With its final episode reaching a nationwide rating of 28.371%, the series became the highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history, overtaking Sky Castle. It also recorded the highest average rating for a drama on cable television, with an average rating of 18.829%.[11] Although the series was criticized for its portrayal of sex and violence,[12][13][14] it received critical acclaim for its screenplay, direction and acting performances, with Mo Wan-il winning Best Director and Kim Hee-ae winning Best Actress at the 56th Baeksang Arts Awards.[15]
Plot
Ji Seon-u (Kim Hee-ae), a revered family medicine doctor and associate director at Family Love Hospital in Gosan, South Korea, believes she has a perfect life with her aspiring director husband Lee Tae-oh (Park Hae-joon) and their son Lee Jun-yeong (Jeon Jin-seo). However, her world shatters when she discovers Tae-oh's affair with the young and attractive Yeo Da-kyung (Han So-hee). Shocked and betrayed, Seon-u decides to divorce and meticulously plans her revenge.
After the divorce, Seon-u identifies Tae-oh's financial status and puts him on the verge of bankruptcy, revealing his affair to Da-kyung's parents. Tae-oh and Da-kyung eventually get married, but Tae-oh's dishonest behavior and lies destabilize their relationship. Seon-u tries to reorganize her life and restore her relationship with her son, Jun-young. However, Tae-oh is still obsessed with Seon-u and tries to ruin her life. Eventually, Tae-oh ends up in a catastrophe and also breaks up with Da-kyung.
The drama ends with Seon-u overcoming her wounds and getting back on her feet.
Ji Seon-u works as a doctor at Family Love Hospital and is happily married to aspiring film director Lee Tae-oh. Together they have a teenage son, Lee Jun-yeong. One day, she finds a reddish strand of hair on Tae-oh's scarf and suspects him of infidelity. Paranoid about the findings, Seon-u tries investigating Tae-oh, who behaves abnormally and lies about his work hours. On Tae-oh's birthday, Seon-u tries searching his car to find more evidence. In the trunk, she finds a phone with a background picture of a young woman, Da-kyung, who has the same hair colour as the strand found on Tae-oh's scarf. In the phone gallery, she finds photos of a joint vacation of Tae-oh, Da-kyung, and Seon-u's friends Ye-rim and Je-hyuk. Feeling betrayed, she grabs a pair of scissors and heads towards Tae-oh.
2
"Episode 2"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
28 March 2020 (2020-03-28)
Seon-u imagines Tae-oh cheating on her with Da-kyung. She wants to stab Tae-oh with a scissor and in her mind she already has done so, but she backs out of the idea last minute. Instead, she decides to leave Tae-oh's birthday party and goes home. In a spur of anger, she throws all of Tae-oh's belongings in a suit case and is ready to kick him out, only for Tae-oh to arrive home in a drunk state. Jun-yeong's close relationship with his father stresses Seon-u even more. The next day, Da-kyung visits Family Love Hospital and is treated by Seon-u against her will. When asked about her sex life, Da-kyung reveals that she knows her boyfriend (Tae-oh) is married, and that he is unhappy with his marriage. Da-kyung is declared pregnant by Seon-u; tripped with guilt, she seeks abortion to Dr. Seol Myung-suk and begs her not to tell Tae-oh, as Myung-suk has known about the whole story the entire time. In a interpersonal meeting, Seon-u opposes the idea as it is against the policy, but Myung-suk asks her to feel sympathetic to both Da-kyung and herself. Frustrated, she goes to a bar where her patient Min Hyun-seo works at, but she has been off-duty for some time, as she has been in an abusive relationship with Park In-gyu. Seon-u succeeds in rescuing Hyun-seo from In-gyu. Seon-u urges Hyun-seo to leave In-gyu, but Hyun-seo reassures her that he is not a bad guy; he is simply venting out his anger on his early life. The next day, Seon-u texts Myung-suk to tell Tae-oh about Da-kyung's pregnancy.
