Normally, I am employed as a teleserye writer.
But, like everyone I know during these not-very-normal times, I am not at work. I am at home, and I am binge-watching.
I am also trying to avoid stress—which means I have to avoid stories that induce anxiety—given our already stressful world. So I have been entertaining myself with comedy, food shows, light romance, and, yes, even coming-of-age stories, mostly on Netflix.
Until a friend texted me, “Nakakagalit yung A World Of Married Couple.”
I hadn’t heard about that K-Drama before this, but I know him, and when he says something is "nakakainis,” that means it’s had an effect on him. So out of curiosity, I googled. And I learned that the K-Drama doesn’t fall under any of my favored lockdown genres—not comedy, for sure; not exactly a food show; definitely not light romance; coming-of-middle-age, maybe.
Out of curiosity, I downloaded Viu on my phone—and I was taken to the world of Sun-woo and Tae-Oh.
The title alone, A World Of Married Couple, tells you that this is the story of a happily married couple. Of course, we all know that in the soap universe, when "happily" and "married" are on the scene, "infidelity" and "betrayal" cannot be far behind. Otherwise, why produce the series at all?
The first episode is a rollercoaster of emotions as we get acquainted with our couple, initially portrayed as happy and perfect, until the hints start flooding in—a red lipstick on Tae-oh’s jacket, a strand of long red hair in his scarf, the usual things that trigger a wife’s suspicions.
As I join Sun-woo in her search for answers, I cannot help but compare A World of Married Couple with some of our local teleseryes with infidelity themes.
Warning: Spoilers Alert!
No Pasabog Openings
A World of Married Couple opens quietly, with the female lead walking into her beautiful home and unwrapping a family portrait.
Six minutes into the episode, I already know that Sun-woo is a well-respected doctor married to an indie film director, that he is a sloppy guy and she is a neat freak, that she likes taking charge, and that, together, they have a young son.
Halfway into the hour-and-a-half long episode, and I know I will not be able to turn this thing off until I find out who is threatening to break Sun-woo and Tae-Oh’s marriage.
Local TV normally resorts to fiesta scenes or sweeping drone shots of mountain ranges or other big pasabog scenes to introduce the problem and the characters.
In our local drama series, PHR Presents: Paraiso (2012), where I was part of the writing pool, we were compelled to write in a literal sumabog-na-barko scene in the very first episode. It was the only way, in these parts, to merit being called a pilot episode.
Not A Family Saga
In A World Of Married Couple, what you see in the title is what you get—the story of two people inside a marriage.
No long and winding backstory about which dysfunctional family raised them. Just a few flashback scenes of a crucial moment in Sun-woo’s life, but they're enough to make the viewer understand where she’s coming from.
The story does not go beyond what the title implies. It’s not Halik, where you expect a rigodon between two married couples and then get a much-richer backstory of betrayal among the lead characters’ parents.
Missing The Kilig
If A World of Married Couple were filmed Filipino-style, we would probably witness the adventures of Sun-woo and Tae-Oh as childhood sweethearts during its first week of airing (maybe until the second or third week, if the child actors portraying the young couple are too cute and bring in the ratings), until they are torn apart by a family tragedy.
But the creators didn’t think it necessary to get us kilig about how Sun-woo and Tae-Oh met and fell in love, much less how Tae-Oh met his young and beautiful mistress, Da Kyung.
Fair enough, as it is clear from the very start that this is an infidelity story.
A Woman Scorned
Sun-woo is a tough woman, successful in her field, holding a position of power, and known for being principled.
So, when she makes the decision to get back at her husband by hooking up with Tae-Oh’s accountant and her friend’s husband, I am a bit shocked.
I can imagine most Pinoy viewers feeling the same, considering our more conservative culture.
That is why when we—those of us who create local teleseryes—decide to take that path, we make it a point to set it up well. If the scorned Filipina wife has to cheat on her husband, it has to be with someone she was always destined to be with, otherwise she loses the sympathy of viewers. And to redeem herself, she has to pay dearly for her sin.
Child In The Middle
For any married couple on the brink of separation, the most difficult question is who gets the kids.
It is a powerful soap device—whether it be a K-drama, a local, or an international series—to bring back the audience’s amor for any protagonist in the wrong.
When the couple’s only child, Joon-young, decides to live with Tae-oh, I rally behind Sun-woo as she tries to get her son back, completely forgetting her own infidelity and scheming. Nothing like a mother’s pain and sacrifice to win back not only her son but the sympathy of viewers as well.
Learned Lessons
Like any other watch-worthy drama, A World of Married Couple ends with a change in the characters, their lessons learned after their lives have been turned upside-down.
The ending is as I expected, but I doubt I would expect the same if it were a local series.
We as a nation are suckers for happily-ever-after endings. No matter how much we’ve been hurt and betrayed, there’s always room for forgiveness in our hearts—and in our teleseryes.
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Bing Castro Villanueva is a writer for ABS-CBN teleseryes. She worked as a head writer for the afternoon shows Precious Hearts Romances: Paraiso (2012), Precious Hearts Romances: Hiyas (2012), Nasaan Ka Nang Kailangan Kita (2015), and The Greatest Love (2016).
She also worked as one of the writers for the teleseryes It Might Be You (2003), Precious Hearts Romances: Alyna (2010), and Pure Love (2014).
She is currently one of the writers of Maalaala Mo Kaya, the longest-running drama anthology in Asia.
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