Familiar Wife (2018)

Dragged

I didliked the male character for most of this drama! Totally immature from the start - and after abandoning his wife in his next life sold himself to the rich girl and became in his own words "a puppet"and when he finally begins to assert himself then apologises when she divorces him- saying he made her unhappy!!!So then he abandons his real wife again as he will make her unhappy. Does this guy learn nothing? Knowing how being inconsiderate to his first wife then overconsiderate to his next- does he not learn just to love and communicate ? Finally he makes the right decision but by this point I really didnt care!
I think the writer just let this go on for too long - it became exhausting to watch.

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Great female lead and interesting story that is less familiar then one may think

I came for Han Ji Min and stayed for the story.

What if... don´t we all have the what if I had stayed... what if I had showed upp in time... If I could just redo this one thing would my life change and would I be happier? What about the people around me would they be happier in a world where I made a different choice?

The story start off like many other stories like them an unhappy marriage. a miserabel life filled with misfortune and lets face it a guy who is a total d**** , to be honest the guy may evolve as the story progresses but he is still a total coward and a d**** hence not very lovable (yet handsome) making me wish the female lead would stay singel . The female lead is however cool, fun and just has this amazing vibe to her that made me wish her all the happiness in the world, no matter who is or is not beside her.

The acting in this drama is great, the side characters are all lovable, and add that little extra spark to the story-line. The pace of the drama is good as well and it truly is a good drama that almost makes you forget the whole back to the future theme to it...

If you have seen go back couple this drama is a bit more mature it has more drama, more smart humor, less awkward humor and is more about the male leads journey and how small choices can change ones life completely. More responsibility less communication problems, and an entirely different plot. I liked both the acting, the plot and the side characters in familiar wife more (but enjoyed both).

Last but not least, I was really surprised by the ending so I guess this may not be a must watch but definitely worth the watch !

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Time Travel realness

This is actually a drama I just recently finished and wow.
I really wasn't expecting to like it this much, but it really didn't disappoint!
Im usually a sucker for time travel kdramas and this one..wow this delivered everything and more that i needed.
The regret of changing the past, how the smallest things can change the biggest outcomes in your life, and what i rellay found unique is how they didn't go back to their old life yet they actually used this time travel to their own benefit and found a way to be happier than when they were before the travel.
It teaches you a lesson that your fate is written with a certain person, and they are simply your soulmate and you can't do anything to change that fact!

Really recommend this! It will not leave you bored!!

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OVERALL:
Time travel is really interesting, but can be very messy too. Since the writer is Yang Hee-Seung (Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo, Oh my Ghost) you can look forward to see many funny moments and a very enjoyable drama but I couldn't take the drama seriously. The drama was too long. It could have just been 12 episodes....

STORY:
It is one of the typical time travel stories. I actually didn't like the concept of "it’s always the man's fault when there's trouble in the marriage".

CAST:
Jisung is an actor that makes the drama really enjoyable with his acting. I kinda liked his character, but he was selfish and no one actually talked about that, but then, he had such a good devolvement.
This is the first time I watch a work from Han Ji Min and she's so good, this role fits her so well.
Amazing support characters. They were so funny and refreshing.

[NEGATIVE POINTS]
--[SPOILERS]--
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(This is the part when he wanted to go back to the past.)
1) They lost their son and he didn't care. We just watched one short part when he felt "sorry".
2) His actions were not because of "jealousy", but because he was being selfish about how happy his "wife" and his best friend were together. He was always in the way of these two, because he didn't want his best friend and "wife" to end up as a couple, which is so selfish and childish.
3) His sister married his other friend and had a child, and he still didn't care about it.
4) He didn't think or cared for his "new" wife either.
But as I said, he had a really good devolvement.
5) Now a different problem: for me things got fucked when WooJin uses the coin to time travel. They could have removed that part....
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--[END OF SPOILERS]--

The drama had a really good ending!
Yes, I do recommend this drama. It was very enjoyable.

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This drama series was good! This time I didn't get confused with the parallel world of going back n forth... it was continual and was told right. I loved all the actors and the two main leads did tell a story. The only that was lacking for me is that the directors had Ji Sung a very weak character. I mean at first, he showed he was tired of his original wife nagging, screaming, and almost killing him. Then the character was just sobbing all the time while he was going through the motions. Men and Women were able to beat up on him and he never protected himself. That was my only dislike. But overall, I loved the storyline.

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A Second Glance at "Familiar Wife": A Journey of Regret and Redemption

Upon first encountering "Familiar Wife," I found myself trapped in a web of conflicting emotions - primarily fueled by Cha Joo Hyuk's seemingly nonchalant attitude towards the radical shift in his life and the memories of his past wife. Like many, my initial journey with this drama halted prematurely, unable to reconcile with the male lead's choices. Yet, a renewed perspective gained from exploring other time travel narratives nudged me to revisit this title, offering a richer and more nuanced viewing experience on the second run.

