Wedding Impossible (2024)

If you can accept an episode that was useless to the series it is likable

7.5/10 is my rating. This is a 2024 South Korean romantic comedy series with 12, ~70 minute episodes. It is based on a popular Webtoon of the same name.

First I provide a unique synopsis then review.

Synopsis

Na A jeong (Jeon Jong seo) and Lee Do han (Kim Do wan)were best friends since high school. When Do han asks A jeong to help him avoid an arranged marriage by entering into a contract marriage, A jeong agrees because, as an aspiring actress, pretending to be romantically in love with her best friend is just another role to play. She is used to playing parts for people (such as rent a friend) to make money to continue to pursue her dream of becoming a lead actress. Do han has hidden his homosexuality from his family to this point and the contractual relationship with his friend will allow him to continue to keep his secret. Lee Ji han (Moon Sang min) Do han’s younger brother, is not aware of his brother’s feelings on romance, and wants to thwart the relationship between Do han and A jeong. He wants Do han to folllow through with the arranged marriage with Yoon chae won (Bae Yoon kyung) to secure their grandfather’s approval and inherit control of the conglomerate.

Review

This is a slightly predictable but overall good romantic drama. It has a small comedic element but I wouldn’t characterize it too deeply as comedy. It deals with some deep issues like sexual identity and social stigmas. The slice of life is in the chaebol/conglomerate world and a lot of the social tension is viewed from that, upper echelon, lens. The first half was very good, the premise was not unique but not completely overdone and the story had great flow. But, the last episodes there was a lot of unnecessary drifting and I think some even stopped watching because of that. If you can get through an episode or so and just stick with it, it all wraps up well. The ending is generally happy and mostly tied up. I would not rewatch it any time soon as there are so many better options available. I would recommend it to those that like this genre, are interested in contract marriage tropes or social stigma around falling in love with the “wrong” person. It is not a hard watch and mostly enjoyable except for an episode or so where they seemed t have lost the way.

Spoilers

There was a lot of conflict around the grandfather choosing his “illegitimate” grandson as his main choice of heir even with all the problems Do han had. Nothing was ever explicitly explained but I understood he wanted him out of a sense of guilt toward his daughter and because he felt that powerful position would protect Do han from the social stigma around being an “illegitimate” child as well as his sexual orientation. But, it made no logical sense that a business man would choose his Grandson for those reasons alone. If they had made Do han some brilliant business person, a managerial or economic genius then him choosing him for the other reasons would have made more sense. They also did not clearly indicate why he was so opposed to his other grandchildren taking that seat. It does come out later that their father effectively caused their mother’s death and that might be why he was opposed to them inheriting the business, the whole sins of the father angle, but that is also not super clear. I wanted a huge take down and for those evil relatives to get some of their due. I guess their punishment was the fact that their father had done something so horrible. But that wasn’t completely satisfying given how cruel they had been to their half brothers. I thought it would have been a great twist if they had turned out “illegitimate” since there was so much snobbery around that.

The chemistry between the two main leads was just weird. Sometimes they had great chemistry and other times it just wasn’t there. When they did the beaten past recognition trope of “I’m going to leave you for the good” they acted like being apart did not bother them much. It was hard enough to believe they had some deep connection prior to that and I was just getting it when that separation happened. Then it was like, just kidding, we didn’t love each other that deeply after all. They were trying for the angle that they were just acting like they didn’t care but you can’t achieve that level of detachment with someone you love deeply. And why? At the point they took the year apart Do han had come out and confessed everything and the public had already moved on from labeling her with the scarlet letter. So, there was no compelling reason for them to separate and it just seemed very dramatic at that point. Immature. Ji han’s press conference where he emphasized that he was the one to pursue her and seduce her was pointless. First, there were pictures of them having a passionate kiss and she was obviously just as involved with him as he was with her. And second, Do han confessing resolved the entire situation. All he had to do was have a real conversation with his brother and her and that press conference would have been completely unnecessary.

