Editorials 
This review may contain spoilers
CLASSIC STORY FILLED WITH EARNESTNESS
"Going through this life is the first for all of us anyway."Unlike my other drama reviews, I have to first preface this one by saying that this drama could very well be universal, one size fits all type of drama. Because through three interwoven stories, everyone and anyone can find themselves reflected in at least one character.
Now back to my usual form of writing.
To start off, the good sides of this drama are heartfelt, true and educational(strangely enough), but it doesn`t mutually exclude the fact that they aren`t, at the same time, fluffy, somewhat funny and easy to watch. Every actor does a phenomenal job of living in their role, as their character. I thoroughly believed in these people, their struggles and way of living. No one here knows exactly what they`re doing or if what they are doing is right by default. But that doesn`t mean they don`t try. The absurdist comedy and lessons presented throughout are much of the time spot on in helping us see each person for what they stand and how. Because we do the same thing. We all have our quirks, routines and principles some might not agree with. Yet we press on. In the midst of relatable scenes that hit harder than most love confessions, my two favorites are:
1.When Ji-ho is walking through a dark tunnel in her pajamas aimlessly, after enduring sexual abuse and barely avoiding ra*e, talking about how your family could, at times, be the biggest strangers to you. How she was ready to take on every toil due to the fact that she chose to be a drama writer. She knew her path would be lonely and dark, like the tunnel she was perusing at that moment, but she still didn`t know the extent of it all. For personal reasons, that spoke to me in this exact moment of time. It was effective, clear and loud without being preachy or coming off as compensating.
2. When Se Hee was subconsciously consoling Ji-ho at that bus stop, which is probably the most well-known scene of this drama and what probably drew YOU to check it out and find out more about it. By watching this scene, I was also consoled on a deeper level not any drama could even touch, let alone soothe.
And this is where the magic of this show is contained. In its earnestness and good understanding of adult life as such. We all love admiring capable, ambitious and focused individuals(like Woo Soo Ji) without realizing that this is life...is a first for all of us. Such a simple truth is sadly almost never relayed in media. Despite being one, if not THE MOST depressed generation of our lifetime, you would never guess it by most pieces of the media we consume. And that`s such a missed opportunity this show tries to highlight. We shame others for being at crossroads, for not knowing what to do or where to turn to. And as this show so clearly expresses...we shouldn`t. Like that poem Ji-ho finds(which became my favorite as well), people are fragile, chipped away by time and situations they had to face by this point. Instead of accepting that and letting them heal, we berate them, rejecting what they can be in the process. It`s such a fruitless cycle. I get this review might be regarded as somewhat of an ode to life crisis, but it`s just an observation of young life and what awaits us as society. The fact that a show got me to think about these ideas and concepts is, in my opinion, an accomplishment on its own. It helps that it`s coupled with some visual cues movie buffs like myself appreciate even more. The OST is also subtle, but appropriate, boosting the atmosphere and letting scenes breathe on their own time. This isn`t a drama which needs emotional songs to relay its message, but when they are put in, it doesn`t hinder the feeling either.
After these compliments, like any drama, there are some drawbacks that got me thinking. First one is the pacing of it, though most Korean dramas suffer in this regard. It can at parts be too long. Especially if you`re not invested in the story, which admittedly, isn`t all that original. It`s the way they decide to present it what defines it. Without it, this is just another cohabitation story between a cold ML and a ditzy FL. To be honest, I can`t fault it for anything else, because it`s a great slice of life drama. One of those I like the most. Unassuming, changing and memorable. Kind of like life itself.
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This review may contain spoilers
From Contract Houses to Emotional Growth: The Korean Twin
[Italian Version Below / Versione Italiana in Basso]Note: This is Part 2 of a double review following the original Japanese hit, "The Full-Time Wife Escapist".
ENG
Matching its Japanese predecessor with a well-deserved 9/10, Because This Is My First Life takes the core premise of a practical cohabitation contract and builds a mature, deeply moving, and poetic exploration of modern adulthood in South Korea.
~ The "Astringent Lemon" and Financial Spreadsheets ~
Just like in the Japanese original, the series opens with a male lead whose initial empathy resembles an astringent lemon — controlled entirely by strict routines, mortgage spreadsheets, and rigid boundaries. However, while his Japanese counterpart dealt with romantic panic by sprinting down the street like Usain Bolt, this Korean protagonist addresses intimacy through quiet detachment and clinical logic. The show shines in turning cold financial tables into a vehicle for intimacy, where dividing household costs gradually evolves into shared life choices.
~ Temporary Departure and Real Choice ~
The narrative reaches its emotional peak when the female lead decides to leave, creating a profound void that forces both characters to confront their true feelings. Her eventual return marks a poetic shift: they are no longer staying together for economic convenience, but out of a conscious, mature choice to love each other. Supported by brilliant secondary couples and a scene-stealing cat, the writing remains exceptionally grounded.
