See You in My 19th Life (2023)

What is going on?

I dont know about this one... You see this show is just weird and im not sure how to describe it. Its like when the plot is always leading you one way but suddenly its taking you this way and again and again and again... Sometimes it was like teasing and dragging and suddnlely BAM conclusion! And sometimes there were sooo many same flashbacks again and again... The premise was cool and i do love FL (she is truly crying queen) but i havent felt any chemistry between main characters... For me the ML was too dull and his personality felt hollow even though his trauma was insanely horrible (i felt really really bad for that kid). Im not a good reviewer so i cannot pinpoint what it was but this show didnt suit me at all even though i like this theme. Also i kind of expected more plot around the hotel. The ending was kind of weird cause it sounded good but when you really really think about it its just very bad and full of plotholes.

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From a webtoon reader's viewpoint

CONTAINS MILD SPOILERS ABOUT THE WEBTOON AND THE DRAMA

As a big fan of the original webtoon, I was ecstatic when I heard news of it getting a kdrama adaptation. Even more when I heard that Shin Hye sun was going to play Ban Ji eum. Now that I've seen it, I feel a little bit conflicted about it.

Story
The story itself is the same as the webtoon and it is unarguably beautiful. A girl who remembers her past lifes meets a boy, they have a tragic parting and now she wants to meet him again as a new self. It is quite simple but still really packing. As her new self she meets him again, finding out that he misses her as much as she does. Throughout their time together, they connect again, even if they start off a little hastily. She not only meets the boy again, but also her former sister. The girl who was so scared to connect with people, because of the memories of all those she lost already in her previous 18 lifes starts to make relationships with people again. Will this new 19th life have a happy ending for the girl?

NO.

The ending was absolutely tragic, why would the writers do this. I was absolutely heartbroken, especially because in the webtoon, she doesn't end up completely forgetting about her loved ones. I was so mad they changed it. Also another big issue I had with the drama was the pacing. I was shocked to find out that it had only 12 episodes, since the webtoon was quite slow paced. In the first part it really focused on the build up of Ji eum's and Seo ha's relationship. Not only theirs but all the other relationships between all the characters just felt so much deeper. The big scenes such as Ji eum's reveal or Do yoon's confession also had a much bigger impact thanks to the build up it had before. Those connections, those feelings of closeness and intimacy and growth was definitely the thing I missed the most in the drama. I wished to see more of their backstories or just literally see the. talk longer during a scene. Such a shame honestly, I found the relationships to be one of the best things about the original story. I think they gave too much screen time to trivial stuff that they forgot how to deliver emotions smh. They also made some big changes in the plot, such as the mistery behind the car crash, Min ki and the entirety of Ji eum's first life. Some of these changes such as Ji eum's first life, were so confusing and I just cannot get used to it. They also added a buch of things such as Min ki and the bells, the bad stepmother and Seo ha's reincarnated mother, which all in my opinion, barely added anything to the story. They could've really just followed the original a little bit more.

Acting/Cast
I think the cast did a really great in bringing the characters to life. To be completely honest, I was very critical to see Ahn Bo hyun as Seo ha, but he quickly changed my mind and I think the writers really did a great job at casting him. He brings out Seo ha's righteousness, but also does a great job at portraying all his trauma and his vulnerability. I could really see his growth from the traumatized boy to the Mun Seo ha at the end, just like in the webtoon, so I'm incredibly satisfied with him. The only thing I could maybe add is that we didn't see much of Seo ha's childdishness, but I'll blame that on the lack of episodes and so the lack of scenes we could've seen. And of course I will never not praise Shin Hye sun for her acting. Since the beginning, I saw her as the perfect fit for Ji eum and I never changed my mind. She absolutely nailed it, from Ji eum's mischievousness to her burden and hurt she carried through her 18 lifes. The subtle loving glances, the utter dispair in her eyes and every movement when she relived her first life, that woman is a true actress. As for the side characters they, also did a very stable job, especially Ha Yoon kyung as Yoon Cho won, but there's honestly not much more to say. Not to forget the child actors who I find to be one of the highlists. Also I loved that we could see court lady choi and the queen together again ;)

Music
I really love the ost for this drama, HEAVY ON COLDE'S SONG. No seriously i love it so much and also I didn't know that Bo hyun could sing. I don't think there's much more to say though, I mean it was great but not lifechanging or anything that I would've given it a 10.

Rewatch value
I don't really know if I'd rewatch this after the ending. However there are some great scenes that I would like to see again at any time. I might also rewatch the first episodes, since those were definitely just incredible, from the cinematography to the sadness and all the laughs in between. However the second part just felt so rushed and with such a sad ending, I don't think I will ever rewatch it entirely.

