Because This is My First Life is a K-drama series that explores the struggles of two adults in their thirties. It deals with the financial crisis, relationships, marriage, and love.
IT employee Nam Se-hee and an assistant writer, Yoon Ji-ho, struggle to find a suitable home and a roommate. They stumbled on each other, and some incident later, they both agreed to a marriage of convenience. Se-hee and Ji-ho signed a contract for two years.
The terms and conditions were that they would only have a relationship like the landlord and tenant, nothing more and nothing less. But it didn’t go as planned. It got more complicated due to parents’ intervention, social expectations, and past traumas.
The most unique thing about this drama is that it wonderfully portrayed the social issues that a certain age of people had to face. Patriarchy and societal stereotypes are the villains of society, and this drama knew it all. The characters are lovable, and slow bonding is worthy of a romantic drama. The side character’s romance and friendship are also lovable.
Here is the List of Dramas Like Because This Is My First Life
Released in the year 2017, Jung So-min played the character Yoon Ji-ho, and Lee Min Ki played Nam Se-hee. Fans love this drama as it makes you laugh and cry simultaneously. This drama liberates you and gives you psychological wisdom. If you love this lighthearted romantic drama, then the list is for you.
Ending Again
Ending Again is a drama with the theme of contractual marriage, just like Because This is My First Life. This is a short drama to watch that might leave you wanting more.
The female lead, Cha In Young, is a marketing intern at Levan Art Museum. Though it might not be her dream job, she hoped her long-term dream might come true. But suddenly, her boyfriend of eight years, Yoo Chan Hee, broke up with her to pursue his dream abroad.
Poor In Young swore to not think about marriage and focus solely on her career. Her miserable life was in shambles when another misfortune hit her. In Young falls victim to a real estate scam. She was completely clueless.
While on the brink of losing her home, she agreed to a fake relationship with her junior, Do Yoon Soo. When both were in financial need, they agreed to get married to get the government aid meant for newlyweds. Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriend returns and things get more complicated.
The female character is more lovable than the two male leads. Although short and sweet, the audience felt it could have been better if more episodes showed the relationship development.
- Director: Park Dhan Hee
- Cast: Jo Soo-min, Kim Geon Won, Kang Hui, Kim Seo-An, Ma Si Hwan, Kim Min Jong.
- Release Year: 2020
- My Drama List score: 7.8
- Where to Watch: Viki
Also Read: 11 K-dramas to Watch Similar to Like 2019 K-drama
Run On
Like Because This is My First Life, the drama Run On is a journey of self-discovery and self-love. This heartwarming drama is not very story-driven but focuses on a realistic approach to growth. Run On tells the story of a national team sprinter, Ki Sun-gym, and a subtitle translator of movies, Oh Mi-joo. Sun-gym had to quit due to some legal issues. He then starts working as a sports agent.
Mi-joo enters his life when he just quit sprinting. They felt destined for each other as she entered his life at the right time. Meanwhile, Seo Dan-ah is the CEO of a sports agency. She is the legitimate successor of the Seomyung Group as she is the owner’s only daughter. But she is held back on the list of successors because of her gender.
This headstrong woman promised herself to take back what is rightfully her. At this time, Lee Young-hwa crosses paths with her. He is a university student and loves movies and drawings. What is striking about this drama is that it is beautifully written and has meaningful dialogues throughout the show. It contains symbolism and hidden meanings that might hit you or heal you.
Romance has less to do with this story; instead, it teaches self-love. This drama also tackles sexism and the social issues people might face. The life lessons are worth rooting for.
- Director: Lee Jae-hoon
- Cast: Yim Si-wan, Shin Sae-kyeong, Choi Soo-young, Kang Tae-oh, Park Young-gyu, Cha Hwa-yeun.
- My Drama List rating: 8.3
- Year of Release: 2020
- Where to watch: Netflix
Also Read: 10 Dramas Like Love Revolution to Watch
Marriage, Not Dating
It is another drama with a contract marriage, as the name suggests. Gong Gi-Tae is a successful plastic surgeon happy with his bachelor life. He has no interest in getting married. But he has no other choice when he has a nagging family who only wants him to get married. He purposefully introduces Joo Jang-mi to his family as his future wife.
Although he knows his family will never accept her. On the other hand, Jang-mi accepted the contract because she feared she would never marry after her past failed relationships. While this drama has a cliche theme, it has a refreshing twist in the approach to rom-com K-drama.
It is funny, hilarious, and precisely romantic. The most eye-catching character was the male lead’s mother. Fans might hate her, but her character was finely layered and had the most development. The OSTs were perfect and fan favorites.
- Director: Song Hyun-wook
- Cast: Yeon Woo-jin, Han Groo, Han Sunhwa, Jung Jin-woon, Heo Jung-min, Yoon So-hee.
- My Drama List Rating: 8.1
- Year of Release: 2014
- Where to Watch: Viki
Also Read: 10 Dramas Like Jirisan for Your Next Binge
The Beauty Inside
The Beauty Inside is a drama with mature vibes and mysterious allure. Han Se-gye is a popular actor and troublemaker because she disappears suddenly. She has this mysterious aura surrounding her. The truth is, she can change herself completely for one week every month. The male lead steps in, Seo Do-jae, who is an executive at an airline company. He seems perfect– good looks, intelligence, a successful career.
