above...well, it has surpassed those numbers by almost double digits...
Nielsen Korea, MBC’s says for the 6th episode, it reached a new all-time high of 9.6 percent.
So ....pretty crazy numbers which tell us how good the viewing audience believes this one is.

@8 Riveting episode...loving this ML..what a surprise he has been...and notice by the last two episodes...his stylist gets his hair styled right...lol. the messy look is perfect and wow...he is a lot more handsome than first thought.
Also, there are new developments in this series... no one is easy to read, least of all, gramps, his character is complex.
But the romance is sizzling along...and the skinship is natural and lovely.

@ Final: I enjoyed this series. Loved the two leads, they are both wonderful together. Lots of kisses....however, I took one star off because it did a bit of a dive after episode 8 and some of the initial magic was lost. Full disclosure...some viewers are ambivalent about the ending..I thought the ending was fine. But despite these issues..overall it was a very enjoyable series.
Both short and sweet.

Happy Watching!
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