Because This Is My First Life (2017)

Quietly steals your heart

I went in expecting a typical cliched romcom but got pleasantly and wonderfully surprised at how this drama turned out to be. All episodes except for the last two are charming and warm your heart, they contain so many life lessons and musings which strike a chord in sensitive hearts. It was a refreshing change from the jaded and cynical world. Lee Min Ki oozes quiet charm. The soundtrack is endearing and I can't get 'This Life' track out of my head. It perfectly suits the quiet love of this drama.
****Major Spoilers****
The last two episodes were a letdown. Even knowing the reasons of why the FL would behave in such a way - to test their feelings in the long term - it still felt cruel and so unlike her character to leave the ML completely clueless about her thoughts and feelings. After opening up his wounded and tired heart by healing words, and knowing that he had feelings for her already (as plenty shown by actions) she still left because she wanted his room 19 forcibly opened for her selfish emotional validation. I just could not digest her laughter at the face of him expressing his anger to her for the first time- triumph that he is opening up could be there but it felt more malicious and sociopathic of her to laugh at the face of it. And to see her living it up with her friends completely unconcerned about her lover while he is shown sobbing alone in his apartment.. it was heartbreaking and unfair. And why would she let him think she reappeared in his dream, hear his love for her and still act completely clueless about it the next day is beyond me.
**** End of Spoilers****
Ok so maybe I loved Lee Mi Ki's character too much to accept this behaviour :) Nevertheless this is a must watch.
The side stories are quite impressively portrayed as well and very well interlinked with the main story. Even the old girlfriend has a refreshing and dignified contributing role to the drama, not the typical evil girlfriend. This is a story to be enjoyed by adults. It is something I feel I will keep coming back to over the years, it has that something special.

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A realistic drama about love, relationships, and marriages... but...

This kdrama started out perfect. Everything about it was great. Everyone was interesting and going through realistic struggles, such as being house poor, regular poor, sexual harassment and being the subject of workplace gossip, marriage and relationships etc. The show was slow paced but thought provoking and I really loved how everyone matured at the end, however, that's the problem, the ending.

Before we get to the ending we need to talk about one of the side couple, Yang Ho-rang and her boyfriend of 7 years, Sim Won-Seok. They were a couple that dated since college but had financial issues. As well as other relationship issues, the biggest one being that Ho-rang wants to get married while Won-Seok doesn't want to commit to it. They were in an on and off relationship (this is important). After Ho-rang finally spilled the beans on why she was so upset and after rubbing it in her boyfriend's face with things like "I won' have sex with you because we're not going to get married" the man finally proposed. However, like I said they had financial issues they couldn't get married until in 5 years. They eventually broke up and that moment felt so realistic for me. They had differences in what they want in the future and their relationship and realized that no amount of love can make up for it. I loved that couple so much for its realistic portrayals. They finally broke that cycle of being in an on and off relationship and they found someone who has compatible expectations for their relationships and future. Or so I thought. But in the most cliche and cringey moment at the end they realized they deep down love each other blah blah blah, a bunch of tears at the end. Except the relationship issues these two had did not go away, and they showed that no amount of love for each other can make up for that. I was so emotionally invested in the side couple. A show with one of the most realistic relationship got ruined in a 5 minute scene to the most cliche.

I also wished the show made. Yoon Ji-ho (our protagonist) resolved communication issues by... you know... communicating the communication issues by her husband/landlord Nam Se-Hee. Instead of throwing in a break up and seeing him go through it to see "how much he really loved me". That way we the writers could show us Woo Soo-Ji getting into the career she is truly passionate about and not be subjected to sexual harassment.and gossip. That girl was finally achieving her dreams, but instead of showing that they showed the aftermath of the breakup and makeup.

I had such high expectations for this show and if they didn't ruin it with the last 2 episodes it would've been one of my top shows of all time.

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Because this is worth rewatching!

Compared to some of the other kdrama shows I had watched, the synopsis for this one seemed less spectacular and more grounded in the comedy of everyday life. There was something relatable in watching characters navigate through life as tenants working low-pay jobs whilst struggling in relationships. The story quickly grows on you because the lead actors take the show and run with it. Their acting injects the story with sincerity, warmth, unintentional humour and at times, heartbreaking realism. This is a beautiful story of a person who loved before and had his heart broken so became emotionally sealed off and someone who has only ever experienced love and romance in books and TV screens, but never in real life. The beautiful awkwardness of the pair, coupled with some great music, made for a really enjoyable show that had some incredible scenes. There are some really standout moments of great acting that elevate scenes and entire episodes. The show is fairly predictable but that's all right because the plot matters less than the characters.

