The Matchmakers (2023)

Original, heartwarming, thoughtful, hilarious with quiet a few really amazing characters

I absolutely adored this saeguk. I binged it in almost 3 days. The concept is fascinatingly original, the characters and plot deliciously mature, I'd say there's almost no part of this show that was unnecessary (something very rare in Kdramas). I practically started watching bcz everyone was hating it despite the unusual plot summary (I have no idea why'd people not admire a well-made project like this). It has some veteran actors in their best forms playing some of the best developed characters. The king and the mother-in-law of the Jo family were flawless.
In fact, it has one of the finest negative characters I've seen in a while. And she's a smart, wise, plotting woman who is infinitely complex as a character to simply be a villain. I loved that dialogue when she said, "Must you disappoint me till the end?" She literally savored the death of her husband! And Rowoon's character improved with every episode. I loved how frank Jung Woo is. He confessed multiple times, and with such heart! It's a beautiful, thoughtful drama. The exaggerated comedy complemented the dark assassination plots. I actually enjoyed how childlike our hero is, his innocence never undermined his courage. And Sun Duk is such a mature character, I loved how she listened to the encounter of the princess and Jung Woo, I don't think the expression of love can get any more profound. I loved how Jung Woo mentioned his remark to his father as cruel. Those are bits of life. The matchmaking of lady Yoeju too was fine in its deductive finesse, it was a display of strategy at its finest. Lady Sam Soon was a literal delight. I wasn't fond of all the pairings (I'd have liked the farmer to fall for Doo Ri, it was so predetermined I wished they'd show that people don't always fall in love with who they're supposed to be with. The 14-year-old prince and 24-year-old lady Ha Na was another daring move. I don't know if 14-year-old kids actually fall for older women like this or vice versa especially considering how grown-up Ha Na is and how mature her taste is) but at this point I'd rather not complain (and it all worked out in the end like pieces coming together in a puzzle).
Could not find a single plot hole in the drama till the end. And I have to mention the playful music and stunning visuals. The interiors were especially detailed. The pingfengs (folding screens) in every room were so pretty and distinct (I especially liked the mother-in-law's minimalist and the princess's maximalist flower-patterned screens). In a way they reflected the personality of the inhabitants. There were also indicative cinematography, pretty visuals and nice locations (probably common in every high budget saeguk, so I digress).
The ending was fitting, wise, not shocking but reassuring and very proper. I loved it. I think the last I contemplated rating a Kdrama 9 was 'Flower of Evil' and even that didn't have a perfect ending. This was a well written, well-acted and well executed drama, which managed to strike the right balance between light and dark and remained warm till the end.

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A solid rom-com which is better than what the rating here suggests.

One of the best drama to come out this year. Glad I didn't change my mind halfway through because of the ratings. This drama knew exactly what it was and stuck with it till the end rather than confusing the audience with unnecessary conflicts which seems to be the trend these days.

I was skeptical at first. Always dropped Rowoon's other dramas except for 'Tomorrow'. But I loved both him and Yi hyun here so much. Both had a innocent charm about them. Which made wait for them each week. And the all other characters were unique and had their own personalities and goals. I always love the stories when it doesn't completely revolve around the main leads. The whole cast did an excellent job.

One thing that may go unnoticed is how well made this drama is. It is very well directed, cinematography is excellent, written without trying to outsmart it's own audience, and soundtrack which was memorable and lively.

If you're looking for a sweet, and heartfelt drama, definitely should give this one a try. Don't mind the ratings.

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One of my favorites!

The ratings for this on MDL has made me lose all faith in the rating system, so I am ignoring it from here on out. If this is a 7.8, then I am really missing out on some great dramas by thinking the ratings here have any basis in reality. The Matchmakers is a 10/10 drama with an incredibly tight and complete story that is so well written. There is comedy gold, cuteness, romance, and Shakespearean intrigue. I have never seen any kdrama like this and would put it right up there with Mr. Queen. I actually enjoyed this one more. Just for Rowoon's facial expressions and the brilliant comedic interactions between him and his servant make this worthy of rewatching, but the whole cast was great. I highly recommend this!

