Amor no Contrato (2022)

Revenge of the Chaebols

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2022 South Korean romantic drama series with 16 episodes approximately 65 minutes run time each.

First I provide a synopsis then I will review

Synopsis

Choi Sang-Eun/Jamie (Park Min-young) becomes the spouse for single men in need of a partner for events or so their family will quit forcing relationships on them. She has been divorced many times as a result but never had a serious relationship. As a chaebol she was raised to be the perfect bride and feels she is using her skills to help others who are trapped by societal rules as she was. Her goal is complete emotional detachment but she find that hard with one long term client, Jung Ji-ho (Go Kyung-pho), a painfully introverted man who is drawn to the spunky and vivacious Sang-Eun. Kang Hae-jin (Kim Jae-young), fell in love with the girl he knew as Jamie when he observed her reject the chaebol lifestyle in a very visible manner. He also hated being a chaebol and used her as inspiration to break away and become a very successful actor and businessman in the entertainment sector. But she disappeared so he never got over his first love. He was so enamored that he even named his beloved cat after her and he talks to the cat like a girlfriend sparking all kinds of fan rumors of a live in girlfriend. Scandal follows the chaebol turned hallyu star as when he is not accused of having a live in girlfriend, he is categorized as gay since he never dates. He moves into a building where Ji-ho lives and does not realize at first that the girl he could never forget, Jamie, has a long standing contract with Ji-ho and he thinks she is now married and living right next to him. He ultimately figures out what she is actually doing. When his family grows tired of the scandal they bring up an arranged marriage, Hae-jin implores Sang-eun to accept him as a client. Sam-eun thinks she has love and life all figured out and is perfectly positioned to counsel and help others but the mirror is double sided and she finds, through these close interactions, she has a lot to learn. As she draws closer to the two men on a much more personal level, will she discover that love is possible for her as well?

Review

I found her job very interesting because it seemed to run so counter to what I know of South Korean culture. Love and marriage are taken very seriously so her being a "single helper" seemed like a very bizarre thing for a cultured young lady to do. I also wondered how she thought, in such small social circles, she could take pictures and leave other traces and not have future friends and relatives recognize her from those past relationships. In the USA the only job similar to that would be an escort but that has cross over with prostitution and is very marginalized. There were a couple of times when the stigma associated with what she was doing was brought up, typically from questions from those closest to her and she acted very offended that people viewed what she did as something less than helping and a service to society. I thought she was a bit unreasonable to think others might not view her activity in a favorable light. But it was interesting, and definitely different, and added a unique spin to the story. Overall it was a well paced, interesting and heart warming story. I liked the characters, there was great character development, and it ended well.

Spoilers* I had serious second lead syndrome in this one. Hae-jin sacrificed so much for Sang-eun, to protect her and because he was completely loyal in his love. I thought they were a very good match as they understood, all too well, each other's motivations in the way they currently lived. He was so kind to everyone around him. There was such a deep sadness in him I wanted to see him fully happy. Ji-ho's ex-wife ultimately becomes Hae-jin's close legal counsel and it is suggested they may develop a romantic relationship but I never found her character very redeeming. Ji-ho apologized to her but I found, in what they showed of their relationship, she was emotionally cruel to him. I wanted Hae-jin to find someone who would shower him with the kind of love he never had and she was not the type of person that would ever be able to offer that. So I was disappointed they implied a romantic connection developing there. There was another relationship between Ji-ho's gay roommate and Hae-jin's manager where a relationship implied but never explored. I thought they would have been a good couple and they indicated they would team up as talent and manager but not much beyond that. I liked those character so much I would have loved to have seen that fully developed. I felt rather than have Sang-eun go through this "I don't know if I am worth it period" they could have spent that time giving us more to those stories.

