The Man Who Can't Get Married (2009)

Honestly, the synopsis for me was a deterrent. But after reading the positive reviews this drama received, I decided to give this drama a shot out of curiosity.

The story is actually about a stubborn, kinda eccentric man who even with his obsessive, compulsive personality and his love for his very single life is willing to change his ways for... love.

It does get boring at times (and let's be honest that seems to be a very common problem in many Korean dramas)and I would skip through scenes (which is something I do freely) but overall it's an adorable drama with laugh out loud moments and some eccentricities.

I loved the entire main cast and the friendship between two of the female leads. It's funny and there's no evil main characters (which is always nice). Watch it till the end and I think you might be pleasantly surprised with how fondly you think of this drama.

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A show about an eccentric, obsessive-compulsive 40 year old bachelor who swears off marriage. He is someone that cherishes his independence and guards his privacy and aloneness with all his might.

But his life goes topsy turvy when he meets his new neighbour, 26 year old Yoo Jin and her pet dog Sang Ja, and Doctor Jang Moon Jung, a 40 year old spinster. Unlike Jae Hee, Moon Jung wants to be married but was previously jilted. She is holding out for her ultimate soulmate amid protests from her dear father who wants to marry her off to the next living, breathing man of acceptable scruples and standing.

Jae Hee’s character parallels the Academy award winning role played by Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets. He is frankly quite annoying and unlovable. As the show progresses we get glimpses of his kindness and empathy for his fellow human beings especially towards Moon Jung.

Despite the show’s quirkiness I did enjoy it for what it is, my expectations neither here nor there. The cast is stellar; the ladies especially are all outstanding; the friendship between Moon Jung and Yoo Jin despite the age gap is refreshingly real. Delightfully no evil, OTT antagonist if we exclude the creepy stalker. The meddling mother and father are understated in the realm of kdrama demanding parent trope.

Perhaps it is also a tad unbelievable that three equally successful and beautiful women could fall for an oddity of a character like Jae Hee. His mystic certainly adds to his charm. A twist on the all girls want bad boys trope.

Overall it is a decent show with sprinkles of hilarious moments like Jae Hee's first encounter with Dr. Jang. It lacks the "it" moments (at least for me). If you simply want something to fill the void this may do the trick for rom-com lovers.

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