Couple Breaker
Review
Writer: Maenggi Ki
Artist: Taegeon
Publisher: Webtoon
Format: Webtoon
When news of their cheating exes going on a dating reality show is spread, Taerin and Yoonsik follow a crazy plan to get revenge by auditioning for the same show as a fake couple. With plenty of spicy drama, Couple Breaker will have readers immersed in its fun, lively story.
Couple Breaker
ReviewWriter: Maenggi Ki
Artist: Taegeon
Publisher: Webtoon
Format: Webtoon
When news of their cheating exes going on a dating reality show is spread, Taerin and Yoonsik follow a crazy plan to get revenge by auditioning for the same show as a fake couple. With plenty of spicy drama, Couple Breaker will have readers immersed in its fun, lively story.
As dating reality shows have become all the rage in South Korea over the past few years, it’s no surprise that more manhwa titles have started incorporating this engrossing theme in their stories. Couple Breaker is one such title. The spicy new series also marks the first collaboration between Maenggi Ki, the creator of My ID is Gangnam Beauty! and No Longer A Heroine!, and Taegeon, the artist behind the gorgeous webtoon To Love Your Enemy. Needless to say with a creative team like that, Couple Breaker is a series filled with fun drama and beautiful characters. Continue reading for a closer look at the entertaining story catching many readers’ eyes.
Overview
Fame, money, and possibly a new love? The latest and spiciest dating reality show called “Couple Breaker” has it all, featuring an attractive cast of supposedly real-life couples and a daring concept that tests the loyalty of their relationships. However, the opportunity for more success doesn’t do much to interest Yang Taerin and Bong Yoonsik. Both are glad just dating their partners Chu Gyeongmo and Gong Ju-a, respectively. But unbeknownst to them, Gyeongmo and Ju-a harbor greedy ambitions for fame. After being cheated on by their lovers for one another, Taerin and Yoonsik quickly form an alliance to appear on the dating show with them and expose their deceitful exes.
Image: Webtoon
Review
The plot of Couple Breaker is rather straightforward, focusing on Taerin and Yoonsik as they set out to get revenge on Ju-a and Gyeongmo. Truthfully, I didn’t find it difficult to speculate what would happen to the cheating couple with Taerin and Yoonsik coming up with various schemes to shatter their faux image. But despite this predictability, the way the story dramatically unfolds, alongside the tangled relationships of the main cast, makes the webtoon feel fresh and exciting to read. All four leading characters are three-dimensional, even though two are undeniably terrible partners. The contrast between the former and current couples makes things all the more intriguing as the story develops.
The events of the webtoon all stem from a chance meeting between social media addicts Ju-a and Gyeongmo. Together, they ignite a dreadful spark that leads to the demise of their previous seemingly healthy relationships. Of course, sweet memories are futile for the ones cheated on, and Taerin and Yoonsik take the betrayal pretty hard. But when the crazy idea of going on “Couple Breaker” crosses Taerin’s mind, her plot for revenge becomes more taut. It’s when the show begins that the real fun of the webtoon starts. The story shows how the ex-couples share plenty of bitter and resentful feelings toward each other, as you’d expect. And like any good Korean reality dating show, the messiness of the characters and dynamics in Couple Breaker is what makes the webtoon oh-so-fun to follow. On one side, you have Taerin and Yoonsik out for blood. Then on the other side, there’s Ju-a and Gyeongmo scrambling to keep their innocent image intact. In his drama-filled series between two clashing couples, Taerin’s eye-catching personality stands out the most. Seeing her play with Gyeongmo’s emotions and sway his heart occasionally is wonderfully satisfying. And while Yoonsik isn’t as bold, he does subtly lead Ju-a into a few emotional traps. It’s always a gratifying read whenever the schemes Taerin and Yoonsik come up with to terrorize their horrible exes work exactly how they planned.
Image: WebtoonIn fact, quite a few of the schemes in the story are prompted by the show’s “pandora missions,” which are specific tasks that the cast must do to win prize money in addition to what they earn from initiating physical contact with the opposite sex. Those aspects are perhaps the most absurd elements of the show’s various rules. While “Couple Breaker” is mostly inspired by existing dating reality shows like Heart Signal, which is often considered the original Korean dating program, and EXchange, the webtoon presents some outlandish and fun twists to the formula that are only possible on the medium. There are even events reminiscent of Single's Inferno with flashy games during a beach trip. All these influences combined make the fictional show feel more realistic and offer a familiar space for Korean dating show enthusiasts like myself.
Moreover, while the four leading characters get most of the screen time, the manhwa also spotlights the other participants every so often, making the story more well-rounded. There’s Yuri and Nuri, a couple who have broken up and gotten back together over ten times, and Sanghee and Mongju, who have been faithfully dating for ten years. With their impressive and contrasting backstories, it’s been engrossing how other couples in a story start to mix and match as well.
Image: Webtoon
Final Thoughts
There’s little doubt that if “Couple Breaker” was a real dating reality show, it’d almost certainly gain much buzz just from its daring concept alone. With its compelling cast and good production, this spicy and fun show has the recipe for success. As it currently stands, the webtoon Couple Breaker features an entertaining depiction of the fictional dating program as the main characters’ tangled web of relationships further intrigues readers. Whether or not Taerin’s and Yoonsik’s plan is truly worth the risk, in the end, remains up in the air. But for now, readers can expect to enjoy a dramatic spectacle as their revenge plot against deceitful exes continues.
Who This Is For:
- Readers who enjoy revenge plots.
- Readers who like seeing contract relationships.
- People who regularly watch reality/entertainment shows.
Who This Is Not For:
- Readers who don’t enjoy overly dramatic storylines.
- Readers who want a fast-paced romance between the main characters.
- Readers looking for a sweet and wholesome story.