Because This Is My First Life (TV Series 2017) Poster

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9/10
The Science of Love and Marriage
spasek14 February 2021
How many plays, books, songs, TV shows, and films have been made about love over the centuries? Too many to count, I'd wager. Some have given us exceptional and even beautiful depictions. Others have been incredibly superficial. Love is like the wind. You know it's there, but you can't really grasp it. There is a reason for this. Love is never about holding on. It's always about letting go. And true love is completely unconditional.

I personally believe Shakespeare described love the best when Juliet states, "My bounty is as boundless as the sea. The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite."

It is highly likely that, as a viewer, you will be able to relate with one or more of the characters of this drama. Most everyone has been in similar positions: getting together out of convenience, loving someone whose ambitions are greater and perhaps even different than your own, or loving someone who doesn't share the same feelings that you do. We also have characters who are too afraid to love for fear of being hurt.

This K-Drama works well because it doesn't get bogged down in needless melodrama, and it presents six characters that--on some level--nearly everyone can relate to. It is also fairly light without any big emotional twists that, too often, are typical of these kinds of shows. Instead, the writing is crisp because it stays true to the natural course of events rather than forcing them.

Along the way, the narrator, often Ji-ho and sometimes Se-hee ponder what love and marriage are, what their purpose is, and how to best make it work. Is it enough to marry only for love? Is it foolish to marry without any compatibility or shared interests? Sometimes, they resort to quotes from famous authors, and other times, they speculate on their own.

Too many people, due to the pressures of parents, society, and religion (sometimes all three!) believe that marriage is the only way to be happy. Marriage is not for everyone, and too often, couples treat it as the Finish Line rather than the Starting Gate. Yes, marriage is the beginning, not the end. And, yes, it IS work!

People also marry for the wrong reasons: to prevent having to be alone, to feel a sense of completion and well-being by being with someone. Happiness in marriage can never be found in your partner. It can only be found if you already have that happiness, and you are ready to share that with someone else. You cannot give what you do not have, and too often, we unfairly and unrealistically make our partner responsible for our happiness. Any relationship that takes on this idea is already doomed to fail.

These are topics, themes, and even questions that are addressed throughout the run of this series. Perhaps that is why it is a series that can be enjoyed by young and old alike, as well as people in/out of relationships as they address questions regarding love and marriage...topics that have been talked about since the beginning of time.

There are many cute, funny, and even ponderous moments. And in my book, that makes this a true treasure of a series to watch and enjoy...perhaps even with your partner!
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9/10
Fresh and Philosophical Romance Flick
nishera6 January 2020
I should start by saying that I would rate this show a solid 8.5 (but since I have to pick either 8 or 9, I chose 9). If I had to describe this show in one sentence, I would call it a quiet, understated examination of love and marriage in modern times...which probably sounds totally boring, but it's not.

While the plot hinges on a cliche (contract marriage), the resulting story is anything but, and is a far cry from any K-Drama I've yet seen. It walks a beautifully fine line between cynicism and optimism, with some of the most original and heartfelt lines I have ever heard in any film, anytime, anywhere (On the other hand, if you don't care for thinking with your entertainment, this might not be your cup of tea).

In addition, seeing as the story centers on real life issues, I loved the fact that the cast was likewise "real-life beautiful," (rather than the unreasonably gorgeous type that are commonly selected for leading roles), and I was thoroughly impressed with the caliber of acting all around (Though the MVP is still the cat! Somebody get that adorable feline an award!)

If you are looking for a fresh and heartfelt K-Drama that brings romance to the real world, this is for you. Recommended!

ROMANCE RATING: 8.5/10. By K-Drama standards, this show had more kiss scenes than average (4+), and the kisses mostly fall in the NC17 category (rather than the standard G rated ones). Additionally, all three couples had good chemistry between them. I could have wished for a little more romantic payoff after all the build up for the MC's, but what we got was acceptable without being too racy.
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8/10
Not your typical rom-com, which is great
gonzalezjenghis25 July 2018
Because This is My First Life (watched once last May 2018)

8 out of 10 rating!