Overall
Like I said first, I really do feel conflicted about it, but that is as reader of the original story. I just know that it could've been so much more and that is the biggest issue I have with this drama. However the story remains as beautiful as ever and I would totally recommend this to someone who has not read the webtoon. As for the webtoon readers: watch it if you can keep those two separate, it's still an incredible feeling to see the characters come to life. Don't watch it if you feel like it might ruin the story for you. It truly failed as an adaptation, but it can definitely stand as a drama itself. After all it is a great watch, with a great story, great casting, great chemistry and great music and it is definitely not something one should miss out on!!

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You are more likely to like it better if you did not read the webtoon

8/10 is my rating. This is a 2023 South Korean paranormal romance drama with 12, 70 minute episodes. It is based on a very popular webtoon of the same name.

First I provide a synopsis then review.

Synopsis

If you not only reincarnated but were able to remember all your past lives you would excel at many things but feel isolated and lonely. Ban Ji-eum (Shin Hye-sun) considers her "ability" a curse until something haopens in one of her lives that changes her mind. After reincarnating for nearly 1000 years Ji-eum meets someone in her eighteenth life that makes her happy she can remember. When her life is cut short by an accident, she vows to find him, Moon Seo-ha (Ahn Bo-hyun) and make him fall for her again. It is not easy though because Seo-ha experienced a lot of trauma from losing his mother at a young age, the accident and feeling guilty and responsible for Ji-eum's death. So when the ever persistent Ji-eum shows up he is now t sure he wants to entangle himself with this odd woman. But fate and familiarity will have their say and the 19th life may be the one that counts.

Review

When I read some reviews I noticed a trend where those that read the webtoon were, in general, less satisfied with tge direction things took in the last part if the series. This started really well. I loved her confident, spunky, knew how to do about everything personality. Her relentless pursuit of Seo-ha was entertaining. The 2nd couple was also cute. I did not read the webtoon but even for me it felt like they destroyed the story toward the end. Watch it for the interesting story and slow build romance for both couples. It is heavy in the 1st love aspect. It is a deep thinking topic for anyone interested in reincarnation. It also visits several historical points in her flash backs to previous lives. It is a happy ending if you can accept the strange twist it takes.

Spoilers*
My daughter read the webtoon and said that female lead character did not reincarnate due to a revenge arc like was portrayed in the drama but rather she lost her twin sister through murder and was reincarnating to be reunited. So that was very different. In the drama anyone who found out she was reincarnated suffered bad consequences such as strange ailments. It was weird within the drama as there was no sensible reason that would be the case. And apparently that was never a thing in the webtoon., there were no ill consequences of finding out she reincarnated. In the webtoon Ha Do-yoon (Ahn Dong goo) was her reincarnated sister and that was a surprising twist. In the drama. He was not her reincarnated sister he was a man in her 1st life, a side character, and he looked exactly as he did in her 19th life. In her 19th life her sister had reincarnated as Yoon Cho won (Ha Yoon kyung) and she also looked exactly as she did in her 1st life. There is also a character in the drama who murdered Ji-eum in her 1st life, who also was continually reincarnated and remembered his past lives. He got close to Ji Eum and wanted her to remember so they could break the cycle because, in the drama, Ji Eum created the situation where they reincarnated and remembered as she vowed to not forget and get revenge. In the drama Seo ha's mom had reincarnated and was watching over him to remedy an injustice around his attempted murder. So it makes it seem like remembering past lives is common. In the webtoon there was just her and another character. Then, the reincarnated mom, makes a decision to do some ritual somehow the murdery guy knew about where she stops remembering past lives. Main female lead sees her after and it was like, not only did she no longer recall, but her personality was different. Somehow that makes lead girl decide to do the same. Supposedly it fixes all those suffering harm from knowing about reincarnations if you are just willing to do some weird ritual that makes you selectively forget. And lead girl is like yes I struggled to get everyone to like me and accept that I reincarnated but now I just want to forget all about all of that. It was cool she knew so many languages, had so many skills and had historical knowledge, it added a lot of depth to her character but then that is all wiped clean. So then this now different person who somehow remembers how to be an engineer from her 19th life but not where the ring on her finger came from. But all the people she met in her 19th life remember her and all that but now it doesn't make them sick somehow. So then he relentlessly pursues her. But there was this slow build romance to that point with him and the super cool her who could do all these things but niw there is this renewed her that he is determined to make love him. If you can completely suspend your belief that things you experience shape who you are I guess you could buy off on that. Realizing some changes need to be made to adapt it to drama but many just seemed unnecessary.

#ShinHyeSun
#AhnBohyun
#SeeYouInMy19thLife.

