Fantasy Couple, or Couple or Trouble as it's also known by, is a 2006 Korean TV melodrama about a mismatched couple. I see they're calling it Fantastic Couple here on IMDb, so if you're having trouble tracking it down, try the aforementioned titles (or its Korean title) instead.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
This series is essentially a Korean take on the U.S. movie "Overboard", i.e. the movie that starred Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell as a mismatched couple about 20 years prior (Man, I'm getting old). It's virtually the same exact plot really, except it's played out here over the course of a 16 episode Korean melodrama series. If you're not familiar with the plot of Overboard, or this particular show, it is precisely as follows:
1. Single handyman is trying to make ends meet for himself and the young brats he has to care for. 2. Handyman does some side work on the yacht of a snooty rich women to make a few bucks. 3. Snooty rich women falls overboard at sea and wakes up some time later with amnesia. 4. Handyman contrives a plot to convince snooty rich amnesia woman that she is actually the main squeeze in his life, and the women in charge of the brats & household chores. 5. Hi-jinks ensue, along with character growth, and perhaps love, etc.
Once I realized this was the exact same plot as Overboard, I was a little concerned to see how this would work in a series format. In retrospect though, this story is almost better suited to be a series, as it allows for events to unfold in more a naturally flowing way over time. As such, there's plenty of room & time for growth among the characters as they develop their individual relationships, feelings, and so forth, as the series progresses. Ultimately, it's pretty effective in the way it goes about telling its story over the course of a series format.
Your two leads are played by Han Ye-seul and Oh Ji-ho. Oh Ji-ho is likable enough as the earnest handyman trying to scratch out a living for himself and his kids (or is it nephews he has to care for?...I can't quite remember). I can only recall seeing this actor in a few other things, but he seems to get the job done well enough in everything he's in, and, he's pretty effective here. Although he's concocted this terrible plan to deceive an amnesia victim, you still want to root for him to succeed for the most part. He's basically kind hearted, and there are eventually many moments where he's torn between doing the right thing and keeping his crazy scheme going for the benefit of himself and his kids, and ultimately for the benefit of woman he's deceiving.
Han Ye-seul. Hmmmm. I'm not quite sure what to make of this woman as an actress at the moment. She's a stunning beauty, of course, but she hasn't really had a lot of roles to date since she relocated to Korea to find more work outside of what Hollywood has to offer Asian actresses. She's plenty capable though here in her role as the rich & rotten woman who finds her heart and soul over time, and like her counterpart in this series, you'll eventually want to root for her to succeed as well. She was so adorable in Penny Pinchers, but she also has somewhat of wild crazy look in her eyes in many of her other performances that would lead me to believe she would be well suited to take on some more darker aggressive/progressive roles. If Korean TV/Cinema ever wants to remake/make something like "Fatal Attraction" Korean style, sign this woman up quick for the lead. I very much want to see her be given some more grittier roles, and, it's high time somebody put this actress through her paces, so we can see what she's got to offer, and to see if her somewhat untapped potential (IMO) can be realized.
The rest of the cast is primarily filled out by the amnesia victim's husband (who stands to make a fortune if his wife is declared dead), the young brats who come to look upon the amnesia victim as their surrogate mom over time, and, some other side characters. They are mostly all serviceable or better throughout.
This show is pretty agreeable overall, and it's enjoyable enough. It's one of the "lighter" Korean TV shows out there, and there's not a lot of "groan inducing melodrama" involved, which is often refreshing when it comes to watching these shows (for me anyway). It's basically more of a simple tale of people finding out more about themselves and who they want to be/should be in life, with a love story thrown in along the way. It works.
Bottom line: I feel it's probably in the 7-8 range out of 10 stars. I'll give it a 7, despite my GF's insistence that it be ranked higher. Certainly a recommended watch though, if you're familiar with, and into, this type of stuff!