The other thing I like about this show is that the support cast are also given a lot of screentime for their storylines. They are not merely props for the lead characters but real, independent human beings with their own conflicts - the show does really well to resolve these storylines without ever rushing them. In particular, the friendship of the three main women, mostly over chicken and beer, stuck with me.

Without giving away too much, the show was let down by the last two episodes. They weren't bad, but there were questionable character moments that seemed like they had been done simply to justify two further episodes.

This is a really good show, one that I enjoyed a lot and would definitely recommend to anyone.

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Must Watch

I'm so glad I stumbled upon this drama on NF. The music is great. The casts are perfect. The acting is perfect as well.. I also understood why Se Hee did robotic-like actions. It bothered me at first, but I quickly grasped why he's like that. I hate slow acting, but I felt that this drama made me love its pace. Defnitely slow burn.

Regarding the story, I loved how everything was chill, and funny and well thought-of. I was only slightly disappointed regarding the ending. I thought hmm, maybe they just wanted to satisfy the readers of a happy ending. I even thought Ji Ho as a manipulative b hahaha I really said that out loud, but I was still happy for the two. Also, horang and the guy, I already set my mind that they will stay apart. But then, I realised. well, these alternate endings are okay too. I guess, they just want the viewers happy. It still gave me some things to think about that even though a couple has been together for so long, there will still be problems due to different beliefs and dreams and Im glad I watched this as I got to know these things.

Overall, I think that it's such a great drama that I'd watch when Im older again. Maybe I'll have a better understanding of what was said on the drama or the outcomes of the different decisions made. i am just glad I got to watch this.

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It was okay.

This review is a little all over the place so bare with me. I'm fairly new to this genre and will say this is the first drama I've had such disappointment with. There are many great things about this drama but also many annoying things. I felt that half way through, the main couples storyline just went off the rails. It just didn't work for me. Lemme first just say that Ji Ho is so stinking cute that Everytime she was on screen It made me smile. At the start I truly enjoyed Se Hee's and Ji Ho's story but towards the end the needless complication really annoyed me, especially since they had such great communication throughout the story. Their awkwardness was cute and absolutely adored their interaction in the final episode. Soo Ji's and Ho rang's, literally carried this drama on their backs. Loved everything about them. Ho Rang's really annoyed me and I didn't feel like she deserved Won Seok. I was glad to see she sorta matured by the end of it (Won Seol was super adorable with his little short self.) But would have felt this was more realistic if their story didn't end the way it did.At certain points conversation just seemed to drag and I just wanted to get through it so that was a bit of a disappointment. The soundtrack is too notch. Yeon Bok-nam was so beautiful it hurt to look at him. Ji Ho's mom was a mother freaking boss. Loved loved her. I truly enjoyed the sisterhood these three women had with each other. All in all it was okay. No way I would rewatch but I am Interested in checking out other projects these actors participated in.

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Like a well-done novel adaptation

Story: Plot focuses on different personalities of three women(and men) and their love/dream issues. It was written beautifully except episode 15. I love how they end each episode with their actions and thoughts fully explained and justified. Some might find this boring because the depth of their dialogues may not be understandable to some but this will serve as an art for those who can appreciate the simplicity and subtlety of the impact of their message.

Acting: I think they are all convincing despite a few forced stiff acting of Se Hee, while the cuteness of Won Seok didn’t help him with his dramatic scenes. My favorite character though is CEO Ma, I believe he outshines everyone in this drama, especially in terms of acting.

Music: I love the ending song and the one with the jazz-like bgm.

Rewatch Value: I don’t think it’s a rewatchable drama but I will still rate this with a high score because it should be shared with everyone and it may resonate to those who are also struggling with their lives. Perhaps to those who are having middle-life crisis or to those who don’t know what they want to do in life and feel like age is not just a number.

Overall: I would have rated this a 9.5-10 if it wasn’t for episode 15. Ji Ho’s intention was good and understandable but the execution wasn’t justifiable or not well executed enough for me that I felt disappointed after watching it. At the same time, Se Hee’s rash decision regarding his beloved house was quite questionable. I love the ending of Sang goo oppa and soo Ji’ s story however, rang and wo seok’s ending was quite bland and I felt like their space was for nothing, they just realized they still love each other and still decided to keep on going and not clarifying their own issues(her wanting to have a family and him still working on a job that chokes him). There wasn’t much character development but more on realizations and lessons from the changes in their lives and opening up with somebody else other than their friends.

