The Forbidden Marriage | Korean Drama | Love and Marriage is a Crime?
The Forbidden Marriage Korean drama series is a charming romantic comedy streaming on Viki.com, released during the last quarter of 2022.
The king is grieving the loss of his beloved consort. Until he remarries, there is a ban on all marriages throughout the entire kingdom. Thus, love and marriage become a crime.
The Forbidden Marriage is historical fiction, set during the Joseon Era. The script for this Kdrama, as well as a web novel and webtoon of the same name, were all written by Chun Ji-hye.
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ROYAL MARRIAGE CUSTOMS IN JOSEON
According to customs, during the Joseon Dynasty, royal weddings were a national event. In particular, when there was to be a royal wedding of the king or crown prince, a public announcement is made. Usually, nobles who have daughters of marriageable age are required to submit their daughter’s credentials that show she is qualified to become a royal consort, i.e. a princess or a queen. During the time that the selection process is occurring, marriages for everyone in the kingdom are generally not allowed. This process, which could take anywhere from two to six months, is complicated but simple enough to follow EXCEPT …
WHAT IS THE EXCEPTION?
There should not have been an exception. EXCEPT … King Lee Heon (played by Kim Young-dae) is extremely grief-stricken and has no interest in remarrying. The loss of his spouse was traumatic because it was said that she committed suicide. He issued a marriage ban after her tragic death which lasted for 7 years. Why so long? Because his trauma is compounded by the fact that every year on the anniversary of the death of the crown princess, a young woman is found hanging in the princess’ quarters. His mental health is beginning to deteriorate. He can not stand the thought of being with another woman. The impact of the marriage ban has both men and women who are in love and want to consummate their union in great distress. Can you imagine living in a world where love and marriage is a crime?
HOW TO CURE THE KING SO THE MARRIAGE BAN IS LIFTED
Ye So-rang (played by Park Ju-hyun) is a swindler, a scammer. She made her living on the streets by being a con artist. But not in a bad way. At any rate, her antics get her thrown into prison. She overhears a conversation about the king’s mental anguish and comes up with a plan to get herself out of prison. She claims to be possessed and convinces the king that she can channel the spirit of the late crown princess. Of course, it’s not true. But the king believes her and allows her to get close to him so that he can speak to his dead wife.
WHY YE SO-RANG BECAME A SWINDLER?
Ye So-rang has a secret story. She is actually the daughter of a nobleman, who was supposed to marry Officer Lee Shin-Won (played by Kim Woo-Seok). Only her wicked stepmother tried to have her killed and tried to substitute her daughter (Ye So-rang’s half-sister) as the bride. Lee Shin-Won foiled that effort. He sort of knew what his bride-to-be looked like and the girl being presented to him was not the woman he wanted to marry. The substitute bride switch failed and also the murder plot failed. The stepmother believes that at least the murder was carried out and Ye So-rang is out of the picture. Since the marriage to Officer Lee Shin-Won did not take place, she hatched another plan. Why not get her daughter married to the king? Ye So-rang must keep her identity a secret, otherwise, the next attempt on her life might be successful.
THE KING’S LOYAL FRIEND AND BODYGUARD
Who is the king’s loyal friend and bodyguard? What a coincidence! Officer Lee Shin-Won is as close to the king as a trustworthy brother and as loyal as any loyal guard could ever be. The king’s marriage ban does not concern him because he is in love with his bride-to-be. At the moment, she’s missing! He has only seen her from a distance; but based on what he had seen, he knew that her half-sister was not his intended bride. He does not realize Ye So-rang is the woman he has been searching for. Even though he does not know the whereabouts of his future wife, he is hopeful that one day he will find her. Probably by that time, the marriage ban will have been lifted and he can get married. Wishful thinking.
STREAM or SKIP?
This series is rated PG-13 which means parental guidance for viewers under the age of 13 is recommended. It’s not too intense but the sword fights are exciting. The lines between good and evil are clearly drawn, so there is no confusion about who’s who. You know who the good guys are and you know who the bad guys are. You’ll love the good guys and you’ll hate the bad guys. Go ahead! Grab a bowl of popcorn and stream this series. It’s only 12 episodes so you could binge-watch in one night.
Viki viewers rated The Forbidden Marriage 9.6 out of 10 stars. I agree.
(Featured Image Credit: Viki.com)
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