Because This is My First Life (2017)

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!

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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.

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This drama really had me in for a surprise. It was my first time seeing Jung Somin in such a mature role, and I finally was introduced to Lee Minki's incredible acting. The description "slice of life" drama is not enough to describe the depth this drama has. It truly will move you in one way or another, if not in multiple ways, due to its incredible insight not only about human nature but also about society as a whole.

Jung Somin portrays her character to the T. This drama has the character development, it has the touching moments, but most of all it has a heart and message that speaks volumes. This is not your 10-top star studded drama with flashy cinematography, it instead knows itself very well and the writers have done an impeccable job keeping you guessing what's next. This is not your predictable, cliche rom com. There are no filler storylines, and everything shown is done for a purpose, not to fill a 16 episode quota.

The romance had me floored with the amazing chemistry. I fell in love with Lee Minki's portrayal of such a broken character. The other two love lines were also very well done, I never felt bothered by their scenes, instead I wanted more, because they were so purposefully shown and expertly weaved in.

What I appreciate the most about this drama however is the manner in which it tackles issues present in those who are maturing. While I'm not in my 30s, I'm a woman in my early 20s, I still too felt connected to the idea this drama was elaborating. I would advise those who are in for laughs, but also for heartfelt messages to watch this drama. This TV drama is by the far most well thought out and intricate drama of 2017 that I've watched. I would not change a single thing about its execution, and that's something I have a hard time saying about /any/ drama I've ever watched. I've laughed, cried and most of all learned so much from this drama, and I'm so thankful for the experience this drama has given me.

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BECAUSE THIS IS MY FIRST REVIEW: I barely write reviews on dramas that I've watched but this drama made me do so! I'm not the type of person to set expectations whenever I watch korean dramas, but for some reason this show has made me set one for others. At first, all of the casts were fresh to me. I didn't really adored them at first (well, except for Jung So Min, I adored her ever since), but as I went through each episode, I grew to know and love the characters even more. The plot line was also unique and fresh, it wasn't like any other drama out there. There's just so much to learn and see in this drama so it's definitely a MUST-WATCH. I won't elaborate on further as I might spoil other people. But hey, you won't regret watching this korean drama. JUNG SO MIN, LEE MIN KI, FIGHTING! <3 P.S. I wasn't a cat person, but I am now because of Woori!!

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I wrote and rewrote this review about 3 times. I'm having a hard time putting into words how much I enjoyed this story. I enjoyed all three love stories and how they tackled some heavy and mature topics along the way. It's a slice of life style drama that focuses on relationships. Love, marriage, expectations of society, expectations of our families. I thought the writing for most of the series was really terrific, but it faltered in the ending. The ending wasn't as nearly satisfying as the rest of the series, so they kind of dropped the ball there a bit. I loved Se Hee and Ji Ho, and I loved Soo Ji and Sang Goo - all terrific characters and actors. While I liked Ho Rang and Won Seok's characters a bit less (they were both kind of annoying, really)I still enjoyed their story.The actors were mostly new to me, but I was most impressed with Lee Min Ki (and his captivating eyes that said so much with few words) and Lee Som (Soo Ji) . Lee Min Ki took Se Hee's character to a level that would be hard to achieve with just any actor. I think it took quite a bit of skill to play Se Hee. Jung So Min had the cutest expressions, but one of the annoying things was how slllllooooowwwwllly she spoke and replied. That was really the one thing that bothered me about her character (other than her weird behavior at the end) - it was a little bit over the top for just 'reflecting' before replying. Ji Ho was a very strong person, though, even if she seemed meek on the outside. She certainly never let anyone run over her, and I thought that so unlike most drama heroines. So that was a positive for her.  Soo Ji was just kick-butt awesome and my favorite character next to Se Hee, and I loved how Sang Goo finessed his way into her heart and life. (I think Soo Ji and Sang Goo could almost have carried a series of their own - maybe they should have been the lead couple?) Bo Mi was my favorite supporting character and wish there had been room for more of her. And last, but not least, Kitty gets honorable mentions as the cutest non-human character in the show!The main song, This Life, was beautiful and I never got tired of hearing it.

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The BEST!!!

One of the best series EVER. I have watched it many times since it first came out. And I am still seeing new things in it. I just finished it again last night. What a joy. I won't repeat what others have said in their reviews of celebration and deep pleasure about this top notch drama, as they said it so well. I have given this series 10 for every part of it. Clever. Moving. Funny. Sad. Intelligent. SUPERB. All acting is wonderful. . And the two lead characters are brilliant. The script is as good as it gets. I adore both Jung So Min and Lee Min Ki. ( I am still furious at the producers of Alchemy of Souls, who dropped Jung So Min out of the main cast in Part 2 of that series - and put a younger actress in her place. I won't comment on the "new" actress. But part 2 doesn't hold up at all for me. Not having JSM in Part 2 was a clumsy dumb move. Jung So Min was fabulous in part 1 of AOS. She pretty much "stole the show". ) However, JSM has clearly moved on with dignity and has two new series coming up. I look forward to anything she is in! I would love to see her team up with LMK again.

