The Greatest Marriage (최고의 결혼) Review: Episode 14 and 15


I purposely didn't write a review for episode 14 because I wasn't happy with how things were. And truth be told I've already said everything that needs to be said about this drama before.

The only new thing about episode 14 that worth mentioning was the few seconds during the mediation session at the court house. I love seeing the reaction from the female court officials when they hear about Park Tae Yun's behaviour.

I'm glad that there's at least people in this drama that represent our loathing for this loser and our disgust at how unfair the whole situation is for Cha Ki Young.

These view seconds turn out to be a glimpse of what is coming in the next episode.

Yes, episode 15 still has plenty scenes of the loathsome Park family and the spitefully narrow minded demonstrators. And no, there isn’t much change in our heroine’s situation. It still has Cha Ki Young in the worse situation imaginable. Correction, it’s actually worst than worse.

But, I really love episode 15.

It reminds me once again why I love this drama in the first place. It brings back my hope that it won’t go to the garbage dump after all. And that I don’t just spend 16 precious hours of my time for nothing.

How to justify my love?

First of all, most dramas are good or even great in their first half before going down the lane into the never to be remembered dramasphere. Some are consistently good until their very finale which then earn them the wrath of the biggest chunk of world population who has faithfully and lovingly watched them.

The Greatest Marriage first part although not to everyone liking is arresting, interesting and different enough to capture my attention. And despite the fact that its latter episodes make my blood boil and have me cursing left and right strangely enough I’m still watching.

What make me loose hope with this drama is the constant barrage of pain that I have to endure watching all the wrath worthy scenes on my screen.

Scenes that make me question the sanity of the writer for presenting us with these very unpleasant characters and the hard to swallow plights of our heroine, plus my own sanity for keep on watching.

But, after episode 15 I’m happy to note that the writers, the director and whoever involves in the production of this drama are not that crazy. They still know the importance of a good ending (which in my book means a happy ending).

For no matter how good a drama in the beginning and the middle is, a crappy ending will ruin it. But no matter how painfully boring or ridiculous the journey towards the end is, most of the audience will be very forgiving and understanding once they are given their reward in the form of a good ending.

Like it or not the ending plays the most important role in a drama. It could save or destroy it.

We still have 1 episode to go before the final judgement could be made. However, seeing how things are now I guess it’s safe to say that our ship is not going to sink after all.

Let’s have a look at what I love the most in this episode: Jo Eun Cha!

I’ve mentioned before that I fall in love with Jo Eun Cha and Bae Soo Bin the actor. This episode brings back all that love to the front. It reminds me once again what a great actor Bae Soo Bin is.

His role as Jo Eun Cha is extremely difficult. It’s hard for me to imagine other actor pulling it off with the kind of effortlessness he does. He is so perfect as Jo Eun Cha.


How to portray an asshole without alienating him from the audience? How to be a complete jerk but still get the love from female audience? How to make them root for you to end up with the female lead when you aren’t even romantically involved with her?

The answer is Jo Eun Cha.

The wrong answer is Park Tae Yun.

I have a feeling that episode 15 tries to make us more sympathetic towards this SOB.

It tries to make us more understanding towards Park Tae Yun although not necessarily to accept him with open arms. And certainly not to pair him with Cha Ki Young because that ship has long gone with the typhoon.

Unfortunately, it reveals nothing new about him. Him loving Cha Kin Young? No surprise at all. It’s been pretty clear that he loves her from the very beginning.

He accepted the offer from the TV station because he wanted to officially meet her after getting tired of being just a secret admire/stalker. He chose to live at her apartment building because that’s where she lived.

From episode one we know that he loves her and she loves him not. She likes him enough to have a casual relationship with him. But that’s it. He’s the one who tried to look cool by saying wanting nothing but sex from her and then went all crazy on her when she refused to share more than her body and what little time and consideration she gave him.