3
"Episode 3"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
3 April 2020 (2020-04-03)
Tae-oh discovers Da-kyung's pregnancy. He lets her decide the fetus' fate. Da-kyung wants Tae-oh to stop concealing their relationship; she will call him whenever she wants to. Tae-oh expresses frustration on who he should keep. Seon-u's lawyer requests material evidence on Tae-oh's infidelity, but warns that tailing is illegal. Seon-u sees Da-kyung buying an encyclopedia on parenting: she is keeping the fetus. She tells Seon-u that her boyfriend will tell his wife about the infidelity in 2 months; he will file for divorce afterwards. Seon-u checks Tae-oh's financial record: turns out Tae-oh has been borrowing mortgage loans, and that he got a premium loan from Jun-yeong's variable life insurance. At home, Seon-u finds lots of hidden bills of thousands of won. Seon-u's plan to destroy his life gives Tae-oh's mother a fatal cardiac arrest. Amidst the funeral, Seon-u sees Tae-oh making out with Da-kyung in her car whilst playing a cover of "My One and Only Love", which Tae-oh also played when proposing to Seon-u. Hyun-seo, hired by Seon-u as a spy, disguises herself as Da-kyung's neighbor to find out more about the infidelity.
4
"Episode 4"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
4 April 2020 (2020-04-04)
Seon-u requests her lawyer to draw up a divorce settlement that would hand over all of Tae-oh's money from his bank account, to her. During a thunderstorm, while searching for Tae-oh's secret phone in his car, Seon-u is offered an umbrella by Je-hyuk. Da-kyung's mother and father, Uhm Hyo-jung and Yeo Byung-gyu, find out that Da-kyung has been dating a man. Hyun-seo spots Tae-oh and Da-kyung arguing. Seon-u finds out that Myung-suk has been two-faced all along and has been passing on information about her to Tae-oh to help hide his affair. Tae-oh suspiciously leaves "for work" at night; Hyun-seo is assigned to tail him, however In-gyu tracks Hyun-seo and stages a scene; which leads to them to see Tae-oh open Da-kyung's door. The next day, In-gyu reveals to Seon-u that he stole the camera Hyun-seo used to spy on Tae-oh. He visit's Seon-u in the hospital and threteans to expose that she illegally bribed Hyun-seo to catch her husband on video and demands that Seon-u pay 30 million won if she wants the SD card. Seon-u is left with no choice but to agree to his demands. Je-hyuk makes his advances for Seon-u very obvious despite having a wife, Go Ye-rim. Meeting coincidentally, Seon-u takes advantage of dining together with Da-kyung's family, raising questions about her boyfriend, provoking Da-kyung. Hyun-seo acts as a friend towards Da-kyung who tells her that Tae-oh is not attracted to Seon-u anymore, and belittles her. Sickened, Seon-u goes to a hotel and has sex with Je-hyuk. She asks him to give her an analysis of Tae-oh's company accounts as he has access to them; being Tae-oh's company's accountant. She also asks for Tae-oh's personal bank account details. Da-kyung breaks up with Tae-oh and tells him that she had an abortion. A patient of Seon-u hands her a card with footage of Tae-oh telling Da-kyung, "I'll go to Mr. Yeo right now and tell him about us", which also includes them kissing; which Seon-u realises was taken by her son during the party. This makes her decide affirmatively on a divorce.
5
"Episode 5"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
10 April 2020 (2020-04-10)
Tae-oh suspects that Seon-u hasn't been faithful to wards him. Ye-rim also suspects something going on between Seon-u and Je-hyuk. Seon-u learns that Family Love has a new psychiatrist, Kim Yoon-gi. She also learns that Tae-oh's company, TO Entertainment, is nearing bankruptcy due to his management inability. Hyo-jung invites Seon-u for dinner in her house with Byung-gyu and Da-kyung in exchange for the dinner previously. Je-hyuk blackmails Seon-u and asks her to sleep with him unless she wants her husband knowing about them. Rethinking her decision on the divorce, she contemplates suicide the same way her mother died after finding out her husband cheated on her: a car crash. The next day, she brings Tae-oh to Byung-gyu's estate for the dinner, where she reveals Tae-oh's affair and Da-kyung's pregnancy, which leads to Byung-gyu withdrawing his investment in TO Entertainment. Seon-u reveals plans to take Jun-yeong with her after the divorce. Tae-oh says to Seon-u, "It's not a crime to fall in love!" but feels betrayed when she tells him about her relationship with Je-hyuk. Seon-u sets Je-hyuk up and he is caught by Ye-rim.