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beautiful

so i cried at each episode. the scenes in episode 3 and 12 with ju-wons mother broke me but they reflected a mother and daughter's love perfectly.
the pace was good even though it's difficult to fit a whole webtoon into 12 episodes.
the acting was incredible and the relationship dynamics were good. i love the ost too, listening to some of the songs like Star by Colde triggers my tears instantly.
so glad there was a happy ending !! the only downside i can think of is how by forgetting her past lives, ban ji-eum forgets her current life? and hasn't remembering her past 18 lives shaped who she is, her personality? or maybe personality travels through reincarnation whether you remember it or not. either way i won't mark it down for that being unrealistic as remembering your past lives is already unrealistic.
i recommend to all and although i dont usually rewatch shows, i might rewatch this one in the future

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Exciting and romantic parts but just missed the mark

Having just finished watching the drama, I must say it was a gripping and engaging experience. While I was eager to give it a perfect 10, there were some aspects that held me back from doing so. At the start, the romance between the characters had a tangible feeling of discovery, which added excitement and mystery to their relationship beyond the accident's enigma. However, as the truth behind the accident was revealed, I found the storyline somewhat lacking and unsatisfactory in terms of the forgiveness process. It left me questioning the reasoning behind certain characters being forgiven and how it all unfolded.

Parallel to the main storyline, the concept of the 19th life or reincarnation brought an intriguing dimension to the plot. The initial lack of clarity surrounding the 1st life kept me on the edge of my seat, but when the explanation finally came, it felt underwhelming and too simplistic. Although the idea of growth before breaking the cycle was clear , it didn't quite make sense in execution, leaving me somewhat unsatisfied.

Despite these flaws, the drama managed to keep me hooked throughout. The attempt to create something unique and different was commendable, even if it didn't entirely succeed. The show's overall quality was good enough to warrant a recommendation, but it fell short of being an exceptional masterpiece. Perhaps, watch it and enjoy it without delving into critical discussions.

The acting and music - I have no complaints. Just the miss in the story and how it was delivered overall. Things that bothered me were like the necklace - product placement (PPL). The significance of the necklaces was supposedly so important and then what ?

Anyways, this drama is undoubtedly worth watching and offers an exciting and different storyline. However, a few missed opportunities and unresolved plot points prevent me from giving it a perfect score. It is just a 9.5 out of 10 for me.

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Want to ask only one thing from the writer- WHY?

See You In My 19th Life is a drama which recounts the tale of a woman who remember all of her previous births.
After being killed in an accident in her previous birth, she now wants to be reunited with the person she loved back then.
The overall drama is story between how she unveils her past, and how she reconnects with the people from her past living in this life.
Acting:- As expected, Shin Hye-Sun and Ahn Bo-hyun are amazing. They'd amazing chemistry together. SHS was just great in some scenes. I am genuinely pleased by the acting choices of ABH. Be it playing the role of a military officer, or just a typical rich BF, he is nailing all those roles. Next in liene is Ha Yoon Kyung who is doing great in the past some dramas.

Now addressing the elephant in the room, the ending. At first I liked the ending, but now to retrospect, it isn't making any sense.
First of all, why are writers so interested in making them strangers again when there's no sequel planned. They could've devised another way for Ji Eum. But they just had to make the ending more complicated by making us show that she has lost her memory and now it's the time of Seo Ha to woo her in the same way she did.
This doesn't make any sense. Why can't a drama be left at them being hopelessly in love? Why does writers have to be so weirdly creative?

Overall, this is a dine drama, with unique plot, amazing acting, and visuals. But the ending could've been a bit more original.

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if i had to live nineteen times i would've become some pyschopath by now

i actually don't have a lot to say beside that this kdrama had a very easy going development!

what brought me to this drama was some gifsets i saw on tumblr and even though i thought i would, i didn't became obsessed with the drama within the firsts episodes... but the characters are so lovable that they just pull you into the story!

i think i have some complaints about the "villains" i think that the story could've been more interesting, but since is an adaptation from a webtoon, i need to recgonize that a webtoon and a drama are very different medias and maybe the webtoon wouldn't be able to develop the idea that i had it on my mind.

but even though the story isn't dark, it's such a great production. shin hye sun (like always) just gives all of her to bring life to such a deep character like ji eum and i cried at least five times with her acting. the other actors are also so into they characters that they make all this production worth it.

really wished we had more screentime for the second couple because i think that if they had more time we could've had a story like wang yeo and kim sun from goblin... but since it was just a 12 episodes drama i understand why they had to focused all in the main couple. and in this matter, i saw some people on tumblr saying that the end felt a little bit rush, but i think a lot of this drama was rushed to be able to fit the time they had (which is a little bit sad tbh).

gave it 10 stars because i really enjoyed it but... the soundtrack is horrible. like... i don't know if they spend all of the money in the actors contracts to invite some kpop artist to create a good song, but i don't know anything would be better than some random beat that played like 5 times in random moments.

also didn't like the clothes of the second female lead. this don't interfere with the score i give but it was so horrible that i just wanted to say it somewhere. like. they put my beautiful girl to wear some pink cardigan that didn't suit her at all, some ugly white boots that didn't match her personality and even put her in some ridiculous jeans dress. i honestly think that yoon cho won closed suffered more than jesus christ.

