Because This Is My First Life (2017)

I watched this drama and kept waiting and hoping it would get better. I was sadly disappointed with the story direction which just went in circles for the leads. I found it a dysfunctional mess from start to finish, so could not really recommend it to anyone. The characters did not really develop much so that was then only consistent element in the story. Character life lessons to learn, were poorly approached and not handled well. Any glimmer of potential break through developments were weakly implemented or obscurely approached, so the cast were often in odd situations that were just cringe worthy.  The plot was really muddled and even the supporting characters storylines were not strong or that compelling.

Read More

Ugh. Just ugh. I was never really interested in this drama one way or another, but it had such good ratings and I've seen most of the other mainstream dramas that I figured I'd give this one a shot. And man oh man am I disappointed.

Simply put, I got bored and tired of the drama between characters. Things were moving at a decent pace in the beginning but the last 6 episodes were really drawn out and made everything drag. For example, the back stories of the characters were not revealed until the last 4 episodes and they weren't very well developed at all which was very disappointing and frustrating.

My biggest issue with this drama is that the characters are written illogically with no qualities that drew me in or made me want to know how they turn out. While I recognize that characters need to be written with room for growth and those are the intended areas of growth throughout the series, the negative qualities/choices of these characters weren't things I found interesting or worth investing my emotions or time into.

By the end, I didn't like any of the characters or their stories and I wasn't happy or proud for any of them because what happened along the way were things I don't feel people should feel proud of. And due to the lack of back stories for each character, I was unable to sympathize and empathize with how each character was as a person, which then made it difficult for me to appreciate their dynamics with other characters.

The OST and actors were pretty decent, but due to the poor character writing, I would not recommend this drama. I know that my review is a very unpopular opinion, but I personally look for much more depth in my slice of life dramas.

Read More

I apologize beforehand since this is my first time writing a review.

I originally didn't want to watch this drama, since the trailer didn't appeal to me, but since I heard so many people talk about how much they loved it, I decided to watch it.

This drama offers a more mature look at life, with three females, each facing their own issues and three potential love interests. Each character is well written, having specific personalities and different fears. The more I watched it, the more I got into it. I really did enjoy the beginning of this drama, and thought it would be unique. I also enjoyed the humor and the I absolutely adored the cat.

What my downfall became to be was that it became a typical drama, and after having watched so many, it simply lacked intrigue by the end.

Now that I look back to this drama (that I finished four hours ago), its a drama about 3 women who are picky and have a difficult situation or choice to make, and 3 perfect guys that basically fall head over heals and just adore them. Every time a girl acts out, they apologize and adore them. It's very rare where the girls actually pay attention to what their partners want, instead it's all about them and how they haven't done something. I enjoyed the struggles the women were facing, since it's very relatable. This drama was created to be mature and focus on real life issues, but what about the issues men have? It just seemed like the men were not there to build up their characters, but instead for the viewers to anticipate kiss scenes.

Looking at the main couple, Ji Ho and So He, at the end the girl took off for no reason with no explanation, which was very unfair to the male. But afterwards, he immediately forgave her and she just stayed exactly the same. Ji Ho was an interesting character, whenever faced with work or friendship, but as soon as it was about the relationship, she almost became a plain doll who didn't have any development. I liked these female characters, I simply think some of the reactions were unexplained or simply unnecessary.

I finished the last episodes loving all the men (cause they were flawless) and disliking the women for taking advantage of them. If the men had been more flawed there would be good balance, or if the women appreciated the men more, there would be more balance. Now I simply think two of the men deserve better partners. But this is just my opinion. My favorite couple was Su Ji and Mr.Ma. They were the most balanced, both pulling and pushing at times. The rest just did one or the other.