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Assistam essa Joia Rara rapidamente!

Esse drama é realmente encantador e merecia um maior destaque!
Demorei a engatar nesse drama. Passei por ele algumas vezes mas não me pareceu interessante no primeiro momento. E sim, estou muito arrependida já que poderia ter visto esta maravilha antes.

Um casamento de fachada. E assim começa essa maravilhosa história sobre amor, mas acima de tudo sobre conflitos e amadurecimentos que passamos em nossa vida e em como uma coisa está totalmente ligada a outra. E tudo é nos mostrado tão sutilmente, com uma naturalidade que impressiona, você se prende desde o primeiro episódio. A série aborda as especiais e pequenas coisas e como elas se somam para construir tudo que podemos aproveitar da vida. Problemas em relacionamentos, problemas financeiros, profissionais e familiares são o que torna tudo mais sincero pois todos passam por isso.
O mais legal desta trama é a sinceridade que traz para todos que estão vendo. É original, divertido e apaixonante. O elenco é maravilhoso, você se encanta por todos os personagens e se identifica com cada um. Todos têm seus defeitos e suas características marcantes, é isso que aproxima a história de todos que estão assistindo.
A história se desenrola dentro de três casais com três visões sobre o casamento e o amor:. Os casais tem profundidade em suas ações, erram, aprendem e se completam ao decorrer da jornada. o primeiro, o casamento sem amor em que ao longo do caminho o sentimento surge; o segundo, o casamento como um ideal de vida, um sonho de realização; e o último, o amor conflitante, em que se imagina que o amor atrapalha seus objetivos de vida.
Podemos dizer que esse Drama trata as diferentes fases da vida em um relacionamento, fases que todos podemos passar ou não, mas que com certeza são possíveis de acontecer. Em todas as situações nos é mostrado a mensagem que é algo em que os dois devem passar e aceitar juntos, que devem aprender um com o outro para assim seguirem na mesma estrada.
Além de tudo isso, ainda trata de tantos outros assuntos como assédio, machismo, valores patriarcais, são tantos ensinamentos que você pode obter neste drama! Tudo isso atrelado a uma trilha sonora maravilhosa!

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This was a very pleasant watch with fewer aggravating plot turns than I've come to expect from Kdramas. I have a bunch of random, disconnected opinions:

*Ji Ho was a very likable main character. Actually, she was too charming and beautiful for the story, because I found it hard to believe that even a guy as damaged and stoic as Se Hee wouldn't immediately fall in love with her as soon as she moved in. As a reserved, logical guy myself who doesn't like talking too much, I can relate to Se Hee to a certain extent, but even I would totally speak up and tell Ji Ho that I loved her and wanted her to stay and not let her leave so easily. Also, it’s highly unlikely that a beautiful girl with her personality and outgoing temperament with a healthy sex drive who wasn’t raised in a fundamentalist religion or cult would have reached age 30 without having gone on a single date or kissed. Or that such a girl would only have 2 friends. It would have been much more credible if the actress was more plain or quirky looking. (Did anyone else think that something about her eyes makes her look Japanese?)

*Poor Jung Min, being mistreated by the Nam family over and over! Not only does Se Hee dump her with his dad's encouragement, his wife Ji Ho years later just uses her up and doesn't give anything back to her. So Jung Min goes out of her way to be totally generous to her ex-boyfriend's wife, offering her a job, using her company’s attorneys to file an expensive lawsuit for her, and then finding her a job at another company when she got rejected. What does she get in return for this? Absolutely nothing. After Jung Min's company helps file this scandalous lawsuit against their fellow industry colleague, isn't it obvious that her company is going to be blackballed and lose business? So she's totally going out on a limb for Ji Ho. And Ji Ho doesn't even bother to accept Jung Min's offer. I felt sorry for Jung Min.

*Bo Mi was so cute! I think she would have been a perfect match for any of the 3 main guys, Se Hee, Sang Goo, or Won Seok. I'm sorry that she came up empty at the end.

*Was Sang Goo channeling Christopher Walken? I liked him, but I would have dialed that back a little.

