Would You Marry Me? : Old-School Drama Charm or Curse?

Introduction

The recently aired Would You Marry Me? is considered a light-hearted, cliché-filled Korean romcom that deliberately evokes the feel of classic “old-school” K-dramas (for example: Full House, a 2004 drama with a similar contract marriage theme). “Old-school” Korean dramas (K-dramas) typically refer to influential series from the 1990s and 2000s that were instrumental in the Korean Wave (Hallyu). These often feature classic tropes like the “rich guy/poor girl” dynamic, fake relationships, and love triangles.

As a reminder, this article is not meant to review the drama itself. I will write about how the use of classic K-drama tropes as a plot device can either be nostalgic (charm) or despised (curse). In general, the criticism of the overuse of tropes is not unique to Would You Marry Me? but also many other romance dramas. Not only K-dramas but also romance dramas from every country in the world, as long as there are human interactions.

I used Would You Marry Me? as a case study of exploring the use of romantic clichés, which either accept a nostalgia/charm of the “old-school” dramas, or are despised/receive backlash because of the predictable/boring/overused plot. As usual, besides the main discussion, I will also put all drama details and a mini review. I will not list all the clichés used in this drama, or I will spoil everything for readers who haven’t watched it yet.

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Drama Info

Drama title: Would You Marry Me? (Native title: 우주메리미 )
Alternative titles: U Ju Meri Mi
Genres: Historical,  Comedy, Romance, Drama, Family
Aired: 10 Oct, 2025 - 15 Nov, 2025
Episodes: 12 |  Duration: 1 hr 10 min.
Directors: Song Hyun Wook ( 송현욱 ) and Hwang In Hyeok ( 황인혁 )
Screenwriter: Lee Ha Na ( 이하나 )

Where to watch: Disney+ and Hulu

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Trailer

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OST

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Synopsis

Two strangers enter a 90-day fake marriage to claim a luxury townhouse prize. (Source: Hulu)

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Characters

Relationship Chart

Main Characters

Supporting Characters

Kim U Ju’s family

Myungsoondang Marketing Team Members

People Around Me Ri

Beauté Department Store

Kim U Ju’s family (Me Ri’s former fiancé)

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Old-School Drama Charm or Curse?

Trope versus cliché

Firstly, I often read that the words “trope” and “cliché” are used interchangeably. However. they’re not the same.

A trope is a neutral term for any recurring literary or storytelling device, convention, or theme. Tropes are considered the basic building blocks of all fiction and are essential for genre recognition and narrative shorthand. For examples:

• Romance: Enemies to lovers, forbidden love, love triangle, etc.
• Mystery: Amateur sleuth, cryptic messages, red herrings, etc.
• Horror: Abandoned places, cursed artifacts, haunting sounds, etc.

A cliché is a trope that has been overused to the point of being unoriginal and predictable. It often indicates a lack of original thought or lazy writing from the author/screenwriter. A cliché is predictable and uninspired because they are always handled in the same way without innovation. Eventually, it leads to “trope fatigue,” where the audience becomes bored, predicting the outcome with little interest. For example, a love triangle is the trope, and the clichés might be lots of misunderstandings and a third party who becomes obsessed and wants to ruin the relationship. The trope fatigue? The audience despised love triangles of any form.

As an analogy, a trope is like a well-known recipe that you can adapt and experiment with to create a new dish. Meanwhile, the cliché is the stale version of that same recipe that you’ve made and eaten countless times before. Got it?

The tropey themes and messages of the drama

Let’s see if you can recognize the tropes used in Would You Marry Me? themes.

Fake Marriage vs. Real Love. The central theme is how a marriage of convenience, initially a 90-day business deal to win a luxury home, gradually develops into a genuine emotional connection. The drama plays with the blurred line between what is pretend and what becomes real love, suggesting that true intimacy can be found in unexpected circumstances.

Second Chances and Starting Over. Me Ri is at a low point after a broken engagement and a housing scam. The fake marriage offers her a second chance at stability and happiness. This theme of picking oneself up after failure is central to her character arc.

Trust and Vulnerability. As the characters navigate their living situation, they are forced to be vulnerable and build trust, which is a significant challenge given Me Ri’s ex-fiancé’s betrayal. The drama emphasizes the importance of trust in a healthy relationship.

Societal Expectations vs. Personal Happiness. Like many K-dramas, Would You Marry Me? addresses traditional Korean family values and expectations surrounding marriage, contrasting them with individual desires for personal happiness and living life on one’s own terms. The unconventional setup of their relationship challenges traditional notions of how a couple “should” meet and marry.

Personal Growth. U Ju (Choi Woo Shik) and Me Ri undergo personal growth as they learn to compromise, rely on one another, and confront their past traumas and character flaws.

I could see that fake marriage, second chance, trust issues, Korean family values/expectations, and personal growth are tropes, with the first trope being unique to the romance genre.