But he has a secret too that he suffers from Prosopagnosia, a disorder to not recognize faces. He remembers people by their personality. Something changed when he met Han Se-gye because she was the only person whose face he could remember. It would be interesting to see how long they can hold their secrets.
The male lead is the same as Because This is My First Life, played by Lee Min-ki. He plays a completely different kind of character here, a confident, handsome guy rather than quirky and emotionless. This drama also captures the societal perception of women when the female lead is the topic of scandal, how the media portrays women, and throws them on a darker edge.
It is empowering how she fights the identity crisis with the inner beauty that matters. On the other hand, romance is not cheesy but rather mature in this drama. They seek comfort in each other and are a perfect match you could ask for. It shows the need for inner beauty to love yourself first, then others.
- Director: Song Hyun-ook
- Cast: Seo Hyun-jin, Lee Min-ki, Lee Da-hee, Ahn Jae-hyun, Moon Ji-in, Lee Tae-ri.
- Release Year: 2018
- My Drama List rating: 8.3
- Where to Watch: Netflix, Viki
Also Read: 13 Drama-Like Healers That You Need to Check
Still 17
The drama Still 17 perfectly blends humor, emotion, and romance. This wholesome drama will fill your heart with joy. Woo Seo-ri is a talented 17-year-old violin player. She was ready to study abroad in Germany. But she lost the chance due to an accident and unfortunately went into a coma.
Gong Woo-jin, who thinks he’s responsible for the accident, fell into trauma and never overcame it. Still traumatized and emotionless, Woo-jin is a set designer after 13 years. He makes himself detached from everyone. Fast forward to 13 years, Seo-ji woke up and was not 17 anymore. She is in her 30-year-old body, but her maturity is of a 17-year-old. Woo-jin comes and helps her overcome this hardship.
No matter how many sad, heartbreaking moments come, each episode still ends on a positive note. They are in their 30-year-old bodies, but both are stuck at 17 years old, and both of them help each other to grow.
This heartwarming, funny, strange drama will teach you many life lessons that will heal you immediately. The writer chose to tell the story in a meaningful and healthy way, not emotional and vague, which is worth lauding for.
- Director: Jo Soo-won, Kim Young-hwan
- Cast: Shin Hye-sun, Yang Se-jong, Ahn Hyo-seop
- Release Year: 2018
- My Drama List to Score: 8.5
- Where to Watch: Viki, Netflix
Also Read: 15 Dramas Like The Glory
Once Again
Once Again is a family drama with lots of chaos and wholesome events. It tells the story of a big Song family in the neighborhood of Yongju Market within a whole 100 episodes. The Song family’s head, Song Young-dal, the frugal father, has been married to Jang Ok-boon for many years. They have four children, and none of them have a steady life.
The third child, Na-hee, is a pediatrician married to her fellow pediatrician husband, Gyu-jin. They work at the same hospital, fell in love during their medical school days, and got married. But their married life is not going smoothly at all.
The other two elder children, Joon-sun and Ga-hee, are divorced and now living in their parent’s house. The younger one, Da-hee, is ready to get married. On the other hand, a mysterious person, Kang Cho-yeon, joins the action and opens a kimbap restaurant in the Yongju Market. Her appearance enlarges the daily drama even more in the Song family.
It is not just a family drama; it tackles the real issues of society, women, and relationships. The long number of episodes might scare viewers, but never a boring moment in this drama. Life throws problems, and they might fail, but they stand back and fight.
It shows beautifully how the parent’s support helps their adult kids and the strength of the sibling’s support. They taught how the neighborhood should work and support each other.
- Director: Lee Jae-sang
- Cast: Lee Sang-yeob, Lee Min-jung, Chun Ho-jin, Cha Hwa-yun, Lee Jung-eun, Oh Dae-hwan.
- Release Year: 2020
- My Drama List Ratings: 8.6
- Where to Watch: Netflix
Also Read: 10 Dramas Like New Life Begins
Search WWW
Search WWW is about the women in the 21st century who chose to have a successful career instead of a mother or wife in this biased society. In short, women empowerment. Bae Ta-mi is a brilliant director of the search engine platform Unicon. She is so focused on making it big in the country’s IT industry that she hasn’t any clue what will happen next.
Her success is ruined when her former mentor, Song Ga-Kyung, betrays her. After a court hearing, she is fired from her job. This 30-something woman is at a complete loss when she meets Park Mo-geon. He is a music maker for video games, and he has feelings for her.
Bae Ta-mi is a fighter, not the typical damsel in distress type. She decides to take revenge. Ta-mi joined the rival company, Baro. From there, she collaborated with the director Cha-hyun, a judo expert.
It is interesting to see how she takes revenge and maintains the romance in her busy life. The other female characters also dominate the screen in this drama. The character, Scarlett, stole the spotlight as fans think she exudes a main character aura.