The gist: We all have different dreams in life, some people want to be a successful company owner, some women are satisfied with being a mom or a housewife while some just want to have a simple and peaceful life. As a friend or a family, all we have to do is to support them and not judge them or be a hindrance of what they want to be or what they want to do because it’s their lives...not yours.

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The strength of the series does not lie in the plot, which falters a bit at points, but rather in the characters and their very real moments of vulnerability and crisis. All the characters in the show are written brilliantly, they have their ups and downs which feel so real at times that you can't help but compare it to events that happened to you or to someone you know. The female lead is the character I found to be the most relatable, every time she went on a monologue about the difficulties of trying to live as a single woman in a city, the difficulties of trying to 'settle' into a career, the insecurities and uncertainties you feel when you don't know if you are going towards your goal or away from it. Ji-ho is a beautiful character for me, I can see myself in all of her vulnerable moments, but I can also see that she's a wonderfully strong character, strong in a very 'real' sense, the strong women I have met in my life, soft spoken and polite, caring but headstrong.

One particular line has struck me in this series. It is when Ji-ho says: "All my twenties I have tried to work to be someone who was needed." This feeling of trying to have a career or life in which you are needed, is what plagues me as a twenty-something person. Like Ji-ho I also do not know if I am going towards my goal or away from it, I don't even have a goal as such right now in my life. But any goal is worth living for, getting married, being your own boss, being in love - all of these are goals good enough. I love how ordinary and real this series is in terms of these things, showing moments of happiness, sorrow and companionship which most of us experience, pointing to the fact that sometimes after a horrible day what you need is only a place to sleep in.

Cons:
We don't get to see when and how the ML falls into love.
The plot is interesting in the first half, but it falters later on.

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A K-Drama that comforts the beginning of my adulting phase

One of the Korean Dramas that serve as my opening to the world of being an adult. Life after school is about facing the real world; the struggles and hardships that one must overcome. I learned a lot from the show and it gives me guidance on the possible barriers I may encounter after my graduation. Although it took me years before I found this gem and binge-watched the show, I guess it’s the perfect time for me since I was preparing for my own path after becoming an adult.

Each character holds a specific journey for living their lives to the fullest. But sometimes we realize that the things we dream about when we are young are so difficult to achieve. Most of the time, we don't have any other choice but to let go of our dreams and re-entered the path that will make us survive in our daily life. Reality slapped us so hard, a painful awareness we came across after turning to an adult. Even though we worked so hard and did all our best throughout the journey, it may not still guarantee us to be able to grab the dream we’ve been waiting for so long. This is the sad reality of life.

The scene where Ji-ho was sexually harassed by the assistant director makes my blood boiled up. She has no other place to stay and the pervert takes it for granted. The next scene makes me even angrier when the crew group together at a dinner table and pushes Ji-ho to forget the mistreatment she experienced at that night. During those moments, Ji-ho suffers alone. Having friends and family isn’t always the first option we think about when having some problem. Most of the time, we choose not to bother the people around us because we think that they also have their own lives to process and we find it so hard to ask for help from them. You only have yourself, you comfort your own, endure all the pain by your own, because at the end of the day, we only have our own selves to lean on.

“Not every friend knows everything about each other. No matter how close you are to them, there are sides of you that you don’t want to show. And sometimes, your family feels the farthest of all.”

The show also presented how serious and crucial a wedding is. Se-hee and Ji-ho’s wedding ceremony was the scene that made me cry the most. Her mother's written message to Se-hee as Ji-ho’s husband was so deep and emotional. Weddings are such big events that involve the people around the couple. Witnessing the heartwarming connection of the mother-and-daughter was really a teary scenario. I am so glad that they ended up registering their marriage for real after so many ups and downs. Also, the term “love” is now elaborated in their relationship.

That intimate kiss at the sea was my favorite, it was done in the most excellent way. I love how calm yet fierceful the energy coming from both the couple and the scenery, their exchange of dialogues, and the way they open up their feelings with that super lovely kiss. The beginning of their real romantic feelings.

After all, Ji-ho and Se-hee deserve to be the main couple of the show. The greatest yet hardest obstacle they overcame was entering their “Room 19” that both of them built upon themselves. I love how they add the creative story of the popular book from the story of the show. Humans, no matter of age, have always had a side of them that they didn’t want to open up for others. Living inside their specific Room 19 alone is enough to make them happy and comfortable. A personal secret that someone doesn’t need to know.