I think I would be more forgiving and understanding if Park Tae Yun doesn’t love Cha Ki Young. The fact that he does just make the whole thing worse.

If even love couldn’t stop him from ruining the life of the woman he loves, his own flesh and blood, and his own wife, he doesn’t deserve to get a forgiveness. Nor an understanding.

His love is so toxic. So poisonous and completely disastrous that women kind should thank their fortune that they are not loved by Park Tae Yun. Seeing the kind of things that he could do to the one he loves, it gives me chill to think what kind of hell he’ll bestow on the one he doesn’t.

Not only he has the worst kind of love to offer, as a human being he is also the worst kind of man to spend the rest of your life with. He’ll never put your needs and your feelings into consideration. With him it’s always how he feels and what he needs first. Whenever things are not to his liking he’ll lash out.

Hyun Myung Yi states in her testimony that Cha Ki Young destroys Park Tae Yun. News flash: Park Tae Yun destroys Park Tae Yun and everybody else who is unfortunate enough to be in his vicinity.

He’ll blow his chances with Cha Ki Young sooner or later. Her being pregnant just speeds things along. With his personality it’s hard for me to imagine that Cha Ki Young could finally fall in love with him.

And it’s easy for me to imagine that he could impregnate a number of girls while he is still in a relationship with Cha Ki Young. One girl every time she upsets him.

If I may offer some advice to many young girls out there who are looking for romance/love this is what I have to say: ‘Don’t you ever accept a man who professes/thinks that he loves you but does everything that scorns that very sacred and beautiful word.’  

Don’t you ever aspire to change a screwed up man or dream of fixing him up, you shouldn’t waste your life and risk your happiness like that. Not when there are many more dependable, responsible and trustworthy guys out there. Ones who know the meaning of love and how to treasure it.

Park Tae Yun is a perfect example of what girls/women shouldn’t pick.

I couldn’t even bring myself to feel sorry for his pain. All I want for him now is to at least try to right so many wrongs that he has done.

This is my parting gift to Park Tae Yun : Do something that is good and right for once. Stop always putting yourself first before others and try to put the feelings and needs of those you think you love before you if you really love them.

There. That’s my part of trying to be fair.

Episode 15 makes me happy. It makes me look forward to watching the finale with the eagerness that I feel for its earlier episodes.

My favourite scenes are:
1.  Jo Eun Cha coming clean under the oath and telling all sundry that President Park tries to bribe and bully him.
2.  The sleeping under one roof scene between Jo Eun Cha and Cha Ki Young.
3.  The private conversation between them when Jo Eun Cha asks her why she doesn’t give him a boot despite all that he has done to her.
4.  I also love how she proposes. It’s not the most romantic proposal there is, far from it. What I love about it is her realization that whether she likes it or not marriage is an institution that is still considered as a must in their society. And if she has to marry to make her life and her son’s life better, Jo Eun Cha is the best man for that job. I also love Jo Eun Cha’s response to her proposal. It shows that he understands her enough and cares enough not to immediately say yes.
5.  The sleeping under one blanket scene between Park Sun Nyo and Pedro (love this couple).
6.  The ajumas that come to volunteer for Jo Eun Cha’s campaign! Love them!

My expectation for the finale:
1.  Jo Eun Cha and Cha Ki Young win their battle against the odds.
2.  A wedding or double weddings would end the show nicely and make me extremely happy.

ps:
No elaboration on the Park Family please. I couldn’t careless whether Park Tae Yun divorces Hyun Myung Yi or not. Or whether President Park still does his dirty business of buying people/officials every chance he gets.  

Oh, very well. I’ve tried to be nice to Park Tae Yun, now it’s time to be nice to Hyun Myung Yi. Although I don’t like her I think she’s entitled to get everything that she wants because she has slaved over in that family as their perfect daughter in law for years. And they love her. Plus she loves Park Tae Yun despite not wanting to admit it. Let the crazies stay together in a crazy house. The world would be a better place without them.

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