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.