Read More

Influenced by all the good reviews 'Because this is My First Life' has been receiving, I decided to try it out, despite it being an out-of-my-comfort-zone Korean drama. Scarred from a past full of disappointing rom-com dramas, as well as a general aversion to the genre in any form, I was more than skeptical to start and more so finish this. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the first half of the show, displaying many cliche-breaking scenes, interesting female characters, and also some well-timed comedy. Around episode 8, things started looking a little down for me - I was tired of the plot-line, I was tired of the main characters playing dumb with each other, and generally just feeling the incoming wave of a generic Korean drama conclusion. For a few moments hereafter, the drama held itself to its previous glory but it ultimately let me down with its final path and ending. By the end, I thought some of the characters were not acting rationally for who they had presented themselves as before, and a few pointless story-lines were introduced and dropped without carrying any type of significance.

But most of all, this drama really disappointed me with its visual arrangement cliches. At some points, I found myself really irritated with the almost outdated cinematography of filming an actor while they stay still with eyes wide open, showing each character talking, or showcasing each time a character is reminiscing in flashback format. Ugh. After watching Western shows, such as Mr Robot or True Detective, I really wish Korean dramas would be a bit more experimental with their formats (though I am aware that they are dumbed down on purpose, since the general public that is watching them on TV may not be paying attention throughout the whole episode - still bad film-making). Same thing for the OST - it's the same as every other drama without any real standouts. Big disappointment for me, but I will continue to search for visually appealing dramas (aside from visually appealing scenes/sceneries, which were abundant here)

Despite all this, I recommend giving 'Because this is My First Life' a try, if not for the strong initial half, than for the tackling of some social issues Koreans face and tend to not really talk about on television.

Edit: Another reason why this drama began really annoying me towards the middle and end was the obscene amount of product placement in almost every scene.

Read More

The concept was great and the characters were great, so what wasn't great?

- Jung So Min. I'm not familiar with her previous works but I did not enjoy her at all in "Because This Is My First Life". I probably wouldn't have minded as much had she been a side character, but when the main character has a dead/expressionless face half of the time (at best!) then yes, I have a problem.

- The romance.  Watching Ji Ho develop romantic feelings for Se Hee was a pretty solid journey but when on earth did Se Hee fall in love with Ji Ho? The episodes went by, one by one, and all of a sudden Se Hee confesses WHAT made him fall in love with Ji Ho. I get the reason WHY but I don't see WHEN it happened. I don't think the romance from See Hee's point of view was conveyed properly at all.

- When the side characters got a more intresting story than the main characters. I have yet to put my finger on what makes me feel like this (and I'll update my review as soon as I figure it out) but I felt myself more invested in Soo Ji/Sang Goo & Ho Rang/Won Seok. Their story and relationship development is what kept me going through this drama.

Read More

I never write reviews for dramas, but I REALLY had to write one for this drama because honestly - this drama has my heart.

For the fellas who still haven't seen this drama, or are doubting to watch it: whether or not you decide to watch this drama, my advice is: give it a chance. You will be mindblown while watching it.

I'll try to keep this review spoiler free as much as possible.

I don't even know where to start, actually. At first, I was a bit sceptical about the marriage contract storyline. It sounded a bit typical: the male lead and the female lead marrying each other because of the benefiting circumstances, instead of marrying each other because of love - but eventually ending up falling in love with each other not soon afterwards. However, these benefiting circumstances made the storyline intriguing - and very realistic. It made me rethink my thoughts on marriage and love and how these two elements are connected to each other. Also, I loved how they portrayed the daily, common struggles almost every adult goes through - sometimes even in a lighthearted way, which made it very bearable to watch. It was TOO relatable, I shed a tear while watching literally EVERY episode.

