Because This Is My First Life (2017)

I don't generally write reviews but this has by far been the BEST DRAMA i have ever seen, and i just don't mean as a kdrama, it's something that i love as much as or even more than friends or how i met your mother. And i never say something like this so easily about a drama.
THE BEST PART ABOUT THIS DRAMA WAS SIMPLY EVERYTHING! THE SCRIPT, THE DIRECTION, THE PRODUCTION, THE ACTING, THE CAT AND THE AESTHETIC AND COLOUR PALET OF THE ENTIRE SHOW, EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS SHOW WAS LIKE A BREATH OF FRESH AIR.

There wasn't a moment in the entire 16 episodes when i got bored, the story was simple but yet so well written, this show taught me some of the best quotes to remember and the dialogue delivery by both jung so min and lee min ki was amazing, especially the narration parts by jung so min were so beautiful, there is just something so soothing about her voice that it grasps your attention AND makes you feel nice!
The entire show was so realistic in describing human emotions, feelings and relationships that one couldn't help but feel connected to the story.
Each episode was eye opening and made me introspect about my own life.
The side stories of their friends were so cute as well! and they showed different types of relationships different people have.
And the last few episodes made me bawl my eyes out but the emotional ride was worth it because the ending was just perfect, it honestly couldn't have been better, i know some would disagree but if you watch the drama carefully you will understand why she did that.
If someone actually read my entire review and reached the end...THANKS!!! <3

Read More

I did NOT plan to get that invested...

Have you ever randomly clicked on a show just to have something playing in the background as you do something else? This was one of those shows for me, only when I clicked it, I fully intended to just let it play as I went about my work buuuuut... from the moment it started - there was no cutting it off. Even my family stopped what they were doing to start watching this show.

My ONLY warning to you if you see this show and want to watch it, clear your schedule because you are about to miss a lot of sleep to finish this show.

I ended up loving every single one of the characters.... and I do mean Every. Single. One. Those from the start that you just hate with a passion and want to hit with a car.... loved. Lol. Hats off to the writer of this show because it is really hard to take a hated character and make them loved. Least for me it is. Because when I hate someone, there is no changing it. Lol. It goes to show that the growth of all of the characters are powerful.

The twists man. Oh gosh!! This is the PERFECT example of the quote "that's what you get for assuming." *hides in shame* I was so ready to hate so many of these characters only to have it shoved in my face that what I *thought* was actually HELLA FREAKING WRONG!!!

Because This Is My First Life is one of those shows that you need to watch every single scene though because you'll be lost for a while if you don't. Not that I minded; it was like crack. Lol When I finally did need sleep - I had to actually force myself to shut it off. Which... did last long, mind you. Like I said, it's crack. Hahaha

I want to say this is probably the first drama I have watched where I haven't completely ripped into something or someone. X_X Though don't get me wrong, there was one character I love/hated. He was such a amazing person in the end but he reminded me of someone that makes my skin crawl. So it was always mixed feelings with him.

"Sounds like a personal problem to me." Lol - it is, bro. It is.

So do yourself a favor, check the show out. You know you wanna.

Read More

Story - 10/10: The plot revolves around 3 couples but the main one with Se Hee and Ji Ho had such an impact on me. Although the other couples were amazing, they truly blew my mind away. Usually, I don't like the fact that there are multiple main couples because I feel like they aren't expressed well enough and divide up my attention. However, the director did a fantastic job with all of them.

Acting/Cast - 10/10: Incredible chemistry between all of them. The way they interact with each other doesn't feel fake in any way. There are so many moments that made my heart melt.

Music - 10/10: The OSTs are incredible. I didn't pay attention to the music much in the drama but I feel like it indirectly influenced my emotions as well.

Rewatch Value - 10/10: Writing this review actually makes me want to rewatch the drama even though I'm currently watching a different one right now. I don't usually like to rewatch dramas so giving this such a high rating really means something.

I truly think that anybody can enjoy this drama, but especially romcom genre lovers. There are so many sweet moments in this. I was actually hesitant on watching this in the beginning but now, I am so glad that I did not skip it. It definitely became one of my favorites. I definitely recommend it!

