Review – Marriage Not Dating

Just a blissful spring day of skipping through a field, that’s what this drama is.  It’s not too heavy, not too light.  It’s juuuuuuuust right.  All your favorite cliches – pretend couples, love triangles, disapproving wealthy mothers.  Adorable romantic shenanigans.  Three interesting male and female characters that are fun to watch throughout the series, even when they are disappointing you.  Lots of laughs, lots of good times with friends, lots of love.  This is one feel good drama you don’t want to pass by… like a valentine you give yourself.

Overall Rating – 8/10.  Korean Febreeze.

More Discussion including spoilers….

So…

Let’s just give a round of applause to the lead female, Han Groo.  This actress has taken a leave of absence from acting to pursue her own happy ending – raising twins with her husband off screen.  Which is great for her, but too bad for us… cause she is radiant!  I absolutely loved looking at her face.  And her legs.  Wow.  She was super cute.  Who wouldn’t fall in love with this pretty thing?  Not to mention her funny facial expressions.  Plus she had great chemistry with the doctor….

I mean… how adorable where they?  Who wouldn’t want that cutie patootie for a daughter in law?

And here’s the rub.  I didn’t really see the problem with her.  Sure, her parents were working class.  But the two leading guys weren’t crazy rich.  One was a doctor and one was a restaurant owner.  I mean, these are successful dudes, sure.  One was smart enough to make it through medical school, too.  But that’s just regular upper class.  It’s not… CEO of an entire empire rich, like we’ve seen in other dramas.  Which I guess is why the mothers of both sons did give in, eventually, to their prospective daughter in laws.  I don’t know.  I just felt there was a lot of fuss about nothing much.  The board didn’t have to approve, you get my drift?

I loved the moms, by the way.  Especially the doctor’s mom.  Her story arc was so beautiful to watch.  The most satisfying scene in the ENTIRE SHOW was seeing her and the lead female sitting on the brick fence together, their hair a mess, after having just attacked the mistress.  I loved that scene.  It filled my stone heart with love.

On the opposite end of the love triangle with the doctor, we had the young restaurant employee… who basically flitted through life carefree like a butterfly.  He was an unusual character, to be sure.  I found him interesting, and wouldn’t have minded a little more character development with him, honestly… I mean, they basically told us he was abandoned by his mother at a young age and then what?  Then what???  They just left us dangling after that sad story!  He was a sweet guy but I didn’t really think he was in love with the lead female.  I think she was the first person who’d bothered to try to get to know him instead of jump in his pants.  And I think she was the first person he’d bothered to try to get to know, too.  Maybe his first real friend.  So I liked them together, but never felt heavy competition there.

Still… the doctor did.  Which was fun.  Nothing like having a super attractive, buff young dude pursuing your lady to amp up the stakes.

On the other end, we had the lady doctor… who wanted her ex, the dude doctor, back.

Was it for vanity?  Was it because she really missed him?  Or was it because she saw someone else getting him and it drove her crazy?  I’m not sure… and I’m not sure she was sure, which was very realistic to humanity.  We are, after all, emotional nutcases, all of us.  I loved this character.  She was harsh.  She was insecure.  She was also very secure.  She was a jumble of things.  I loved that she wanted to have a baby, that she wanted to redefine what a family was, that she wanted to redefine what marriage meant.  She wanted to break the mold – because clearly the mold did not fit her.  In a way she was very brave.  I think she only became pathetic when she started trying to play within the rules again… it went against her grain… trying to win him back, trying to sabotage his relationship… even she knew it, and hated herself for it.  How cool was it that she showed up with a random hot white dude at the end?  Hahahahahaha.  Oh, lady doctor!  You were a trip.

Speaking of trips – I couldn’t be happier with what happened to our massive jerk of a blonde dude, could you?  I thought it was perfect poetic justice.  He ended up with the PERFECT WOMAN.  He ended up with a replica of his mother.  A calculating, slightly cold woman who would manipulate anyone to get what she wanted.  She was self serving, true, but so was he.  So I never disliked her.  And I never really disliked him.  He was a spoiled brat.  He’d been raised that way.  He was also comic relief.  I enjoyed his physical comedy throughout the show – his spastic fits, his emotional rollercoasters, his naivety.  And I enjoyed watching the plotting of his future bride, too.

What I didn’t like… the homophobia as comedy.  Maybe I’m just over it.  I used to let it slide off me, but I guess those passive days are over.  Now it just pisses me off.   The two guys waking up in each other’s arms and immediately jumping apart… that’s fine.  That’s actually funny.  Waking up cuddling someone unexpectedly is funny – no matter who it is.  A little over the top, but whatever.  That’s comedy.  But what about when blondie thinks his long time best friend is gay and he’s trying to support him at the bar?  Until, God forbid, his friend tries to touch his arm – and he immediately recoils as if his very touch now is tainted.  He literally jumps out of his seat to avoid his touch.  Later, the guy he thinks his friend is dating touches his shoulder and he tries to wash it off by pouring water on himself?  Just… stop.  It’s too much.  That’s not funny.  That’s homophobia.  We get it.  You think it’s so disgusting that it’s literally contagious by touch.  Ha.  Ha. Ha.  How very clever you are in assuring us you are straight.  WE GET IT.

That’s really my own complaint.  Everything else was smooth sailing.  It was a romantic, cute, funny, and didn’t require much of you.  There weren’t any complicated back stories, any serious storylines.  You won’t bawl your eyes out any time in this drama.  You’ll giggle a bit.  You’ll probably go “Awwwww!!!”  and then hug your pillow.  I did.  It was deeply satisfying to watch these cute kids come together, even though you knew they would end up together from the very first episode.

I loved it.  I hope you do too!