They honestly could not have chosen a better cast for this drama. I'm impressed with all the actors, but Lee Min Ki has made a HUGE impression on me. Nam Se Hee seems like a very complex character to play - a house-poor man in his 30s who does not give a damn about anything except for his mortgage, his work and his cat. His emotionless pokerface literally pierces through you, the tone in his voice so FLAT that it's almost worrisome. While the character is supposed to portray no single emotion on his face, he cannot help but be human as well and have feelings and emotions - this is where Lee Min Ki succeeds in portraying Se Hee's character: showing Se Hee's emotional side effortlessly and naturally. He couldn't have done a better job on this.
I enjoyed Jung So Min's acting as well. She's very talented in what she does and didn't fail to make me laugh multiple times while watching this drama. She is definitely made for rom-com dramas like this. Also, I LOVED it when she used her dialect, her tone sounded very natural and not forced at all.

The chemistry between the actors was great. I loved the main couple, but as I watched this drama, I couldn't help falling in love with the side characters as well. They have a certain importance in the storyline which makes the drama even more amazing. The episodes are a bit on the long side, but that's very reasonable if you want to focus on all three couples - they did a great job on this. The music is very great as well - I couldn't help but bawl my eyes out every time I'd hear Ben's beautiful voice in a sad scene. Would I rewatch this drama? Oh, yes. Although it felt like I was going through an emotional crisis while watching this drama, I'd experience it all over again.

Some points they could have done better:
- I wanted to see more of Bo Mi. She was a very interesting character and the actress was so pretty! She honestly deserved more screentime :(
- MORE EPISODES. LITTLE SPOILER AHEAD, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK, IT'S ABOUT THE ENDING: I really wanted to see more of Se Hee's and Ji Ho's marriage at the end. The ending was satisfying, but I felt like there could be more skinship/kisses/sweet moments between the couple at the end. Or maybe a sequel as an extra episode wouldn't be bad either. Thank god we have their little cameo in What's Wrong With Secretary Kim to satisfy our sequel needs. Imma rewatch that cameo again after finishing this review.

I'm bad at ending reviews because I never know how to end one actually, but I hope I convinced the ones who were doubting to watch BTIMFL. For the ones who have watched it already and came to read my review for fun: well, I hoped you enjoyed reading it! This drama is definitely a 10/10, and you're an intellectual for watching it.

Read More

Finally , It  been such a long time waiting for a good drama to watch !!! Lately I could not get into any Korean drama ...

I have to say the Writer did an amazing job writing this piece of work it is very well written & the production was well executed , I liked how the story was not forced &  a lot of us in this generation can relate to this ( Sons favoritism , Working women suffering sexual harassment , Marriage , Dreams ... ect ) .

Is marriage is the ultimate goal for any couple in love ? Does everyone need to get married ?? The society we live in make us think that marriage is a must ..
The problem that makes a lot of us hesitate about marriage is that if you got married you will have to compromise your dreams & have to satisfy your partner , in laws and family ! It may makes you feel suffocated .

Each couple in this drama were trying to find the meaning for their relationship , I quit liked the progress and character development ...

The actors were all amazing , it been a long time for us to see Lee Minki in dramas & am happy that he chooses this one after this long hiatus from drama world xD

I think this kind of drama the teens\early 20's may not enjoy it  , the concept is for mature audience ...  I liked that the writer brought the issues about ( Sons favoritism , sexual harassment ) but they did not focus much on it which I really hope for it but I think because there's already 3 couples & only 16 Ep to cover maybe there was no time to discuss them .

And for me this not the type of drama that I'll rewatch cause there was no suspense & the final episode was cute but I think it was rushed , but it doesn't mean I did not enjoyed it ~

This drama kinda reminds me of a Japanese Drama " We Married as a Job " it was also nice to watch ..

Do not hesitate to watch this ~

Read More

Undoubtedly, Because This Is My First Life is one of the best romcoms till date. The story, screenwriting, depiction, characters, direction and acting all factors make this drama a sublime one, near to being flawless.

