PLEASE NOTE: Certain details related to the overarching theme of this drama are scattered throughout this review. There are no spoilers of important plot developments, however, reader discretion is advised.

THE GOOD

First and foremost it should be noted that this isn't a breezy frolic for romcom lovers looking for kicks and giggles/rainbow and hearts. The drama poses a series of pertinent questions related to love, commitment and marriage. Though certain situations are exaggerated for dramatic effect the drama presents ethical dilemmas people in long term relationships face in some form or another everyday:

Is it fair, reasonable or wise to expect blind devotion from your partner?

When does cheating become cheating? When physical contact occurs or when the heart departs and only the empty shell of the body remains? And regardless of which, is cheating grounds for the parting of ways?

Good food for thought. Exactly my type of gig. Up to about episode 4.

Secondly, the dynamic of the lead characters’ relationship. Let me say this right off the bat: I hated the leads in this drama. I wanted them dead. BUT I did like the dynamic of their relationship. It’s not every day you see a powerful, confident, intelligent female coupled with her equal. In a better drama I would have loved this pairing, as they represented a meeting of mind and heart on equal footing, as opposed to the usual pairing of the naive, country bumpkin and big city slicker or the take charge older career woman and her lap dog noona killer lover.

Finally, acting wise there were no standouts, but no irritating or horribly unconvincing performances either. Pretty average all around, but okay enough for me. I was, however, pleasantly surprised by Lee Jung Jin. I’m used to him in more wholesome, boy next door type roles so it was a pleasure to watch him as the debonair playboy who was more naughty than bad. He had just enough good in him to make me not completely hate him. I bought it.

THE BAD

The drama blights its own potential, given the mature, thought provoking subject matter, with cheap, superficial, self-congratulatory, crass plot developments. Poorly written and poorly realized almost from start to finish. A drama or movie doesn't start on the screen, but on the page. If what's on the page is bad from the get-go, no amount of good direction and acting can save it (in the vast majority of cases). This being one of them. The first 4 episodes did their job of getting you interested and engaged, but subsequent developments disappointed with one impulsive, puerile action after another. Not to mention characters who seemed impervious to any logical behaviour expected of normal human beings. Here are a few general examples:

*You hire your rival’s most trusted and loyal servant, tell that person all your secrets and are then surprised and angered when the servant betrays you. #smfh

*You’re under investigation for a crime where you stand to lose EVERYTHING, but instead of hauling ass out of there, you offer up evidence that could ruin your life as prize for a fist fight. WTF?? Nobody with half a brain does that!

*Just keep on throwing people together in parks and cafes for a nice ol’ chat, without thought or plausible motive as to WHY these people should even be talking to each other. Let’s create drama at any cost because my viewers are dumb morons who won’t notice this sh--.

And those are *only* the minor ones. It was simply just one absurdity after another.

Supporting characters were nothing more than vapid, 1-dimensional talking heads, transplanted only to encourage sympathy for the insipid. None had depth. In fact, pretty much everyone displayed some sort of split personality disorder every 5 minutes ... to the point where I'm convinced the writer must have been tripping on some serious high grade herb as he penned this sorry drama!

If I had any affinity towards anyone that would be Han Soo, the mumbling, bumbling wannabe paparazzi. An insignificant character with no story arc of his own who should not have garnered my sympathies more than the leads! I also supported the wife. I don’t understand what HJ bashers saw that I didn’t. Even if she did everything people accuse her off, is it so wrong of her to be hurt and angry in the grand scheme of things? People are acting like only the Hong Kong incident is at play here when there’s far more to it than that. Is what she said/did in a moment of great crisis so much more worse than what transpired later on in Korea, after the Hong Kong trip? While I don’t condone all of her behaviour, I certainly understood what motivated her. Besides, she ultimately showed herself to be the only character of true character in this sordid tale of treachery and deceit dressed up as ‘true love’. Lipstick on a pig, as another reviewer puts it. A very apt description indeed. SHE was the only true heroine as far as I could see.

THE UGLY

I am still trying to fathom what exactly is the writer’s proposal here. Is it:

a) a bad joke to get viewers all worked up?

b) a nod to narcissistic weasel pricks and conniving home wreckers? or

c) an attempt at a balanced discourse on a complicated topic?

If the answer is a) then I didn’t get the joke. Sorry.

If the answer is b) this drama is a resounding success! Home wreckers and cheats everywhere should see this NOW! Somebody finally showed how shitty some of you people are … BUT not to worry you still get the ‘prize’! And a ‘good job, good job’ pat on the back to boot. Now ain’t that the shi..zzle!

However, if the answer is c) this would be the most vile, ludicrous piece of chauvinistic drivel I have ever witnessed. Here is a drama which basically dumps on women:

*Your husband is entitled to have you put up with all his sh*t, no matter how stink it gets. Continue to blindly trust him in everything he does even if his actions don’t match his words. Just delude yourself with the lies that come out of his mouth and be quiet, woman!

*Cheating is a man’s privilege. His right, even. Don’t make a big deal out of it, no matter what, as you’ll only end up hurting yourself. Just put up with it, uh, Yeobo? Endure. Taaaaaaaaaa kwænchana! (Everything alright, for those of you who need to brush up on your Korean :-).

*All my single ‘ladies’, it’s ACE to covet another woman’s husband! You go get him, girl! Even if you have to buy his ass. And slap a bitch.

*Brethrens, never give up on an opportunity to trade up, ya dig? Love? Loyalty? Conscience? Screw that. None of that gets you the good life. Or a fast track ticket to the big times. There’s no dishonour in being a kept man.

*But trust, only women pay the price for home wrecking. Us bros get off scott free because … well. It’s a man’s world. Haha. Sorry, ladies.

It’s insidious. If c) is the writer's proposal, then I utterly repudiate it. This is no epic romance about love conquering all. This is very sordid business, set in motion by a conniving serpent and a lying, opportunistic loser pig.

And just so we’re clear: I know it’s possible for people to fall out of love (one of my all time favourite dramas dealt with this very theme with an entirely different effect). I know good people sometimes do bad things. I know life is messy and doesn't always allow for things to be wrapped up nicely and neatly with a big red bow. I didn’t go into this drama expecting sweet, uncomplicated love. I was prepared to keep an open mind and forgive where necessary. Unfortunately the writer led the donkey into a ditch. I couldn’t find it in me to sympathize with characters who acted with such haughty and callous disregard for other people. At least show a little contrition that doesn’t come off woefully lacking, phoney and insincere. Show a little reverence for the years someone dedicated their life to you by being honest with that person at the very least. But, they were pompous, condescending arses to the very end. I seriously wanted to vomit.

I won’t close with a recommendation of whether you should watch this or not. See it for yourself and make your own determination as there are certainly those for whom this drama was a hit. I am just not one of them. Temptation is the worst adaptation of the ‘indecent proposal’ concept I’ve ever seen. It didn’t work. It left the mother of all bad tastes in my mouth. I couldn’t get away from these characters fast enough. I hated them. I wanted them dead. And I’m blacklisting the actors until I purge myself of this truly repulsive experience.