Cha Joo Hyuk, as I came to realize, embodies the axis of pain, regret, and growth within this narrative. Though steeped in controversy, his character development draws the audience into a reflective journey of self-discovery and transformation. Though warranted, the palpable sense of anguish he embodies unfurls a complex character trajectory that stands as the centerpiece of this drama.

The casting aligns perfectly, bringing forth a slew of seasoned actors who meld into their roles seamlessly, offering depth and dimension to the unfolding narrative. The camaraderie depicted within the bank scenes not only portrays a polished depiction of work life but resonates with familial warmth, adding a touch of realism and enjoyment to the series.

Despite the stellar cast and setting, the drama stumbles in its scriptwriting, often wandering into the realms of confusion with an over-reliance on flashbacks. Instead of propelling the story forward, these narrative tools sometimes halt the momentum, creating a disjointed viewing experience. Moreover, a more realistic portrayal of early-onset Alzheimer's, a critical plot point, would have grounded the story, offering a balanced perspective amidst the fantasy elements enveloping the time travel theme.

The set design is a testament to the meticulous attention to detail, mainly seen in the aesthetically pleasing bank setup, which leaves no stone unturned. Yet, the soundtrack fails to carve a distinct identity, blending seamlessly into the background without amplifying the emotional undertones of critical scenes.

In conclusion, "Familiar Wife" beckons viewers to approach it with an open heart and mind, offering a narrative that intertwines regret, choices, and the rippling effects of time. Although marred by certain shortcomings, it remains a worthy venture for those willing to immerse themselves in a tale that holds redemption at its core. It serves as a reflective mirror, urging viewers to ponder the implications of choice and the labyrinthine journey of human relationships, anchored firmly by remarkable performances from a well-assembled cast.

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When I first started this drama, I believed it was the copy of "Go Back Couple", which had a similar plot. After the first episode, though, it changes, and it has potential. However, despite it managed to keep me entertained, it fell around the last quarter of the drama.

- The story is one of the hot themes of the moment. A married couple who fights and wants to end things but this time only one of them makes that decision, and not both, because it's Joo Hyuk who decides to turn things around. The title is fitting, because the drama is basically around Joo Hyuk and the "familiar wife" he knows. You'll understand along the way. Like I anticipated, the story kept me entertaining for the most part because there are a lot of funny moments, but I think that after the first 11-12 episodes it was dragged, and the last episodes felt like an extension that, to some degree, could have been cut into less episodes.

- The main character, like I said, was Cha Joo Hyuk, played by Ji Sung. I've got nothing to say on the acting itself because it was really good, so I'll talk about his character. Joo Hyuk is one of those men who is selfish and lets his wife take care of the house and their children, not thinking that his wife has also a life to live and a job and that he needs to help her too. Besides this, he is also whipped, and lets other treat him like they want and when it's time to speak, he is not understood because he never spoke his true mind. In the first episodes I found his attitude annoying, but it slowly changes (although it doesn't make me like him completely). Seo Woo Jin, played by Han Ji Min, was Joo Hyuk's wife. Her husband let her do everything and rarely helped her, and this makes her angry and bitter. She could look despicable as well, but in my opinion, she had more reasons to be like this compared to Joo Hyuk, in fact I sided with her. We see different "shades" of Woo Jin that lets us see how she was before she married Joo Hyuk. She is truly an enjoyable character and stronger compared to Joo Hyuk, and I liked that. She is probably my favorite character. Luckily the story wasn't just about Joo Hyuk, but also about their friends at work and family. I liked every person at their workplace and they were funny (I admit I laughed a lot watching this drama), and I could tell that the cast got along well during filming because the group was tight. Loved to see Jang Seung Jo again in a funnier role compared to the one he had in "Money Flower". Everyone was good.

- The music gets the highest rating along with acting because it was catchy. I really like the song that they used at the beginning and that was played in the background of the shots where they showed the title of the episode.

- This drama was nice, funny, it let me spend some hours in peace and didn't make me have headaches like some other titles, but in my opinion it was a good romantic comedy with realistic acting but didn't leave a mark in my heart. This is why I gave it a 8 star rating.

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This drama is the perfect example of "You don't know what you have until it's gone" and "The grass isn't always greener on the other side"

Plot

Everyone is pointing out the similarities between Go Back Couple and this one. And yes,in the beginning they're definitely similar but to be honest,Familiar wife can't be compared to GBC. That drama was worth a perfect 10 and this wasn't (it's just my honest opinion)
So the plot isn't really unique and it has some flaws,it got boring from time to time and i wish it was shorter. They should've ended it around episode 13. I think they dragged the story too much (episodes 13,14 & 15 were just fillers) to the point i wanted to start a whole new drama and watch this one later. The writers also left a couple of questions unanswered.
But overall it's not like i didn't enjoy it,i actually did. I liked that it highlighted well the fact that most marriages and relationships aren't perfect and that you should learn to communicate better and have a good teamwork to make it work and not fall apart. Also, the ending was perfect. I'm glad i could see how all the characters lived before, during and after the changes.