Basically I received two kinds of depiction from this drama. On the first half, it was portrayed (may be I’m wrong but it’s totally my perception) love is important but living life is far too important. Love comes gradually. Not necessarily it always have to be “love” at first then “marriage” between two persons, however, “marriage” can happen before as a natural response of fulfilling basic needs between two people and then love can be discovered in the process. Conversely, on the second half, it was portrayed, realizing a person is in love is most important and marriage will come naturally as a result. Love and marriage are two completely different subject. If love fails between a couple, marriages is not possible. Marriage comes with a huge baggage which is not a game, it needs sacrifice, commitment and perseverance. Two different arguable school of thoughts. Former quite old-fashioned and latter quite contemporary. What I think no matter which era we live in or what people say about living in 21st century, marriage-a holy institution- should not be abolished completely. It is imperative for any society and I’m happy at the end the drama focused on marriage.

The story was based on romantic relationship of three couples. Main highlight was three women characters. One was in a living relationship for seven years, who typically like many other girls wants a family of her own by getting married and having a kid. She was all into settled life. Another girl who was smart, beautiful and brave doesn’t believe in love or marriage rather believe more in casual physical relationship. She was audacious, careerist and hardheaded woman. And the third one is the struggling one who was in her 30s but was fighting to make her own way of becoming a screenwriter. She was never into dating or any relationship but falls victim of a contract marriage and ended up falling for the person she married. These were three individual romantic set up. Through the romantic lenses of these three different relationships, different contemporary societal facts and issues of modern world have been highlighted. A crude realistic vision of modern society was embedded in the dialogues and monologues.

Three couples had their own hardships both from personal level and also as a couple. Through the romance of Ho Rang-Won Seok couple a newfangled reality of romance has been executed. They were into living relation for more than seven years when they gradually realized they both are way different than each other. When it comes to marriage various issues forced them to part their ways. Through Sang Goo-Su Ji couple, a more independent and casual romance have been executed. The couple transitioned from friends-with-benefits to a more serious relationship. Su Ji was shown as the epitome of modern careerist women who in the journey of building her own place in the corporate world constantly faced despicable adversities. Where surviving in a harsh patriarchal society in itself difficult, love, marriage, relationship and a settled family were always secondary to her. The tensions created between these two couples, their falling apart from each other and coming back are quite evident in real life couples as well. Nonetheless, in reality not all couples goes back together.

The third and the main romantic couple of the drama was Ji Ho-Se Hee couple. They were due to some circumstances bounded by contract marriage. The concept of contract marriage can be unrealistic but the story depicted through their relationship by emphasizing on multifarious sides of a wedded life is simply marvelous. In love only two people are involved and in marriage number of people are involved. Responsibilities to run a family, responsibilities towards in-law family and to compromise in almost any situation despite against one’s will is what marriage is. The couple realized that they are not only entitled to solely think about their happiness and contentment. Instead they realized, it’s more about fulfilling other people’s (mainly in-laws) needs and wishes rather than their own. Mostly the sufferer is the bride. Ji Ho wanted to break the stereotype. Through her character it was portrayed, love is crucial than marriage. Being married not necessarily means to fulfill other people’s expectations. If they keep on doing that when will they be able to fulfill their own desire? To fall in love, to discover each other, to respect each other, to understand each other should be comprised 90% of marriage. Completing family rituals, doing regular household chores, giving birth, to maintain a good bond with the in-laws are not the essentials in a married life. Those are indeed good things which will come gradually along the course of running the family life. When these extraneous factors become more important, love dies between the couple which shouldn’t be the case.

I fell in love with the concept of the story. Marriage is a wonderful and a very strong institution which is not denied here. Preferably the foreground was to respect each other’s space, to respect each other’s dreams and aspiration and to help let each other’s other half grow as per their wish, as a result a jovial conjugal life is possible. Marriage shouldn’t be strangled with the wishes and dreams of the nearer ones but it should be more about substituting each other’s weakness with each other’s strength.