~ The Final Verdict ~
A 9/10 masterpiece of modern Korean romance. While the Japanese original excels in vibrant, surreal comedy, this Korean counterpart delivers a warmer, more introspective, and beautifully written reflection on what it truly means to share a home and a life for the first time.
Recommended for: Viewers who enjoyed The Full-Time Wife Escapist, fans of realistic slice-of-life romances, thoughtful dialogue, and slow-burn character development.
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ITA
Dai Contratti Abitativi alla Maturità Emotiva: Il Gemello Coreano
Nota: Questa è la Parte 2 di una doppia recensione che segue il capostipite giapponese, "The Full-Time Wife Escapist".
Eguagliando il suo predecessore giapponese con un meritatissimo 9/10, Because This Is My First Life prende la premessa di un contratto di convivenza e la trasforma in una riflessione matura, toccante e poetica sulle difficoltà dell'età adulta nella Corea contemporanea.
~ Il "Limone Astringente" e le Tabelle a Scalare ~
Proprio come nell'originale J-drama, la storia parte con un protagonista maschile la cui empatia iniziale ricorda quella di un limone decisamente astringente: controllato, rigidissimo e guidato unicamente dal mutuo della casa e dai suoi confini personali. Ma se di fronte all'imbarazzo il protagonista giapponese rispondeva con una fuga olimpica "alla Usain Bolt", l'omologo coreano gestisce le cose con distacco sistematico e fredda logica economica. La serie brilla proprio nell'usare le tabelle finanziarie a scalare e i calcoli delle spese casalinghe come inusuale veicolo di avvicinamento e intimità.
~ La Partenza, il Ritorno e la Scelta Consapevole ~
Il racconto raggiunge il suo apice emotivo nella fase finale, quando lei decide di allontanarsi lasciando un vuoto enorme. Il successivo ritorno di lei segna la vera svolta poetica della serie: il matrimonio e la convivenza smettono di essere un semplice contratto di convenienza economica per trasformarsi in una scelta d'amore matura e consapevole. Arricchita da coppie secondarie eccellenti e da un gatto che ruba la scena, la sceneggiatura mantiene una delicatezza rara.
~ Il Giudizio Finale ~
Un capolavoro da 9/10 del romance coreano moderno. Se l'originale giapponese brilla per vivacità comica ed esilaranti fughe, questa controparte coreana regala un viaggio più caldo, introspettivo e meravigliosamente scritto su cosa significhi, davvero, condividere la propria vita per la prima volta.
Consigliato a: Chi ha amato The Full-Time Wife Escapist, agli amanti dei romance realistici "slice-of-life", dei dialoghi profondi e della crescita personale dei personaggi.
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Let me first start by saying that I decided to give this drama a shot because of the review and the -so overrated- rating.
I am writing this review because I can relate in so many ways to the lead female character JI HO, I am at the age of getting married but I am also afraid of being tied down to a man for the rest of my life, I just don't know how I should feel about it (marriage) now, while watching this drama I felt like a woman can't be complete if she doesn't marry, I am starting to believe that life is not worth living if you don't have anyone to share it with.
What I want to say is that the show completely brainwashed me (if this is the correct way to say it) and I am seriously considering to get married now, maybe life won't be as boring as I think it would be? Who knows? I really envied the main male character, even with his mentality he was able to find someone who could accept him for what he is, however, i don't think that life is this generous to anybody especially when it comes to marriage.
Now talking about my thoughts on the show;
I solely believe that 16 episodes were way too many! especially to such a predictable story ( I mean come one! we've already seen it coming we just chose to stick it for one reason or another. (for me it was because I kind of envied how courageous she was for getting married, I am not going to lie) The pacing was slow and I had to forward many scenes, especially when it came to MA & Woo soo! I just found their chemistry too bland and forced!
The characters development was kinda superficial and once again expected, nothing deep ... and sometimes dialogues are repeated ... I don't know what was all the hype about! An okay show I guess, I probably won't rewatch it again ... the cinematography and the ost, on the other hand, are great! I just wanna say, that TVN successfully took 16 hours of my life away from me lol (well, less, since I had to skip many unnecessary scenes)
Come on Kdrama! I want something as fresh as "MAN FROM THE STARS" I want something that takes me to the moon and back!
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BTIMFL is like a unwitting friendship. You meet people you might not care too much about and/or are not particularly interested in but gradually as you spend time with them your heart moves. Suddenly they become a part of your own story. There is nothing life changing about this friendship, it was a brief encounter, and am truly sad to see it end. *sigh* "We'll always have Paris."
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I laughed and cried along with the characters throughout the drama. Love how it was realistic and how relatable it was.
