First Impression – Love in Contract

Rom-coms would not be the same without one Park Min Young. She is back and dazzling us with her long hair and a different personality for each husband. Will second lead syndrome rule the day or will the mysterious Go Kyung Pyo win our hearts?

PLOT

Choi Sang Eun was raised to become the perfect bride, and when she leaves her chaebol family behind, she uses her training to create her own business. She becomes the wife for clients for many different reasons and has 12 divorces under her belt by the time she meets Jung Ji Ho (Go Kyung Pyo). They’ve been married for five years and she eats at his house on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. You’d think with this long of a fake relationship, they’d know each other pretty well, but Ji Ho mostly just cooks for her and they eat in comfortable silence.

Husband One

Though this is a rom-com, you can never bank on not having a serial killer enter the scene when it comes to Kdramas. A woman is found stabbed in her apartment, and we’re left wondering if Jung Ji Ho might have something to do with it. He’s painfully awkward in social situations and seems to know an awfully lot about knives and how to stab someone in a stairwell.

Even though they’ve weaved in a darker element, the show is still colorful and fun. Park Min Young changes outfits and identities like any good caper movie, and is only herself with her ex-client turned roommate, Woo Gwang Nam (Kang Hyung Suk). He needed to cover up a relationship with his boyfriend and get his family to leave him alone about getting married.

Husband Two

While Ji Ho is mysterious, Kang Hae Jin (Kim Jae Young) is a pretty open book. Rich actor obsessed with his cat and his first love. Of course, his first love happens to be Kang Sang Eun when she was the daughter of a chaebol and in training to become the wife of someone in Hae Jin’s family. He moves in above Kang Ji Ho and sparks fly the moment he recognizes Sang Eun…at least for him. She doesn’t realize who he is and is very focused on trying to not break up with her fake husband. (Though this Fangirl sees their chemistry as distracting from the other OTP. They just look so good together.)

Madam Yoo

Another mysterious figure is Yoo Mi Ho (Jin Kyung). She was hired by Sang Eun’s family to train her up to be the perfect bride. When Sang Eun ran away from her family, she ruined Madam Yoo’s reputation, and Sang Eun has been paying her from her earnings ever since. Their relationship feels closer to an estranged daughter/mother connection and you can tell that Sang Eun has very complicated emotions tied to her.

Who’s End Game?

I’m pretty sure Jung Ji Ho is our male lead, but they are currently painting him as a possible killer for hire who just wants a little love, so you never know. Park Min Young has chemistry with both actors and also a pretty great connection to both men, so it’s hard to say which one I’m shipping more. It’ll be fun to see how Hae Jin becomes her client (especially with her retirement) and how that’ll play into the Kang family’s plans.

Final Thoughts

It’s hard to pass up a Park Min Young drama knowing there will be sizzling chemistry and fun antics to be had. The added mystery with Madam Yoo and the murdered woman makes this a must-watch for me right now. I’m also happy anytime I see good LGBTQ rep and so far the show is doing great. I’d be even happier if her ex gets a boyfriend by the end–a girl can dream. Plus, has there been a drama with this many gorgeous outfits this year? She is already on target to get the fashion award for 2022.

Until the next drama,

Drama Geek

Dramas With a Side of Kimchi

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