Read More

this drama, to put it in one word, is lovely. even the term 'lovely' wouldn't do it justice, oh my god, it's making me squeal all over the place. i didn't have too many expectations when i first started this, but as i watched through it, it got addicting, which was unfortunate because i began watching this in a week where i was very stressed and had some pretty important things to do. and i never even expected to love this! romance isn't my area of forte, but this was just so consuming i couldn't stop, and this is coming from someone who isn't very fond of the romance genre. i hate watching k-dramas that are centered around romance, but this one was just mindblowing. it was strange and it was beautiful, and the ending was, yes, it was strange for the main couple but everything ended up being wonderful and if it hadn't i probably would've spent the next two days crying about it. the other two supporting were just so lovable, i swear. the badass took my breath away, and even though she and the guy didn't look particularly well together, i shipped it so much it hurt. and the couple that fought alot, that was just adorable and irritating and it's my 3rd ranked couple but i was on edge wondering if they'd get back together. it wasn't just some stupid romance; it explored so many other things, so many things that are basically the reality of life. marriage, love, yeah sure, but it explored an independence you don't find alot in marriage. i loved the independence that was portrayed through the main married couple.

but bok nam, the beautiful little potato, i fall in love with every single time i see him, and he isn't given half of enough credit. he should have an entire mini series to himself, oof. he was my overall favorite character, and came first to the badass woman's boyfriend (i'm sorry i just finished watching and can't remember his name) who i'd rank second as my favorite character because of his idiocy but he's just adorable.

Read More

My favourite drama ever probably

I love this drama. I love the setting, the characters, the story and just everything really. I do get the complaints about Ji-ho in the last few eps, I really get it, I didn't like it either. However, I love the rest so much that I can just ignore it and forget it ever happened lol. The couple from this show is probably my favourite drama couple ever, I loved how they talked and interacted with each other, ugh I just loved everything about this drama. The secondary characters were also solid and entertaining and I really liked them. Everything was just perfect to me. 10/10.

Read More

realistic and refreshing

The premis is new, but it's so relatable especially for people in 25+ age group. This drama shows you how different people in their age group has concerns about love and marriage. What I like the most about the story is that the main leads have unique way of thinking about that issue. This drama doesn't suggest you the "right" answer to the concern, but rather give you the assurance that you can find your own way or the best method to overcome that issues. The actors are incredible, the setting is unique, the story is refreshing and satisfying. Worth to watch! I already watched it multiple times :D

Read More

Just ok

The concept and direction of the relationships were at times very realistic. It's so true that love and marriage are not the same thing.

However, the timing of the conflicts at the end (episode 15!?) gave so little time for viewers to really process the resolution.

The stalker storyline was bad and added pretty much nothing to the story. The main woman Jiho had a dull personality, not crazy like the other characters claimed she was. I had zero rooting interest for her. She isn't bad, but I honestly didn't care of she had a happy or sad ending. The other characters had me rooting for them.

Read More

Preferred the other two side couples

This drama started off interesting enough... another contract marriage based storyline, but this time it was for an apartment.

After Episode 10, the love story between the main couple Se hee and Ji-Ho started becoming very dull and slow. It picked up when they started holding hands and kissing, but then all of a sudden, she decides to end the contract and leave? Simply could not understand her reasoning. Too many monologues and the pace of their conversations were snail-like. (Ironically she likes snails in the drama!)

What kept me interested was the other two side couples. Soo Ji and Gang Soo were a breath of fresh air! Their relationship development and understanding of one another was very unique and loveable. Their characters were also funny and quirky and you would just grow to love them!
Ho Rang and Woo Seok was also memorable, I could literally feel their pain and heartache, although I didn’t quite like their ending in the last episode. Ummm... I felt it could have been much more meaningful.