6
"Episode 6"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
11 April 2020 (2020-04-11)
Tae-oh denies Da-kyung's accusation of him dating her for her father's money and it is revealed that she kept the fetus. Ye-rim expresses disgust towards Seon-u; Seon-u says that she is more disgusted with her for going on a vacation with Da-kyung. Tae-oh decides to live with Da-kyung, and Seon-u sends his luggage to her house, also sending an uncontested divorce application. Unable to keep her promise, In-gyu reveals that Seon-u has been using Hyun-seo to spy on Tae-oh and Da-kyung. Tae-oh reports this to Family Love. Triggered by Tae-oh, Seon-u attempts suicide by bringing Jun-yeong to the seashore. A heated argument causes Jun-yeong to slip off the edge. At her house, Seon-u implies to Tae-oh that Jun-yeong is dead and in the climax of a violent fight, Tae-oh strangles Seon-u and slams her on the TV's sharp edges, causing her to bleed. As it turns out, Jun-yeong is alive and well and what he sees prompts him to disown his father. Ye-rim arrives at the scene and calls the paramedics. Upon Seon-u's recovery, the divorce is declared official. Tae-oh is sent a writ of garnishment. Da-kyung becomes a topic of discussion and gossip amongst everyone in the town; everybody badmouths her. Da-kyung refuses to leave Tae-oh even after her father stops supporting her financially and declines her father's offer to take care of her and the baby if she leaves Tae-oh for good. Rumors say that Tae-oh is leaving Gosan. Two years later, Seon-u discovers that Tae-oh is moving to a premium housing estate right there, in Gosan. For their housewarming party, she receives an invite in Jun-yeong's name. Tae-oh and Da-kyung are now married and have a nearly 2 year-old daughter.
7
"Episode 7"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
17 April 2020 (2020-04-17)
Two years after his divorce with Seon-u, Tae-oh and Da-kyung return to Gosan with their daughter and host a combined housewarming and wedding reception. They invite everyone they know in the city. Tae-oh appears in front of Jun-yeong and Seon-u in a relaxed manner, and Seon-u grows more suspicious and anxious of what Tae-oh is scheming due to his seemingly strange actions. Jun-yeong grows increasingly torn between his parents due to the reappearance of his father. Seon-u notices strange happenings outside her house and feels like she's being watched. Tae-oh's ulterior motives for returning to Gosan are revealed. It appears that Tae-oh is about to bring yet more trouble for Seon-u.
8
"Episode 8"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
18 April 2020 (2020-04-18)
After a night when her house is attacked by an unknown assailant, Seon-u becomes nervous about trivial things, but Jun-yeong seems to enjoy having his dad around, while Da-kyung tries her best to maintain a good relationship with Jun-yeong. It is also revealed that Jun-yeong has kleptomania and has been taking counselling sessions from Yoon-gi for the past 6 months to cope with his emotions as he holds himself responsible for his parents' divorce. Though, Yoon-gi doesn't seem to know that Jun-yeong is suffering from kleptomania. Ye-rim is suspicious of what has happened to Seon-u after Tae-oh's return to Gosan and notices a suspicious figure lurking around Seon-u's house in her absence. Jun-yeong starts to avoid Seon-u, who is facing threats in her daily life. Tae-oh plans to put Seon-u out of work from her own hospital where she is the associate director, by offering to make a huge donation; but with a condition. Seon-u is attacked again and sustains some injuries as Yoon-gi comes to help. Jun-yeong comes rushing home as he is worried about his mother. The identity of the assailant is revealed to be Hyun-seo's ex-boyfriend who was jailed for a year and recently hired by Tae-oh to scare Seon-u into leaving Gosan. Seon-u joins the Gosan Ladies' Society.
9
"Episode 9"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
24 April 2020 (2020-04-24)
Da-kyung is suspicious of Seon-u's real purpose for joining the Gosan Ladies' Association. Seon-u tells Da-kyung that her husband has been stalking Seon-u. Da-kyung finds a second phone in Tae-oh's office with photos of Seon-u, confirming what Seon-u told her. Yoon-gi and Da-kyung notice the tensions between Seon-u and Tae-oh, who both seem to have not gotten over each other. Yoon-gi tells Seon-u that he has been harbouring feelings for her but doesn't expect things to go ahead for them as he knows that Jun-yeong is the most important to Seon-u. Seon-u makes plans to secure her associate director position at Family Love Hospital by having a meeting arranged with Chairman Yeo, but things unexpectedly go in a different direction. Je-hyuk seems to have resorted to his old ways and has an affair with a bartender. Tae-oh and Je-hyuk get into a fight but Tae-oh advises Je-hyuk to prioritise his wife and this gets Je-hyuk thinking. Je-hyuk asks Ye-rim if they should have a child which causes her to burst into tears. In-gyu becomes a problem for Tae-oh.