*I usually can't stand those typical Kdrama clingy girlfriend roles, but Ho Rang actually was a better example of this, and I found her very sympathetic. Won Seok was very sympathetic too, and I thought he did by far the best acting job out of the 3 male leads. Because both of them are so likable and realistic, it made their ending that much more of a disappointing cop out. Absolutely nothing changed for either of them, so why wouldn't they continue this endless cycle of breakup and makeup indefinitely into the future?

*I'm just as frustrated with Ji Ho's strange divorce decision in the last couple of episodes as everyone else. Why couldn't she instead do one the following much more sensible and less disruptive things?
A) Ask to have a temporary separation so she can think and decide what to do for the future. This is actually what she really ended up doing, except that she misled everyone into thinking that she wanted a permanent divorce, causing unnecessary pain and disruption to everyone around her. The separation should have just been discussed between the 2 of them and not announced to the whole world as a divorce.
B) Maybe actually communicate and talk things out like normal people. Just come out and tell Se Hee that she loves him but she wants him to come out of his shell and tell her he loves her, show more affection and emotion, and change their marriage contract so that it's based on love rather than paying the rent. He would have immediately agreed and things would have been fine after that. Also, they could have told their families that they want to have a non-traditional marriage where they opt out of those in-law duties. Problem solved.

*The editing was very strange. Scenes would end abruptly in odd places, switch to a different scene, and then come back in a way that was frustrating rather than artful or dramatic.

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If you are going to watch this Drama you have to be open-minded. To watch this Drama we need to have our senses alert, we needed to have our heart, our ears and mind very open. You have to be prepare to read each word, each line carefully because if you don’t you can miss many things.
This is a Drama that could seem a simple one but not. This Drama is warm, depth and intelligent by its own. The writer made many analogies compering things and objects with the life of the characters, she used books, and poems in a magic way.
This Drama is not a melodrama  this is basically a Romance- Comedy drama and the writer and the director made comedy in a very simple an beautiful way.
The characters are nice and lovable , sometimes while watching a Drama we used to say “I can’t stand this or that character” but here each character have their own reason to be how they are or to do what they did. This Drama make you feel a lot and think even about your own life.
I needed to re-watch every episode and each time I did I could understand and see things that I didn’t get the first or the second time I watched and I am sure that if in two months I go back to watch it again I will see things that I didn’t or couldn’t see before. This Drama made me go from laugh to the crying in seconds.
I am sure that when I can’t find any good or interesting Drama to watch I will watch again.
 I have to say that this year I abandoned about 10 different Dramas I tried to watch but I couldn’t, so if you are looking for something interesting, beautiful, well done, well-acted, well directed, well written this is the Drama for you and I have to say that this Drama is not for immature people.

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You get three couples in one drama and that is a steal. Each couple has their own struggles in dealing with their relationships on one level. On another level, each individual in the pairing is fighting with themselves and struggling. All of them are different but bring forth interesting conversations.

I enjoyed each couple as they were and how they developed throughout the story. This drama was nearly perfect for me with the exception that toward the end, it was getting choppy. It seems to be an underlining idea in K-Dramas that some kind of miscommunication needs to happen or our couple(s) need to forcibly part ways of their own free will for no tangible reason.

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OMG !!
This is the best Korean drama I have watched yet !!
Acting, story music everything is just amazing but what is the most important in this drama is all the topics that story covers. For me ( for a girl ) it was very interesting to watch it as this show covers the topic about patriarchy in the family, at work and generally in society. Even if i haven't experienced it that much show was so good that it felt like I've been dealing with that problems instead characters. Normally Korean dramas are all about romance and important topics like that are not discussed, that's why i was not really waiting that much from the drama but it surprised me for the best.
Apart from sexism there are some more issues that were shown and I love to watch, like relationships in family and connection with parents, friendship, marriage, love, career, life and how hard it can be to achieve your dreams, economical struggles in life etc. But most fascinating thing is that even though we see love story of main leads, at the same time we experience love stories of 2 other couples which are absolutely different from each other, but quite realistic and interesting, with their issues and problems through their relationships.
Shortly, my Eng vocabulary won't be enough to describe all the positiveness of drama :D You need to watch it yourself !!

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What a refreshing, beautiful drama this turned out to be!

Without relying too heavily on the standard drama tropes, the creative team behind Because This Is My First Life have built a story that's powerful, poignant, and funny all at the same time. I love the microcosm of today's generation's different perspectives on love and marriage that we see with the three girls.

Combine these thoughtfully laid out themes with a great (and adorable!) cast of characters and a distinctly poetic writing style... and the end result is just a breath of fresh air!

I highly recommend giving this drama a try if you're looking for a heartfelt drama that breaks the mold.

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