This show has it all: family drama, birth secrets galore, business makjang, murder, White Trucks Of Doom™ which may all seem cliche and typical but you know what it also has? A bad-ass, strong, don't-need-no-man female lead who gets whatever she wants done through her intelligence and diligence. Her only flaw? The desire to be loved by her adopted family. While the first few episodes may just seem like her suffering, believe me when I say it gets better.
Like I said, it's a sleeper hit. A lot of people either dropped it too early or they just skipped it all together (hence the comments) but THIS. SHOW. IS. GOLD.
The OST is amazing (please do your ears a favour and listen to You Are by KLANG), Lee Yoo Ri and Song Chang Eui kill it as the leads and the bad guys are so bad, you want to hurl things at the screen. However this show gave me so much adrenaline and the ending was just PERFECTION.
Please don't just take my word for it, watch it yourself and get to at the very least half of it before judging it. A lot of people are missing out and I really hope people see this show for what it really is, an amazing story about a badass woman who finds people who truly love her and discovers her self worth instead of letting her status as an orphan get in the way.
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In the beginning, I thought I was lost because the story was so complicated, but I was actually lost because the story was so random. It revolves around the adopted daughter of a wealthy yet dysfunctional family. I won't get too into the actual storyline but considering the genre anyone watching should be prepared for a story that's way over the top. Plot points include a kidnapping, child abuse, suicide, adultery, corruption, superstition, and family secrets, and themes like classism, abandonment, jealousy, greed, and of course revenge. I don't mind an unrealistic story, but this drama was nonsensical, and not in a fun enough way for me to at least laugh and enjoy it. I spent most of my time watching being frustrated with every single character, and it's hard to enjoy a show when you hate everyone in it. That may sound harsh, but aside from maybe 2 characters, I thought the entire cast was awful.
I'll start my critiques with leading lady Lee Yoo Ri who plays Chae Rin. I think I was supposed to sympathize with her character, which I never did. She basically has two modes in this drama, Bad@ss businesswoman, and extremely needy. I have not seen this actress as a lead in a drama before, and after this, I won't look forward to seeing her again. She just wasn't likable to me, at all. I don't mind the main character being imperfect or even a bit of a villain, but more than anything else she just bored me. She is matched with Song Chang Eui as Eun Hyuk, who unfortunately had only one mode, 'bodyguard gone rogue'. His character barely had any facial expressions. His character was written with a lot of conflicting emotions, but he barely showed any at all. Together they had zero chemistry, so not only did their relationship feel forced, but I also couldn't get past their questionable start. I felt totally unsympathetic towards their relationship, and I wasn't buying either of their crocodile tears. So needless to say, the romance aspect of the show was a huge disappointment.
The other characters are over the top to the point that they are unintentionally comical. Initially, I thought Uhm Hyun Kyung was the lead since she was the most sympathetic character (yeah, I know she's not in the picture of the show, but still... lol), but eventually, the writers turned her character into someone so ridiculous that I became annoyed whenever she was on the screen. Kim Young Min as Moon Jae Sang was another ridiculously written character. His one-note obsession halfway through the show made absolutely no sense, so he also became a nuisance on screen.
The rest of the cast were either super cliché or forgettable, with 2 exceptions. Lee Won Jong as Pil Doo amused me because he always plays that kind of character so well. At least his character made sense for the entire show, although like most of the characters his actions were pretty repetitive. Then there was
Yoon Da Kyung as Manager Kim, who was possibly the only character I cared about at all. I admit that sometimes I laughed at her over the top moments, but at least she was always very entertaining in her role... Something I can't say about any other character in this whole drama.
Since I disliked most of the characters it's probably safe to guess that I also hated the story. Another safe guess would be that I will never watch this drama again unless someone kidnaps me and forces me to sit through it. I think the story was meant to be shocking, and full of random plot twists, but it's mostly pretty predictable, or just super haphazard... like 'random white truck of doom coming out of nowhere' haphazard. By the end they do their best to resolve the story for all of the characters, keeping things melodramatic till the very last moments, but honestly, the only satisfying ending for me would have been if an explosion took out every single character in the whole show. Ok, maybe that's too harsh? Fine, then I'd only let the Dad and Miss Kim survive.
Overall, I hope I never forget how much I didn't like this drama so I don't accidentally watch it again. If this was enough to stop you from watching all 48 episodes of this hot mess of a show, you're welcome. Even with the short episode format, some of the episodes still seemed too long. For those of you who are diehard Makjang fans, maybe you'll have a much higher tolerance for this drama than I could muster up. At first, I was amused by the ridiculous acting and craziness in this drama, but 48 episodes is a long time to laugh inappropriately at people living their worst lives. If you get halfway through this drama and you think it's the best thing ever, then keep watching because it's only going to get crazier. My guess is that a lot of people dropped this drama as I should have. Let this review be a cautionary tale for anyone who's on the fence about dropping this drama. Just read the spoilers and trust that you should be seeking something else to watch.
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Bad parenting can ruin a child's bright future
I will introduce a few important characters beginning with my most despised character for this show.I despised the grandmother, Na Have Geum who thought she had all the privileges and rights to insult anyone below her and not her blood. She labeled them as things and didn't care about their lives.She is the worst of all the defective characters in this drama, the root of all evil and sufferings. Not worthy to be a mother nor a grandmother, unrepentant and full of pride. Her beliefs and superstitions with her very biased judgment and controlling nature put everyone around her in danger and destroyed their future. She should've suffered more! Her daughter, son in law, or granddaughter should've made her kneel and ask for forgiveness sincerely to Chae Rin, Ms. Kim and everyone she forcibly involved. Each time she cursed, passed on the blame and blamed others that made them feel guilty but she never examined herself and past decisions. She's the worst kind of human being you'll ever meet. Applause to the 82 year old actress.
