The currently popular South Korean drama "Wife's Temptation" (read related reviews) has not only swept across South Korea, but also garnered a huge following in China. However, this hit series has been accused of plagiarism due to similarities between the lead female character's plight and revenge plotlines with those of ATV's classic drama "Hardened Heart". Below, let's take a look at the four major similarities between the two dramas.
1. Being pregnant and dumped, forced to miscarry
In "Hardened Heart", Shen Wenhao, who comes from a humble background but is determined to rise up, faces repeated setbacks in his career. Ambitious Wenhao approaches Tang Minming, the daughter of tycoon Tang Junnian, in order to climb the social ladder and join the upper class. To get rid of his already pregnant girlfriend Fang Xiaoxin, Wenhao marries Tang Minming. He pretends to go on a trip to Thailand with Xiaoxin, but plants drugs on her, leading to her arrest in Thailand. In prison, Xiaoxin is beaten and miscarries, while her family, who went to Thailand to rescue her, encounters a plane crash en route, resulting in their deaths.
In "Wife's Temptation", Encai is kicked out of her home by her husband Qiaobin while she is pregnant. The womanizing Qiaobin, in order to smoothly marry Aili, takes Encai to the hospital for an abortion under Aili's instigation. Encai pleads with Qiaobin to spare her unborn child, but the obsessed Qiaobin, seeing Encai's unwillingness to abort the child, forcibly takes her to the beach and pushes the non-swimmer into the vast sea. Although Encai is rescued and survives, she loses her precious child as a result.
Although Wenhao and Qiaobin are different - one is an ambitious man with great aspirations, the other is a good-for-nothing - both men are heartless towards the women they once liked, even towards their own flesh and blood.
2. Saved by a benefactor and reborn after death
In "Hardened Heart", Fang Xiaoxin suffers greatly in a Thai prison after being framed by Wenhao, and miscarries after being beaten. Fortunately, she meets General Chalong in Thailand, and with his help, Fang Xiaoxin, who was sentenced to death for drug possession, escapes death and regains her freedom. Xiaoxin uses her talents to gain Chalong's trust and is reborn as General's wife, Mrs. Li Muching. Upon returning to Hong Kong, Xiaoxin decides to use Chalong's wealth and power to seek revenge against Wenhao, who caused her family's ruin.
In "Wife's Temptation", after being pushed into the sea by her ex-husband Qiaobin, Encai is fortunately saved by Jianyu, the adopted son of Mr. Min, and coincidentally stays in Jianyu's house, reborn as Jianyu's missing sister Min Suqi. After the death of her unborn child at the hands of her biological father, Encai decides to launch a frenzied revenge against the Qiaobin family, who killed her child and caused her family immense pain. Mr. Min, who originally harbored hostility towards Qiaobin's father, becomes Encai's strongest supporter.
Aside from the similar plotline where the female lead is saved by a benefactor and reborn after death, the two dramas also feature the benefactors showing meticulous care and deep affection towards the female leads.
3. Glamorous transformation to seduce enemies
In "Hardened Heart", Fang Xiaoxin is favored by General Chalong because she resembles his deceased wife, Mrs. Li Muching. The general rescues Xiaoxin from execution, and Xiaoxin is reborn as General's wife, Mrs. Li Muching. To seek revenge against the unfaithful Wenhao, Xiaoxin continuously learns various social etiquettes and financial knowledge, transforming into a strong woman, Mrs. Li Muching. To make Wenhao experience the feeling of being abandoned by a loved one, Xiaoxin uses her beauty to seduce Wenhao, causing setbacks in his career, and deliberately sows discord between Wenhao and his wife Tang Minming, leading to Wenhao's downfall in the Tang family.
In "Wife's Temptation", after her rebirth, Encai buries her past at the seaside and begins learning tango, golf, foreign languages, makeup, etc., making a dazzling debut as a capable and alluring career woman, Min Suqi. Under the enchanting temptation of Encai's tango, the unreformed Qiaobin is spellbound and gradually falls into the trap set by Encai. Meanwhile, the venomous Aili ends up betrayed by everyone and is driven out of the house by Qiaobin according to Encai's carefully planned scheme.
In both dramas, the female leads start anew with new identities after narrowly escaping death, and these new identities are always the closest people to their benefactors. Both protagonists' revenge processes involve first diligently studying various knowledge to enrich themselves, then using their beauty to seduce their enemies after their glamorous transformations, in order to seek revenge.
4. Unconcerned about consequences, frenzied revenge
In "Hardened Heart", Fang Xiaoxin, blinded by hatred, spares no means and sets numerous traps to seek revenge against the unfaithful Wenhao who caused her family's ruin, even using her beauty to seduce her enemy. Although Xiaoxin's revenge causes Wenhao to face crisis after crisis, Wenhao manages to escape danger each time and becomes the new media tycoon. Wenhao's extraordinary good luck makes Xiaoxin lose faith in justice, deciding to fight fire with fire. Xiaoxin sets a trap, pretending to be killed by Wenhao, making Wenhao the murderer of General's wife, Mrs. Li Muching. Wenhao is sentenced to death for murder, and the sin-laden Wenhao finally pays a heavy price for his actions. Having completed her revenge, Xiaoxin swallows poison and dies together with Wenhao.
In "Wife's Temptation", Encai is unable to extricate herself from the painful abyss of revenge. Encai clearly likes Jianyu, but she cruelly hurts Jianyu for revenge and returns to her ex-husband. Before Encai's sword of revenge strikes her enemies, it has already deeply pierced herself and the person she loves, leaving her battered and bruised. However, in order to seek revenge against her despicable ex-husband, Encai disregards her own pain and wildly swings her sword of revenge, wanting to bury herself and her enemies together.
It is not the first time that South Korean dramas have been accused of plagiarizing Chinese films and TV series. However, when it comes to plots, they are always copying each other, and over time, it becomes a habit.