Whenever I look for a series to watch, I research about a title a bit and see if it's what I want to watch. When I stumbled upon this show, I didn't want a typical romantic comedy that would be for girls who justed wanted some "fluff." If you're in the same page as I was, 24 year old wanting to see a series that wasn't heavily stuffed with fluff and would actually impart you with some useful life advices, then this show is absolutely the winner.

Sure, some parts of the plot may not be realistic, such as having already spent days with a roommate you haven't actually seen. But the rest felt raw. Here's Yoon Ji-ho, the lead lady (whom I felt strongly connected with, sharing a similar dream of being a writer - which is also one of the reasons the title attracted me), struggling with her career and wanting a fresh start. Then there's Lee Min-ki, a character I rather found annoying at times, but very straightforward and simply wants to live a peaceful life. They are not complete opposites, and at first were rather too easily compatible. It wasn't love at first sight, yet you as the viewer, will feel that, "hey, these two have that connection." but at the same time, you feel that it is uncomfortably too smooth.

Not to make this any longer than it is, here are my main views. The story captivates me because it shows different points of view on love, and on marriage, which are separate matters. I may not completely relate with the tradition or culture when it comes to Korean marriage and how relationships between in-laws work, but I can connect the similarities from the ideas shown from my own country's. These are characters who chose to create their own system which will work for their relationship based on their wants, needs, and more importantly, they respect each other's opinions and decided together. It also showed that such actions doesn't neccesarily cause overdramatic consequences. This could be viewed as rather boring, and I'm not going to lie, it wasn't the most "entertaining" drama out there, but it is so worthwhile to watch! Again, this is coming from a 24 year old's views. I'm in a place where there are times I question my career status, my life decisions, and also my own goals in my love life and relationship.

At the same time the two leads figure out their status, the supporting characters are also having their own dilemmas with completely different behaviour and beliefs on love and marriage. It's what also amazes me with this series, you get to see 3 different points of views. It gets you to think and try to understand where these characters are coming from.

Over all, it's a great mix of romance, comedy, and mostly slice of life. Perhaps the small con for me with this show was that it felt like it was lacking a bit of physical...interaction between the two leads :)

Still, definitely worth watching. :)

Thanks for reading my rather long review, hopefully it helps!
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10/10
totally relatable
mshiala-984016 November 2017
i hesitated to watch it at first... but after watching one episode i couldn't stop. Its so good and totally relatable in day to day lives of any people. Not a dreamy fantasy serial at all. I love it. and the lead actors make a good couple even tho they have totally different personalities. Love them.
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10/10
this is some good stuff
danhowellismyspiritanimal31 October 2017
I love this drama so much, at first i was like ????? what kind of name is that BUT NOW I LOVE IT The characters are great, acting is on point and oh the plot ... The plot is amazing, it hits you out of nowhere! It definitely makes you feel some feelings other dramas don't and you'll definitely start questioning stuff. And the universe. Overall i think it is worth watching, it is as original as it can be and honestly its different. and DIFFERENT IS GREAT
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10/10
Even if you don't like Kdramas you'll enjoy this.
kissogramkate26 January 2020
Sometimes Korean dramas are bordering on the soapy side of life, they can meandering side plots involving things like health emergencies and stalkers. They're a lot of fun but can sometimes be a bit 'much' for a western audience. Because this is my first life takes a very melodramatic, soapy concept (two strangers marrying to save money) but manages to spin it into a really lovely, believable sixteen episode love story. It's helped a lot by the way it envelopes the two main characters friends, and their love stories, into the main plot.

