We’ve all had our fair share of the marriage contract trope. You know how this goes: two people reluctantly enter into a fake/forced marriage. Though they’re antagonistic towards each other at first, the animosity eventually blossoms into something real after they tide through a series of unexpected events together. Though it’s been tried and tested one too many times, there’s just something about this cliché formula that we can’t get enough of especially when it comes in the form of K-dramas.
If you’re just like us, below we list down 15 dramas about marriage contracts that will surely get your heart racing.
1. Full House
Watch on: Netflix, YouTube
Han Ji-eun, an aspiring scriptwriter, inherits the house built by her late father. However, after falling for a scam set up by her own friends, she unknowingly loses the property after it’s sold to Lee Young-jae, a famous but selfish actor. To keep her hold on to the house, she agrees to enter into a contract marriage with Young-jae who’s simply out to make his crush jealous. Forced to live together, the two warring personalities soon learn that maybe there’s more to the other than meets the eye.
Starring: Song Hye Kyo, Rain, Han Eun Jung
2. Marriage Contract
Watch on: Netflix, Viu
After learning of her terminal illness a poor and widowed mom, Hye-soo, buried in her late husband's debt, stops at nothing to save up money for her daughter once she passes. When her boss offers her a proposal she can't refuse, she agrees to be his wife for three months, in hopes of leaving her seven-year-old with a legal guardian.
Starring: Lee Seo Jin, Uee, Kim Yong Geon
3. Princess Hours
Watch on: Viu
Based on an online manhwa, Princess Hours is set in an alternate universe where Korea’s monarchy has endured up until the present day. The series is centered on the feisty and bubbly Shin Chae-gyeong who’s world is turned upside down upon learning of her late grandfather’s will: to marry the aloof Crown Prince Lee Shin. Resistant at first, she eventually agrees to the marriage in order salvage her debt-ridden family.
Starring: Yoon Eun Hye, Ju Ji Hoon, Kim Jeong Hoon
4. The King 2 Hearts
Watch on: Netflix, Viu
Humorous and carefree, South Korea’s Prince Lee Jae Ha wants little to do with his family’s political affairs. His blissful life, however, is overturned in the blink of an eye when a national catastrophe puts him on the throne. Caught in the negotiations between South Korea and North Korea, he’s forced to marry Kim Hang Ah, an elite North Korean police officer, in hopes of keeping the peace between the two countries.
Starring: Lee Seung Gi, Ha Ji Won, Jo Jung Suk
5. Because This is My First Life
Watch on: Netflix, Viu
A house poor-man and a homeless woman decide to marry and become housemates in order to save money. Their plan hits a snag when they're forced to not only deal with prying in-laws, but their own growing feelings for each other as well.
Starring: Jung So Min, Lee Min Ki, Lee Som
6. Lie to Me
Watch on: Netflix
In a bid to save face, Gong Ah-jung, an employee at the Ministry of Culture, entangles herself in a web of lies when she tells her antagonistic friend that she’s married to hotel CEO Hyun Ki-joon. When rumors of the supposed secret marriage spreads, the wealthy president seeks out Ah-jung to make her publicly retract the lie. Before the latter can get the chance to do so, the pair go through a series of events that eventually lead them to believe that being married for the time being would be beneficial for both of them.
Starring: Yoon Eun Hye, Kang Ji Hwan, Sung Joon
7. You are My Destiny
Watch on: Netflix
When Lee Gun, the heir to a large company, and Kim Mi-young, an ordinary-looking secretary, have too much to to drink, their one-night stand results into the latter getting pregnant. Deciding to take responsibility for their actions, the two agree on a shotgun wedding and soon have to learn how to navigate their strange marriage.
Starring: Jang Hyuk, Jang Na Ra, Choi Jin Hyuk
8. Something About 1%
Watch on: Viki
Lee Jae-in, the formidable heir to a wealthy family, must enter into a sham marriage to secure his grandfather's inheritance. To fulfill this arrangement, he enters a six-month contract with Kim Da-hyun, an elementary school teacher handpicked by his grandfather. Unbeknownst to both, the teacher had previously rescued the grandfather, adding a twist to their initial interactions. Starting off on the wrong foot, with the heir pushing for a genuine relationship while the teacher suspects a marriage scam, "One Percent of Anything" unfolds as a romantic drama exploring the consequences when their feigned connection becomes unexpectedly genuine.
