Marriage, Not Dating (2014)

I think this is one of those dramas where you sit back and say "Wow, so this is also a way a Korean Drama can be made". I mean, don't get me wrong, there were some kdrama cliches in Marriage Not Dating but nothing was overbearing. In fact, I loved those cliches too. And it was an extremely refreshing romantic-comedy.

The plot was very interesting throughout. A guy wants to stay single while his family (mostly his mom) threatens to get him married. So he decides to make Jang Mi his fake girlfriend as he knows his family would never approve of her as their daughter-in-law. The funniest ride starts right there at their first meeting. I loved how they started every episode with some fast-forwarded scene that made you go, "did I miss an episode or something?". lol.

The characters were all amazing. I haven't loved a female lead in a long time the way I loved Jang Mi. She was hilarious and had a kind heart. I mean, sure, she got a little clingy at times but that was funny too. Ki Tae was great. Out of all their friends, Hoon Dong was the best! I didn't care much for second leads, which was pretty much a bonus because I hate having second lead syndrome. Both the families were great. I think Ki Tae's mom's character was the most interesting. Sometimes I loved her and there were times I really hated her (can't believe Jang Mi never disliked her). But there were also times I pitied her. By the end of the drama I realized she was the character I became most emotionally invested in. I loved her and loved how she grew as a person. In fact I loved the growth of every character in this drama. I think when it comes to creating beautiful characters, TVN is the best. Whether it's the characters from Reply 1997/1994 or shut up flower boy band, they all impressed us and it had nothing to do with fancy celebrities but rather with the script.

The music is great. "Love Lane" and "Stop The Love Now" have been a part of my daily jam for a while now. It's a cute, cheerful OST overall. Moreover I loved the funny background music (people who have watched this would know what I'm talking about). I think I haven't loved any bgm this much since the "meh" for Sam Chun Po in Reply 1994. Hahaha.

Overall I would recommend this drama for the slightly-different but cute love story and the hilarious family situations. Definitely worth a watch and a rewatch!

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