The drama is thought-provoking, frustrating, and naturally empowering. Women being the center of attention and watching ambitious women fight the obstacles independently is influential. It pulls the string from the moment it starts with a crisp storyline and brilliant acting.
- Director: Jung Ji-hyun, Kwon Young-il
- Cast: Im Soo-jung, Lee Da-hee, Jeon Hye-jin, Lee Jae-wook, Jang Ki-yong, Ji Seung-hyun.
- Release Year: 2018
- My Drama List Ratings: 8.3
- Where to Watch: Netflix, Viki
Also Read: 10 Dramas Like Love Revolution to Watch
Age of Youth
Just like Because This is My First Life, this drama Age of Youth also focuses on a group of friends— their friendship, relationship, and traumas. Multiple characters cohabitating together have multiple personalities and their multiple struggles. In their twenties, five college students started living together in a house called “Belle Epoque.”
Each girl has their fair share of problems, and they struggle with their past traumas. These five girls sense the presence of a ghost, each differently. Yoon Jin-myung struggles financially for her education and expenses. She never takes rest and is overworked. Jung Ye-Eun never fears sharing her opinion and shows extreme devotion to her boyfriend.
Song Ji-won is confident but has drinking issues. Yoo Eun-Jae is timid and has a unique taste in men. Kang Yi-na is beautiful, charming, and quite secretive.
As they each share their issues, the bonding gets stronger. It gets easier when they understand each other’s problems and never turn their backs.
This slice-of-life drama deserves praise for everything– the acting, the storyline, the romance. Not only friendship, but this drama also focuses on individuality, self-growth, overcoming trauma, family issues, hardships, and more. Undoubtedly, it is one of the best slice-of-life dramas you can request.
- Director: Lee Tae-gon
- Cast: Han Ye-ri, Han Seung-yeon, Ryu Hwa-young, Park Eun-bin, Park Hye-su, Choi Ara, Ji Woo.
- Release Year: 2016
- My Drama List Ratings: 8.5
- Where to Watch: Viki
Also Read: 13 Dramas Like Love O2O That You Should Watch
Konin Todoke ni Han wo Oshita dake desu ha
A 27-year-old girl, Akiha Okada, is a successful designer at Morita Design. She is an accomplished girl with a dream job and is thoroughly content. She prefers to be single due to her past bad relationships. The problem is her nagging grandmother, who only wants her to get married.
Shu Momose, a handsome, diligent man with a good job, offers her a marriage proposal at a drinking party. She initially rejects him and finds it ridiculous to suddenly propose at a drinking party. Thirty years old, Shu had his secret purpose and found no reason not to propose to Akiha.
Akiha reconsiders the offer and takes the chance to make her grandmother happy. As a married couple, they find it quite hard to adjust to their differences in opinion. This J-Drama, also known as Only Just Married, might have cliched contract marriage and typical misunderstanding, but that is the whole point of the drama. Lack of communication is hard and the root cause of misunderstanding.
The male lead is awkward and has a problem with expressing himself. It is exactly what the plot armor is, and the writers highlighted this with the male lead’s communication. When this misunderstanding can be deconstructed, a healthy relationship will flourish. This wall of miscommunication breaks, and it gets better. Konin Todoke ni Han wo Oshita dake desu ha is based on a manga by Aoharu Yuki. In this drama, there is a cat, too, just like in Because This is My First Life.
- Director: Kaneko Fuminori, Takemura Kentaro
- Cast: Seino Nana, Sakaguchi Kentarou, Maeno Tomoya, Kurashina Kana, Ogura Hisahiro, Asaka Mayumi
- Release Year: 2021
- My Drama List Ratings: 7.5
- Where to Watch: Viki
Also Read: 10 Dramas Like Kluen Cheewit That Are Worth a Watch
Marriage Contract
A poor single mother, Kang Hye-soo, was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. Desperate for her daughter’s future, she donates her liver to her new boss, Ji-hoon’s mother. She will receive money to leave it for her daughter.
But for the donation, they need proof of their close relationship, meaning they must get married. That’s when the contract marriage enters. Many complications came, but they precisely fell in love with each other.
The two leads are opposite to each other. Ji-hoon is rich and has rude behavior. He acts inhumanely, but inside, he is a softy. Hye-soo is poor and pathetic but strong and desperate from the inside. When they cross paths, it feels like they are meant for each other.
The characters live each small moment to the fullest, as life is precious. This drama uniquely teaches you to forgive, forget, and let go of the bittersweet memories. The chemistry between the main leads is unpredictable, yet their romance is so charming that it smacks the cliche contract marriage romance.
- Director: Kim Jin-min
- Cast: Lee Seo-jin, Uee, Kim Yong-geon, Park Jung-soo, Lee Hwi-hyang, Kim Young-pil,
- Shin Rin-ah, Kim Kwang-kyu, Kim Yoo-ri
- Release Year: 2016
- My Drama List Ratings: 8
- Where to Watch: Viki, Netflix
Also Read: 12 Dramaa Like Romance of Tiger And Rose That You Should Watch