An incredibly refreshing Kdrama that I'd highly recommend even if you've never watched one before.
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10/10
not your typical drama
milafauziana10 February 2019
This drama isn't the type of drama with a lot of romantic scene, if you love 'fluffy' love kind of thing, you'll find this drama boring. the best thing about this drama is how raw, ordinary, realistic, and relatable the story is. still the best drama ever.
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6/10
Ending let it down
soshnuanky29 October 2021
It's a good show for the most part and we can witness how understanding, chemistry builds between the main characters. But then for some strange reason, story writers decided to target the basic idea, bond behind marriage. I just felt that they didn't provide a balanced point of view there. Marriage isn't going to kill happiness as long as you are with the person you truly love, care about. In fact, it takes away the easy option of breaking up suddenly in a tough phase of life. Yes, I am a young adult as well and despite that, I feel that the kind of view provided on marriage, especially in last 2 episodes was unnecessary.
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10/10
Just brilliant!!
alexandra-4285719 April 2020
I absolutely loved this series. So nice to have a more grown up story with brilliant acting and so many touching and funny moments. I just wish it didn't have to end! There was proper passion in this series for a change but still very tasteful which is what I love about k-dramas. It ended just the way I was hoping and made me cry and smile all the way through. Watch it, you won't regret it! (You can never judge these shows by their titles and pictures. They never cease to impress me once I start watching, but this one was one of the best)
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7/10
Communication issues abound, and it shows in the subtititles
jaken-739686 May 2023
So many of the issues could have been avoided if any of the main characters (except for the communication star CEO Ma) actually expressed what was bothering them. Of course, the writers told them not to, and thus we have 15.5 episodes of suppressed feelings and 45 minutes of wrap up. Frustrating, but somehow mostly enjoyable.

But the real reason I came here was to complain about the subtitles. I'm pretty sure all the subtitlers were fired after episode 15. The last episode was only half translated. Literally, half of the sentences in episode 16 just weren't translated. At all. So long dialogues would be reduced to a couple of words which didn't even link up. So much so that we had to guess about the nuances of the final resolutions. I ended up translating the few words I recognize and making up my own dialogue to fill the gaps.
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9/10
Interesting characters
leahcubed22 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Nam Se-hee (Lee Min-ki) is a software application chief developer who is very talented in his field. He is practically emotionless - it would have been easy to convince me he was a robot. Yoon Ji-ho (Jung So-min) is opposite in almost every way. She is a hard working assistant drama writer who finds herself without a place when her younger brother gets a woman pregnant, marries, and takes over the house they occupied together. Ji-ho spends some time couch surfing until a friend tells her about someone in need of a housemate. Se-hee and Ji-ho do not, at first, realize they are opposite sex - there assumption was those that recommended the co-habit knew their gender and paired accordingly. Having completely different schedules it is some time before they realize and, given the conservative nature of the culture - part ways. Ji-ho finds herself in undesirable housing circumstances and constantly migrates back to the environment where she felt most safe - Se-hee's house. They develop a friendship of sorts and Se-hee approaches Ji-ho with the idea of a tenant/landlord relationship in the form of a two-year contract marriage. Their friends and family believe it to be real and soon the two start to develop real feelings for each other. But something in Se-hee's past keeps him from getting close, to anyone. Will their love find a way before it is too late? Ji-ho has two close female friends who also have their trials with life and love. Their side stories are as entertaining to watch as the main story.

When I first started watching this is was hard for me to understand why it rated so high on other sites. As the story developed I quickly understood why the story was so entertaining and compelling. As we lean more about each of the very complex characters, their behavior starts to seem much more real and genuine. The deep relationships that develop also make sense over time. I really liked this as a sort of slice of life of those in their 30s and 40s and the struggles that occur when life does not play out the way you envisioned.
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6/10
It was to be 10/10 but,they just had to ruin it as they always do
Toncholina18 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Because this is my first life started off great,like many other kdramas. And than,when you think you're gonna get something worth enduring so slooooow paced story,you get only dissapointment.

Theme of this drama was interesting and important and when I started to watch I was touched and felt many different emotions watching strugles of those young people who are scared that they are not young anymore. It was very promising and even though it was too slow and with many irrelevent elements,it was interesting and funny enough. That is until the last two episodes.