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a funny, cute, romantic, sad and yet a chaotic show!

I really enjoyed the show. The direction, production, beautiful scenery, costumes and acting by the cast was 10/10 and so unique! Perhaps during the show I had some cultural differences (knowing that it is a drama set in the Joseon era) with respect to one of the couples, but apart from that, I liked the rest of the characters and couples that were formed thanks to our matchmakers Sondeok and Jungwoo. *SPECIAL MENTION* the intros of the characters speaking to the camera giving their opinion and point of view to the different situations made it so unique, fun and charming.
The plot is interesting and in my case, captivated me from the first moment, that is why I looked forward to every Monday and Tuesday for new episodes!The first two episodes were not liked by many people but I gave it a chance, I continued watching it and thank god because it showed me that it is a good drama!
Rowoon and Yihyun showed such a cute chemistry during the show, their acting was so good and their love story it made me feel sad and curious at the same time because I really wanted to know if they would be able to be together.
I was expecting more romantic scenes from the leads but knowing the context (a historical drama) I really liked that their relationship was shown as two widowers hurt by the loss of their lovers but at the same time they allow themselves to love for the second time and be happy, having a beautiful, clumsy and innocent relationship.
I liked how it is a fun historical drama with its melodramatic touch but still not as structural as most set dramas. The cinematography, landscapes, and shots were very beautiful and remarkable throughout all the episodes, they showed and captured the traditions of that time very well.
So If you want to laugh and cry a lit bit, i super recommend this show! They worked so hard

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Cute but boring

This drama is okay. It's cute but boring and does'nt reinvent the wheel.

What I Liked:
- It's cute
- It's easy to watch
- Youngest sister's romance plotline
- ML and FL are likable
- At least the first episodes were entertaining to watch

What disliked:
- the palace/mystery plotline -> it was boring as hell and I skipped the scenes
- I don't know why but FL acting was somewhat boring, rowoon was not better
- Of course the drama is about matchmaking... but I think they could have managed the different romantic plotlines better... it was kinda difficult for me to remember who is who. Some of the plotline lacked depth. I would have liked it, if the youngest sister and her match had more screentime

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Dumbfounding…

The way this kdrama’s potential and momentum was wasted leaves me dumbfounded.

They got Rowoon perfectly cast and yet didn’t properly use his comedic timing, nor the comedy of errors narrative. That’s when The Matchmakers shined. Sadly, it took another route.

The stories between the couples the leads were interesting enough but so underwhelming, underdeveloped and unfinished, I can’t help but feel we didn’t spend enough time with them to engage or care.

The wildest part was when, somehow, the scriptwriter thought it a good idea to match a literal underage child with a grown woman. I don’t care how historically accurate this is, ew. They marry and we don’t see anything happen but she’s literal a older sister/mother figure.

And the resolution for the leads… I can’t. Just, wow.

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It feels like a romantic and hilarious play "remade" into a period drama

I’m so glad I waited until it was almost finished to watch this drama!! I didn’t expect to like this drama so much, and frankly, at first, I only wanted to watch it because I fell in love with the main lead in Destined with you hehe. And in the end, while I still love the couple in Destined with you with my whole heart, I sadly admit the plot wasn’t very convincing… But here, with The matchmakers, the only “default” I could find was the very end of the drama, because we didn’t get to watch them exist as a "real" couple, and I just wanted it to be LONGER, one small scene would have been enough for me, but I assure you it’s just me nitpicking. :')