10
"Episode 10"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
25 April 2020 (2020-04-25)
Yoon-gi catches Jun-yeong keying Chairman Yeo's car but he runs away. During a meeting with Chairman Yeo, Yoon-gi reveals that Seon-u and Tae-oh are far from over each other and still might hold feelings of affection for each other underneath it all. Yoon-gi also says that he has only been practising transference with Seon-u and doesn't actually have any feelings for her. Tae-oh barges into Seon-u's house late at night feeling mixed with anger and contempt. Regarding the associate director position, Seon-u visits Byung-gyu to talk but it turns into an unpleasant conversation. She then addresses it with Yoon-gi who says that he did it to learn what the chairman was planning so he could protect her. Seon-u leaves; hurt as her trust had been broken. Ye-rim and Je-hyuk go to the hospital for fertility testing as Je-hyuk is eager to build a family with Ye-rim. However, Ye-rim disappears after receiving a message from an unknown source about Je-hyuk's affair. Ye-rim throws Je-hyuk and his belongings outside their house and decides on a divorce. Soon, it comes to light that Tae-oh set up Jae-hyuk with the bartender. Meanwhile, In-gyu starts hounding Hyun-seo again and thrusts marriage on her. Hyun-seo's suspicious are confirmed and she informs Seon-u who then confronts In-gyu and obtains proof of the fact that Tae-oh sent In-gyu. Seon-u tries to help Hyun-seo leave Gosan to start a new life but Park In-gyu catches up to Hyun-seo.
11
"Episode 11"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
1 May 2020 (2020-05-01)
In-gyu pleads with Hyun-seo to leave Gosan with him and for them to be together but Hyun-seo refuses. In-gyu breaks down and seemingly commits suicide. Seon-u sees the scarf she gave Hyun-seo at the accident site causing her to feel remorseful. Yoon-gi reveals to Seon-u that he witnessed the accident and that the injured person is not the person she's looking for. The accident at Gosan Station causes a big uproar, particularly for Seon-u, Tae-oh and those around them. Tae-oh accidentally leaves his wedding ring at Gosan Station and Hyun-seo gives it to Seon-u. Da-kyung, who waited for her husband until late at night, is overwhelmed with uncertainty due to Tae-oh's unpredictable actions. Da-kyung finds out that Tae-oh was in Gosan Station when the incident took place and finds blood on his shirt. She is hurt that Tae-oh has been lying to her. Ye-rim tries to get over Je-hyuk. The mystery surrounding the accident continues when it is revealed that there is no record of the CCTV footage in the Station of only that particular day. Yoon-gi addresses the fact that Chairman Yeo has a tail on Seon-u over a meal with him and threatens to reveal the truth about what happened at Gosan Station that night.
12
"Episode 12"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
2 May 2020 (2020-05-02)
Hyun-seo Sees Seon-u meet with Chairman Yeo and thinks that Seon-u is going to frame her. Seon-u tells Chairman Yeo that it was neither her not Tae-oh and that Park In-gyu committed suicide. At the police station, Tae-oh is helped by Seon-u during a police investigation when Hyun-seo says that Tae-oh followed In-gyu to the terrace but Seon-u appears and produces Tae-oh's ring to prove his alibi of him being with Seon-u during In-gyu's death. Tae-oh lashes out at Da-kyung after going home and Da-kyung is unable to understand why Tae-oh can't seem to let go of his attachments with Seon-u and Jun-yeong. In-gyu's death is ruled as a suicide and the case is closed. Jun-yeong faces problems in school as his classmates gossip and spread rumours about his mother over the Gosan Station accident. Seon-u addresses the issue and teaches Hae-gang's mother a lesson. Da-kyung and Tae-oh's relationship worsens. Da-kyung tries to improve her relationship with Jun-yeong, and attempts to convince him to live with her and Tae-oh. Jun-yeong feels like he is in his mother's way and moves in with his dad. Living with his dad is not as rosy as he thought it would be and Jun-yeong misses his mother a little bit; but he overhears Da-kyung say what Seon-u did to get Jun-yeong's custody. Ye-rim considers giving Je-hyuk a second chance. Dejected and finally open to accepting that she should let go of Tae-oh and Jun-yeong, Seon-u packs some of Jun-yeong's clothes and asks Tae-oh to come by to pick them up. What unfolds next between Seon-u and Tae-oh is unexpectedly a complicated sexual encounter resulting from bottled up feelings and emotions.