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interesting story, but weak execution

See You in My 19th Life - 8,5/10 -kdrama

interesting plot and story which showed much more promise than they managed make out of it. At other hand I never read source webtoon... so I cant tell if drama makers didnt manged dig out story potential or that webtoon writer.

Still its quite good drama. Alot comments I read had problems with ending, but not me. It wasnt great ending, but not even bad one.

plot - FL is weird always around 8-12 she gets to remember memories from her past lives. Now its her 19th life and she just got her memories back. She found out she found her true love in 18th life, but she died too soon too young. Her new family aint great either. She decides to find out what happened to her love from 18th life. After she finds him to be alive... she decides to get him back in this life.

genre - romance, supernatural, comedy

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Very interesting concept and could be amazing if executed better

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25 (rounding up because I had a good time binge-watching)

The concept of “See You in My 19th Life” is so interesting that it probably attracts many viewers. There are many things I love about this drama and other areas which I would like to explore more. I did not watch the webtoon and this review is solely based on the drama. Nevertheless, this is a very easy binge and I was able to watch it all on a Saturday in one go.


What I Like:

1. Shin Hye Sun - I may not be a super fan of Shin Hye Sun but it’s without a doubt she’s a great actress. Her role as the female lead Ban Ji Eum showcases her talents so well. I usually am not a fan of girl-chases-boy but she does it in a way that I don’t find annoying. She’s assertive but not overly stalkerish and irritating. I find her teasing ML cute and not overdone. I love how she just busted out her flamenco moves. That’s hilarious! When it comes to the emotional scenes, especially the last few episodes, I can’t help but cry with her.

2. Young Actor/Actresses - Young Ban Ji Eum is adorable and smart. Her conversations with her ‘niece’ are both mature and innocent. Young Yoon Joo Won has the poise of someone who lived 17th lives, yet her appearance has such an innocent look. Young Moon Seo may not have as much screen time as Joo Won but the scenes of him trapped in the car were heartbreaking.

3. Uncle and Niece relationship - I love seeing these two individuals who technically don’t know each other, don’t have any familial love, yet come together and form their own special family.

4. Guest Stars - With 19 lives, it’s the perfect way to bring in many guest stars. I would love to see more of them (see my mixed feelings below).

5. Production - There are many scenes that are shot beautifully and in different angles. The OST has some great songs that I will add to my Spotify playlist. I also like that we see an appropriate interior of a hotel. A hotel that needs renovation and you can see that it’s not a super modern hotel, but one that has history and its own charms. I like the setup of ML’s office where it feels warm.


What I have Mixed Feelings About:

1. Pacing - I was hooked from the first episode. It has a great introduction of the characters and the background story. The pace is good in the first half but definitely slows down in the second half. I especially feel that the last two episodes are very slow and it keeps repeating on finding out the past, yet not much happens. They are the same flashbacks for 2 episodes.

2. Past 18 lives - I would have loved to see more of the different lives and the guest stars, and how their stories directly relate to FL’s personality and experiences. We mainly saw clips that lasted a minute or two. I want to see more of the person and the love story of Chae Jong Hyeop composing the love song for. I want to see more about the first life and not just the same flashbacks.

3. Romance - I wouldn’t say the chemistry between Shin Hye Sun and Ahn Bo Hyun is bad, but it’s also not amazing. There are criticisms of Ahn Bop Hyun’s acting and I think he did a fine job. I think he was quite cute when he’s being cornered and was very shy. It’s when he is NOT shy anymore that I am finding the chemistry lacking and not sweet enough for me. Oh, and they have ONE great kiss when both of them are such good kissers. I am not satisfied! LOL. On the other hand, the secondary romance is also a little lacking for me. Here, I do find Ahn Dong Goo a little bland in his portrayal of the ‘cool’ role. I am missing the micro expressions that you see from great actors when they portray someone who is ‘cold’ on the outside. I think the secondary romance could have been developed better and with better pacing.

4. Unexplored Plot - Did the drama forget about the hotel renovation after the initial episodes? I want more background story of ML’s family and the older generation as the twist about the accident is not very satisfactorily explored and explained. I want to know more about Ha Do Yoon’s (ML’s BFF/secretary) history with ML in Germany and his responsibility to the Chairman. Without going into too much spoilers, I want to know why the other lady can remember her past lives when she wasn’t in FL’s first life. Is that a plot hole or her existence is just a device to move forward with the hotel fight for power narrative?

Overall, this is such a cool concept and could be an amazing drama if executed better. Despite my criticisms, I did have a fabulous and easy time watching it. I will recommend it to those who love this type of fantasy drama but not to those who are very particular about writing and execution.


Completed: 8/20/2023 - Review #342

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