Starring: Ha Seok Jin, Jeon So Min
9. Prime Minister and I
Watch on: Viki
At the age of 42, Kwon Yul becomes South Korea's youngest prime minister, known for his impeccable integrity. Widowed for seven years after his wife's tragic car accident, he takes on the challenge of single-handedly raising his three children. Despite his public image, Yul secretly grapples with the complexities of parenting, lacking even the most fundamental skills. Nam Da-jung, a journalist from Scandal News, initially seeks a sensational exposé on Prime Minister Kwon to support her ailing father. However, her pursuit leads to unexpected consequences as they enter a contract marriage, eventually discovering love in the most unlikely circumstances.
Starring: Im Yoon Ah, Lee Beom Soo
10. Love in Contract
Watch on: Prime Video
Choi Sang-Eun excels in her role as a contract marriage master. Her expertise lies in orchestrating the ideal single life for her clients, where she skillfully transforms herself to meet their unique needs. Jung Ji-Ho, a mysterious man, has engaged in a marriage contract with Sang-Eun for five years, scheduling their encounters on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. However, the popular actor Kang Hae-Jin enters into a marriage contract on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, Sang-Eun becomes entangled in a love triangle with her two clients.
Starring: Park Min Young, Go Kyung Pyo, Jae Young Kim
11. Marriage, Not Dating
Watch on: iQIYI, WeTV
Plastic surgeon Gong Ki-tae is a proud bachelor with no interest in marriage. To stop his family’s relentless matchmaking attempts, he introduces Joo Jang-mi as his girlfriend, confident they’ll disapprove. What starts as a scheme to escape blind dates turns into an unexpected journey as the two navigate their fake relationship.
Starring: Yeon Woo Jin, Han Groo, Jung Jin Woon, Han Sun Hwa, Heo Jung Min, Yoon So Hee
12. 100 Days My Prince
Watch on: iQIYI, Netflix, Prime Video, WeTV
After a failed assassination attempt leaves Crown Prince Lee Yul with amnesia, he ends up in the care of Hong Shim, a strong-willed woman living in the countryside. Bound by a law he once passed, the two enter a marriage of necessity. As Lee Yul adjusts to life as a commoner, their connection deepens—but everything changes when his memory returns.
Starring: Do Kyung Soo, Nam Ji Hyun, Kim Seon Ho
13. The Story of Park's Marriage Contract
Watch on: Viu
On her wedding night in the 19th century, Park Yeon-u loses her husband to a hidden heart condition. Kidnapped and thrown into a well, she wakes up in modern Seoul, saved by Kang Tae-ha—a man identical to her late husband. Despite his past trauma and aversion to relationships, Tae-ha agrees to a contract marriage with Yeon-u to honor his dying grandfather’s wish.
Starring: Lee Se Young, Bae In Hyuk, Joo Hyun Young, Yoo Sun Ho
14. Perfect Marriage Revenge
After discovering her husband loves her sister, painter Han I-ju dies in a car accident and wakes up in the past—before her ill-fated engagement. Determined to rewrite her future, she ends her engagement and proposes a contract marriage to Seo Do-guk, the charming heir to Taeja Group. While their arrangement starts as a ruse, Seo Do-guk hopes it will lead to something real.
Starring: Sung Hoon, Jung Yoo Min, Jin Ji Hee, Kang Shin Hyo, Oh Seung Yun
15. When the Phone Rings
Watch on: Netflix
Baek Sa-eon, Korea’s youngest presidential spokesman, leads a high-profile life shaped by his prestigious political lineage. Married for convenience to Hong Hee-joo, a mute sign language interpreter, their distant relationship takes a drastic turn when Hee-joo is kidnapped. As Sa-eon races against time to save her, their lives and fractured bond face a life-altering reckoning.
Starring: Yoo Yeon Seok, Chae Soo Bin, Heo Nam Jun, Jang Gyu Ri
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