13
"Episode 13"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
8 May 2020 (2020-05-08)
Jun-yeong, knowing that things can never go back to the way they were, begins to distance himself from his mom; with his kleptomania getting worse, while Da-kyung notices something strange about Jun-yeong's behaviour. Seon-u starts seriously thinking about moving and begins job hunting, but still wanting to discuss it with Jun-yeong. Jun-yeong is later caught up in a fight at school with Hae-gang when he sees Jun-yeong steal a packet of chips from the internet cafe and threatens to tell everyone at school. Hae-gang's injuries are serious but Jun-yeong doesn't seem to show any remorse or care about school at all. Things get serious as Hae-gang's parents are not ready to accept an apology and are approaching the school violence committee to have the matter attended to. Da-kyung talks to Hae-gang's parents and smooths everything out with them; something that Seon-u failed to do despite her best efforts, preventing Jun-yeong from being expelled and asserting her place as Jun-yeong's guardian. Seon-u tries to reach out to Jun-yeong but he refuses to contact or meet her and instead, tells her that everything will be okay when she leaves Gosan and that he is okay with her leaving. This breaks Seon-u's heart, but she starts preparing to leave Gosan. Seon-u goes to talk to Tae-oh one last time about Jun-yeong and his kleptomania and that's when they realise that Jun-yeong slept over at the internet cafe on the same night they had sex. When they talk to Jun-yeong about it, it is revealed that Jun-yeong has been acting out more recently because he came over to his mother's house that night and had seen them together.
14
"Episode 14"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
9 May 2020 (2020-05-09)
Seon-u grows more and more wary towards everything including her job, she decides that it's best for her son if she leaves Gosan and suddenly quits her job at the hospital. Da-kyung's ego is boosted even more when everybody appreciates her for taking utmost care of her stepson. Je-hyuk shows Ye-rim how much he cares for her; how he never realised her worth; how he never realised how much she cared and did for him over the years; and expresses that he cannot live without her as he has realised that love doesn't come in just a physical form. Ye-rim reconciles with Je-hyuk and they start leading a happy life together. Seon-u decides to take a break from everything and leaves Gosan for the time being. Meanwhile, Tae-oh seems lost without Seon-u. Unable to cope with her son's hate for her, Seon-u goes missing, worrying Yoon-gi, Tae-oh and Myung-suk. Yoon-gi abruptly leaves the hospital to go looking for her and Tae-oh follows him. Seon-u goes for a walk on the shore of the beach and remembers the time her parents died; she suddenly walks into the waves. Yoon-gi gets there on time and pulls her out, only for her to cry in his arms. Tae-oh finds Seon-u too and while deeply sad for Seon-u, leaves Yoon-gi to take care of her. Tae-oh tries to respect Da-kyung's way of disciplining Jun-yeong, but the situation moves in an uncontrollable direction when Da-kyung accuses Jun-yeong of hurting Jenny and Tae-oh intervenes, resulting in Tae-oh slapping Jun-yeong. When Seon-u awakes, she calls her son, who she hears crying on the phone asking if she can come get him. When Seon-u arrives, Da-kyung tries to stop Jun-yeong from leaving but he runs into his mother's arms anyway. In the ensuing argument, Seon-u tells Da-kyung to drop the act and obsessing over maintaining a perfect marriage and family and leaves after telling her that Tae-oh slept with her.
