K-Drama Review: Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency | Viki Original Series on Netflix
Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency is a Viki Original Series, released in 2019, which is now streaming on Netflix. Based on a popular webtoon.
Who are the Flower Crew?
- Ma Hoon (played by Kim Min-jae),
- Young-soo (played by Park Ji-hoon), and
- Do Joon (played by Byeon Woo-seok)
The Flower Crew are three (3) unmarried handsome fashionable young men who arrange marriages for everyone except themselves. The word “flower” in K-dramas is used to refer to young women eligible for marriage. Often these marriages are arranged by professional matchmakers. The Joseon Marriage Agency are professionals who enjoy an excellent reputation. It is said that every couple that they matched together lives happily ever after FOREVER!
Ma Hoon (played by Kim Min-jae), Young-soo (played by Park Ji-hoon), and Do Joon (played by Byeon Woo-seok) each have their own back story. With each episode, you get to learn a little more about their life, their personality, and how they ended up becoming this awesome matchmaking trio.
A Marriage Proposal is Offered
A young man named Lee Soo (played by Seo Ji-hoon) works alongside his father as a blacksmith. He is content to live the life of a commoner and would be even more content if he could marry Gae-Dong (played by Gong Seung Yeon).
Gae-Dong? What an awful name. It means “dog poop”. What’s her story? She’s a runaway slave and who cares what the name of a slave is? So folks call her Gae-Dong. She and Lee Soo grew up together and are very close … friends. But Lee Soo wants to be more than friends. He proposes marriage. At first, she is reluctant because she is committed to finding her long-lost brother. She does not want to commit to anything else. But Lee Soo convinces her that he would gladly share the responsibility of finding her brother. So she agrees to the marriage.
A Matchmaking Offer is Refused
Lee Soo is ecstatic that Gae-Dong has agreed to marry him. He excitedly approaches the Flower Crew and asks them to arrange his marriage. Ma Hoon, the head of the Agency, REFUSES. What??? Why??? He tells Lee Soo plainly that the marriage won’t work! Those two should not be together! He has enough experience to know when a relationship has no chance of surviving. He flat-out refuses to match them together. Lee Soo flat-out refuses to accept Ma Hoon’s refusal. He visits the Agency day after day until he eventually gets Ma Hoon to arrange the marriage ceremony.
Where is the Groom? Did he run away?
On the day of the marriage ceremony, Lee Soo doesn’t show up for the wedding because …?? He was kidnapped! He is certain his kidnappers have made a mistake, but he can’t convince them. They’re pretty sure they’ve got the right guy. It is through this incident that Lee Soo learns his true identity. He’s not a blacksmith. He’s a Crown Prince who is to be crowned King of Joseon. This is his new reality, but he wants his old reality where he was going to marry Gae-Dong.
Meanwhile, Gae-Dong doesn’t know what to believe. Did Lee Soo desert her? Did he get killed? What happened to him?!! Now she has to search for her long-lost brother and her missing fiancé. If only it hadn’t rained on her wedding day. For her, rain has always been a sign of bad luck!
NO SPOILERS
If I reveal any more about the story, you’ll have no need to watch the series. It’s 16 enchanting episodes and the title of each episode is the name of a flower. Episode 1 is titled “A Divine Match: Plantain Lily”; and Episode 16, the last episode is titled “Blossom for Eternity and Never Wither: Rose of Sharon”. Not only are the episodes interesting; but you will learn a lot about flowers. Did you know that tea made from the aster flower is good for warming your body?
♦ This K-drama series is based on the popular webtoon of the same name by Kim Yi-rang who also wrote the script for the series.
♦ Viki viewers gave this series a Rating of 9.3/10 and I agree. At the end of January 2023, the episodes started streaming on Netflix. It is now available on both Rakuten Viki and Netflix. Take your pick. Either way, you will be delighted. Watch on Viki -OR- Watch on Netflix
My Favorite Thing About This Series
My favorite thing about this series was the titles of the episodes. Each episode was named for a flower.
- A Divine Match: Plantain Lily
- Shyness: Hydrangea
- Longing: Zinnia
- Shyness: Peony
- A Secret Love: Wind Flower
- A Fluttering Heart: Silk Tree
- A Second Chance: Peppermint Flower
- Unachievable Love: Resurrection Lily
- A Love Kept Hidden in My Heart: Marguerite
- Pitiful Love: Marigold
- Lies: Morning Glory
- I’m Worried About Your Love: Aster
- Hope: Bellflower
- The Return: Shiny Mint
- Don’t Touch Me: Wolfsbane
- Blossom for Eternity and Never Wither: Rose of Sharon