Whole story went down the drain in the last two episodes. Creators made two main leads do stupid things and act out of the their characters. She wanted love and when she found out that she got it,she decided to destroy it and hurt him deeply for apsolutely no reason. For those who think there is a reason for what she did than you know nothing about life.

Anyway,I hate to admit,but this is just another kdrama that I wasted my time on.
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5/10
Decent But Didn't Live Up to the Hype
fake_moviestar8 December 2020
There are a LOT of reviews for this show (relative to k dramas, which usually only have 3 or 4), and most of them rave about this show. So naturally I had pretty high expectations. Unfortunately this didn't quite live up to the hype for me.

I will say this; this is one of the most relatable shows I've ever seen for those in their late 20s-late 30s. The pain and pressure surrounding the expectations of those in this age bracket is perfectly portrayed here, so much so that it was often difficult to watch.

However there was enough "bad" in this to leave me feeling a bit like I wasted my time. The show was pretty slow, and I found the last two episodes rather frustrating to watch. I felt like Se Hee's character was almost TOO emotionless and the reason they give for this isn't that great. Jung So Min is wasted here, as she is a great actress and blew me away in "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes," and in this her character is very underwhelming. And while this show IS very relatable, I found all the couples to be pretty annoying and lacking in chemistry. I also hated how fake the cat sounds were.

That being said, I definitely think this would be some people's jam for sure - it just failed to blow me away. I also would never re-watch this, and that is always something I consider in my rating.
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9/10
I love KDramas, please don't judge me.. 😁
mjp7812 October 2020
This show is near perfection; so much fun, a slow burn love story, and so much more, with excellent lead characters, and, just the right amount of cheese. If like me you have an unhealthy KDrama addiction, I think you should give this a try.
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10/10
The best drama I have ever seen.
ondrej-pinka24 June 2020
This is the best series I have ever seen. I am over 40 years old, have my own family and can relate to many situations displayed. Growing love, miscommunications and misunderstandings, expectations and pressure from the outside (family, friends, traditions...), looking for and fighting for happiness, women trying to make their lives better in a strongly patriarchal society.

That said, this series is probably more suitable for more matured audience. Although it's often funny, it is not light. The pace is slow and natural, which is good - life does not happen fast, dialogues are not a race (I hate west and especially US cinematography for making people spit out sentences like machine guns). In many situations each single word, each facial expression or change in eyes, each touch matters. Yes, many dialogues and interactions in this series are very meaningful, beautifully written and superbly executed by the actors.

The main cast, Jung So Min and Lee Min Ki are simply phenomenal. Every time these two interact with each other, magic happens. They seem to be very comfortable with each other and incredibly match together. Even when they are silently looking at each other, I can absolutely feel the emotions - a spark of happiness, attraction and love, as well as confusion, tension and disappointment. The atmosphere between these two is often so real and electrifying that I get the feeling I should not be watching, as I am violating their privacy. I have never had this experience in my life with any series or movie before this one, that acting would feel so real and so natural.

Pay especially close attention to Lee Min Ki's eyes and his face. Due to the nature of the character he portrays, his palette of emotion expressions is very limited. What other express by using their entire body and voice, he manages literally just by changing the shade in his eyes. Have you ever seen an actor expressing expectation, then confusion, then worry and disappointment only with his eyes, within few seconds, without moving a single muscle or saying a word? Just the way he looks as his partner (Jung So Min)? Not me, not before I have seen this series.

Jung So Min has more room to portrait her character and she delivers perfectly - she is absolutely fantastic. Love. Care. Broken-heartedness. Happiness. They all feel so real. There are few extremely intense situations too (not giving out spoilers) which would have been very difficult for any woman to act through. And she channels the pain, the heaviness and tragedy of the situation so genuinely that it punches you in your gut. I cannot even describe all the details of how good she is as I would have to write a novel.

The rest of the cast follows the suit, they are all very very good. The directing is top-notch, the lighting is spot on, the soundtrack is incredible, silence is used generously and at the right times (all together making especially intimate or tense situations feel even more real).

