Marriage, Not Dating (Hangul: 연애 말고 결혼; RR: Yeonae Malgo Gyeolhon) is a 2014 South Korean television series starring Yeon Woo-jin, Han Groo, Jeong Jinwoon, Han Sunhwa, Heo Jung-min, and Yoon So-hee.[1][2] It aired on tvN from July 4 to August 23, 2014 on Fridays and Saturdays at 20:40 for 16 episodes.
Plot[edit]
Wealthy plastic surgeon Gong Ki-tae has no interest in getting married; marriage is all shop girl Joo Jang-mi dreams about. In an effort to get his parents off his back about the constant string of blind dates and marriage prospects, Ki-tae purposely brings Jang-mi home to meet his parents posing as his girlfriend, certain that they’ll never approve of her.
Cast[edit]
Main characters[edit]
- Yeon Woo-jin as Gong Ki-tae
- A 33-year-old successful plastic surgeon with an abrasive personality. Ki-tae enjoys solitude too much to settle down, much to the dismay of his parents.[3][4]
- Han Groo as Joo Jang-mi
- A 29-year-old girl who earnestly believes in true love despite her countless failures in previous relationships. As an employee at a luxury brand shop, she is surrounded by luxury products, but has none of her own. Although her age and socio-economic class make her an unattractive bride in the “marriage market,” Jang-mi still wants to find the right man to marry, because her greatest fear is being alone.[3]
- Jeong Jinwoon as Han Yeo-reum
- A restaurant waiter with aspirations of becoming a chef. Though playful and sweet, Yeo-reum’s painful past (his mother abandoned him as a child) makes him push away anyone who gets too close. But he finds himself falling for Jang-mi.[5][6][7]
- Han Sunhwa as Kang Se-ah
- Like her former fiance Ki-tae, Se-ah is a rich, single plastic surgeon, plus her father is a hospital director. After their break-up, Se-ah’s convinced everyone (including herself) that women can do without men. In order to get pregnant, she begins to blackmail Ki-tae into giving her his sperm.[7]
- Heo Jung-min as Lee Hoon-dong
- The owner of an upscale restaurant, and Ki-tae’s best friend. Hoon-dong once dated Jang-mi but broke her heart and even accused her of being a stalker. But when she gets over him, he regrets his actions and begins pursuing her again.[4]
- Yoon So-hee as Nam Hyun-hee
- Jang-mi’s coworker who wants to hit the jackpot by marrying a rich man. Hyun-hee develops real feelings for Hoon-dong after their one-night stand.
Supporting characters[edit]
- Kim Hae-sook as Shin Bong-hyang, Ki-tae’s mother
- Seemingly cold and aloof, she’s obsessed with marrying off her son Ki-tae, but he constantly thwarts her schemes.
- Kim Kap-soo as Gong Soo-hwan, Ki-tae’s father
- A doctor who’s cheating on his wife with a younger mistress.
- Im Ye-jin as Na So-nyeo, Jang-mi’s mother
- She and her husband run a chicken and soju restaurant, and are constantly bickering.
- Park Jun-gyu as Joo Kyung-pyo, Jang-mi’s father
- He and his wife are so happy and excited to have a future doctor son-in-law, that Jang-mi is unable to tell her parents the real score between her and Ki-tae.
- Park Hee-jin as Gong Mi-jung
- She gets bribed by her sister-in-law Bong-hyang into tailing Ki-tae and Jang-mi, hoping to find proof that their relationship is fake.
- Kim Young-ok as Noh Geum-soon
- Ki-tae’s grandmother, and the only member of his family who approves of Jang-mi.
- Lee Bo-hee as Hoon-dong’s mother
- A wealthy widow who dotes on and spoils her only son.
- Choi Hyun as Chef Uhm
- He works at Hoon-dong’s restaurant where he is skimming off the profits. He is also antagonistic towards Yeo-reum.
- Lee Yeon-kyung as Soo-hwan’s mistress
Cameo/guest appearances[edit]
- Lee Han-wi
- Nam Ji-hyun as Ki-tae’s blind date (ep 1)
- Choi Dae-chul
- Heo Jun
- Ahn Hae-sook
- Kim Jung-min as Power blogger with a plastic surgery addiction (ep 13)
- Julien Kang as Richard Bernstein (ep 14)
Ratings[edit]
Episode # | Broadcast date | Title | Nationwide |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 July 2014 | The polite way to break up | 0.85% |
2 | 5 July 2014 | Widespread advantageous kindness: Maintaining your fishpond | 1.36% |
3 | 11 July 2014 | Being happy on your own | 1.75% |
4 | 12 July 2014 | For whom we cook pancakes | 1.57% |
5 | 18 July 2014 | Words I can only say to you | 1.90% |
6 | 19 July 2014 | Me, who looks alone, isn’t alone, but seems alone | 1.51% |
7 | 25 July 2014 | It’s okay even if it’s not okay | 2.21% |
8 | 26 July 2014 | Marry me if you can | 2.13% |
9 | 1 August 2014 | One night in a faraway place | 2.38% |
10 | 2 August 2014 | The thing you should keep hidden until the very last moment | 2.00% |
11 | 8 August 2014 | Confession (Go back) | 2.61% |
12 | 9 August 2014 | Will sincerity get through? | 1.97% |
13 | 15 August 2014 | Don’t lean and don’t expect | 3.31% |
14 | 16 August 2014 | Sorry for not being cool / Thanks for not being cool | 2.05% |
15 | 22 August 2014 | Two women who love one man | 2.28% |
16 | 23 August 2014 | Nevertheless, marriage | 1.62% |
Average | 1.97% |
SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA