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[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Fated to Love You" Episode 9

"Fated to Love You" is too cute for its own good. It feels like the calm before the storm. Geon has seemingly dealt with his past, choosing Mi-young and their baby. Mi-young is growing stronger as well, bringing the couple closer. The only negatives in the show now are Yong and his scheming mother, and that the build up to the adorable happenings is ridiculously formulaic.

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The show follows very predictable routes to get to the warm and fuzzy adorable scenes, but when they arrive, the moments are very rewarding. Those predictable routes are the show spinning its wheels before a big change. All the signs point to it: Geon's frequent doctor's visits, Se-ra's powerful reappearance, Daniel's escalated rivalry with Geon. Although its using a few redundant methods, the show still manages to develop the Geon/Mi-young relationship in a satisfying way.

Mi-young is very sweet and devoted to the baby and Geon, but she is still weak in standing up for herself. It is Geon who brings out the strength in her by giving her his faith and love. I like that her worries are legitimate though: they do have a contract stating that their relationship will end and she's afraid of what will happen then. It's a valid fear that Geon hasn't had to wherewithal to contemplate until recently. This is what is wonderful about this show: the strengths and the weaknesses of the main couple compliment each other. More than that, the couple, despite their issues, spend time together rather than fighting their difficult situation. It's as healthy as I've seen an onscreen couple in a while. Again, my spidey senses are tingling and I don't think this marital bliss will last very long.

Se-ra has been, for what little screen time she's had, and interesting second lead. She's earnest in her feelings for Geon and her dealings with Mi-young. As a billed second lead (and based on the Taiwanese drama), her role is bound to get even larger. Although it will be annoying to have her step in the marriage, Wang Ji-won is an excellent actress who can bring wonderful nuance into an otherwise annoying character. There was a hint dropped at her real identity this episode, did anyone catch it? More on that in later reviews!

As for Daniel, he is a winning character who is horribly out of line with his behavior towards Mi-young. However, his presence incites jealousy-induced action out of Geon - and it gives birth to lots of wonderful humor involving photoshoot rivalry and Geon's crazy imaginary scenarios. This character isn't quite as winning as the others, mostly because he has very little say in the happenings of the main couple save for his feelings for Mi-young. Choi Jin-hyuk has made him winning enough to like and hopefully the writing of his character will become more compelling as time goes on (and new problems arise).

My biggest complaint is the 2-dimensional characters Yong and his mother. It's a horrible waste of two fine actors and the writers are losing a chance to explore the complicated relations between Geon and his father's mistress and his half brother. Those are rife with possibility for exploration no matter how little. Instead, Yong and his mother are cookie cutter evil. That's boring.
 The next episode will be the transition into the second half of the drama, which better be as strong as this first half or it will fall flat.

Written by: Raine from 'Raine's Dichotomy'

"Fated to Love You" is directed by Kim Hee-won-II, Lee Dong-yoon, written by Jo Jin-gook, Joo Chan-ok and features Jang Hyuk, Jang Nara, Choi Jin-hyuk and Wang Ji-won

 

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