15
"Episode 15"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
15 May 2020 (2020-05-15)
Da-kyung asks Tae-oh if he slept with Seon-u when he comes home and he is unable to deny it. Jun-yeong asks Seon-u if they can leave Gosan for good. Seon-u starts making preparations to move the two of them away from Gosan for good. Seon-u promises Jun-yeong that she will always protect and support him no matter what. Tae-oh's actions cause everyone to feel uneasy around him, while Seon-u meets with Chairman Yeo. When Da-kyung visits Seon-u's empty house, she tells herself to think carefully as it could be her last chance to leave behind all the mess she has been facing in her life. Ye-rim catches Da-kyung lurking around in Seon-u's house and tells her how many times Tae-oh came around when Seon-u wasn't home. This upsets her and drives her out of Seon-u's house. Yoon-gi calls and says that he wishes for Seon-u to be happy. The hospital loses most of its patients after Seon-u's departure as she brought in a large number of patients due to her popularity. Ye-rim and Je-hyuk realise that they have to take their relationship slow even though they decided to start afresh. Jun-yeong finally warms up to Seon-u and feels happy living peacefully with his mother. No-eul tells Jun-yeong that she returned the stolen items as he wished, that his friends don't resent him, and that they understand him. Da-kyung shows up to meet Seon-u because of her insecurities and Seon-u tells her that Tae-oh saw in Da-kyung everything that once drew him to Seon-u. Da-kyung has a hard time accepting Tae-oh's patterns and tendencies; but she soon realises the truth for herself and decides to remove Tae-oh from her life once and for all. With help from her dad, Da-kyung files for divorce and moves out of Gosan with her parents, taking Jenny with her. Tae-oh loses everything including his job and social status and is thrown out on the streets. Seon-u offers a little financial help till he can pick himself up, but he turns on her and blames her for all his misfortunes and vows to take Jun-yeong with him one day. A month later, Seon-u returns home to find her son missing and a note that says, "I'll take Jun-yeong with me".
16
"Episode 16"
Mo Wan-il & Kim Sung-jin
Joo Hyun Mike Bartlett
16 May 2020 (2020-05-16)
The scene cuts back to 3 weeks ago - Seon-u and Jun-yeong are living a peaceful and happy life together and Jun-yeong even decided to stay in the same school and cope. Jun-yeong deals with accepting the fact that he will never meet his father again and slowly inches towards completely pushing Tae-oh out of his mind and life. The women in Gosan tread lightly around Seon-u so as to not offend her as they all know who was responsible in driving Chairman Yeo and his family out of Gosan. The scene cuts to a week before Jun-yeong disappears - Je-hyuk feels like he might have just seen Tae-oh. After a dinner with friends celebrating Ye-rim and Je-hyuk's reunion, Seon-u feels like they're being followed by a manly figure; likely Tae-oh. Seon-u tears up and throws away photographs of the 3 of them together but receives a taped-up photograph in the mail. Jun-yeong is triggered by this as he doesn't want to be in contact with Tae-oh ever again and tells Seon-u to stay put and call the cops if needed and not investigate this any further. Ye-rim tells Seon-u that Je-hyuk might have spotted Tae-oh at the bar he frequents. While Ye-rim and Je-hyuk seem extremely happy back together, Ye-rim can't seem to stop doubting Je-hyuk and finds herself unable to forgive him. Myung-suk tells Seon-u that Tae-oh is still in Gosan, which gets Seon-u worried. Seon-u arrives at home to find Jun-yeong missing. It turns out that Tae-oh wanted to say something to Jun-yeong and told him that he would go crazy if he couldn't, which is why Jun-yeong went with him. Seon-u calls Tae-oh and fears something very wrong has transpired but finds them and treats Tae-oh to a meal. Seon-u agrees for them to have a meal together so that Tae-oh can improve his image in his son's eyes one last time; instead, Tae-oh begs Seon-u to take him back and for them to start over as a family again. Seon-u tells him to get his act together and bid farewell to his son one last time. As they leave, Tae-oh tries to throw himself in front of a truck but survives. Seeing his mother go after Tae-oh, Jun-yeong runs away.
A year later, Seon-u is working at the hospital, Tae-oh seems to be in a better place but Jun-yeong has still not returned. Ye-rim and Je-hyuk have split; Ye-rim is happier than ever before and runs her own restaurant/bakery, and Je-hyuk has someone new in his life. Da-kyung is serious about her art gallery but still cannot bring herself to trust another man. The series concludes with Jun-yeong finally coming back home one day to reunite with his mother.