In fact, the plot was surprisingly good. While I expected to get bored in the middle of the drama, it didn’t happen once and I think the whole cast was perfectly chosen. I can’t find a single character that didn’t convince me, even the villains were great. The main couple was really cute together and I was glad to see such good character development, especially coming from the ML. The FL was also awesome, and was an original character, since it’s not often a widower is shown in a drama, much less acting as one of the main protagonists. Apart from that, she was also resourceful, a quick thinker, and overall, a very lovable character. Her pairing with the ML worked really well, even if their chemistry wasn’t “all fire”, it was still believable, especially considering their respective past and circumstances. I don’t know the actress’s age but she really convinced me, and I hope to see her again soon. For her counterpart, what can I say except that Rowoon quickly became one of my favorite actors at the moment. But of course, everyone has their personal opinion on the subject, and I respect it. I also like the fact that they successfully defied “fate” to be together, and the last episode was pretty satisfying in this aspect. Furthermore, the humor in this drama was exceptionally well done, and I agree entirely with other commentators here that made a comparison with Shakespeare’s plays. A big thank you to the screenwriter who did a wonderful job with the dialogue. At first, I didn’t know what to think about the “breaking the fourth wall” scenes but they rapidly grew on me, and it certainly made the drama even more impactful.

Moreover, the cinematography is another part of this drama’s quality. It was exceptional and the décor in general deserves an award or something like this. It added even more to the story and anchored the characters into a fairytale-like environment. Talking about the characters, I found this drama particularly exciting in terms of secondary characters, because, like I said in the beginning, there wasn’t even one character that I didn’t find interesting to watch and the chemistry between our main group is clearly palpable. And big kudos to the king! He was capable and funny; it’s not often I encountered a king as interesting as him. And finally, the OST they used complimented the story very well. So, what’s not to love?? Ah, maybe the subplot between the older splinter and the Crown prince wasn’t very necessary but at least they kept things pretty “light” fortunately. Maybe they should have introduced them as platonic soulmates instead of romantic soulmates? Well, in any case, this is just a drama so I will not read too much into things lol.

All that to say that I will definitively miss these characters and this story. I also wanted to give a proper review to a drama that deserves it, despite the mediocre score that it ended with on MDL… I hope watchers won’t be too scared about the ratings here and would focus instead on the positive comments, please give it a try at least!

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Interesting premise of matchmaking but lacking in Leads chemistry

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

The main reason that I wanted to watch “The Matchmakers” is because of Rowoon. The premise of the drama is also pretty interesting, especially when the story revolves mainly around the matchmaking of the three sisters and not a bunch of minor supporting characters in an episodic format.

Rowoon has such a pretty face that it is really hard for me not to like him in any role. “The Matchmakers” is trying to challenge me and test my patience. I don’t think I’ve ever disliked Rowoon so much. The introduction of the Prince Consort makes it really hard to like him. He’s such an irritating and know-it-all, I-am-better-than-all-of-you asshole. It took me a while to warm up to his character. On the other hand, FL aka the goddess of matchmaking, is a lot easier to like and to root for. She’s smart and kind. I love her deducing ability and perceptive eye in matchmaking. It was quite fun to watch. But, I need to put away my brain for a little and believe that her makeup can transform her into a totally different person, who even her own brother can’t recognize her.

When we put a book smart ML together with a street smart FL, we should see fireworks. Unfortunately, the chemistry is lacking. I’ve never questioned Rowoon’s ability to act totally in love. I think I am not getting that from the female lead. They are great partners, but not great lovers. Their romance is weak and disappointing, and I didn’t care for their forbidden love.. FL’s wishy-washy indecision also drags down the pacing of the show. The secret of FL’s identity drags on for too long. When they finally kissed, we got a dead fish kiss. What a waste of Rowoon’s lips and talents! The ending is somewhat predictable because that's probably the only way they could have given it a somewhat happy ending.

The drama also spends a lot of screen time on politics and family/female roles, instead of diving deeper into the three sisters’ romance. Their marriages are central to the plot and could have delivered even more comedy. I do find Sisters #2 and #3 romances quite cute and adorable. Sister #1 isn’t my cup of tea.

On a positive note, the overall acting is good. The King is fun and the 2 young child actors are adorable. The crown prince looks a little young and might be better to cast someone older. The veteran cast definitely outshines the younger cast. The production quality is decent and I like the use of natural lighting (candles and lamps). Seeing FL’s annex is like seeing an old Korean friend. You see that set in so many saeguks. Music is ok, and mainly musical scores rather than songs with lyrics overplayed.