I am still trying to reconcile how a child could be held responsible, at all, for the death of their parent simply because they were the first one saved, and the car exploded in fire. The mother specifically requested he be saved first. The grandfather basically said he treated him the way he did not because he blamed him but because seeing him made the grandfather feel guilty and remorseful. Selfish much? And they never explained why the mom was in the car, why was he in the car, and who was the man driving that car. Did she really have a scandalous affair that produced the two boys. Was she just a trash person or was her husband always a violent maniac? That was such a key aspect but we really got nothing in the way of explaining the situation around the mother.

The ending was not fully satisfying because she was in a wedding dress but it turns out that was for a role she was playing and not that they were getting married. I don’t always need to see the leads get married. Often just the confession and them indicating they stay together is enough to feel fully wrapped up. In this case though the leads were so wishy washy with their relationship I would have liked to see them actually marry. It shows them running away together in the end but you aren’t tricking me a bit he grabbed her and they ran away when she was in a wedding dress before and they still split up.

There is the weird stalker level ex Jung Dae Hyun (ShinYongBum) who apologizes and is “redeemed” at least in Do han’s eyes. I could nit figure out why they made Do han’s ex such a creepy character. They could have gave him a happy ending with a great life partner. It could have been a sweet bonus romance. But that character was so creepy I did nit want to see Do han even forgive him.

I really debated what level of liking I had for this because it had so much potential. If it weren’t for that episode or so of them breaking up and pretending like they had moved on I would have liked it far more. So like 75% of it was really good, would have rated as one of my top favorites, but that 25% really did have an impact on how much I enjoyed the series. I wonder if the surprising cameos of some of the top talent was due to poor viewer response to the episodes that they broke up and the script drifted. I really liked Yon Chae Won (Bae Yoon Kyoung) character where she played the Chaebol of an adjacent conglomerate who was originally affianced to Do han but wound up in love with Ji han. She remained nice even when she was jealous and did not let others speak badly of or mistreat others without cause.

So it was nice that they had Kim Bum step in as a romantic potential for Chae Won. Lee Soo Hyuk also appeared at the end of the series playing the role of an onscreen bridegroom. And they had Ryu Kyung Soo in for a cameo appearance as well playing the onscreen lover of Ajeong’s drama character. In addition there was Lee Chung Hyun who played the role of a director for Ajeong’s current drama and he was/is her real life boyfriend. So it was a lot of cameos thrown in at the end and thought the characters played key roles in reigniting the leads relationship, it was very noticeable because it was so many in a short span.

#JeonJongSeo #WeddingImpossible #KimDoWan #MoonSangMin #BaeYoonKyung
#KimBum #LeeChungHyun #LeeSooHyuk #ShinYongBum

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Surprisingly good rom-com

I went into this series with fairly low expectations, because I'd seen the 7.8/10 average score on mydramalist (which is below average). First of all I don't agree with that score, this was actually pretty good! It's once again proved that the 12 episode-format is truly superior, the show never dragged. I'm not saying that every single 12 episode-series is good, but the good ones definitely benefit from not being stretched out to 16 episodes. When I think of a kdrama then this show is kind of the definition of what I have in mind. The concept was intriguing and a very smart choice, because they were able to get tons of entertaining or funny situations out of it. The screenwriting was definitely above average. The actors did what needed to be done as well. I'm also in love with the ost and added some songs to my playlist. The ending was also satisfying. Some may have an issue with Do-Han's ending but I thought it was fittint. Overall I definitely recommend this if you're in the mood for a good rom-com with some brains.

Story: 15/20
Acting: 8/10
Music: 7,5/10
Visuals: 6,5/10
Replay: 7/10
Entertainment: 15/20
Pacing: 15/20
Impact: 19/20
Overall: 7.2/10

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Great start, 2nd half a bit disappointing

PLOT: FL, a struggling extra-actress, agrees to marry her best friend, a gay painter, to hide his homosexuality from his family, and possibly inherit his grandfather's company. But the future groom's brother, ML, fighting with his half-brother and sister, does everything to prevent this marriage.

PROS:
+ Brilliant leads, particularly Moon Sang Min, the ML, for whom I expect a promising career. (FL meh...)
+ The production is lively, dynamic.
+ The story is coherent, but full of clichés.
+ The short format (12 episodes) does not allow any downtime.
+ K-pop OSTs are enjoyable.

CONS:
- I had difficulty adhering to the character of the FL, not always very coherent, and I am not very convinced of Jeon Jong Seo's acting skills.
- The characters of "perfectly idiotic good friends", recurring in dramas, annoy me deeply.

=> a good drama, which Moon Sang Min carries on his shoulders!
**************************************************
PLOT : La FL, figurante-actrice en galère, accepte de se marier avec son meilleur ami, peintre gay, pour cacher son homosexualité à sa famille, et éventuellement hériter de la Cie de son gd-père. Mais le frère du futur marié, le ML, en lutte avec ses demi-frère et sœur, fait tout pour empêcher ce mariage.

PROS:
+ Des leads brillants, particulièrement Moon Sang Min, le ML, pour qui s'annonce une carrière prometteuse. (FL bof ...)
+ La réalisation est vive, dynamique.
+ La story est cohérente.
+ Le format court (12 épisodes) ne permet pas de temps mort.
+ Les OST K-pop sont agréables.
CONS:
- j'ai eu du mal à adhérer au personnage de la FL, pas toujours très cohérent, et je ne suis pas très convaincue des acting skills de Jeon Jong Seo.
- Les personnages de "bonnes copines parfaitement idiotes", récurrents dans les dramas, m'agacent profondément.

=> un bon drama, que Moon Sang Min porte sur ses épaules !

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Short and cute

Honestly I was excited to watched it, been waiting for this to aire. When I watched its pilot episode I was kind disappointed because it gets me bored it very lousy for me. So I give it a chance on the next episode and it really never fails to amazed me. And the the story progress on the upcoming episode.
I can believe that Jeon Jong Seo can do romcom drama, I'm used seeing her in her badass roles in her previous projects. Actually she really did a great job in her role here its cute and funny you can still see her angst here.
I first adore Moon Sang Min in his role as the crown prince in Under the Queen's Umbrella. His very good looking guy that is very tall that has a deep voice.
The story is cute and funny, they found love to each other unexpectedly that they noticed that everyone is against their love. They give more importance to the people that they might hurt rathen than pursuing their feelings, it is better for them to get hurt than other people might get hurt. After a year that they have been apart their love even grows and the people has agreed in their love .

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Could have been better ?

The opening was great- very promising storyline, actors were good.. then in the middle it got rather melodramatic, going in circles.. then the last two episodes were just boring. Mediocre ending. Yep, that’s it.

The FL seemed like a pretty good actress at the start, and her character was strong and assertive. But the chemistry between her and Ji Han was somewhat lacking .. and their kiss was a little cringe to watch hahaha. Her character development was just dull and mundane towards the end. I found her family annoying too.

The ML is quite cute, I predict he will have more lead roles and do well in the future ;)

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From witty banter to hilarious misunderstandings, the comedic elements of "Wedding Impossible" add depth and charm to the storyline, enhancing my overall viewing experience. The chemistry between the characters shines through not only in heartfelt moments but also in playful exchanges that elicit genuine laughter from the audience.

The dynamics between Ah Jeong and Do Han, portrayed with palpable chemistry, offer a refreshing take on the trope of a fake marriage. As Ah Jeong steps into the role of Do Han's wife to appease his family, their bond evolves organically, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.

However, the plot thickens with the arrival of Lee Ji Han, Do Han's ambitious younger brother, portrayed with nuance by the handsome Moon Sang Min. Ji Han's machinations to secure his brother's position as the LJ Group's successor add a layer of tension and intrigue to the narrative. His efforts to thwart Do Han's wedding, coupled with the introduction of Yoon Chae Won, inject unpredictability into the storyline, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats.