Production
Development and filming
Scenes at Gosan Station were filmed at Gangneung Station in Gangneung, Gangwon Province
The series was directed by Mo Wan-il of the 2018 romance-thriller series Misty. In response to questions about the difference between the series and the British original, Mo said, "While the original is focused more on the main character, in adapting the story for the Korean series, we wanted to portray a whirlwind of emotions to rage around the main character and the people around her". Mo then emphasized that unlike the original series, The World of the Married does not just focus on one person but also focuses on the relationships in which the main female character, Ji Seon-u, is involved with.[20]
The first script-reading was held on September 30, 2019.[21] The primary filming location was in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province,[22] which is the fictional city of Gosan in the series. The Gosan Station featured in the series was shot at Gangneung Station.[23] Much of the filming also took place at an American village called Humphreys Landing, which is Gosan Premium Townhouse Complex in the series, in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province.[24] The crew wrapped up the last shoot on May 12, 2020.[25]
Casting
Kim Hee-ae and Park Hae-joon were confirmed to star in the drama series on September 30, 2019.[7] Park Hae-joon initially said no to the series saying that, "I wanted to do it, but I was worried about whether I could do it well".[26] Speaking to GQ Korea, he revealed that he was hesitant due to the strong extreme traits of the male lead character who cheats on his wife. He also stated that he did not feel confident to give justice to the role of a cheating husband with the needed intensity as he did not have much time to prepare. However, he eventually accepted the offer after talking to a friend.[27][28]
Subsequently, Han So-hee and Lee Moo-saeng were confirmed to join the cast on October 7 and on December 4, 2019, respectively.[29][30]
Content rating
The first to the sixth episodes were fixed at late-night hours so that only those aged 19 or older can watch them under the Juvenile Protection Act. The series's scenes were deemed unfit to be shown to those who are under 19. For the seventh and eighth episodes, they were lowered to allow those aged 15 or older to watch them.[31] However, after facing criticisms from a portion of viewers for including some aggressive scenes in Episode 7 and Episode 8, the rating was altered back to 19 or older starting from the ninth episode.[32]
Broadcast and home video
The World of the Married was originally broadcast on JTBC on Fridays and Saturdays from March 27 to May 16, 2020. It is available for streaming online via Viu in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Myanmar. The series became the most-watched drama on the streaming platform, being watched by more than 55% of Viu's audience in Asia since the beginning of its screening.[1][33] It is also available to stream on Iflix in Southeast Asia with subtitles in Indonesian, English, Malay and Vietnamese.[34] The drama is also available on Netflix and Disney+ in selected territories.[35][36]
"Just Leave Me" Released: April 17, 2020 (2020-04-17)[37]
"Farewell In Tears" Released: April 25, 2020 (2020-04-25)[38]
"The Days We Loved" Released: May 1, 2020 (2020-05-01)[39]
The series's soundtrack is compiled in a two-part album released on May 25, 2020.[40] The album contains 6 original soundtracks and 28 musical scores. The following lists are the track listings for the online streaming of the album.[41][42]
The series emerged as the most-talked-about series in South Korea in the first half of 2020.[43] According to big dataanalytics firm Good Data Corporation, the series ranked first place in the series category with an overwhelming score, achieving an "all-kill" record for its huge online presence in terms of news articles and comments, video views, and blog and community posts and comments. Additionally, various parodies were made about the series by other entertainment programs, Korean celebrities and the online community.[44][45] As a result, the keyword 'adultery', which was considered to be a serious and rarely-discussed topic on Korean broadcasting channels, went beyond the series and became a widely discussed topic on social media.[46]
Kim's fashion and styling in the series also received attention from the public by consistently rising to be the top real-time search term after an episode was aired. The fashion, dubbed as "Kim Hee-ae Fashion" and "Ji Seon-u Style", boosted a style that mixes inner outfit, outer outfit and shoes of similar colors.[47] In addition, premium golf brand St Andrews experienced an unexpected huge burst in sales by about 4,000% YOY in the first two weeks of May after Han So-hee wore its golf apparel in the series. The clothes and hats that Han wore were all sold out in stores across the country for two days after the episode was aired.[48]Emons Furniture also saw its sales volume almost doubled after its products appeared in the series.[49]
Critical response
