 |
| Ki Tae: "Shall we do it for real? Let's get married?" |
Fake it 'till you fall in love.
In the vast garden that is K-Dramaland, how many shows have had this premise? And how many shows, so to speak, have had awesome execution using this premise? Sure there'd be Full House, My Name Is Kim Sam Soon, Lie To Me, and the recent Fated To Love You... but none (and I sure think none) have nailed such a plot (and the comedy that goes with it) as strikingly good as Marriage Not Dating did.
 |
| Image via Edaily. |
Locally known as Let's Get Married (shown weekdays at ABS-CBN, 4:00 PM), Marriage Not Dating depicts the story of Gong Ki-Tae, a 33 year-old plastic surgeon who prefers to live alone than mingle with everybody else. He has no interest in marriage whatsoever, yet due to some unexplainable twist of fate, he finds himself faking a marriage agreement with 29 year-old Joo Jang Mi in the hopes of stopping his family from pestering him... knowing that they will never approve of her. Yeah, or so he thought.
Wacky, funny, yet so full of heart; Marriage Not Dating is one of those rare few shows whose actors aren't afraid to drop pretty images all for the sake of making everything work — which, actually, made Marriage Not Dating work. Ha. Han Groo and Yeon Woo-jin's commitment to the roles they were playing was sooo dang amazing they made me only ever see Jang Mi and Ki-Tae even after the show has already ended. I'm serious! I'm watching Divorce Lawyer In Love now (all because of Woo-jin), but I'm still not seeing past Jung Woo just yet as remnants of Ki-Tae still linger whenever I see Yeon Woo-jin on screen (plus, chemistry with his current leading lady isn't as effective as what he had with Han Groo... or so I think).
Add to that the wonderful comedic timing the show has invested so much in, what we get is a breakthrough drama that is sure to last most raved romcom lists for a very long time.
❀ RAVES ❀ »•»
 |
| Oh, hi there! |
1) Han Groo as Joo Jang Mi. I know I've already said this, but let me just say it again: I absolutely love how this actress doesn't mind being wacky and foolish as Jang Mi, considering how absolutely pretty she actually is. She isn't afraid to drop her pretty image to make the show work; and that commitment, for me, is a winner. Indeed, Han Groo is really one remarkable discovery in the world of K-Drama and I love that she isn't being just one of those pretty faces we usually see in TV. She has talent, and I love how natural her acting can be. The way her eyes smile whenever she smiles? Ah, that was captivating.
2) Yeon Woo-jin as Gong Ki-Tae. Yeon Woo-jin... I sure liked him before as Joo-Wal (Arang and the Magistrate); and though I am a self-confessed Lee Jun Ki fan, I admit I've seen so much potential in him despite not liking that complicated, good-boy-not-good-boy, angst-full of a character he once played. Plus, he's pretty good in crying his eyes out. Heh. But watching Marriage Not Dating made me admire him even more in that he can pull off a plastic surgeon in love act pretty well; and that he's so adorable with all the facial expressions that he does. Him playing Ki-Tae is a breath of fresh air from the cold-blooded killer role I used to know, and I sure am going to remember Ki-Tae's wonderful character for the rest of my viewing life. Thank you, oppa.
3) Comedy and Sound Effects. One word I have for that sound effects trick: creative. I knew the addition of sound effects make a show all the more appealing, but I never thought that aside from the appeal, adding these would make the show even funnier. I think pairing those sound effects with the characters' gestures and facial expressions made the comedy even more appealing. It's hilarious I tell you. I've never laughed hard enough while watching a drama, but Marriage Not Dating made me laugh so hard I almost had myself rolling on the floor laughing! And therefore I conclude... Marriage Not Dating = Comedy. Yes, it's this show's strength. Comedic timing is so spot-on for Marriage Not Dating that no matter how over the top the characters' reactions are, it ain't gonna feel that way because of execution. Kudos to Han Groo and Yeon Woo-jin for portraying such multi-dimensional characters—never once did Jang Mi and Ki-Tae felt unreal. I love them to bits.
4) Heart. Sure Marriage Not Dating is a light, fluffy and funny watch; but let's not forget the heart and depth there is to it too. Family relationships, love and marriage... it isn't just the comedic aspect the show was able to play consistently. Real-life problems had been a constant motif too. I loved how Marriage Not Dating stayed true in tackling these sort of issues. No sugar coating. No white washing. Just. plain. truth. Because in reality, love and marriage isn't always about flowers and butterflies but hardships and sacrifices: how much you are willing to endure, what you are willing to accept, and how much you are willing to make things work for the sake of your love. No expectations. No assurance. Just plain love.
4) Heart. Sure Marriage Not Dating is a light, fluffy and funny watch; but let's not forget the heart and depth there is to it too. Family relationships, love and marriage... it isn't just the comedic aspect the show was able to play consistently. Real-life problems had been a constant motif too. I loved how Marriage Not Dating stayed true in tackling these sort of issues. No sugar coating. No white washing. Just. plain. truth. Because in reality, love and marriage isn't always about flowers and butterflies but hardships and sacrifices: how much you are willing to endure, what you are willing to accept, and how much you are willing to make things work for the sake of your love. No expectations. No assurance. Just plain love.
Jang Mi: "I love you and I don’t know if I could trust you, but I want to trust you. I love you and I don’t know whether we’ll be happy or not if we get married, but I want to be happy with you."
5) Chemistry. Han Groo and Yeon Woo-jin as separate entities are amazing. But these two together? Addicting. Their chemistry may have been unexpected, but it's seriously addicting! Jang Mi and Ki-Tae's character grow in you, and watching Han Groo and Yeon Woo-jin on screen together for the longest time spells KILIG. I see confettis all over the place. Hahaha! Seriously, these two are absolutely adorable together. I love them so much I want to squish them together forever.
❀ RANTS ❀ »•»
1) Cold Open. Flashforward, as a literary device, is used by taking a narrative forward in time from the current point of the story to arouse the interest of the viewers or readers. Marriage Not Dating uses a lot of this, references to a scene further in the future utilized to twist viewer expectations. Most of the time it works, other times it doesn't. And that other times? That part I hate. Cold opens can be a clever way of undermining audience expectation, but when played improperly, it becomes a lie. And I hate it. I hate it when the show uses footage of something that hasn't really happened more so because I feel like I've been trolled. Purposely misleading viewers is in no way the same as twisting expectations, and yeah, I hate fake-outs like that.
❀ RULING ❀ »•»
Nevertheless, Marriage Not Dating still is an unexpected standout among dramas aired during 2014. I love it, I rave about it, and I know I still have a lot more to say about it... but I think I won't be able to go on any longer without spoiling a thing or two. So yeah, you be the judge. Go ahead and give Marriage Not Dating a try; you sure won't be disappointed. 😃
0 comments:
Post a Comment