In general Park Min-young rarely disappoints. Her character was cute, pretty and compelling. The wardrobe they put her in was very pretty and she has such a perfect form pretty much everything looks good on her. I was not a fan of Hae-jin's sloppy looking shirts that were high fashion. But it did fit with what is considered fashionable. I am just not a huge fan of that over sized look. I would have liked for them to officially claim her as a daughter of the conglomerate because it felt like she had more than paid her dues in terms of the training she went through for the "Jamie project." I loved the double proposal at the end. I affectionately called Ji-ho little robot because he struggled with the emotional aspects of having relationships but he was so pure and cute about it. So, his proposal was surprising but very heart warming. Sang-euns proposal was just like her and I think was a great way to show her deep love for Ji-ho. I would recommend this series for those that like Romantic dramas and would say this does have a unique twist that makes it a bit more compelling than the ho-hum.

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"Petals with many wounds smell sweetest"

"Love in Contract" takes the basic relationship contract trope to the extreme with Park Min Young as the ideal bride for hire to dozens of men over the years. There's a wide range of reasons these men need a wife and much like her role as Secretary Kim (which I loved) here she plays Choi Sang Eun, a practically perfect and always-prepared companion who's avoided love in her own life while focusing on her work.
I think the concept could've easily just been cheesy and is played up to be exaggerated and not very realistic, but I think Sang Eun is an interesting character, and her backstory and her desire to change her life was a way more unique and engaging story than I expected it to be. However, the true star of this drama for me is Go Kyung Pyo as Jung Ji Ho, her Monday-Wednesday-Friday client, and the one she plans to be her last contract husband. I loved them together, but it's his performance that kept me caring.

Like Park Min Young, Go Kyung Pyo is in a few of my favorite dramas ever BUT in those dramas, he was always the 2nd lead. I finally get to see him as the main love interest and even with such a socially awkward and often blank-faced character he did not disappoint. Ji Ho is clearly depressed and at times close to robotic but his charisma shines through making it hard not to empathize with him. The leads have a straight-talking banter similar to what was so great in "What's Wrong with Secretary Kim" but instead of the classic arrogant male lead Ji Ho's softspoken low voice is more reminiscent of Eeyore from Winne the Pooh. There is an initial mystery to his character's social awkwardness and cold directness so I won't reveal too much but he made me laugh, brought me to tears, and gave me butterflies while always staying true to his character. I love actually getting to see a character's growth and he delivers that.

As for the true 2nd lead, we have Kim Jae Young as Heartthrob Actor Kang Hae Jin. Anyone who hates love triangles will certainly be annoyed by his character but I found him to actually be likable and empathetic as well. I also found his rivalry with Go Kyung Pyo pretty hilarious. Sang Eun is the classic woman caught between two great men, but her real plan is just to go off on her own and live her own life. I thought it was nice to have a female lead whose ultimate goal isn't falling in love but instead finding herself but know that this is still 100% a romance drama. There are melodrama elements too, and a convoluted conglomerate families war plot, but it's the relationships in this drama that made me like it as much as I did. There are so many great performances including Kang Hyung Suk as BFF Gwang Nam, Ji Ho's boss, and his wife (#goals), as well as his quirky coworkers. Then there's Jin Kyung as the classy and calculated Svengali Ajumma from hell Yoo Mi Ho! This is a drama where the cast makes the story work!

Would I watch this drama again? Yes! The greedy family scenes repeated ad nauseam are definitely skippable, and those characters are pretty cartoonishly bad, but thankfully they don't take up too much time. The story is all over the place, changing focus several times throughout, but I liked how things resolved for most of the characters by the end. I would probably want to skip to scenes with the main couple but I liked most of the other characters enough to rewatch some of their antics again too.

Overall, "Love in Contract" is a modern open-minded version of an old-school cliché rom-com. One where marriage is a little less idealized. Watching two people eat dinner may seem pretty boring but I think it was a nice benchmark for their journey together. Shout out to Tiffany for finding a great way to do product placement for so many rings, but the Kopiko candy scenes were too much! If you want a love story with some light drama and laughs then I would give this a chance. This may not be a favorite of mine but it was different and I absolutely loved Go Kyung Pyo as Jung Ji Ho. He is enough of a reason to make me recommend this drama. There's a line that says "petals with many wounds smell sweetest" which is a perfect analogy for this drama. This drama is also imperfect but the sweetness shines through.