The criticisms of this drama

Now, let’s read what people who have watched Would You Marry Me? thought about this drama. To be neutral, both positive and negative criticisms were summarized from several review sites:

POSITIVE Criticism

• Praise for Chemistry and Acting. Jung So Min and Choi Woo Shik had great chemistry and strong acting performances. Their characters’ relationship dynamic makes a usual rom-com drama captivating.
• “Old-school” Vibe. The use of familiar tropes, such as contract marriages, childhood connections, and a wealthy, wealthy male lead paired with a poor female lead, appeals to many viewers seeking a comforting, nostalgic experience that offers a fun, feel-good escape.
• Light-hearted Tone. Despite some dark subplots, the drama is still considered light-hearted, making it an easy watch and a good break from more intense shows.

NEGATIVE Criticism

• Formulaic Plot. A common criticism is that the drama heavily relies on existing K-drama clichés and the marriage of convenience trope, leading to a highly predictable plot.
• Pacing and Editing Issues: Annoying and dragged-out subplots with excessive screen time dedicated to the other U Ju (Seo Bum Jun) and his family, as well as the current U Ju’s (Choi Woo Shik) uncle.

• Controversial scene. Episode 6, involving illegal filming and victim-blaming, generated significant backlash. In the scene, Yun Jin Gyeong, the doctor, and Baek Sang Hyeon, U Ju and Me Ri’s neighbor, are jogging. A lady suddenly collapses. Jin Gyeong starts helping the lady right away. She was wearing normal sports clothes, and nothing was wrong with them. Then two guys show up and start filming her chest while she is trying to save the woman. Instead of confronting those perverts, Baek Sang Hyeon puts a jacket on her and tells her to cover herself. The scene made it look like she did something wrong just because of her clothes.

You see, the overused cliché is the foremost negative criticism in Would You Marry Me? The plot relies heavily on overused tropes and coincidences. Of course, because this drama is not a live adaptation from any novel or Webtoon, the screenwriter was put to blame. Her writing is described as formulaic, predictable, and not groundbreaking.

It’s a romance drama after all

Why are there so many romance-focused dramas being produced?

On the business side. Media production companies often include romance to attract specific demographics, particularly female viewers, who statistically watch a significant amount of shows on TV, video streaming, mobile phones, and social media. Romance is a universal and relatable human emotion that appeals to a vast audience, which in turn helps maximize viewership and profitability. Studios and production companies often operate on formulas that have been researched and proven to be successful and profitable. Including romance, both as the center or a subplot, is definitely an economically calculated move.

On the writer’s side. Sometimes, creating a romance story is easy writing. Romance provides strong storytelling tools, such as a natural source of conflict, emotional engagement, and character development. Seeking or maintaining relationships is a very common type of conflict, making it a simple and familiar subject for writers to explore.

On the audience’s side. Romantic storylines offer viewers a form of escapism, allowing them to retreat into a world where love is central and ultimately prevails, providing comfort and hope.

With so many romance dramas being produced/released, and watched, it’s natural that the stories are predictable because they rely on familiar tropes, established story structures, and audience-pleasing conventions that provide comfort and satisfaction. These include predictable conflicts, such as misunderstandings or a third-act crisis, and a happy ending. While some viewers enjoy the familiarity, others seek novelty within these structures, which is why execution and fresh twists are key to making them feel less stale.

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My Thoughts on the Drama

Initially, I thought of writing a review for Would You Marry Me? However, after watching the drama and planning the writing outline, the usage of clichés and the old-school vibe stood out as the main topic. In the end, I decided to write this editorial article. However, since I already made an outline draft to review the drama, consider below as my mini review of this drama:

Story

• I was well aware of the tropes before I started watching it, because it was stated in the more detailed synopsis by MyDramaList. Fake marriage, cohabitation, and second-chance romance. However, there are clichés that I couldn’t stand, for example, childhood connection. I won’t go further to list other clichés used in this drama.
• I don’t like the annoying subplots and excessive screentime of the obsessive ex and the uncle.

Acting (+1.0)

• The off-chart chemistry of Choi Woo Sik and Jung So Min. In fact, I started this drama because I like Choi Woo Sik and have watched some of his dramas.
• I also love the subplot of the secondary couple. Their romance development is slow-burning but realistic.

The second couple Baek Sang Hyeon and Yun Jin Gyeong

Visualization (+1.0)

• As a visual person, the pastel color palettes in the poster and other promotion materials attracted me the most. The cinematography is carefully crafted to be visually appealing, using clean compositions and color palettes that complement the romantic and melodramatic themes of the show.

My rating for this drama was based on MyDramaList’s scoring system, which is from 0.0 to 10.0. For any drama/movie/show I completed, I gave a minimum rating of 6.0 to appreciate the hard work of the production team, and to adjust to MyDramaList’s overall score base. From the additional score above, my final rating is 8.0/10.

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Conclusion

To conclude this article, in my opinion, the cliché overuse of Would You Marry Me? a real bother, despite the K-drama old-school promise to leave the audience feeling nostalgic. For those who have watched many romance dramas, experiencing boredom is a common phenomenon. It often stems from genre fatigue and the predictable, repetitive plotlines that are common in the genre.

If you haven’t watched the drama and still want to give it a try, focus on different aspects beyond the main plot. Pay attention to the chemistry between the main characters, the secondary couple, beautiful cinematography, or the many OSTs (a total of 9 songs).

At the end, whether the old-school K-drama vibe in Would You Marry Me? is a charm or a curse, it is totally subjective to the watcher’s unique drama experience.

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