My only complaint would be about, in my opinion, rather rushed last episode. Being used to the slow and thorough pace of the series, things suddenly wrap up too quickly to my taste. I would definitely appreciate more of the happy, post-climactic interactions of the lead couple, some recapitulation of what happened while separated. I could personally handle one more 16-ep series of those two just living their ordinary happy life together, because the "chemistry" between the lead actors Lee Min Ki and Jung So Min is no joke.
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9/10
Pleasantly surprised!
shareen_shany10 December 2021
Wanted to watch this drama a couple of times but the unsure as to whether it will be good. It's not easy to survive on your dream, one must realistic. Male-dominant power abuse in the workplace, the pressure of getting married, the pressure of in-laws & just survival is not easy.

It may seem boring but give it time, all will come together as it os not easy to open up or speak your mind, fear of retribution or rejection.

It is worth while romantic drama. Recommend it!
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10/10
The reason I watch KDRAMA
sonia-9511113 June 2021
From start to finish, a beautiful, meaningful story about friendship and love, marriage and family. I often stopped and rewatched a scene to really take in what was being said. I watch KDrama for shows like this. Really lovely! Beautiful performance and meaningful stories. This one was worth watching! Loved it!
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7/10
Could have been an all-time great kdrama. Horrible final episodes
rguddu_india16 January 2021
Excellent start, build up, sweet romance. A great female lead with beauty, expression & acting, representing a sweet, well mannered, humble girl brought up with family values. A sober emotionless gentleman as the male lead who i could perfectly identify with in our society. Good side plots. Particularly impressive: friend wishing to live a typical married life, and female lead's mother talking to his son-in-law at wedding. Enough funny moments, though very intelligently done, rather than the typical forced way. Philosophical exploring of love and marriage. I thought finally a great realistic drama. Episode 9-13 were beautiful. Then shockingly/frustratingly it takes a downward turn, leaving out logic, freshness and consistency. Going for all those plots it seemed to mock earlier: an ex-gf comes, main leads don't communicate, one loves yet leaves, finally comes back 10 minutes before end of 16th episode, unnecessary English speakers utter some fake sounding lines, etc. Leaves a pretty bad taste and a feel of wasted opportunity. Certainly could have been an all-time great drama. 6 or 7 out of 10.
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8/10
pleasantly surprised
backnblack-0612314 January 2020
Really liked this series, it's not your typical KD with all the ups and downs slow paced and good timely humor,So-Min Jung is adorable in this never seen her before but she now on my viewing radar Could have spent more time in the last two episodes on the main couple that's my only complaint if they would have done that id have given it a 9.
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Superficial and Boring
feys2515 August 2020
I'm fairly surprised that this drama has a rating over 8. They tried to represent the challenges on understanding human behavior/feelings and how depressing it is to try to fit into the needs of the society. Even though the main topic is deep and at some point philosophical, the way it is presented in this drama is very superficial. There is only one single person in the drama who is sane and all of the rest of the characters are all behaving like children. Additionally the conversations are quite slow and unnecessary. I don't even want to start from the dialogues about soccer. It feels like the writer of the show have never seen a soccer game but put it into the drama to make it look interesting. This is by far the worst Korean drama I've seen.
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7/10
Great storyline, but weak ending
blebbe27 March 2022
The concept of this show was great, the plot was interesting and the pace was perfect. Really strong supporting cast too, with great storylines. There was a perfect balance of the main character's storyline and the side characters' storylines. I also loved the more vulnerable scenes, they were touching.

For me, I noticed wanting to see more of a spark/chemistry between the main leads. My least favorite part was the ending though. How the ending unraveled was slightly confusing and unrealistically convenient.
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10/10
Enjoyable with a spoiler comment about the ending
RomanceNovelist6 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I was able to enjoy this series for what it was, a slice of life KDRAMA semi-romance between two people who are so afraid of love, the past, or possible rejection that they waste precious time misinterpreting each other's feelings for indifference. Se-Hee is so restrained emotionally that he can't speak a word having anything to do with emotion. He hides this behind boundaries that he carefully places around himself. Jin-ho is sometimes completely obtuse when it comes to understanding Se-hee and the carefully restrained passion simmering below the surface...no fault of her own. He hides it well.