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I wasn't too happy with the storyline. Park Min Young (Choi Sang Eun) played a gold digger for money and prestige in a sense but the storyline changed her to a woman who is willing to be hired for a short term to solve problems. I hope that doesn't give these women out here any ideas, so I will not be recommending this drama to anyone. Go Kyung Pyo's (Jung Ji Ho) acting didn't impress me in this drama. I have viewed his acting in other dramas so this drama won't destroy how I feel about his whole career. Kim Jae Young (Kang Hae Jin) was the best in this drama. I love this actor. I felt he had better chemistry with Park Min Young. Thanking all the other actors, male and female in this drama.

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Winner Winner...Chicken Dinner!!!! Love this.

I love this overall. Very entertaining. But it really got to me when she did not show up for dinner. To see Ji Ho breakdown and cry broke my heart and had tears flooding my eyes. She has had such a strange life, but despite it all, she is caring and kind. I did not know that she knew that was her real mother.

He has had a hard time just living in this world. Together they grow and evolve into even better people who love each other enough to give up everything for each other. I am waiting until the entire series is done and I will binge watch it again. I already have watched him realize that she is gone three times. I love that big teddybear of a man. T

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A evolução do juiz foi algo muito bom de se ver, ele saindo daquela pessoa super fechada que tinha medo de falar e irritar as pessoas para alguém mais amigável. Vi gente dizendo que ele só tinha uma expressão do começo ao fim :(
Quer dizer que todo personagem tem que ser super solto e viver sorrindo? ENTENDAM existe pessoas assim também , que mania de querer tudo quanto é personagem com a mesma personalidade.

O colega de quarto da Choi Sang Eun me conquistou muitooo

Não senti que realmente existiu um triângulo amoroso, estava mais para um casal e um amor unilateral, mas amei que não deixaram meu garoto Kang Hae Jin na fossa e sim feliz e fazendo o que mais gostava.

Por mais que algumas coisas que aconteciam eram mesmo previsíveis não foi algo que me incomodou. Foi um drama clichê para deixar o coração quentinho.

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Just go for it

i don't usually write reviews but this drama is worth it
I'm someone who often drops several drama's because they get too boring and i have a shitty attention span but THIS DRAMA kept me hooked!
i love the ML and FL and this is the first drama where a second lead annoys tf outta me
and i really relate with jung jiho (ML) who struggles with socializing and yeah it was portrayed nicely how people misunderstands and dislikes the one's who are straightforward and introverted
tbh i really didn't expect a plot this good i thought this was going to be an another mid rom-com but boii was i wrong. The story is so interesting so if you're doubting whether to watch it or not? just do it, it's worth your
time.
enjoi <3

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Surprising… in a good way.

I’m not sure if I enjoyed this drama due to my low expectations or if I just have a weird taste in dramas..? I was looking for something light hearted and so I decided to give this a shot as I’m a huge fan of PMY. I wasn’t expecting to like this due to the reviews but omg… I actually liked it!? I don’t understand the hate.

I found the male lead pretty refreshing! Awkward, cute and endearing - I thought he was well casted for his character. In fact I like this awkward CP pairing more than her previous work with Song Kang (whom I adore). I must say though, yes it’s cliche and the storyline is pretty shallow but in the first place, I didn’t expect it to be anything more. It’s actually so bing-able I unknowingly watched all 16 eps in 3 days. Maybe I’m weird, but I enjoyed the pacing and the way their romance panned out which was what I came to see anyway. Loads of screen time for our leads (yay!)

I found myself rooting for their relationship and they didn’t disappoint. It was a mature one with no unnecessary drama (between them), I loved all their scenes together. I’d say… maybe lower expectations, go in with an open mind and give this a shot. It’s not even nearly as trashy as some of the cdrama romcoms out there I swear!

