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K-Drama
K-Drama Review: “Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency” Imparts A Beautiful Story On Love And Friendship
Comprising of likable characters, Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency tells the tale of a youthful journey and the various emotions that one comes across at that time
Based on the novel of the same name, Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency steps into the world of three young men who are managing a successful match-making business. Their world turns upside down when one of their commissions ends in failure. The story progresses to show how the unfortunate event affects their fateful journey.
The highly popular drama consists of a youthful cast of Kim Min Jae, Gong Seung Yeon, Seo Ji Hoon, Park Ji Hoon and Byeon Woo Seok. Known for his acting performances in dramas like The Great Seducer and Hit The Top, Kim Min Jae takes on the role of the main protagonist, Ma Hoon who is the founder of the Flower Crew agency and is known for his intellect. Joining him are Park Ji Hoon as Go Young Soo and Byeon Woo Seok as Do Joon who are the fellow members of Flower Crew.
On the other hand, Seo Ji Hoon portrays Lee Soo, a naive blacksmith who ends up becoming the King of the nation. The role of Ma Hoon and Lee Soo’s romantic interest Gae Ddong is played by Gong Seung Yeon.
Title: Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency
Distributor: JTBC
Theme: Romance, Comedy, Historical
Length: 16 Episodes
Broadcast Date: 16 September 2019 to 5 November 2019
Main Leads: Kim Min Jae, Gong Seung Yeon, Seo Ji Hoon, Park Ji Hoon, Byeon Woo Seok
Highlights: Adorable Friendship Moments, Balanced Screen Time For All The Character Arcs
Overall Rating: 
Re-watch Value:
Related Drama: Hwarang, King In Love, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
Quick Plot Roundup
The Flower Crew which consists of members Ma Hoon, Young Soo and Do Joon are the most famous and successful match-making agency in Joseon. Blacksmith Lee Soo wants to get married to Gae Ddong, an energetic girl full of spirit. He hires the agency for arranging his marriage with Gae Ddong.
However, unbeknownst to anyone, Lee Soo is also the son of the King. With the King and his older half-brother dead, the responsibility of ruling over the nation falls upon him. On the day when his wedding with Gae Ddong is supposed to take place, the royal guards take him away. Crisis ensues for the crew and Gae Ddong when she ends up at the altar alone.
To earn her living and find Lee Soo, Gae Ddong takes a refuge under Ma Hoon and joins their agency. While at the royal palace, Lee Soo has to adapt to his new lifestyle while also steering clear of enemies.
The story has a good mix of love, friendship, rivalry and politics. It discloses on how each of the characters copes with the changes that have occurred in their lives and grow to overcome them.
Highlights
Adorable Friendship Moments
There are many fluffy and heart warming moments throughout the entire drama series that one cannot help but gush over them. The relationship among the Flower Crew members serves as the backbone for the drama.
Cook up a good bromance and friendship to the story, and it makes the drama even more entertaining. Ma Hoon and Young Soo’s relationship is something to die for. Even with their disagreements and fights, they still care for each for each other. Young Soo is like a younger brother to Ma Hoon whom he cherishes a lot.
On the other hand, Ma Hoon and Do Joon’s friendship is based on their mutual respect for each other. They do not outwardly show their affection yet they both understand each other and do not need words to express themselves. Their heart to heart talk on love and relationships was relatable.
Gae Ddong and Young Soo’s love-hate relationship too is extremely adorable. There is mutual dislike but there is love too.
Balanced screen time for all the character arcs
Each of the characters has their own story to tell which led to their present thus making the audience to empathize with them even more. Be it Ma Hoon’s disbelief in love because of what happened to his brother, Gae Ddong’s stubbornness to keep her name so that she can meet her brother or Do Joon’s way of life because of his insecurities with abandonment, they all have a story that defines their character.
Out of all, Lee Soo’s character arc is the most dramatic. His character had to go through a lot of changes. From living as a blacksmith to becoming the king, he faced multiple challenges in his journey. He had to consistently dodge the political conspiracies while was also at the risk of losing the person he loves.
As for Young Soo, his arc picks up pace in the second half of the series. It was interesting to see Young Soo’s backstory which also explains his motives and the reason for his actions. Even though this was Park Ji Hoon’s return in the acting field after a long time, he impressed with portrayal of Young Soo.
Recommendation
The creators of the drama have done a great job in focusing on the developmental journey of all the characters. Usually romance dramas tend to focus only on the story of the lead couple, thus not utilizing the potential of the other characters. But this drama captured the progress of each of the characters and gave a balanced screen time to show the built-up of the characters.
Also, there are a lot of things that are going on in the story from the political conspiracies to the romance blossoming at Flower Crew. Yet, they all come together perfectly and do not overwhelm the audience with loads of content.
In the acting department too, the performances are worth applauding. Seo Ji Hoon does a commendable job in reflecting the emotions of uneasiness caused by the complexities of situations. While the veteran actors in the drama, Park Ho San and Jung Jae Sung uplift the drama as the antagonists.
Image Credit: JTBC
