The show to watch if you’re thinking about dating or marriage | Because This is My First Life Finale
In the future, when I get serious about someone, this is the show I’m going to watch with her. It’s not because it’s the best show; it had some plot holes and some unenjoyable parts. But I want to watch this with my future significant other because it makes you evaluate what dating and marriage means to you.
The genre is slice-of-life and comedy, but the premise is a bit odd. It’s about how 3 different couples experience a relationship, which sounds completely normal, except one of them is a “contract relationship”. She needs a cheap room to stay in and he needs a good roommate/renter. His parents won’t let her stay because he’s single, so their solution: get married and sign a marriage/lease contract.
Yeah, the premise is a bit nonsensical, but it’s this very story element that makes this show so good. And it also shows the beauty of the mini-series format that Korean shows typically follow. In this format, the incentive isn’t to create a story that’s going to get renewed, but it’s to outright tell the story they want to tell. Funny enough, that idea of telling the story the right way was one of the themes of the show, albeit minor :).
So, what kind of questions can you expect to encounter?
With the main couple, the lessor/lessee relation, you start exploring the idea about what marriage is really for. Do we get married for the economic benefits? Or do we get married for love? What do we need to sustain a relationship? With the other couples, we get to explore similar ideas, but from different perspectives.
The next couple represents perhaps some societal gender stereotypes. They’ve been in a relationship for 7 years. The girl’s dream is to be a mother and a housewife. The guy does have some commitment issues, but really, he doesn’t feel ready because he doesn’t feel financially secure.
He was working on a startup, which he ends up giving up without making any money (felt a minute personal affinity for him, hah). So, I can understand that feeling of how, it feels like you can’t date until you can take on the financial responsibility, if not for your spouse, at least yourself. It meanders back to that idea of whether we do get married for economic benefits or not. If we don’t, then why does it all matter?!
The last couple initially tackles this idea of relationships from a physical perspective. Is a relationship just about the sex or is it about the emotional connection? I ended up really liking this couple, because as they started exploring the emotional connection, what they ended up touching on, was about what it takes to support one another emotionally. And also about how through a relationship, we can push each other to greater heights, while also defending each other from outside forces.
Final Thoughts
Why I say that this is a good show to watch with a significant other is that the writer doesn’t necessarily answer the questions. Like, the characters do make choices, but it’s not presented as the absolute right answer. So, it gives you space to explore the ideas on your own, within your own context.
The show also moves at a relatively slow pace, but it feels intentional, as if they’re trying to let the words seep in a little better. To not hurry the viewer through these ideas and emotions.
Yeah, the ending does tie it all up into a nice little bow, but it’s not a horrible thing. Cause, honestly, at the end of the day, the show is a light-hearted adventure about these relationships that many of us can relate to.
So, watch it because it’s fun and enjoyable, with a side of thoughts-about-your-relationship (current or future!).
OVERALL: 9.5/10
- STORY: 9.5/10
- DIRECTING: 9/10
- LEAD Actors: 8.5/10
- SUPPORTING Cast: 7.5/10
- CINEMATOGRAPHY: 8.5/10
- MUSIC: awesome! fit the show so well
- Watch with future spouse: 10/10!