Acting

The acting is a 10. The cast did a wonderful job and Ji Sung never disappoints.
Some of the characters are gonna get on your nerves. A LOT. But this drama has such an amazing character development. You can see it through all of the episodes. And it's really satisfactory.

So,it's not a drama that i will be remembering forever. It failed in making me feel excited until the end. And as a drama binger,i don't really recommend watching this all at once. (If you're like me and get bored easily...) But i do recommend it if you like time travelling dramas and amazing acting.

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Lacking something

I am not quite sure what to say about this drama. The plot overall in in one sense is truly relevant to present times and to a lot of married couples and in another sense it’s ...disjointed for a lack of better word. I have nothing against time travel plots (Signal is one of my 10/10 ) but somehow in this drama it’s just a means to an end for me. Maybe there’s just too many characters who knows about the time travel “secret” that it kind of lost it’s novelty in the middle of the story?

Dislikes: (1) portrayal of mom’s dementia is out of tune with reality. People with dementia forget their past, they do not act like little kids again. They lose their way around, they don’t “escape”. (2) No chemistry between the two main leads and the cringey relationship between the ML and the second wife. (3) don’t hate me but I find the FL acting here as “trying too hard” to be chirpy and energetic but somehow did not meet the mark

Likes: (1) Ji Sung’s acting chops did not disappoint, this guy is talented period. It’s a shame that the projects he’s done (that I’ve seen anyway) doesn’t really give his skills the spotlight it deserves. (2) The teasing of the office crew when they tried to bring the leads together, now that made me laugh silly. (3) The youngest male employee character “Hwan”, this kid portrayed the role impeccably, he’s a natural. (4) The best part I think is the bromance, their friendship was genuine despite of the “betrayal”, the actors were so good I feel that they were just playing with each other on the set during filming.

In summary this drama highlights the working mothers and wives and for that I appreciate the story but it failed to show how marriage is a two way relationship. It just won’t work any other way.

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Grass is always greener on the other side

Writing this review took me more that I care to admit. For a long time I wasn’t sure why, but it dawned on me, that the reason is fairly simple. This drama didn’t bring any emotions to me. It was just as average as it could. And it’s not exactly wrong thing.

Let’s start from the beginning, Cha Joo Hyuk, our main character is just an average bank employee. No-one really special. The problem is that he’s not really happy with his life, especially with his wife, who changed throughout the years and become very mean and even brutal person towards him. Having two little children doesn’t really make his life easier, especially that his private life really takes its toll on his work.

So it’s fair to say, he wished his life was different. And luckily he gets his chance of changing the future when he goes back in time to the day that changed his life. So the next day he wakes up in different house with different woman by his side. But is this change really for better?

This is the question that follows our main character, Cha Joo Hyuk, for the whole drama. There’s this old saying that came to my mind when I was watching the series: “life is always greener on the other side”, which means that we always find things that we don’t have more desirable. And this is basically the moral of this story. Because Joo Hyuk’s new life is not so perfect either. Soon he discovers that his wife, that he complained so much before was like that mostly because of him. When he meets her in this new life, she seems completely different, more likeable person. And his new wife is not so perfect as he thought she would be.
Joo Hyuk finally realises that problem with his marriage wasn’t his wife but rather what their relationship made of her and he’s sure that he doesn’t want to make this mistake again.

This is also a story of how our life choices matter and how we influence with our behaviour life of others. About mistakes of the past and understanding their consequences. It’s a story of how the grass is always greener on the other side.

The characters very strongly develop throughout the series and not only because of changes that Joo Hyuk makes in the past. Their choices have real influence on their character and later actions.

The thing that really didn’t stand out was the music or lack of actually original soundtrack. All we get is mostly generic background tune. So there’s not much to talk about here, but honestly I’ve noticed it in the middle of the drama and it wasn’t really nothing bad here.

I love how Joo Hyuk’s coworker’s attitude changes towards him in different scenarios. At first he wasn’t liked because he was always late and unreliable. Then they were nice to him because he married to influential family and basically he could do anything without consequences. They were finally truly friendly towards him when he was consciously himself and wasn’t burdened by problems in his relationships. He was most liked when we was literally the best version of himself.

There’re some good things I can say about this series, it has this absolutely amazing main idea, that I loved from the start. The only problem is that I don’t think it was used well enough. At the end we’ve got very solid drama, with good cast, but after finishing last episode I’ve felt a bit disappointed. This is just not one of those highly memorable dramas that you think about weeks after finishing it.
But on the other hand, it doesn’t have to be. What it is, is just enough.

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I love this drama not just because of the cast but the overall story. It's different from the Go Back Couple. I think this story is much more deeper and very heart-warming. One can truly realize that there's no such thing as ideal, easy or perfect marriage but it is really a give and take. Sometimes we are too overwhelmed with our own struggles and overlooked the feelings of the other. So much to learn in this drama. I definitely recommend this. =)
The cast was great both Ji Sung and Han Ji Min. I loved their character portrayal. The supporting cast was also great!

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