It’s official. Because This is My First Life is the most feminist kdrama I’ve watched. What’s even more amazing is it didn’t even tout itself to be all that before premiere, unlike some other dramas that did (and ended up being a disappointment). No other kdrama has validated women’s daily struggles in life as much as this one has, and the way they went about doing it is subtle and woven seamlessly into the story. (If you thought Ah Min Hyuk was the best feminist one could find in kdrama male leads, well, clearly you haven’t met Nam Sae Hee yet.)
This show is just so unassuming and low-key in everything it does. The premise was as cliche as it comes on paper, but once you’ve hit ep 2, you’ll find yourself in awe by the story, by the writer. I haven’t had the pleasure to watch such an earnest, down-to-earth drama in a long while, one that is so in tune with this generation that my heart aches. For the characters. For myself. For us. It’s a story that speaks to the struggles we face in trying to carve out a space for ourselves amidst this turbulent world, and girrrl, what an arduous journey it is. But we tread on anyway, because we must, because that’s how life goes. We just live and live and live, praying that by the time we reach the end, we can think to ourselves that it was a worthwhile one, that we got somewhere, did something, loved someone, and along the way, became a better person somehow. Everything is a first, and everything is the last. We only get one chance, one life, so let’s give it our best shot, yeah? That’s the message I got so far with this drama, and I’m only on ep 10.
This writer is a must-watch-out for years to come if they keep up this kind of mastery in story-telling. For now, take care of my heart until the final hour, yeah writer-nim?