Ji Ho was definitely my favorite character. She stole the entire show. There's never been a female lead so realistic like Ji Ho before. I love how straightforward she is with her feelings. She never gave up on Se Hee even though he was always trying to draw a line between them. Jung So Mi did an amazing job portraying the emotions out her character. It felt so raw that I too felt her emotions as the story moved along.
Lee Min Ki also did a great job portraying Se Hee too. Through Se Hee's robotic personality, Min Ki was able to convey his emotions perfectly. Everyone else also did a great job portraying their characters.
The ost for this drama is so good! My favorites are Marriage by Moon Moon and Can't go by Ben. It went very well with the show.
I recommend this to anyone!
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Though I did find the the main love story amusing, I think it's the weakest part of this drama. The premise is so out there that I never fully bought into it and never really understood why they had to get married. It made way for some funny situations, but never really made sense to me. There is a slow halting awkwardness to the mannerisms of the 2 leads that is in character, but can be frustrating to watch. They look like they are sleepwalking from scene to scene for much of the drama. The actors manage to pull it off enough to make it worth it to me, but it did drag a lot when they conversed. Every sentence of their dialogue is punctuated by long halting dramatic pauses that don't reveal much. They had their share of sparky chemistry moments. But I looked for some happy flow in their scenes together and that was missing here. I am not sure if I missed the scenes that made me understand why they fall for each other. Their scenes together often seem like an excuse to make quiet observations about life, love and marriage. But overall the drama is quirky, funny and thought provoking enough to make for an entertaining viewing experience.
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The most relatable drama of my life
This is a fantastic drama, so beautifully done, and extremely poetic. Every stage of my life I've watched this in, I have felt something different.In my 20s, I related to Soo Ji, who didn't need a man, and thought her besties, family, and career are the most important things.
Close to turning 30, I related the most to Ji ho, who wanted to find a steady, unchanging, comfortable "home". Especially good if it comes with a soulmate & partner to call it "ours".
A couple years later, after my breakup of a long-term relationship, I knew how Ho Rang must've felt, with time-ticking, stuck in a loving but just utterly wrong relationship - and how her bf Wonseok couldn't change the way he JUST ISN'T READY.
As Nam Se Hee said, age doesn't matter to cats. To them, time is only the current moment; they do not feel sad or depressed about the passage of time. This has been my favorite drama since 2017, and it still is to this day.
I would knock off half a star for the last episodes, but...ehhh...it is overall too good to hate on.
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I wouldn't re-watch this drama, not because it is bad or something but I'm already contented by it.
The couple that I'm not that happy about is Ho Rang and Won Seok. They were somehow great but Ho Rang's attitude at some point is just a little bit annoying. I hope that she would be able to understand things more. But I guessed she was just pressured or something.
There were also lots of fillers through the late episodes of the drama but it was still quite enjoyable or if you aren't that patient, just skip it.
SO.. For me, it's quite an inspiring story. If you don't really have much to do, you can watch this one. It's not that heavy so it might lift your spirit up if ever you feel sad or something. The ending is quite short so for me, it lacks depth because some of the things were left hanging and unsolved BUT STILL I think this drama is good~
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This review may contain spoilers
Started out subversive then descends into a millenial emo cliche.
I was so immensely disappointed in the the way this show got derailed towards the end. When it began, the issues and concepts that My 1st Life touched on were very well tackled. It subverted the whole institution of marriage and examined the cultural and political angles of it. However, because the female protag was a Lit grad somehow this signaled to the screenwriter that it was ok for the show to descend into some emo cliche interspersed with Lit references to somehow make it really meaningful and deep... when it ain't.The whole arrangement that the two protags had were perfectly rational and works. Then the female protag decides to overstep her boundaries and gets upset with the male for standing his ground and drawing the boundary lines clearly. I think from there it was clear to me that this show won't live up to its original premise of being a groundbreaker in the construct of marriage and, sure enough, Ji-Ho continues on this vein of irrational decision-making throughout the rest of the series. Because they need to stretch it to 16 eps, the pace suddenly slows around I-can't-remember-anymore-tbh. I found myself checking on the speed on my TV to make sure it isn't a technical issue on my end but no, it's totally the show. The chars are reduced to stretching out conversations in lifeless tones, all snail speed (maybe aligning with Ji-Ho's love for snails) with interspersed broken pieces of internal monologue and emo music. This is meant to be a TV series. It just ended up being an attempt at a film noire/art festival/avant garde kind of filmmaking that's pretentiously desperate. Viewers aren't dumb.
