We Got Married is a variety show with a simplistic but oddly fascinating premise- “arrange” a marriage between two celebrities and film what happens. The fascinating part comes with the unexpected fake relationship dynamics, the staged cohabitation that never happens, the inevitable meeting with the “in-laws”, and the emotionally fragile idea of throwing someone into a situation where they have to pretend to be married to a person who may or may not like them, an individual who will be linked permanently to them via the media.
I first started watching this show for the sweet potato couple (CN Blue’s Yonghwa and Girls Generation’s Seohyun) and kept watching it for the same reasons I used to sneak in Real World marathons back in the day. There is always the feeling that next episode is the episode that you have been waiting for- hence the show’s addicting nature.
WGM is currently airing its 4th season. The S4 couples:
The Couples
Julien Kang (To The Beautiful You) & Yoon Se ah ( A Gentleman’s Dignity)
Julien Kang is a multi lingual actor born to a Korean father and French mother. His brother is a MMA fighter (as my mother likes to remind me). In 19th century speak he is quite the handsome gent, shy of a dandy and definitely not a fop.
Yoon Se ah, most recently seen in My Love Madame Butterfly is probably best known for her role as Im Tae san’s love interest in A Gentleman’s Dignity. Se ah has also appeared in such popular dramas as Lovers in Prague and City Hall. She is 4 years older than Julien, giving us our own WGM version of the Noona romance (which has been sweeping the drama world in the last year).
Lee Joon (MBLAQ) & Oh Yeon Seo (Baby Faced Beauty)
Lee Joon is a dancer and singer with the group MBLAQ. As he states in his first WGM episode his specialty is tearing his shirt off. Oddly, I have no problem with that.
Oh Yeon Soo is an actress whose most recent claim to fame is the weekend drama You Who Rolled in Unexpectedly. She is currently starring in the daily family drama Oh Ja-Ryong is Coming.
I would be a liar if I did not admit that this is my favorite couple of season 4. They bring enough innocence, passion, and sheer possessive will to make their future as stalkers not appear that far off.
Hwang Kwang Hee (ZE:A) & Han Sunhwa (Secret)
Kwang Hee is ZE:A’s resident comic, a member of a boy band that does equally well on the variety circuit. Confident in his own fame he is never shy in letting others know just how great he is.
Sunhwa is the maknae of the girl group Secret. She has appeared on variety shows and in two dramas (small parts). On the variety show Invincible Youth she gained fame with her likable but not too bright white paper character.
S4 has welcomed many format changes, including a WGM village and group trips. No longer are we watching twenty to thirty minute segments on each couple- about a third of the episodes in season four feature all three couples interacting with each other as they complete challenges, go on dates, or take care of the WGM village business. I applaud the PD’s desire to move forward with an altered format, I have my own reservations about the changes. Henceforth is my take on WGM Season 4- The good and the bad…
The Good
The Couples Village
The day is long gone where the only co-stars of WGM are the band and label mates of the “married”. We now have a village and plenty of situations where our couples need to interact. This new dynamic gives WGM a fresh set of situations to throw our couples into- no longer are we only visiting dorms or eating out with friends. Now we have the camaraderie of others tossed into the same awkward situations, brothers in fake-marriage arms if you will.
The Mature Couple
Julien Kang and Yoon Se Ah are a welcome sight and a good balance to the younger couples. While WGM has had mature couples in the past, these two feel right for season four and the idol heavy lineup. They definitely exhibit the type of fake relationship that can only be had once one has waved goodbye to their twenties. And yes, I am kind of serious.
A Precedent
With season four the couples of WGM have three past seasons worth of couples to live up-to. In past seasons the comfort level between couples was slower to develop. S4 shows us that the couples that went before taught our newbies how it was done. Now hold hands already!
The Bad
Kwanghee and Sunhwa (Sort of)
I feel that this couple is like your relationship with an annoying little brother. You spend 95% of the time greatly annoyed but as time goes on (and your brother grows up- or maybe you loose some maturity) you start to appreciate it for what it is. When I first watched this couple I was beyond annoyed- both of them have such strong personalities that can be a little too in your face at times. It was not until the last four episodes or so that I actually found myself liking this pair. They are bizarre enough and silly enough together to work. Frivolous, narcissistic, they take some time getting used to but once you reach the spot where they are funny this couple is pure viewing pleasure.
The Couples Village
Wait…wasn’t this a good thing? Well yes and no. It is good in that it gives us some fresh situations but it is downright ugly when it takes away from what WGM did well in past seasons- making each couple spend their time together, learning about each other and the respective friends and families. True there was always the fluke couple get-together (haunted house challenges anyone) but the majority of the time was spent one on one or in the company of each other’s friends. Now we find the couples together a lot, which while not inherently bad at all times, can make for a halt in overall couple bonding as well as a push towards a more competitive and less honest fake marriage premise (which is completely contradictory, I know). WGM I love your fake emotions!
