If you’re into K-dramas, we found the perfect Pinoy teleserye that’s as equally romantic and heartfelt as your favorite Hallyu series — ABS-CBN’s “Marry Me, Marry You”!
All the essential components that you love in K-dramas can be found in the Paulo Avelino-Janine Gutierrez starrer. As the story soon reaches its climax, Andrei and Camille (Paulo and Janine) will have to find a way to overcome their relationship problems before their families, who are slowly unraveling a complicated history, totally tear them apart.
Here are the themes in “Marry Me, Marry You” that got us hooked thanks to its K-drama vibes:
1. Janine and Paulo’s bickering dynamic
No matter how many times we come across shows with male and female protagonists who fall in love despite their clashing personalities, we still always end up loving every little bit of their story. Thankfully, Camille and Andrei give this dynamic justice.
Camille and Andrei couldn’t stand each other when they first met. But all of that changed when Camille’s undeniable charm became too much for Andrei to resist. The cutest moments so far in “Marry Me, Marry You” are when Andrei flashes a rare smile as Camille effortlessly sweeps him off his feet with her bubbly and caring personality.
2. The snobbish rich guy and the smart, quirky female lead
Andrei seems to have it all – good looks, a rich family, and a successful business. Despite Andrei’s stuck-up attitude, viewers instantly fell in love with Andrei’s character because of the ‘prince charming’ vibe he gives off. To top it all off, viewers also develop a soft spot for Andrei when he becomes vulnerable as he comes to terms with his personal struggles that stem from his distant relationship with his family.
Camille, on the other hand, radiates positivity and warmth. Unlike Andrei, Camille comes from a simple family and is almost always ready to lend a helping hand to someone who needs it. Camille also never loses sight of who she is – she knows her strengths, is fiercely smart, and is great and passionate at what she does. In fact, it was Camille who helped Andrei secure approval for a major business proposal.
3. Cute yet simple gestures that make for a picture-perfect scene
Some of the subtle elements that complete a true romantic K-drama are the cute gestures between the couple, which consist of heart-fluttering back hugs and dramatic moments when the guy shields the girl from the pouring rain.
As someone who isn’t fond of outright expressing his feelings, Andrei shows his love to Camille through his actions. The scene wherein Andrei gave Camille an unexpected back hug as they stood by the beach made for a swoon-worthy moment. Another fan-favorite was when Andrei arrived in slow-mo like a true ‘knight in shining armor’ to share his umbrella with Camille when she was drenched from the rain.
4. A love square that complicates the romance
The ‘second male lead syndrome’ is a recurring theme in K-dramas when the equally charming second male lead attempts to woo the female lead. But just to spice up the already complicated love story, a love square makes everything better.
In the series, Andrei faces a brotherly rivalry when his best friend, Cedric (Jake Ejercito), passionately declared his love to Camille. However, Cedric’s efforts came up short when Camille put him in the friendzone. Andrei’s ex-girlfriend, Patricia (Iana Bernardez), on the other hand, is nowhere close to giving up her love for Andrei as she grows more jealous of his blossoming romance with Camille.
5. Disapproving in-laws
Romantic relationships are never really smooth-sailing at the beginning because of disapproving in-laws who make it their goal to tear the relationship apart. In Andrei and Camille’s case, Laviña (Teresa Loyzaga), Andrei’s conniving step-mother, pursues her evil schemes to destroy their romance just for the sake of giving Andrei a hard time.
Then there’s also Emilio (Edu Manzano), Andrei’s estranged father, who will do everything in his power to break up the two especially after finding out that his ex-girlfriend Elvie (Cherry Pie Picache), is Camille’s godmother and second mom.
6. Heartwarming storylines and characters
K-dramas can instantly put you in a good mood because of its quirky vibe, but most of them also offer heartfelt stories that play with our emotions. “Marry Me, Marry You” strikes the perfect balance between light-hearted, fun moments and heartwarming developments that surely tug at the heartstrings of viewers.
Aside from the uncontrollable laughs we experience thanks to the cheerful trio of godmothers Elvie, Paula (Sunshine Dizon), and Marvi (Vina Morales), the three of them also highlight important family values that leave viewers weeping because of how much they resonate with us. Another major highlight is how Camille is slowly helping Andrei with his personal issues, which underlines his character development throughout the series.
7. Male and female lead characters already met during their childhood
Destiny plays a big part in K-dramas wherein the male and female lead characters discover later on that they actually already met during their childhood – giving them all the more reason to believe that they are truly destined for each other.
The same is true for Andrei and Camille, who recently found out that Camille was the little girl who saved Andrei from drowning at a resort. This discovery proved to be a turning point in their relationship because this was also the blissful moment when they shared their first kiss.
8. A gripping “impossible love” conflict
Is it really a K-drama without underlying conflict to the point that the main characters have to make life-defining decisions? “Marry Me, Marry You” tackles intertwining and interesting plot twists that are very much complicated.
Andrei loves Camille, but holds a grudge against his mom Elvie for abandoning him when he was younger. Unfortunately, Elvie also happens to be Camille’s godmother and her second mom. Because of their complicated relationships, Andrei struggles in deciding whether he should save his relationship with Camille and overcome his deep-seated anger by finally forgiving Elvie. Camille, on the other hand, loves her family unconditionally and would definitely choose her loved ones over Andrei if she was forced to choose between them.
Don’t miss “Marry Me, Marry You” airing weeknights at 9:25 PM on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, TV5, Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, iWantTFC, WeTV, and iflix. Viewers who use any digital TV box at home such as the TVplus box only need to rescan their device to be able to watch “Marry Me, Marry You” on TV5 and A2Z. For viewers outside of the Philippines, catch it on The Filipino Channel on cable and IPTV.
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