Park Ju Hyun and Kim Young Dae’s “The Forbidden Marriage” has recently finished airing all of its 12 episodes last January 21. I’m sure a lot heard about this drama but is it really worth your time? Now is the moment to watch this one-of-a-kind historical drama for these 5 reasons why it ranks so high among historical romcoms.
“The Forbidden Marriage“
Synopsis: Set in a fictional period within the Joseon dynasty, the series follows the story of King Lee Heon who has issued a marriage ban after the death of his wife seven years ago, and scammer So-rang who claims that she has divine powers and can be possessed by the late crown princess’s spirit.
Starring: Park Ju Hyun, Kim Young Dae, Kim Woo Seok, Kim Min Ju
Episodes: 12
1. A Historical Drama With A Unique Plot
It’s nothing new to say that monarchies are at the heart of historical dramas and “The Forbidden Marriage” is no exception BUT what sets this drama apart from the rest is it’s a historical rom-com centered around a marriage ban in Joseon!
At first, it seems like we’re seeing two dramas at once, with the comedy primarily coming from So Rang and the melodrama coming from the King’s life. As the episode progresses, it becomes clearer and clearer how perfectly these two genres fit within this drama.
The drama also includes a mystery, such as who killed the crown princess and who the antagonists are. Additionally, new characters were introduced in the second part of the show which gave more flavor to the drama.
2. Award Winning Leads
Park Ju Hyun is really one of the best actresses of her generation since her portrayal of So Rang in “The Forbidden Marriage” is amazing; she portrays a con artist who convinces the Joseon king that she possesses divine powers, fooling the highest person in the country. She showed us that she can handle both comedic and dramatic roles with ease in this one.
Kim Young Dae is probably one of the sexiest kings in K-drama history, and he also has impeccable comic timing as Lee Heon. Kim Min Ju who portrayed the late crown princess really embodied her role. After seeing this, I completely forgot that she was part of the idol group “IZ*ONE” and instead recognized her as a promising rookie actress who has huge potential in the acting world.
At the “2022 MBC Drama Awards,” Park Ju Hyun and Kim Young Dae took home the “Excellence Award in Miniseries” for their outstanding performances, and Kim Min Ju got her first “Best New Actress” award!
3. The Chemistry Between The Casts
The main couple is very refreshing to watch especially how they act toward one another. I know I’m not the only one who loves couples with teasing as their love language. Bickering is one of the important points of their relationship and I still can’t forget how the king confessed to So Rang. It’s the cutest confession ever!
Love triangles and the second-lead syndrome were also present in this drama. Yes, I am aware that many people dislike this, but “The Forbidden Marriage” offered us a unique spin on the classic love triangle formula, so I’m confident that you won’t dislike this drama for that reason.
4. The Comedy Is On Point
This is one of the funniest K-dramas ever and the fact that it’s a historical one makes it even better! It never fails to make me laugh out loud whenever the king is convinced that So Rang possesses supernatural abilities and can communicate with the dead. Excellent acting, truly.
AND have you watched a historical K-drama that referenced a lot of modern pop culture? These images alone make it clear that they are making a reference to the popular fantasy K-dramas “Goblin” and “Hotel Del Luna” and it’s so amusing to watch!
“The Forbidden Marriage” is also on another level because it uses Tiktok sound effects and trends at the end throughout the drama. I won’t talk much about it because you’ll understand what I mean once you are watching the show! The production team is brilliantly smart for creating such a funny and interesting show.
5. Happy Ending
Many of us avoided historical dramas because we knew the ending would be sad, but I promise you, this one is an absolute feel-good romantic comedy.
Only this drama managed to stay faithful to the rom-com genre within the historical drama subgenre, and I love them for that!
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations; “The Forbidden Marriage” is the kind of historical drama you won’t find anywhere else and should be the next thing on your watchlist. AND the best thing is that you can see it right now on KOCOWA!
