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Fun!
So fun! This drama manages to cleverly mix comedy with an actual plot involving conspiracy, murder, and corruption.All the good characters are likable. All the villains are deplorable. ML and FL have really good romantic chemistry and are so much fun together. I normally don't like love triangles, but I didn't mind this one because it didn't drag out the romantic tension too much and settled who was going to be the endgame couple relatively fast.
Even though the drama was short with only 12 episodes, the pacing was good and the story wrapped up nicely. The acting was awesome. Kim Young Dae and Park Ju Hyun are both really good actors and have amazing onscreen chemistry.
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Better than expected ;)
Actually I had no expectations starting this drama. After the first episode, I seriously wanted to drop it, but decided to just give another few episodes a try. I’m glad I did, because it started getting wayyy better after episode 3.The storyline became more engaging, more intriguing, more mysterious and more anxiousness to solve the mystery!! Don’t have to worry about nasty love triangles here, but it steered more towards scheming, betrayal and conspiracy theories to get to the throne! The chemistry between both leads were mediocre I would say, I was actually rooting for SML ;);)
Kim Young Dae acted the same way he did for Shooting Stars, there wasn’t much variety in his mannerisms or skill. Park Ju Hyun was good playing the quirky / funny side of her character, but I felt she didn’t pull off the serious/ emotional side. I liked Captain Lee shin-won!! Who is the 2ML (spoiler: and am kinda sad he didn’t get the girl)
I skipped most of the scenes with the two funny guys who were protesting the marriage ban, and the scenes with the author/ painter and the shop assistant. Didn’t feel it added anything to the entire plot or storyline. The last few episodes were quite exciting and it’s a good thing this drama is only 12 episodes.
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Cinderella raises again, Mod Joseon© style.
This show started well. Feels like a bit of fast paced romp and the FL is a dynamo. A couple of tropey meet-cutes later and we are well on our way to a love triangle. The fact that the competing ML's are handsome is a definite bonus.The first few episodes certainly lives up to the premise and it was loud and whacky with a good dose of irrelevancy. There is a mysterious dark plot involving the usual palace intrigue (is there any other type?).
I realised we have a bit of a problem around the half way mark though. We seemed to have run out of story. There has been confessions, kisses, murders and rejections. The antagonists are already known, and their motivation made obvious. Umm, that is supposed to happen later, right?
What we ended up with is a draggy middle. The love line got complicated but not in a good way. The antagonists play merry hell with our leads, but it is the same plot going around and around. It is watchable because the writer-nim planted swoon worthy moments here and there so that we are given little sugar hits. Even so, it doesn't totally distract us from some awkward narrative. The inconsistent tone and pacing makes the Show feel out of sort. It is now leaning much more towards a melodrama than before. Rose tinted glasses are firmly in place.
The energy level does pick up somewhat towards the end. The queen selection process is interesting if a bit stilted. Finally, the main plot reach its conclusion. There was not a lot of surprises, but the resolution is satisfying.
Soon enough, the HEA ending slots into place, and we give thanks. Speaking of the ending, the final episode is total fan service. It was high-jinks all the way. No holds barred. It was so kooky that at one point, the show include scenes shot tiktok style and employed various modern motifs. That is most unexpected and immersion breaking. Some might think that the show has "lost the plot". It is entertaining if you roll with it but it is also a little jarring and breaks stride from much that went before. The ending is certainly filled with feel good moments. It is hard not to spark joy after watching that. :)
In terms of acting, the FL carried the Show. She is the focal point and she gave us her all. The ML's are mostly in her support. They do have the occasional dramatic or heartfelt scenes which are appreciated.
Consider the show is only 12 episodes long, I was hoping for a more intricate and novel plot. There are odd flashes of originality but the bulk of it is based on yet another retelling of the Cinderella trope. It is entertaining and watchable but it fails to reached its full potential.
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I like the way the king had been portrayed
After a very long time I had seen a king who was not helpless though he was sat at the seat of power . I had seen many historical drama in which though the king had power to do anything he wanted but as he was a king he had to work under so many rule .He under the influence of his father who had given him partial power ,who made him sat on thrown but he (father) had whole control.Here king took his decision under his will but I had seen some dramas where king was cruel and he took decision according to his will then he had never listen to whomsoever was.