That said, I do hope PMY takes on chirpier romcoms such as this one. I’ve missed the fluffiness~

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Has some cringeworthy but fluff romance

This drama seemed fluffy but had a sensitive topic of an FL with multiple divorces. I said divorces instead of marriage because our society sees a divorced woman as an immoral, bad woman who doesn't know to keep a happy marriage.
I started with the drama to know "how she had two husbands at the same time but guess what I was wrong she had one husband at a time and get divorced to marry another. It was the trailer that created the confusion of Mon, Wed, Fri, and Tue, Thur, sat husband. she had more contract relationships than contract marriages for various reasons of male family drama.

The story was stretching in the last couple of episodes filled in with more fluffy romance which was supposed to be happening just after the confession. The great big traumatic accident of 13 years was petty. That incident didn’t weigh much impact to put the present drama meter happening.
PS. I too felt bad for what she experienced at a young age.

Honestly, there was mature chemistry in both pairs. But the FL being hyperactive was too much. I wish it remained a mature romance drama. Acting I was so impressed by Go Kyung Pyo as Jung JiHo, he was that middle-aged man having a boring life. He nailed it with his chubby straight face. Kim Jae Young was nice due to the story, I felt pity for his character Kang Hae Jin but I didn’t like him for being a brat cause most of the problems were created by him only. Park min Young was fine but not impressive, this is like a repetitive role of she has played in her previous dramas. Kang Hyung Suk was playing a gay character, he was balanced not doing fun stuff. He was a manly gay guy who liked men but not every man.

I would rewatch all the fluff romance of the Jung ji ho and Choi sang gun

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Mature and well-handled drama with some pacing problems

This drama has some pretty phenomenal writing and maturely tackles many serious issues. I was pleasantly surprised since I went into this only knowing it was a romance series with a love triangle. The depiction of abusive relationships was handled with a delicacy that I've been missing in Asian dramas since they tend to play it up for the audience.

However, there were times when the writing lost some traction, and two characters in particular suffered from a lack of attention from the writing team (Jung Ji Eun and Woo Gwang Nam). It's a shame since the rest of the series is so well-executed.

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Worth a watch.

I am new to Korean Tv only started watching them this year and have been binge-watching them for the past 3 months, PMY is one of my Favourites actresses along with Seo Hyun Jin, This was the third PMY show I have watched after the big 2 What's Wrong with Secretary Kim? and Her Private Life and as a lot of other commenters have said it, unfortunately, does not match her previous performances.

PMY looked stunning back in 2018 and 2019 with that infectious smile and glowing eyes and she looked healthy, but in this show, whether it is just weight loss which she seems to have lost a lot of her legs and body overall not just her face look thinner the clothes she wears she doesn't; fill them as she did back in 2019, as others have said she looked stiff when she first appeared in episode one it took e a second to realise it was the same person she was so gaunt I thought she had been ill.

I won't bother with mentioning the plot the show is worth a watch if you enjoyed her previous outings but it is nothing special so I would not be to exited.

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Like many people before me had said, this drama didn't live up to its potential at all. There was something lacking, although I can't quite put my finger on it...

I started this drama because of Park Min Young and she shone in the drama, majority of her outfits was amazing (some of them were quite ugly on the other hand) and I loved her character, how she was able to do so many things, it was nice to see her horse riding for example. And her character's relationships... idk, that was the lacking part, it wasn't even that much of a love triangle (which I appreciated) but there was something missing.

On the other hand, there was some things that positively stood out to me: the gay supporting character, Ji Ho's boss and his wife (they were the best, especially how he kept calling her "my Queen", honestly they were the best part about the drama), and I also loved how Sang Eun was the one, who proposed to Ji Ho, that was so cool. And Ji Ho's coworkers were funny and nice to watch. And it was nice to see a shy and introverted male lead.

My rating is 8.5/10 as I liked the themes I mentioned and also because I adore PMY so this review is slightly biased. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't probably even start drama with this synopsis/tags.

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