This drama tested my patience and I don't like the her ending for all the emotions I felt for the characters.
It's good that it is mixed with worse and better parenting styles, different types of parents and children who grew up in different family environments and their attitudes toward it.
I agree with Eun Hyuk, I'm glad Chae Rin didn't go crazy after all she's been put through.
The main leads' care and love for each other helped me get through it. I like the badass businesswoman Min Chae Rin and her fighting for her man, always trusting and believing in him and finally giving up her foster family that didn't deserve her. I think her need for affection didn't have to make her accept all the insults and labels especially from that kind of grandmother to lessen her sufferings. I like Cha Eun Hyuk/Jo Jung Min finally being firm and clear about his love for Chae Rin and didn't take the hand of Yoon Joo/ Su Ah to save his life. His childhood experience helped him comfort Chae Rin who finally knew her identity. I didn't like how he wasn't clear about his feelings to Yoon Joo and went along with a marriage. I think he thought that was where his life would be going until he met Chae Rin. His role would stand out more if they didn't make him only a body guard/driver, he was a studious kid. Another is maybe Song Chang Eui was told to play a cold and expressionless guy so his complex emotions didn't fully come out of the screen.
Chae Rin's real mother, Gen. Mngr. Kim was a tough survivor who could have brought that prideful grandmother down but her hatred blinded her and forgot that she is first a mother and her daughter didn't deserve to suffer for her revenge. I'm glad it was her who saved her daughter from scarlet fever and that should've been slapped on the grandmother's face. She also saved her daughter's boyfriend, repented and paid for her sins.
Ha Yoon Joo/Min Su Ah started as a beautiful character but she was blinded by her jealousy and pinned everything on Chae Rin and almost destroyed the company that everyone worked hard for, Chae Rin, her father, Do Hoon. She also nearly became the spoiled rich brat heiress that will make you sick for abandoning the family who gave her all their love and care all those years which Chae Rin desperately wanted to have and feel. In fact, she was the only one who received so much love from everyone, her real family waited for her return for 20 years, her foster family cared for her as their own family.
Her foster mother, Do Hyun Sook has the warmest love and care for a daughter and is the best among the mothers in the drama.
Kim Young Min played Moon Jae Sang the best. I felt his comedic side, his serious side in business and when he finally fell in love but he was too childish and played dirty to get what he wanted but was lesser evil than his father who played dirtier and become another despised character.
Jo Pil Doo's story made sense but he was an asshole gambling addict, irresponsible husband and father who used his child to earn money for himself, get drunk, lied, and extorted money to survive.
If I choose between Park Hae Ran and Min Joon Sik, I would choose MJS because he was a better parent and did more for the company. He was like Chae Rin who was considered an outsider by her in law but still helped protect the company and respected his in law. He hurt Chae Rin but Hae Ran hurt her more.
I like Baek Do Hoon helping Chae Rin, the company, and correcting Su Ah/Yoon Joo when she's wrong.
I thought Jae Sang and Yoon Joo would end up together but unexpectedly Jae Sang fell for Chae Rin.
It has good elements for a watchable drama. The only downfall is not enough punishment for Na Hae Gum for her sins including stealing others' ideas to grow her business and I didn't feel the justice for that.
The ending was rushed. They should've added 2 more episodes to be 50 or wrote more complete and satisfying ending for all.
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Too many episodes
This story could’ve been told in 32 episodes or less. By the 12th episode I was done with all the evil people, especially the grandma, Chairman Moon and Ms. Kim and was ready for payback. So when I skipped to episode 38 I knew I didn’t miss much.While Ms. Kim’s quest for revenge was understandable using her kid wasn’t. Then there was the typical spoiled rich kid who hated losing to the poor kid. I didn’t understand the anger from Yun Joon after she had claimed she was grateful for her loving mom and started acting like a spoiled rich brat so quickly. Glad I skipped most of those nonsense episodes.
Lee Yoo Ri and Song Chang Eui made the drama, especially the ending well worth watching the last 10 episodes.
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I had thought You're too much was an extreme makjang but this one is equal competition to that.
The story revolves around two girls whose destinies change because of the choices made by their family.
The story is kind of obvious at the start.
Chae rin is extremely talented businesswoman even better than her foster father. But she was never accepted by her foster family so she wants recognition and love from the family. She tries to do her best.
Soo ah/ Yeon joo was abducted when she was 10 yrs and now living as poor. She is the actual heiress of MakePacific. Her life was perfect until the man she loved leaves her for Chae rin and then the jealousy and competitiveness within her now wants more. After that it takes you on the ride which you personally would never get involved. There are many entanglements within the leads. It does take different turns in the middle.
Lee Yoo Ri as usual gives her best. The insecure and love-seeking Min Chae rin is best delivered by her. if portrayed by someone else, Chae rin may have sounded irritating as every character in this drama had given over the top vibe.
The sour spot of this drama would be Song Chang Eui. Cha eun hyuk may have been better. His expressions were stoic never really giving what he wants or feels. His chemistry with Chae rin is very shaky and falls short by his side.
Uhm Hyun Kyung is ok too. I personally got irritated by her character as Yeon joo coz she is blinded by jealousy and blames Chae rin for everything.
Kim Young Min on other hand is the best. He is really evolved into great actor.I really liked the character as Moon Jae sang. You look forward to his time with Chae rin. The character develoment is amazing. I wish they would have kept him as main lead.
Other people are portrayed too dramatic as I guess it was all in the script.
Music is good.
Just one time watch would be sufficient just too see Moon Jae sang and Min Chae rin.
A BIG NO for rewatch!!
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