Recap: The story is about a young man whose name is See Hee, who lives a very careful life. He wants no emotional entanglements or any life-altering events. He wants to live a quiet life without any sort of emotional turmoil or companionships. He loves his cat and loves living in the apartment he owns. The problem is that he has a very large mortgage that he wishes to pay off so that he can have security and feel safe as he lives his life without Love. Enter Jin-Ho. Her life is the opposite. She has just lost her home while away for work because her brother has taken over their paid off apartment and he is getting married and having a baby. This means that she has to move out because her brother and his girlfriend are living like newlyweds and Jin-Ho is the odd one out. Only she is finding it very difficult to find an apartment that she can afford on such a meager salary. She meets See Hee and after realizing that she had such a great need and he had an extra room and could use the rent money to help pay off his mortgage faster, they enter into a contract marriage which is secretly a landlord tenant agreement as well.

Their friends and family believe the couple married for love, but in reality, the couple have secretly agreed that the marriage is strictly business as she will be the tenant and he will be her landlord and that the contract will last for 2 years. This arrangement works. Jin Ho finds security in this arrangement and a home (i.e., she is no longer homeless). She takes a job at a restaurant since she no longer wants to be a writer due to being assaulted by her boss. She finds her life is very comfortable with See Hee and he is very happy with her as his tenant. She does everything he wants a roommate to do and goes above and beyond in keeping up their home. They both fall into a comfortable routine. But problems ensue when Jin Ho is unable to keep her feelings in check and crosses those emotional boundaries See Hee has worked so hard to keep in place. But can he keep his emotions in line as well or will he eventually erase the boundaries and fall in love with Jin-Ho? See Hee develops an awful habit of crushing Jin Ho's feelings to keep the boundaries in place. He manages, with even the smallest gestures, to reject her.

There are also supporting characters who really help round out this story. They are See Hee's two friends and Jin Ho's two best friends who make up the two other couples with conflicting storylines that are also interesting.

There is See Hee's hilarious and endearing boss, who is in a romance with Jin Ho's friend. He wants more and she wants less for reasons unknown to him. And then there is the third couple who have been in a relationship for 7 years except the boyfriend will not commit to a marriage causing much emotional turmoil that shakes and their entire relationship. I found this couple very annoying and immature and felt the young woman was better off with the other man that she met.

