Hey, everyone! How’s it going? Today I’m here to review the drama Fatal Promise, which delivers an emotionally charged story of broken promises, shattered trust, and the devastating consequences when someone sacrifices an innocent person to save their own family, leading to a fierce revenge seven years in the making.
Fatal Promise premiered on KBS2 on March 30, 2020, and aired every weekday at 19:50 (KST) until August 28, 2020, consisting of 104 episodes that chronicle Cha Eun-dong’s transformation from upright citizen to vengeful survivor. This South Korean television series was produced by Mega Monster, directed by Kim Shin-il and written by Ma Ju-hee, starring Park Ha-na, Go Se-won, Kang Sung-min and Park Young-rin in a story that explores themes of betrayal, sacrifice, and the burning desire for justice. Available on multiple platforms including Plex, Google Play, and various streaming services, this daily drama became a powerful example of Korean melodrama storytelling.
The series tackles the devastating impact of broken promises and the moral complexity of survival, showing how good people can be pushed to their limits when those they trust most choose their own families over keeping their word. With compelling performances and emotional depth, Fatal Promise manages to deliver both satisfying revenge scenarios and sobering commentary on loyalty, sacrifice, and the price of betrayal.
Eun-dong’s Fall from Grace Through Betrayal
Cha Eun-dong has always been an upright citizen who has stood up against injustices. Coming from humble beginnings, she has also practiced patience. Unfortunately one day her family is cast into turbulence after she is betrayed by the one person she confides in. Kang Tae-in makes a promise to Cha Eun-dong that is vital to her and her family, but he breaks his promise to save his own family, causing the complete destruction of Eun-dong’s world.
Fatal Promise excels at showing how betrayal by trusted individuals can be more devastating than any natural disaster, demonstrating how broken promises can destroy entire families and transform good people into instruments of vengeance. Eun-dong’s journey from patient, upright citizen to someone consumed by revenge provides the emotional foundation that drives the entire series.
Cha Eun-dong: From Victim to Vengeful Phoenix
Park Ha-na delivers a powerful performance as Eun-dong, showing both the patient, justice-loving woman who believed in doing right, and the reborn avenger who emerges from devastating betrayal with a completely different understanding of how the world operates. Her character development demonstrates how extreme injustice can fundamentally alter someone’s moral compass and approach to life.
What makes Eun-dong particularly compelling is how she maintains her intelligence and determination even while being consumed by the burning fire of vengeance, showing viewers someone who uses her pain as fuel rather than allowing it to destroy her completely. Her transformation from victim to strategist creates a satisfying character arc that explores the psychology of revenge.
Kang Tae-in: The Man Who Chose Family Over Honor
Go Se-won portrays Tae-in, the man whose broken promise destroys Eun-dong’s family, creating a complex character who isn’t entirely villainous but whose choices have devastating consequences for innocent people. His character represents the moral complexity of survival situations where protecting your own family means sacrificing others.
The dynamic between Eun-dong and Tae-in creates compelling dramatic tension as both characters must confront the consequences of his choice and her response, showing how one moment of betrayal can create years of conflict and pain that affects multiple families and innocent bystanders.
When Seven Years of Planning Meets Justice
The series reaches its most intense moments when Eun-dong and Tae-in reunite after seven years, with her carrying the burning desire for revenge and him facing the consequences of his broken promise. These episodes showcase how time can intensify rather than heal certain wounds, especially when injustice has never been acknowledged or addressed.
The confrontation between past trust and present revenge creates genuinely suspenseful drama as viewers watch both characters navigate the complex territory between justice and vengeance, love and hatred, forgiveness and retribution.
Success on KBS2 and Streaming Platforms
Fatal Promise achieved solid performance during its KBS2 weekday evening slot, taking over from “Gracious Revenge” and maintaining audience engagement throughout its 104-episode run. The series has found international success on streaming platforms including Plex, Google Play, and various services accessible through JustWatch, where viewers can access the complete series with subtitles. The daily drama format allowed for deep character development and complex plot exploration that has attracted viewers who appreciate psychological complexity in revenge narratives. Fatal Promise represents KBS2’s commitment to emotionally powerful melodramas that explore moral ambiguity while delivering satisfying dramatic payoffs.
The Perfect Revenge Melodrama for K-Drama Enthusiasts
If you love stories about broken trust, long-term revenge planning, and the moral complexity of choosing between family loyalty and keeping promises, Fatal Promise is the perfect series to binge on KBS2 or international streaming platforms. This series proves that some betrayals create wounds so deep that only justice can begin to heal them.
When Trust Dies, Vengeance is Born
Fatal Promise delivers a powerful exploration of how broken promises can destroy lives and create cycles of revenge that span years, showing that sometimes the most devastating betrayals come from those we trust most deeply.
Series Details
Number of Episodes: 104 episodes
Platform: KBS2, Plex, Google Play, various streaming platforms
Release Year: 2020
Current IMDb Rating: Not available
Genre: Drama, Romance, Melodrama, Revenge
Production Type: Korean drama (K-drama)
Status: Completed series
Protagonists: Park Ha-na (Cha Eun-dong), Go Se-won (Kang Tae-in)
Antagonist: Tae-in serves as both love interest and primary source of betrayal