Honestly, I stayed till the end because of the cat! As other reviews have indicated, Ji-Ho's behaviour is toxic AF. Her reasonings—delivered in broken pieces with emo drama music—are so nonsense that even her mother says, "you're talking crap". It was just really painful to watch if not for Soo Ji's arc AND THE CAT! Whatever "intellectual" proposition the series wanted to make on the topic of marriage was thrown out the window episodes ago and in the end, we're left with characters with conflicting behaviours (first the groom's dad was anti-marriage, then he wasn't), BS profiling (Ji-Ho's mum stayed with the dad coz she remembers how he was so sweet to her when they were dating... yeah, she's full of sh#t too. If she'd won the lottery, she'd have been outta there so fast she'd have left skit marks) and shallow motivations (Ho Rang pressures the hell out of Won Seok to get married and have babies ASAP so desperately to fit in with and be approved by girls whom don't matter at all—WTF). In the end, all the stuff that the show was trying to subvert were reinforced, along with a mystery baby in Won Seok's arms (we are left with the assumption that it belongs to him and Ho Rang) to complete the whole marriage-and-baby-is sacrosanct construct.
All in all, it was a dishonest series that utilised a subversive concept that had so much potential for illuminating the different angles of love for a gimmick purpose.
F#ck this series. "Extremely disappointed" doesn't even begin to describe it. I feel sorry that the cat had to sit through her emo co-stars.
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Summary sounds too cliched?
Still wondering if you would try this out?
The deciding factor starts with where you are currently in your life. Slice of life is an understatement for this drama. In my opinion, this drama was specially made for people who are emotionally in connect with themselves and see the world crudely as it really is. The comedy kicks in right from the start and it makes you wonder if it really is for a light watch but then the strange characters walk in, the characters that you see almost regularly and wonder how are they still functioning in this mess of the society within their own bubbles?
Genre : Rom-com, Slice of Life
Story : The story starts with the happy but unfortunate and tough life of a writer who wants little too less from life. Raised in a partriach society all she wants is a place to rest and thats when she finds the eccentric man with his strange house and realises this could be what she was looking for. For a person who wants nothing but peace and quiet and may be a place where she belongs, this drama is particularly those who have lived through the irony of this world. What makes this drama special is the plenty of characters that make you laugh and see the ruthless world as is. The girls who are standing by each other even though they might be in a good or bad situations and the men who are willing to go through loops of fire to keep their girls happy is a refreshing yet has a strangely patriarch edge to them which is quite common in Asian dramas but what makes you happy is the fact that there is good in every bad and i would advice you to watch it for atleast 4 episodes to actually decide if you can be in love with the strange lonely man in his house.
Actors : Jung So Min is one of the most talented actors out there and she proves it with excellence why so. Her portayel of the character was similar to that of "Father is Strange" but somehow it seems natural.
This is my first drama with Lee Min Ki and even though he looks a little weird, i am going to try and watch more of his drama to see him act because this was an amazing ride. At some point i was convinced he might be one of those talking robots with 3 facial expressions.
Lee Som plays a head strong warrior princess kind of character that makes you challenge the society. KIm MIn Suk is a sweet lucky engineer and the struggle is so real from an engineers point of view.
I would also like to comment on the OSTs (which i rarely do) because they're so perfect for each charcater. I couldnt stop myself from humming along.
Will i watch it again? Probably if i cant find any perfect rom-com for binge watching on girls night.
Will recommend it to Anyone? Ha Ha I already have.
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I would totally give it a 10 if not for the last 2 episodes. The drama managed to tug on my emotions, make me laugh, deal with difficult topics and avoid cliches and the usual, cookie-cutter dialogues. People say what they think in this drama save for one unfortunate secondary couple. It is really exhilarating to see a drama in which the characters say what you expect them to say. The drama is paced beautifully and even the 'love triangle' isn't really a love triangle in this.
I also love that this drama tackles the societal problems such as starting your life without means, not having enough money even when being successful, soul-sucking jobs, having dreams vs paying bills, sexual harassment and assault and personal oddities with such a unique perspective. I appreciated exposing and talking about those things in the open. The awkward, but honest social interactions between the main couple are gold. They will make you laugh and then feel sad at the same time. This drama is perfectly balanced in this regard. It is perfectly balanced to the 15th episode, that is. After that, I feel like the writers went for the more usual plot devices, which kind of ruined it for me. I understand what the writers were going for, but I'm not sure it was necessary. This is what made me drop a star from my rating.
All in all, it is a truly unique and beautiful drama.
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Best part about this is the lessons that's throughout this plot they're very meaningful.
I do like all couples in here, but sometimes it's annoying. Still it's an enjoyable show.
I didn't like how she was literally mistreated by everyone from her old workplace when she was a writer but other than that everything else is hilarious and great. Oh n se hee's ex like at first I thought she was going to be trouble, but no lol she's such a sweet and likeable character.
Anyways this is a must watch for sure.
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