K-dramas are loved all over the world by millions of fans! Most dramas feature fairy tale romances that always manage a happy ending. However, other dramas are of the heartbreaking genre while others are action-filled and epic. Some are true comedies, some are fantasies, and some manage to combine all of those genres into one. Today, we want to talk about a drama that might sound innocent and sweet with its title, but there is a much more intense story involved.
Last week marked the finale of the JTBC drama “The World of the Married.” The series stars veteran actress Kim Hee Ae (“Secret Affair”), Park Hae Joon (“Believer”), and rookie actress Han So Hee (“Abyss”). The drama is a remake of the British television series “Doctor Foster” and tells the story of a married couple whose betrayal of one another ends up inspiring revenge.
CRITICAL ACCLAIM & COMMERCIAL SUCCESS
“The World of the Married” perfectly represents what the world is all about today. All viewers can relate to at least some portion of this drama. The series received critical acclaim for presenting a new approach on the revenge and betrayal plot in a way that was more realistic and ambiguous to the viewers. As a result, the series proved to be a massive success with Korean viewers. It ended up becoming the highest-rated cable drama in the history of Korea, thus defeating the previous record holder “Sky Castle.”
PLOT
Ji Sun-woo (Kim Hee Ae) is a successful family doctor whose life seems to be picture perfect. She is married to the loving Lee Tae Oh, a filmmaker who owns his own entertainment company and dreams of making it as a big director. Together, they have a teenage son and live a happy and seemingly idyllic life. Things soon change, however, when Lee Tae Oh begins to struggle in his job when his big movie fails. Feeling stressed and depressed, he has to depend on his wife for financial help and begins to feel unworthy of her as a husband. During this period, he meets a beautiful and innocent young woman who views him as a successful businessman. Feeling confident from her naive belief in him, he soon allows himself to stray and the two begin to have an affair. The drama kicks into high gear when the affair is discovered and the characters must decide what course of action they will all take.
Frankly speaking, the drama kept viewers on a roller coaster ride because of the tension that it brought to every episode. Despite the many gut-wrenching scenes, viewers loved the fact that this drama always put them on the edge of their seats and kept them looking forward to the next episode.
CHARACTERS
As for the characters, Kim Hee Ae delivers a subtle performance. With her acting skills, many would agree that she is very well suited for the lead role. She is a strong and determined doctor, yet a vulnerable wife.
Park Hae Joon, who is seen as the bad guy, succeeded as the most-hated character in the drama. Meanwhile, Han So Hee plays the mistress-turned-lovely wife in the drama. At first, she appears to just be a silly, yet unimportant, fox, but karma soon begins to turns its eyes her way.
Who else did not despise and pity the son, Lee Joon Young (played by Jeon Jin Seo)? He is such a lovable son, but he later becomes a mischievous rebel. Joon Young is living proof that divorce can eventually hurt a young and impressionable soul.
Aside from the Lee family, the neighbor’s family affairs also contribute to the blooming storyline of the drama. Kim Young Man (Son Je Hyuk) is the typical character who portrays the belief that men aren’t born to be with just one woman. Meanwhile, Go Ye Rim (Park Sun Young) is his wife who remains faithful despite her husband’s affairs. But in the latter part of the drama, her belief system is challenged when she realizes this truth: ‘’Once trust is broken, things will never be the same.’’
Many other side characters (played to perfection by their respective actors) add to the plot with their own unique stories, characters, and personalities. Each character delicately reflects the conflict, fears, ambition, greed, lust, and violence that can occur in real life. The cast and production are truly amazing in this series. It was spearheaded by Director Mo Wan Il, who is known for his drama “Misty.’’ It was written by Joo Hyun, the writer behind series like ‘’My Horrible Boss.’’ Kudos to the writer and to the perfect performance of the cast! This is one drama that truly deserved such a high rating!
AFTERTHOUGHTS
With the ending of the drama, there’s a certain sense of dissatisfaction, but it’s understandable due to the story you have just finished watching. We as viewers understand why it ends the way it does. It isn’t a romance drama or a comedy, but the series is one that shows how real life unravels sometimes. The series was intense all the way until the very end. It really was an emotional rivalry where the main leads are constantly at odds with one other, but each one is a human being and you can often relate with them both.
Above all, this drama presents what reality can offer when people cheat, act out in utter selfishness, or choose to repeat the same mistakes over and over again. The story explores what happens to relationships once trust is broken and asks viewers if those relationships can ever be repaired once damaged. Can people be forgiving and patient enough to repair the relationships? Or is the damage so great that people should simply walk away before more hurt is inflicted? Each viewer must decide for themselves as they watch this drama and view the story of not only this particular married couple, but the people who surround them. The overall moral of the story appears to be that everything in our life is a reflection of the choices we make. However, as we watch the choices of the people in this series, the consequences that unfold as a result are both fascinating and intense, horrible and intriguing. All things considered, perhaps that is what made this drama so captivating after all.
Did you watch ‘’The World of the Married’’? What did you think of this series? Make sure to let us know your thoughts by tweeting to us @whatthekpop1! If you haven’t watched it yet, make sure to check it out, then let us know when you finish by replying to this article!
In the meantime, you can check out the trailer for the series below.
ging1030 is a multi-fandom fan of Kpop since 2010. She enjoys watching Asian dramas and variety shows like “Running Man.” She is an avid fan of the Song triplets and Song Joong Ki. For her, K-drama are life. They are her inspirations in life so she can live on and do what her heart desires!
MEDIA: JTBC