After Love Lasts Forever, I wanted another feel-good drama that I could finish watching overnight. It wasn’t easy to find one – it just so happened that Lee Jungshin was so cute in his latest vLive video (again, happy birthday Jungshin!) that I decided to look for his dramas. And, surprise, surprise! His 2018 drama, My First Love only has ten episodes and it’s all about one of my favorite romance tropes – young love.
It was love at first sight – Kang Shinwoo was sure of it the moment he saw Han Jisoo sleeping on the bus all by herself. He had wanted only her ever since, and that’s probably the reason why his heart had never beaten for someone else. Ten years later, they meet again, Jisoo appears to be remorseful in front of her. Too many questions need to be answered. What happened ten years ago, when Jisoo left him and their friends without a trace? Why did she leave without even saying goodbye? If only he could go back in time…
And so he did. In that magical lake that takes one back in time, he accidentally fell. Strongly reminded me of Scarlet Heart: Ryeo. And I am mentally taking note of this, for maybe when Covid-19 is gone and I’m finally in South Korea, I would visit this lake so I could drown myself in time travel. Shinwoo went back to 2007, when he was a high school sophomore, and little did he know what awaited him when he changed the things in the past, both intentional and unintentional.
There wasn’t a cold, and arrogant love interest in this drama, unlike Heartstrings. Or Chicago Typewriter. Both the 2007 and 2017 versions of Kang Shinwoo are accommodating guys who’d tell you “I like you” and “I missed you” because that’s how they really feel. No suppression of feelings. Only warm smiles and “everything I do, I do it for you” looks in the eyes. I like the fact that Shinwoo was ready to do whatever it takes to protect Jisoo and make sure she’s alright. Not that she really needed it, no. And of course, it’s not that we need men like that, but hey! Even strong women need some kind of saving.
Nostalgia hit me more than anything else when I witnessed what kind of friendship Kang Shinwoo, Kim Minseok, Jang Sora, and Choo Geundook have between them over the years. They stayed with each other, and ten years after, their unwavering support towards each other is always there. I’d say I only have a very few friends, but heaven knows how eternally grateful I am for those friends. How I managed to keep people for more than ten years is still beyond me and I feel so blessed that those amazing people are part of me.
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People must have a good reason for doing what they did, so I’ve heard countless of times. Shinwoo asked his friends not to resent Jisoo for leaving without telling them, that Jisoo actually wanted to meet with him the night before she left but he just chose not to show up (as he already knew what Jisoo was going to say anyway). I was thinking maybe Shinwoo was so understanding of her because he has special feelings for her. I really don’t understand people who leave the important people of their lives without saying anything. I mean, if a person has a good enough reason to leave without saying goodbye, there’s definitely a more than good enough reason to actually say goodbye.
The only disappointment I had in this drama is that Jungshin didn’t sing any of the songs in the soundtrack listing, unlike in Cinderella and the Four Knights (which I haven’t seen yet). I haven’t decided which song in the listing is my ultimate favorite. I don’t know… Fret, maybe? I still have to listen to the entire album again.
My First Love is the drama you’d want to watch if you’re after a short but satisfying story. I daresay it has a simple plot, but very powerful, as it allowed Kang Shinwoo’s character to discover a lot of things about himself, both the past and present versions. It’s very much like what I wanted to do, had I gotten the chance to sit in the time-travelling chair in Cafe Funiculi Funicula from Before The Coffee Gets Cold. This also serves as another reminder that love, starts with a confession.
Stay safe and sane, friends! Watch Kdramas.