Acting by the casts were excellent. Decades later I could see Lee Min Ki on small screen which in itself pretty overwhelming. Jung So Min is one of my favourite actresses and my girl crush. She is beautiful and an utterly talented actress. I thoroughly enjoy all her work. The other actors did laudable job. Not even once I felt they were acting. They all felt real and natural.

The OSTs are really nice. With some scenes few OSTs are played accordingly which suited the mood of the scenes perfectly.

Few of the scenes are there in the drama which are my favourites. One was the conversation between Se Hee and his mother-in-law during Se Hee-Ji Ho’s wedding, another between Ji Ho and her mother during the very day and also at their house when they were conversing about Se Hee and some scenes from flashbacks of 80s which were consisted of only Ji Ho’s monologue. Also the comic reliefs of this drama are extraordinary. One moment it will engross you into something grave then immediately it will give you a good amount of laughter dose. Some of those comical moments are also my favourites.

On the whole, it is a great drama which executed the difficult, sensitive and complicated issues of relationship from various perspectives: relationship within marriage, relationship without marriage, living relationship and casual relationship. The concept was not an easy one to write. Full credit should go to the writers for their wonderful creativity of lucidly showing all kinds of romantic relations in one drama. Never seen such realistic and meaningful romcom ever before.

Guys go watch it. No regrets guaranteed.

Read More

wow, WOMEN!!!

THIS WAS SO CUTE!! I'm not gonna lie, I have a particular bias for this series because NigeHaji is literally my favorite J-drama, so even from the very beginning, I already knew I would love this one.

There were a lot of things about this drama that I really enjoyed, and one is the breaking of stereotypical female roles in such romcom. I absolutely love how all the female character were strong and unique in their own ways. Jiho was very transparent and straight to the point, I like how she stands by her decisions all throughout, and she wasn't the type of character keep anything a secret from others, she was very open-minded and always speaks out. Sooji is a career-focused woman who slowly opens up to the world around her, and I love how much realizations she gets about the people she treasures and how that affects her relationship and career. Last among the friends is Horang, who was first focused on wanting marriage to further validate her love with Wonseok, but comes to a realization on the reality of what is needed for a successful marriage. Bomi is a woman who is quite technical, but also has a playful alter-ego to balance out her career smarts. I could literallyyy go on and on about this but I think this review will be too long if I do, so that's a summary of that bit.

For the story, I think it was really well made because of the logical decisions each character made, and I was always living for every moment when Jiho and Sehee beautifully describe their feelings over things. I personally think that this drama tapped into other things outside romance such as the social (family, work ethics, etc.) and economic (career, practicality, etc.) aspects that are very much real. I really also like how they crocheted the relationships together and I think having that crutch for the whole series made it even more interesting. I think the only drawback that I have with this drama is how rly good the first half was, and eventually the predictability followed, however I thoroughly enjoyed each episode veey much so still.

All in all, I feel like this drama was just such a perfect mix of romance and comedy, refreshing like a thermos of hot, citron tea after a night drinking.

Read More

Oh my goodness, what a phenomenal story. Despite the funky title, this was beautifully written, pensive, thoughtful, and like a warm, comforting blanket. It got me to be more introspective, and even helped me get through/understand a breakup happening in my own life. Hello, relatable?!

Once the story hit its groove, we got wonderful metaphors and themes that framed each episode. Episodes 11-13 were particular highlights for me, although I cried all the way until episode 15 (as everyone says: that SUNSET). But also, 13 was the episode that got me most of all and was most applicable to my life —  the concept of room 19 is one that will stick with me, for sure.

The social commentary was also strong with this one. I had no idea how patriarchal South Korea was until now (also compounded by The Economist's latest "special report" on South Korea). I loved how this story subverted common / expected tropes, like the possible love triangles that were evaded. It also made me more thoughtful of the differences between love and marriage, and how marriage changes things because of the dynamic it creates with others.

Lee Min-Ki was a bit too robotic for my tastes at times, although the tsundere was built into the character. It did make his emotions later on all the more powerful.

