9/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean romance, revenge drama with 12, 70 minute episodes. It is based on a popular web novel of the same name.

First I provide a unique synopsis then Review

Synopsis

Han Yi-joo (Jung Yoo-min) is engaged to marry her childhood friend, Yoo Se-hyuk (Oh Seung-yoon), whom she grew to love. She is the eldest adopted daughter of a family that is low level wealthy with one of their family endeavors being art. Her cold, mostly uncaring of her adoptive mother, Lee Jung-hye (Lee Min young) has made Yi joo’s life miserable yet she still seeks her approval. To gain her mother’s favor, Yi-joo learned to perfectly imitate famous as the standard her mother set to measure her ability. Yi joo’s world crashes down when she learns her mother was passing her imitations iff as authentic and seeks to frame her and that her fiancé was only using her. Emotionally devastated she gets in a near fatal car crash. As she lay dying she wishes for a chance to do it over and get revenge on those who wronged her. Seo Do-guk (Sung Hoon) Is the man her evil younger sister had her talons in and he discovers her duplicity early on, and also the depth of the evil Yi Joo’s family is perpetrating against her.

Review

If you are a fan of revenge dramas this fits that bill while also having a really sweet romances woven through. It ends well and happy.

Spoilers

The evil step mom in this is so thoroughly evil it is hard to imagine what she wouldn’t do. Not only does she abuse and poison Yi joo, she contracts to have people murdered, holds an artist in captivity to have him paint and sell his art, and drugs her husband.

I liked Donguk’s mother, grandmother and sister. They were solidly on Yi Joo’s side when they discovered what her adopted mom had done to her. Jung hye’s cold demeanor and evil plots were like a blend of “Flowers in the attic” and “Mommy Dearest” level evil mother. It was satisfying when she was taken down.