I like the way the king had been portrayed and the way his grandmother took decisions which were for his benefits.
Chemistry between the leads were amazing .
I liked the acting of the each supporting characters . A big round of applause to them .
I know it was a fiction based story so in real life good king sometimes remain in the position of helplessness.
I liked the story as well as acting but story didn't has much .
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i really liked the chemistry between the two main leads i liked the whole story it was nice and cute but a little bit dragging to catch the villains
i liked that the end was happy for all parties
what i didn't like about this drama
1st* the sick insisting to put rainbow characters in the events
which was totally disgusting and there were no need for it at all
2nd* the story of the second ML didn't convince me at all during the end
3rd* i felt so sad when i discover at the end that the King's secretary was rainbow i used to like him so he was so funny
except these little disgusting parts of rainbow characters during the drama i really liked it
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Lighthearted and worth your times
This drama is one of the dramas that gives me what I want. I want happy ending, comedy and all the villains get fitting punishment for their evilness. Ofc HEA for both FL and ML is a must but if there's other couple, I am rooting for them too. Which I am very very grateful that they gave 2ndML and 2ndFL happy ending too coz they both deserve it.The Male Lead which was King Yi Heon was a passionate person that we can see really gave it all for the one he fell in love. So it started how he was so heartbroken and sad for the late crown princess. And he needed someone else to come in his life and shake him up. Here came the Female Lead which was So Rang, a woman with hidden past, a trickster that disguised as a matchmaker to rake in money but her over confident landed her in trouble with the King and so she tried to get out of it by any means possible. Well what started as claiming to be possessed by the late crown Princess spirit ended up with falling for the King... Along the way she decided to help him in order to help Joseon's citizen to end the marriage ban of 7 years mind you. I love that she was truthful to her feeling and did not dive into his arm when she could, like the opportunity was there. She decided, she deserves better and she demand it. She didn't want to be the other woman's shadow.
Also big shout out to unsung hero 2nd ML, Shin Won, we can see how amazing he was, he really was there for her, yes he did love the FL but tragedy happened and he accepted that his feeling wasn't reciprocated and along the way he stay loyal to her and the King.
The veil addition to FL's hair ornament at the end kind of a no for me though.
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light hearted, funny
I enjoyed it overall the leads had good chemistry I felt like the story had a few plot holes and unnecessary plot points and I thought the love triangle was not needed too but I’m biased because I don’t like love triangles. it’s was really funny though which is always a plus for me. I wished they had developed the friendship between the king and the second lead a bit more rather than just making them fight over a woman I wished they had a different conflict between them that helped pushed the story and also bring about character growth for both of them , personally I’m tired of the two friend fighting over one girl trope , I think we need to let that trope rest a bit, but that’s just my two cents on the matterWas this review helpful to you?
Park Jo Hyun’s performance as the crazy swindler was on point, as her character goes about the world jumping in sticky situations and getting out the next with her out-of-the box thinking. Ye So Rang’s highly observant skills and wealth of knowledge aided in her portrayal of the dead princess’ lost spirit that the King believed her powers of shamanism to be real.
For his part, Kim Young Dae tried to be his best as the brooding widower Lee Heon, who pines for his dead wife even after years after her death. So when he hears of the possibility that he can see his wife’s spirit, the King eats up So Rang’s lies as a kid eating candy. Hilarity ensues as Ye So Rang weaves her tale larger than the last, and the oblivious Lee Heon could not determine whether he’s speaking to So Rang or to the dead princess, and lines get blurred.
But there’s someone who probably knows So Rang’s secret: the King’s best friend, right hand man, Lee Shin Won, who is relegated to his role as the second fiddle, third wheel in the love triangle. Kim Woo Seok is decent as the second male lead, as his stoic stance, quiet demeanor completes his loyal-to-a-fault, kicked-puppy-dog look, that he can only be So Rang’s really good friend at best.
This show has a good, solid ensemble cast, from the courtyard couple Royal Nanny and Chief Eunuch to the band of Mosuldan’s (probably incels in today’s world). Everyone has their own little part of the story and are quite interesting characters in their own right, like the cunning fortune teller, the erotic author, and other people who give color to this drama.