Production in 2017, but only watching it now in 2021. Not a bad watch, if you like the ML watch The Beauty Inside- it’s much better :)

Read More

A Re-watch Analysis

Production Quality:
What stood out to me the most was the OST for the drama, 3 years later, they are still a recurrent play on my playlist. Anyone who understands the lyrics will appreciate that they were not just random love songs but accurately portrayed the thoughts of the characters under the situation when it is played as bgm. Also, as a feel-good but slice of life drama, the choices made in selecting the wardrobe, house set, pet etc were well-done, being reasonable for the characters and not there just to be pretty, for example, Se Hee's house was pretty and big, but made sense given his cleanliness and bank financed debt, while Wonseok's rooftop house showed their financial condition and personality. The monologue narrations by Jiho were also a nice touch and many a time while I find them a little too in the face or bland in other dramas, here it was done well with it being used to extend the plot and introduce new details rather than just being a summary.

Emotional Investment into the Characters:
A rewatch binge helps in finding points that were missed while waiting for an on-air drama to finish. I was emotionally invested in the girl's friendship and the relation between Jiho and her mom the most. This is for me the decisive charm of the show and has been executed brilliantly. Jiho's thoughts in particular were always explained in detail and I felt for her and related to her, until the finale arc happened. On the first watch, I thought the breakup to be unnecessary, but on rewatch was more digestible and made more sense given that maybe Jiho felt too tired to sort out the misunderstanding and Se-hee sensed it. However, the drama did not do a good job explaining their thoughts and the reunion arc was handled even worse with both of them behaving out of character. It was so good before that though. Another caveat was Ma Sang Goo and Se Hee's friendship which though was really funny could have been explore more and I actually liked Won Seok's relation with both of them more, finding it more natural. Ho Rang though could get whiny at times but was realistic and I liked the actress' portrayal of her. Soo Ji and San Goo's relationship was done well and in general I related to Soo Ji's character the most. Also, thank god for Se-hee's ex not being a bitch (thank you drama gods, finally!)

Ability of Actors to Emote:
The entire cast did a fantastic job with the roles they were given. Each of them felt real, believable and yet had quirks of their own. Lee Min Ki's micro-expressions were amazing to observe and Jung So Min was so believable as a smart but downtrodden writer. Park Byung Eun, Kim Ga Eun and Kim Min Seok are comedy gold-mines. Special shout outs to Esom and Kim Sung Young as Soo Ji and Jiho's mom (both of them stole the show for me). Also, a special mention to Lee Chung Ah's guest appearance as Se Hee's ex, I felt what Jiho felt when she saw her, she exuded charisma and demanded my attention.

Memorability:
Given the fact that I actually rewatched all 16 episodes again and not just bits and scenes, it is a highly memorable drama for me. Maybe because it hit the right notes such as rethinking about career, marriage, family - I'm at that age lol. I love this drama despite its flaws, and absolutely addicted to the OST.

Read More

More than worth the Watch

I truly enjoyed this movie. This was my first foray into modern KDrama ( unusually watch Historical Drama) and I am quite impressed. I started watching this movie because I love the acting of Jung So Min in Alchemy of Souls as I couldn't get enough of her.

As expected, she shone brightly again in this drama, I also enjoyed the acting from the remaining cast. especially from the ML..

Cozy, relaxing, this drama offers both a serious and introspective look at the lives of young adult in South Korea. It covers a tapestry or subjects to include
romance, finance, piety and traditions.

Light. comical, romantic this drama has everything and I highly recommend it

Read More

BRILLIANT. Absolutely loved this series from beginning to end.

This is the first show that has compelled me to write a review.
PLEASE give this show a chance. It was so much better than I expected.

First, I must say that what drew me into this show was the DETAILS. Everything was so well-thought out and felt purposeful. With that being said, the plot is also quite simple which is a rare combination.

Early on I didn't feel much chemistry between the leads, but it definitely improved after a few episodes. I also got annoyed by the FL being too passive at times, but that is also addressed later on.

The underlying message throughout the series was more impactful & thought-provoking than I ever expected it to be. Every storyline came full circle by the end. Slight lull for me around ep. 13, (probably from binging too fast), but the show stays strong until the end. The OST is the only area I'm knocking points... it wasn't my favorite. Regardless, it's a great show, and perfect for a rewatch.

Oh, also, side characters get major points on this show. Each one was nuanced, multi-faceted, and played a complex role in the story. Love it.

Read More