The series was praised by critics for steering away from the typical revenge storyline and instead focuses on the complex psychology of the characters. Series critic Gong Hee-jung said that it is different from other dramas about conflicts between couples in that it "closely depicted the psychology of the characters in each situation".[50] Edmund Lee of South China Morning Post gave the drama series 4.5 out of 5 stars and called it "one of the best Korean dramas in years" due to its "masterfully scripted story of infidelity and revenge" and "vividly caustic dialogue, melancholic plot twists and some wonderfully convincing performances".[51] Jung Deok-hyun, a pop culture critic, called the series "a great significance", as there have been no Korean television show restricted to viewers over 19 that achieved the same success as The World of the Married and said that the series opened the door for other shows to contain more mature content.[43] According to The Guardian, the drama was praised for its realism with its portrayal of life after divorce and how it broke the way how men are usually portrayed in Korean dramas, as well as featuring plot lines implying issues that were not featured in the original series such as dating violence and the widening social inequality and gender inequality in the Korean society.[52] Storylines about gender discrimination in the workplace were shared broadly on the internet and further prompted many women to share about their negative experiences with male colleagues.[53]
The production team also received positive reviews for their willingness to push the boundaries not only with the story but with their unique filming approach.[13] According to EDaily, the series's success was led by director Mo Wan-il, whose detailed and sensuous directing that focused on the emotions and psychology of the characters differentiated the series from other shows about adultery.[54] Additionally, the success of the series was attributed to the solid performances from the cast, particularly Kim Hee-ae who received rave reviews for her intense and explosive portrayal of Ji Seon-u throughout the series.[55][56]
Meanwhile, culture critic Hwang Jin-mi criticized the series questioning if the portrayal of the main character's fear of being a divorcee fits with society today.[57]
Controversies
The drama series sparked viewer criticisms for a violent scene featured in Episode 8, which was edited from the perpetrator's view similar to what it is in virtual reality.[12] The unprecedented "detailed first-person perspective" of the scene was said to be too aggressive for television and could possibly be a trauma trigger for some viewers. On the other hand, there were viewers who found the "first-person perspective" camerawork to be refreshing and experimental in the Korean drama scene as it added to the overall tension of the moment.[13]
There was also a controversial scene that was deemed to be a "commercialization of sex" in the drama when a female character asked for a luxury bag in return for sexual favours. It was criticized for the manner in which it depicts the theme. After the controversies, the Korea Communications Standards Commission suggested that new measures had to be take to curb inappropriate content on South Korean television, as such plot points promote violence and deliver negative messages about women. Committee member Park Sang-soo claimed that "the scene of the assault is cruel" and that "the scene of the female character demanding the luxury bag shows a disgusting view of women". However, there were differing opinions saying that television should be more bold with more mature content as such situations are realistic.[12] In a meeting held on 27 May 2020, the broadcasting review subcommittee of the Korea Communications Standards Commission decided on the administrative guidance "recommendation" for the drama due to its controversial scenes and the re-broadcasting of the same content during the youth viewing protection hours. As a result, the series received a warning from the broadcasting committee, although no penalty was given to JTBC.[14]
Viewership
Although the series aired on JTBC, a cable channel/pay TV which normally has a relatively smaller audience compared to free-to-air TV/public broadcasters (KBS, SBS, MBC and EBS), after only 12 episodes, the drama series became the most-watched series ever in Korean cable television history according to Nielsen Korea, surpassing the previous record of 23.8 percent set by another JTBC's series Sky Castle. This marked the highest viewership by a series episode aired on a local cable channel and the second-highest for all programs aired on cable networks.[58]
The World of the Married : South Korea viewers per episode (millions)
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Season
Episode number
Average
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
1
1.168
2.141
2.590
3.182
3.074
4.045
3.783
4.362
4.396
5.121
4.804
5.302
4.678
5.385
5.208
6.248
4.093
Source: Audience measurement performed nationwide by Nielsen Korea.[59]
^Choo, Seung-hyun (May 18, 2020). "'Married' Explosive Syndrome". Seoul Economic Daily (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
^Kim, Joo-yeob (May 25, 2020). "'부부의 세계' 히트에 대박난 에몬스가구". Kyeongin Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