While "Wedding Impossible" initially captivated me with its promising beginning and engaging storyline, it's unfortunate that the momentum falters towards the middle of the 12-episode drama. Despite its comedic charm and entertaining moments, I found myself gradually losing interest as the story progresses.

One notable drawback of the series lies in its handling of Do Han's character arc. The introduction of Do Han's sexuality could have served as a compelling catalyst for character development, shedding light on the internal struggles and external pressures he faces. However, the story regrettably sidelines this crucial aspect of his identity, failing to delve deeper into his personal journey and the challenges he encounters as a gay man in a traditional and unforgiving environment.

Overall it was definietly a goodwatch. It was fun and entertaining. That's it.

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the romcom was romcom-ing, until it didn't

the show began so well, with great characters and storylines but they lost everything in the middle.
this premise of the drama is fascinating, a rich boy trying to hide his sexuality seeks help from his best friend, they get into a fake marriage, his brother opposes and in his effort to stop the marriage he falls in love with his fake sis in-law.
first of all do-han didn't even feel like a main character, he was barely there on the screen and when he was there the same situations happened. they didn't dive into his issues and insecurities even though he is a major character. he also didn't feel like a-jung's best friend. for such great friends they barely hung out.
jihan and a-jung's chemistry in the first episodes were great, amazing i would say. they had great banter and good chemistry, a good combo for enemies to lovers and a forbidden love trope. even the angst was there. but once they got together, everything was lost. they became so lovey-dovey and didn't disagree on anything. the spark was lost. i still don't understand why they broke up after giving everything up.
there was a lot of lost funny moments. jihan finding out that dohan was gay could have been a really funny moment but they made it so dramatic. jihan could have been worrying so much abt the heartbreak a-jung will have if she found out- musters the courage to say it- and ajung being like 'yeah ik'. it would have been so fun given ajung idgaf attitude.
all the side plots were so boring and unnecessary, so much build-up for the mom's death for the big reveal to be the fact that the father is involved.
so this can be added to the list of dramas that could have been great

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Drama with a warm ending ig

I would conclude this review in short. How many of you have watched business proposal? Mostly many people... We all anticipated a very good and a detailed ending in business proposal , we really wanted more. Wedding impossible was a drama tbh which I won't rewatch it this year at least maybe many years later or so . It was good how in 12 episodes everything was wrapped up beautifully. It was a heartwarming drama to realise friendship, your own future goals and priority . Some dramas aren't really wrapped up so beautifully I liked the way how in last 2 episodes everyone had a character development , a sense of responsibility etc. There was not any bitter jealousy love triangle which dragged the episodes for a fiery revenge . 'Moving on' This drama taught us to not to hold onto something tightly let it go , move on etc. Some plots were overlapping like contract marriage, mother died in rain and the son still suffers in rain of that memory , sometimes we really can't help the plots to be overlapped because every drama now and then have them.. What I felt is I got a good ending how I wanted how everyone achieved whatever they wanted in the end . So concluding it with a good note , watch it once, just go with the flow of drama Its a good drama with many heartwarming scenes even though the chemistry lacked between the main leads.

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Even clichés can be well written and enjoyable to watch

As cliché a story as this is, it has its' golden pieces, mostly because there is some interesting character development among most of the characters. I especially love both FLs and the ML (Lee Ji Han).

-Na Ah Jung is so assertive, with a "no f*cks given" attitude most of the time, but whenever a situation calls for accountability, she takes it. That is quite a turn-on.

-Yoon Chae Won, in my opinion, is not yet fully fleshed out; however, at present, she is a well-liked character who has a strong backbone. I hope to see her flourish in the upcoming episodes.

-Lee Ji Han is so cute, caring, and sometimes smothering. I love the dynamic between him and Na Ah Jung; she always calls out his bullshit and childish behaviours, which allows him to grow mentally and emotionally.

-The character I currently care about the least is Lee Do Han. I understand that his secret is the whole premise of the show, but unfortunately, him not acknowledging himself in front of his brother makes him look... pathetic. I can only hope that his arc gets better in the future.

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