It’s really not K-dramas this time!

We always talk about how K-dramas have ruined us with one belief or another and all that, but in truth, K-dramas didn’t create the stereotype of how mother-in-laws come with a whole attitude enough to drown a city; they simply rode the wave, too. That’s why we have numerous K-dramas featuring MILs with passive-aggressive remarks or the ridiculous belief that their precious child deserves a chaebol heir/heiress.

But every once in a while, the drama gods smile on us, and we get those rare MILs who are actually sweet and welcoming.

Yeah, it’s been long overdue, but let’s raise a toast to those who made them earn a space in our hearts.

Jung Young-joo as Han Mi-mo – Business Proposal  

Jung Young-joo does not have a bad drama, and in this one, she was the queen of comic timing.

She featured as Han Mi-mo in the series, and she gave us the rare mix of elegance and chaos that was lovable. She’s got jokes and emotional intelligence.

Although her family might not have been as rich as Tae Moo’s family, but they were not poor either, and that’s me telling you she didn’t warm up to him because of his wealth. She just had a great personality.

Lee Mi-sook as Cha Yeon-hwa – Perfect Marriage Revenge  

Cha Yeon-hwa didn’t just welcome her daughter-in-law; she rode for her like a soldier in heels, especially against the latter’s stepmother.

That scene where she welcomed Yi-ju with a warm hug turned me into an emotional wreck. A mother who picks her son’s happiness over Chaebol beliefs? She earned every bit of our hearts.

Kim Hye-ok as Madame Choi – What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim  

Madame Choi is the stylish MIL we all didn’t know we needed. She’s the one who’ll ask how you’re really doing, then tell her son to calm down when he overreacts, which, let’s be real, is often. If you marry into her family, you’re not just gaining a MIL, you’re getting a fashionable fairy godmother.

Yoon Yoo-sun as Yoon Deok-jeong – The First Night With the Duke  

Who says historical MILs have to be scary? Yoon Deok-jeong said, “Not on my watch.” Who would have thought her first reaction to the scary Duke would be acceptance?

Again, let’s forget the fact that she was desperate to have one of her children married as soon as possible because marrying the Duke was a potential risk, but she just said, “Scratch that, my daughter will be fine,” and she was.

If your real-life MIL acts like any of these queens, please know you’ve won the jackpot. These women reminded us that not all in-laws are villains; some are absolute icons.

Shout out to the K-Drama and real-life mothers-in-law who made us believe that marrying the love of your life doesn’t have to mean enduring passive-aggressive torture!