Se-hee’s past shocked me because I didn’t think that he suffered from a tremendous heartbreak before that made him unlikely to believe in romance anymore. The closure of Se-hee and the CEO ended up the wound they carried for a long time. Alongside Ji-hoo and CEO’s unexpected bond that didn’t make their past and future contradict their present. They choose not to fight with each other and become not dramatically inclined to the fact that Se-hee can be the cause of their hatred from one another. The kind of closure that is delicate, fresh, and real.

Lee Min Ki and Jung So Min were some of my top favorite actors in the industry because they always delivered the best and perfect kind of emotions needed in the story. Their chemistry speaks so loud and they fill the whole show with so much intimacy and passion.

Soo-ji and Sang-goo’s relationship is a healthy one too. He helped her to choose the path that she wanted for so long. It’s a good thing that after Soo-ji took a risk from building his own business, she succeeded and even changed her mind about marriage. Sang-goo was always a soft-hearted character from the show. From being a friendly CEO to being openly accessible to Soo-ji and her disabled mother.

On the other hand, I now get the hatred that some of the viewers feel about Ho-rang and Won-seok's relationship. The girl is obsessed with being a motherly figure that leads her to indirectly push his boyfriend to propose to her numerous times. The boy doesn’t even think about marriage not until he figures out that it was the desired wish of his girlfriend. Obviously, they’re relationship tends to become toxic from time to time. A couple for 7 years who are in their 30’s who keep fighting over small things then after a while reconcile again. The same kind of process was empathized by her friends at the start of the few episodes. In fact, if they can only be critical enough, their problem can easily be fixed with simple, sincere, and proper communication.

Because This Is My First Life generally teaches the viewers to always choose the best decision that they don't regret about in the future. Marriage, Relationships, Careers, Family, etc. We are living our life for the first time, so we tend to commit mistakes from time to time but the most important thing to do is to live our life seeking for our own happiness. A light drama that allowed me to always be grateful for the things that made me happy and alive. From now on, I am going to “Live like it was my last!”

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Great watch!

A really good drama about what thirtysomethings go through! Wedding pressure, getting a house, having the best position in your career, etc... The characters are trying their best while dealing with all these problems. Add the parents who sometimes are just complicating things even more.
The actors and actresses are fabulous, Lee Min Ki simply is perfect in such a role mocking arranged weddings and other hypocritical society stuff. The female lead is cool and independent not blindly led by love, the CAT is very important too, what a cutie ♥
The secondary characters are very endearing as well. Esom's badass female office worker who's totally open with her sexuality is definitely a favorite! Se-Hee's best friend is such a cool dude, this guy added even more fun to the show while being very classy.
Kim Min Kyu's character was strange and funny at the same time, but can't say more!
Some scenes are just iconic and hilarious like that flip over the bicycle LOL
Honestly, until the end you don't know what's going to happen and thankfully there's a real closure!

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I started watching Because this is my first life because I am intrigued by the title. The only main lead in the drama I am previously familiar with is jung so min,in playful kiss. I will not try to enter into the story line ,instead I will give you an account of what I felt while watching this drama. If I have to describe this drama in one word I would say captivating. This drama is so much more than a contract marriage drama.There are three different couples,the contract marriage couples Nam se hee and Yoon ji ho, the long term couple won seok and Ho rang,the newly formed not so serious couple soo ji and sang ho. There are dramas which make you fall in love with certain characters, there are dramas which leave you with feelings such as happiness,sadness,agony,inspiration, frustration,satisfaction and so on. This is that drama which I can relate to a great extent. I live in a patriarchal society like ji ho. Even though my situation is not like her ,at some scenes I felt like that is me on the screen .I can't pinpoint where but her character resonates to me in every level.ji ho and friends remained me of my friends.Nam se he is a stoic nerd but I felt that he is greatly responsible one. Like ji ho says we all are living this life for first time and we all make mistakes and only through open communication you can get over it. If you are going through the emotional war of an arranged marriage perspective watching this drama will give you hope and may calm your nerves,so this is one therapeutic drama. This drama has my most number if favourite quotes,the one with room no 19,the visitor poem she recites when she visits her house with se hee. The way she says why she love snails,his reason for loving cats. This drama tells even if your heart break once it doesn't mean you'll never get your destined love. There is no book that can teach how we live life perfectly,each one of us has different lifes so we have to find it by living and loving to the fullest. With heart fluttering moments and captivating romance stories this is a highly pleasurable watch with calming effect and rollercoaster of emotions. You may understand the deep thoughts drama put forward after a second watch and you will relate to it more.

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