The Matchmakers: The Matchmakers
December 28, 2023 5:19 AM - Season 1 (Full Season) - Subscribe
A young widow moonlights as a successful matchmaker, and is joined by a young widower prince. The two reluctantly join forces to marry off the eligible singles in their society, but perhaps the greatest match is the one they don't expect.
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Zapzee Review: A Charming and Quirky Take on Marriage Mayhem - "Recently, the trailer for the drama The Matchmakers garnered attention, particularly among people interested in traditional attire, praising the accuracy and beauty of the costumes featured. The screen grabs with detailed explanations of high-quality gats (traditional hats men wore), pink official robes, and hanboks made with fine silk using the traditional “flat cutting” method sparked widespread interest. The Matchmakers is a fusion historical drama that portrays the comedic efforts of a widowed man and a widowed woman teaming up to pair up those who haven’t married yet. The show, with its cute yet not-too-light storyline, distinct characters, and solid structure, offers a refreshing take on the genre."
Movieweb - Why This New Historical K-Drama Is Trending: "The Matchmakers is one of the most highly-rated Korean dramas this year. The popular historical K-drama follows the story of Shim Jung Woo (Rowoon) and Jung Soon Deok (Cho Yi Hyun). Jung Woo is an arrogant, brilliant, handsome young man with ambitions to become Premier. After being the top student in the civil service exam, Jun Woo is on his way to attaining the government position he had dreamed of. However, his plans are thwarted when his father tells him that the king wants Jun Woo to marry the princess. Jun Woo is displeased by the news because Joseon law states that the son-in-law of a king is not allowed to hold a government position. He has no choice but to marry the princess because refusing to honor the king’s command is considered treason. Matchmaking was all the rage in the Joseon era. Several people flocked to matchmakers to find the perfect wife or husband. Soon Deok is a young widow who lives a double life as a matchmaker. She came from a noble family who had no idea that she was one of the best matchmakers in Hanyang City. Soon Deok is incredibly intuitive and can tell whether a couple is well-matched. She does not buckle under the pressure of interfering mothers who think they know which man best matches their daughter. Her belief in love and happy endings are the driving forces that help her make the best matches in the city."
Dramabeans show page
MyDramaList show page
Zapzee Review: A Charming and Quirky Take on Marriage Mayhem - "Recently, the trailer for the drama The Matchmakers garnered attention, particularly among people interested in traditional attire, praising the accuracy and beauty of the costumes featured. The screen grabs with detailed explanations of high-quality gats (traditional hats men wore), pink official robes, and hanboks made with fine silk using the traditional “flat cutting” method sparked widespread interest. The Matchmakers is a fusion historical drama that portrays the comedic efforts of a widowed man and a widowed woman teaming up to pair up those who haven’t married yet. The show, with its cute yet not-too-light storyline, distinct characters, and solid structure, offers a refreshing take on the genre."
Movieweb - Why This New Historical K-Drama Is Trending: "The Matchmakers is one of the most highly-rated Korean dramas this year. The popular historical K-drama follows the story of Shim Jung Woo (Rowoon) and Jung Soon Deok (Cho Yi Hyun). Jung Woo is an arrogant, brilliant, handsome young man with ambitions to become Premier. After being the top student in the civil service exam, Jun Woo is on his way to attaining the government position he had dreamed of. However, his plans are thwarted when his father tells him that the king wants Jun Woo to marry the princess. Jun Woo is displeased by the news because Joseon law states that the son-in-law of a king is not allowed to hold a government position. He has no choice but to marry the princess because refusing to honor the king’s command is considered treason. Matchmaking was all the rage in the Joseon era. Several people flocked to matchmakers to find the perfect wife or husband. Soon Deok is a young widow who lives a double life as a matchmaker. She came from a noble family who had no idea that she was one of the best matchmakers in Hanyang City. Soon Deok is incredibly intuitive and can tell whether a couple is well-matched. She does not buckle under the pressure of interfering mothers who think they know which man best matches their daughter. Her belief in love and happy endings are the driving forces that help her make the best matches in the city."
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Leads Rowoon and Cho Yi Hyun were absolutely adorable. The use of the 4th-wall-breaking 'reality show confessional' schtick throughout was fun and unexpected in a sageuk. The palace intrigue plot never devolved into being a sea of look-alike-ministers scheming/gloating or dominating the rom-com plot. Park Ji Young as the left state minister's wife (female lead's mother-in-law) was a terrific antagonist.
I'll have to give this one a rewatch someday, as I did get a little confused on some plot points with there being so many side characters in the matchmaking shenanigans. But I think I'm to blame on that, not the show's writing/direction, which was top-notch.
posted by oh yeah! at 5:46 AM on December 28, 2023