The ending was romantic and heart warming, although a bit too perfect for my tastes. One couple in particular should've taken a different path — I think sometimes we do need to think realistically about our desires instead of dying on the sword under the belief that love conquers all.

That being said, "I'm glad that I got to spend the best time of my life with you."

Read More

Wow....where to even begin with this incredible and amazing drama? It was incredibly balanced with progressivism and realism.

The writing was truly on another level; organically-written, deeply thoughtful, and incredible humorous, all at the appropriate times. It follows the stories of 3 couples in their 30s: a house-poor man with a monotonous life gets tangled up with an assistant drama writer in need a place to stay, a turbulent 7 year relationship with an unclear trajectory, and a female professional who deals with workplace sexual harassment and her romance with a submissive CEO. There's themes of family, romance, marriage, friendship, success, and Korean tradition. There's endless book quotes, film allusions, and references to sociologists that enrich the narration and the dialogue. You can just tell that there's intellect and talent in the team behind this drama, as it's incredibly thoughtfully crafted. Even though I'm only 18, I truly enjoyed the more mature/adult vibes of this drama. No spoilers, but I can safely say that if you want a drama that makes you squeal out loud, cry actual tears, and stays in your heart even after it's over WATCH THIS SHOW.

As for the cast, I couldn't have asked for a better cast or more convincing acting, truly a 10/10. Not only was each character thoughtfully written, but I could tell each actor immersed themselves in their individual character's narrative. Lee MinKi outdid himself with the nuanced emotions of Nam SeHee, and Jung SoMin's ability to be cute, fiery, passive, and flustered all within the same episode really charmed me. Everyone was awesome.

I'm not going to lie- I have super high standards for soundtracks, and while this one didn't absolutely blow me away, it was really nice and fitting for the drama. It was cute and light, and I really enjoyed the original score!

I don't typically rewatch dramas, but I can definitely say that I would have no problems watching this one over and over again- it's just so darn good!

I honestly don't think I can ever look at kdramas the same after just how amazing and gratifying this one has been. It was cute, deeply reflective, and overall a fun ride. I'm a slice-of-life fanatic, but I genuinely recommend this drama for everyone of all preferences! A game-changer!

Read More

A deep, thought-provoking, realistic romance comedy.

After getting a Netflix subscription I came back to rewatch this drama, and it's so much better than I remembered it.

Romance: three pairs of leads each facing a different relationship challenge. I love how all three storylines get their spotlight and are interwoven -- it really adds to the plot as well as the complexity of the characters' friendships. The supporting characters are also suuuuper lovable so you'll just end up loving everyone in the show!

Social issues: this is not a light-hearted comedy, as the scriptwriter uses the drama to bring out more serious elements. If you are easily triggered by sexual assault or workplace sexual harassment, then this drama is not for you. The conflicts the three female leads have with patriarchy and traditional family values are so real and so relatable; and the drama tells these stories soooo well (with satisfying closure for those of us who want to see justice being served in creative ways). I also love how, instead of having kdrama trope-y jealous second female leads, this drama is all about women supporting each other through hardship. Within the last few episodes, a very unlikely friendship develops (by kdrama standards) and the heart-warming factor is A+.

Storytelling style: I LOVE the directing and the production. The comedic timing is so on point, with an unexpected twist here and there bound to make you laugh. I also love how they switch between different settings to slowly build up the tension of a scene, so that the punchline hits harder at the end. A good example is in that *one very special exhilarating* scene in ep 14. I also love how they will gloss over important scenes and come back to add details to them later.

TL;DR: This is a drama I will recommend to everyone who wants a down-to-earth, real life romance with *some* cute fluff sprinkled here-and-there. The girl power in this drama is also really cool.
This drama will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you angry at the garbage workplace and family "traditions." But at the end, it was such a fun ride that I would rewatch the famous scenes over and over and over again.

Read More