The Forbidden Marriage is equal parts romance, drama, comedy, and politics, not one aspect too overpowering to take over another. Even the villains are not so villainy like in other dramas where I want to throw their heads against the wall, although sometimes I feel it’s justified only to wipe the smug grins off their faces.
Though it became a tad serious at the end, and lost a little bit of steam, this drama is an enjoyable watch.
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Something I won't rewatch
The reason I watch historical kdrama is its presentation of Korean history in politics, governance, food, costume, and culture. I am not sure which period this drama depicts but it does give us a historical representation of Korea. However ñ, there are quite a few things that I don't find entertaining.The protagonists are quite good. Kim Young-dae (The Penthouse) is definitely my bias. I also find Kim Woo-suk (Military Prosecutor: Doberman) quite a good complement for Kim Young-dae. Park Ju-hyun delivered the character required for the story. But the main antagonist played by Yang Dong-geun is not as convincing as other antagonists in other dramas. The character is so annoying not because of the character, but because of the bad acting. The actor us just so unappealing, there is no effort in bringing out the viciousness of the character.
The story lacks motivation. Conflicts are driven by characters' motivations. What is So-rang's motivation in all her actions? She has no thoughts of vengeance or no ambition. Why is she there in the palace anyway? She should have something to look forward to so she should remain there. What is the Minister of War's motivation? There is no clear competition of power in the story. Jo Seong-gyun has no apparent competitor. The King is weak; he has no established allies, the story failed to establish that in the council meetings. It's as if the king is just playing king. I am not convinced. All he does is sulk, there isn't a lot of council meetings that would make us see his decision-making skills in politics and governance. Council meetings should reveal factions and competitions. I didn't see it because there ain't a lot of council meetings. Most of the screentime is spent between the king and So-rang.
The only characters that appealed to me are: Lee Shin-won He definitely has a motivation for staying in the State Tribunal and serving the king. He used his position to look for his betrothed. However, even though he had that motivation, the story failed to give us development. Another character that is appealing is Seo Un-jeong. I watched the actress play characters in several dramas and she is good. She's able to bring out the fierceness in a villain. She should have been the main villain here, not the minister of war.
In conclusion, the drama is entertaining in some parts especially the comedic scenes. But the cute scenes are way too much. All those scenes in the king's bedroom are too dragging, some of which could have been used to present other characters schemes. It appears that there is no complexity in the motivations of each character.
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Funny, and Fun to Watch!
The camera angles in the beginning are just mind-blowing. I've never seen anything aside from a music video filmed like that. The introduction to the show had me hooked immediately. A spunky female street-rat lead with her stand-in father-like figure who can often see the future are where this story starts. Alongside this opening storyline, is a king who cannot sleep or eat well after the death of his first and only wife. As others are known to say, 'misery enjoys company' and within this time a marriage ban is enacted. No physical contact, no flirting, no love letters, nothing to do with love is permitted. The people of this Joseon romp are in a quiet uproar, holding hands in secret, and asking for compatibility tests is hugely against the law.However, not for the female lead, So Rang. After being thrown in prison for being an underground matchmaker, she pretends to be able to conjure up the spirits of those who passed away. The King keeps her by his side due to wanting to stay close to his deceased bride, but soon after -- love sparks between the two of them.
With hilarious AND serious side stories, and your typical second male lead falling head over heels for the female lead -- the comedic timing and filming are to be enjoyed. Think of it like the McDonald's of kdramas. It may not be particularly healthy to binge watch an entire 12+ hour show, but I guarantee it's filling, enjoyable, and you may only feel a little sick afterward. Lol
The actors are great -- I truly think that the head eunuch, the old man psychic, and the lead bad guy stole the show at points, but the chemistry between the king and So Rang was good. The sets are stunning and the rooms, WOW, are just beautiful. I loved the costuming, and it was the series perfect length. Not too long, and just long enough to get the story out without ruining it.
I enjoyed the whole show and definitely would suggest it to anyone looking for a fun, not accurate-at-all kind of historical drama. Enjoy it for the modern speech, the jokes, the romance, and the serious storyline that is easy to handle because it's obvious, and hilariously awkward moments. It has a happily ever after -- so enjoy to your heart's content.
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