I will only recommend this drama if you are a fan of the actors, or if you really like matchmaking. There are better rom-com saeguks out there. “The Matchmakers” should have been 12 episodes long instead of 16.


Completed: 1/7/2024 - Review #391

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NOT RECOMMENDED

This casting had so much potential. The writing was very much complicated and messy. I wanted to see more focus on the main couple, but their love story was forced and dry (it lacked chemistry). Loved 2 of the couples (doori+shiyeol & soongoo+samsoon). They deserved more screen time than the main couple. Still their stories were left undeveloped. Not even going to talk about the age difference between Hana & Crown Prince. I don’t care if it’s a period drama, this shouldn’t have been portrayed as well as normalized. Hana was a 24 year old adult marrying a 14 year old crown prince. Their marriage was literally supported by everyone and no one thought it was weird. Can’t imagine how awkward it must have been for actors. Their age gap irl was even bigger. Unfortunately I do not recommend watching this show. The ending was one of the most disappointing endings in kdrama history.

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watch this when ur watchlist is empty

I had really been anticipating this since its announcement and even tho it was pretty good it definitely does not make it to the top....
About the story line: the plot line is amazing, it's something different and plus the fact that it's a historical drama just adds to its charms. I really enjoyed the first couple episodes or maybe till like the 7th or 8th episode but then it just started lacking in places like don't get me wrong the story was still very much there and progressing but the pacing was just too slow....at the start i didn't expect the marriage of the 3 daughters to be stretched for all 16 episodes but it did....given that it's a romance drama i did expect the leads to work on their relationship and feelings but it was more like just a push and pull from both sides and then in the 15th episode we see some real progress with those two.....the other couples have great stories of their own and they are elaborated enough given their screen time but with the leads again something was just lacking.....also one thing i absolutely hated was the relationship shown/made between the 1st daughter and the crown prince....it was just absolutely baffling and borderline disgusting.....they could always have casted an older person to play the crown prince and i think this is a big mistake on their part. Also the episodes between 7th/8th episode and 14th/15th episode felt a lot like fillers and didn't really contribute much to the plot n stuff so it would've been much much better had they shortened this to 12 episodes (which is a really great step nowadays imo)
The characters and acting: All the actors are really good at their jobs, at portraying their characters .....i specially loved the character of sun deok's mother in law i really think she stole the show with her greed her madness her understanding her flaws and her intelligence...it is always an interesting scene with her and u really start anticipating her next moves and everything........
This show did have the potential.....i mean look at the cast, the storyline, everything....but it just lacked somewhere
Honestly I think I could only finish this because i was watching it while it was airing and had to watch just 2 episodes per week....it wasn't something i was really curious about after every episode.... tbh i don't think i could've binge watched it and most probably would have dropped it midway....the romance between the leads was just meh their was not much chemistry and honestly in the finale i expected much stronger emotions with the two of them but the reactions were lukewarm at best.....also the ending didn't really cut it for me even tho it was a happy ending....
All in all even tho it is pretty good it can feel a bit lengthy and stretched...but if ur thinking about watching it for ur fav actors or just to pass time....pls go ahead and enjoy yourself

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Kudos to Rowoon!

It started in a very awkward and weird way but then over the course of 16 episodes, it transformed into a very heartfeltting, emotional and engaging storyline.

The awkwardness is mainly due to the character Shim Jung Woo being an anti-social, stubborn, naive and upright nerd trying to fit himself into society. At first, I thought maybe Rowoon, ended up picking a terrible script for the first time in his acting career but later I saw how Rowoon managed to bring out the anti-social character into a more mature character over 16 episodes and yet again I have to compliment him on his acting.

And the rest of the cast too did an amazing job!! Loved everyone of them!

The storyline is similar to other cliche Joseon matchmaking stories aired so far but despite that it has its differences and engaging points.

It started off cringy af but by the end, my heart had turned into a soft puddle. It's just adorable!!!

So if you feel like it's too cringy at first, give a few more episodes a try and you will find yourself falling in love with this drama.

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