Spoiler: The one part I didn't understand was the ending. Jin-ho confesses her feelings openly to everyone around her except to Se-hee, understandably fearful of being rebuffed again. Yet when she learns he plans to confess his love from mutual friends, she interrupts him and announces that she wants a divorce and will leave him. Kdrama romance has a formula: Boy rejects girl, girl finally wins boy's heart, girl dumps boy, boy must grovel to win her back. In this case she dumps the fake marriage and he loses his everlovin' mind. He becomes so broken and lost in despair that he gives up the one thing he wanted most in the world, the very thing he agreed to a fake marriage to get. So I could not make out a reasonable motive for her destroying his life. If it was just to reboot the relationship on her terms. Then that's silly and Se-hee's reaction to her re-emergence after he had lost/given up everything...well,, he was appropriately ticked off. While he drinks himself into a stupor she's off laughing and having the time of her life with friends...after he rescued her from being homeless she did not stick to the contract. I still love the show however. And felt the outcome of the series was appropriate.
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6/10
THE STRANGEST K-DRAMA I'VE EVER SEEN
lyntonadam18 February 2020
This would have to be the oddest K-Drama I've seen, hence I am compelled to share my bewilderment with you & contradict all the positive reviews. Sorry ! And by the way, this show is the worst for a viewer in one way : a rubbish one can be dropped after an episode; a great one ( like "Hotel del Luna" ) satisfies all the way through; this type sucks you in until you realise it's going down the toilet at roughly the half-way point, but you've invested your time & feel trapped into staying with it in case the ending redeems it. So you simply want to get it over with. Sigh. The set-up seemed predictable, yet I wondered how clever the writing would be : dour, emotionless but handsome IT guy ( Lee Min Ki ) with an apartment/big mortgage needs a roommate for the rent. Homeless, adorable, attractive assistant K-Drama writer ( Jung So Min ) needs a place to live. So they draw up a contract which includes a fake marriage-of-convenience, since his Dad is pestering him on that topic. We naturally assume that once the odd-couple frostiness is over with, they'll gradually warm to each other & love will blossom & triumph as it always does. Because K-Dramas are renowned for their happy endings, regardless of the tragedy/tears along the way. I won't reveal the finale, but there are two important sub-plots which I found to be more satisfying than the main couple. JSM has a couple of girlfriends : Lee Som is a corporate worker who is plagued by sexual harassment & struggles to commit to her BF ( Park Byeong Eun ), while Kim Ga Eun struggles to drag her partner of seven years to the altar. Back to the main course, because that's the reason for my frustration/befuddlement. For around 60% of the run time, we have to endure the obligatory torture of the poor woman. It's painful but follows the standard template of the aloof man being mean/cold to a person we want to constantly hug & who doesn't deserve it. HOWEVER....something really & surprisingly romantic occurs at this point so I breathed a sigh of relief in the hope that things would be improving. Ha ! Silly me ! Because this is when all trace of logic or common-sense goes flying out the window ! All the normal actions you might expect from a couple with feelings for each other do not apply & other odd events further complicate the situation. For example, a significant act of violence occurs which directly concerns JSM, yet she's never told about it. Another time, a supporting character offers second-hand information about the ML's feelings, though the ML can't make those feelings known. In fact, the two leads are frustratingly consistent in their inability to convey how they feel towards each other & that, of course, leads to misunderstandings. Yes, they have emotional baggage & that will obviously inhibit communication to some extent, but what transpires is just relentlessly illogical. "Talk" is what normal people, no matter how damaged, would do if they're in love with someone & don't want to lose them. I understand that the writer wants the viewer to ponder the various angles on marriage, & that's good. The sub-plots enhance that, as does JSM's omnipresent & often pessimistic voice-over. It's also great to have the issue of sexual harassment explored & this aspect of the plot is done well & with humour too. Japan is perceived as the worst place for this, though East Asia in general seems in need of major re-education. There's also some insight into the "private space" which is essential even for a loved-up couple, as well as a look at the filial demands placed on women in Korean society. So the script has things to say, which I heartily endorse. The cast are good too. JSM has a range of emotions to convey & does it well, while her hapless co-star LMK has clearly been directed to be a robot most of the time. Lee Som is a real firecracker & a nice match for the passionate PBE ( & what a contrast to the comatose ML! ). KGE as the woman who desperately craves marriage makes a big impression with her big emotions, while the rest are uniformly effective. Which leads me inexorably back to the "S" word, a key part of the "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back" situation I'm confronting here yet it isn't what you might expect. I do admit to a bit of a sarcastic tirade recently when reviewing "Romance Is A Bonus Book", & if that's the way K-drama is going then we'll soon see the lead couple bowing to each other with all kissing banned. What makes BTIMFL doubly infuriating is that it's actually quite daring in some ways ! A young unmarried couple not only live together ( !! ) but jump into bed with the explicit purpose of "doing" it ( as you do when you're young ! ). Another unhappy character reads a book about sexual frustration ! Oh, so shocking ! I'm wondering though whether the crucial back-flip is due to interference from the "suits". They always think they know best ( I have personal experience ) so maybe they saw the early footage, wet their pants & decided to dilute the second half. There's a reason for the success of the excellent film "Parasite": despite the sub-titles, people who aren't film buffs EMPATHISE with the poor families. They understand about respect, & the age-old gulf between the have's & the have-nots; they might know someone who's struggling financially or it could even be them. Writers of K-Dramas know this sort of empathy includes that most universal of emotions : love. The joy of falling into it, the pain of falling out of it. But when it comes to that other dreaded universal starting with "S", the shutters go up. Again, they know the subject very well; they know that if a boy likes a girl, he won't be able to keep his hands off her because it's human nature the world over. Yet Christianity is well established in S Korea so I must assume that the usual religious repression of the "S" word & the female body as "offensive" and "indecent" etc applies. In fact, I've been watching an amusing K-drama lately & a scene by a swimming pool was sadly indicative of the conservative mind-set : a beautiful young woman dives in, & she's wearing shorts & a top which completely covers her arms/torso. Faintly laughable in the West, but the sight of her in a bikini would obviously cause any Korean child who might be watching to have nightmares. Which brings my penetrating analysis ( haha ) to HBO. Like them or not, their sexually explicit shows have been game-changers for TV in most countries. And one of the reasons audiences respond is the empathy I've referred to. Young males ( make that ALL males ) with raging hormones lap up the nudity/fornication & competitors like Netflix etc have heeded the message. These sorts of audiences aren't interested in a camera pan to a window as a couple get naughty; to them, "Less is More" is absurd because they subscribe to "More is More". The bar, then, has been permanently raised ( or lowered, depending on your opinion ). So Professor, I hear you asking, what is the solution ? As I've suggested in previous reviews, the answer is simple & doesn't mean K-Drama actors having to strip off & "do it" en masse ( though I notice Kim Tae Ri from "Mister Sunshine" did some full-on lesbian cavorting in "The Handmaiden" & the sky didn't fall in; ditto Kim Go Eun from "Goblin" being naked in "A Muse" ). Humour is the key, & the typical lust-fuelled frenzy of a male in love offers endless scope for laughs while depicting that lust with honesty. Let's not forget that the "S" word is absolutely natural, universal & apparently pleasurable, & I'm available to consult with any Korean TV suits ready to enter the twenty first century. And we can't neglect the "H" word. As in "Hallyu", the so-called "Korean Wave" designed by their Govt to sweep the globe & establish Korean culture/media as important/influential. Well chaps, here's the thing : if you want K-Drama to escape the niche ghetto of chick-flick devotees, come on up to 2020 & let the content reflect the real world. Do you really want the Japanese to set the pace ? Because right now their TV is light years in front regarding the "S" word, & they also have no problem with featuring gay couples. There's already a running gag out there concerning the typical finale of a K-Drama revealing that all the romantically entangled adult kids are related to each other thanks to convoluted love affairs & births outside of wedlock. Will Hallyu benefit from being seen as some sort of weird, unreal freakshow bereft of connections to relatable human behaviour ? True, the deserved success of "Parasite" will please the Govt suits ( though its exposure of Korean poverty less so ), but a Korean film won't be winning "Best Picture" every year. Will the Korean Wave morph into the Korean Joke ? Because for K-Drama, it's half way there. PS - Sorry for the epic length, & no, I'm not trying to break the record for longest IMDb review. I just get passionate sometimes, & as a Crusader For Common Sense, felt I had to vent. Thank you !
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5/10
Very slow progress and unsatisfying end
jennifersorensen25 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I don't understand why this show is so highly rated. It progresses incredibly slowly and after watching 16 episodes I felt like the end wasn't very satisfying.

I really dislike it when the only reason the show keeps going is, because the main characters just don't talk to each other. We watch how they take one step forward and then, suddenly, when you were baited into clicking next episode, going two steps back. It gets incredibly frustrating and after half of the show I just wanted to reach the end.

But the end was so unsatisfying! I want to see how they finally love each other after going through so much heart ache. But we only get a short sequence of them living in their new home a couple years later. I wanted more than that.
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10/10
Best contract marriage drama ever!
p_h_bored17 August 2022
While the first episode is full of cliches, the drama picks up drastically with good acting, lovely soundtrack and heartbreaking dialogue and soon becomes addictive. The main lead actors end up in a contract marriage to solve real estate issues and slowly get involved emotionally. Even if you have heard the plotline million times, this show is worth it!
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