18 Again: More Than Just Another K-drama #MustWatch
Wait! If your Netflix has not sprouted Korean Drama (K-drama) recommendations yet, that does not mean this is not your cup of tea. Just stick with me.
Remember 17 again? Zac Effron being the heartthrob he is stole hearts left and right. Well, nothing new here. He’s doing it since his High School Musical Days. Apart from Mathew Perry (Bing!) and Zac Effron, what do you remember about that movie?
The tear-jerking fake letter reading in the courtroom?
Which I must add- SRK did it first! If you don’t know what I am talking about, watch this:
Anything else? Well, that was it for me.
And this is why I want to introduce you to why 18 Again is a beautiful story and more than just another K-drama. At first it seems like a cheesy romance that is a copy of 17 Again with a cast, title and language change. But this is where it’s wrong.
I will try to steer clear of spoilers in the process of showing you why I think this is more than “just another k-drama”.
Sneak peak of What You are Getting Into
It is public knowledge that 18 Again is based on the American film 17 Again. But where 17 Again focuses on the male protagonist’s trails and struggles, 18 Again goes miles beyond, embracing all the characters that contribute to shaping the story.
After nearly twenty years of marriage, Jung Da Jung and Hong Dae Young seem to be well settled in their domestic lives. The proud parents of a pair of eighteen year old twins, the devoted couple have worked hard to build a happy home together. But what seems like an ideal life on the outside is really anything but.
Shaken by his wife’s decision to leave him and utterly disappointed in where life has taken him, Dae Young takes a hard look at his life. The moment the thoughts of regret enter his head, his body is instantly transformed into that of an eighteen year old, while his thirty-seven year old mind remains intact. (Source: MyDramaList)
- Episodes : 16
- Duration: 1 hour 10 min (approx.)
- Genre: Romance, Comedy, Family
- Director: Ha Byung-Hoon
- Writer: Kim Do-Yeon, An Eun-Bin, Choi Yi-Ryun
- Network: JTBC
- Release Date: 2020
- Language: Korean
- Country: South Korea
Struggles of a Single Mother
I wanted to bring this to the forefront because it was not highlighted enough in 17 Again. Yes, the wife was not in the limelight except for the transformation of her backyard but in this K-drama we get a strong, determined and fantastic ass-kicking woman. Literally ass-kicking because she can take care of herself.
Jung Da Jung knows she isn’t growing any younger by the day, nor does she have high qualifications to jump start a career. The show has brilliantly captured the reality of a divorced mother trying to start living life again. With two teenagers to take care of, the struggle of fighting negative publicity was a good addition.
Apart from finance and career struggles, Jung Da Jung also navigates learning to trust, love and forgive. The emotional aspect will lead you to tears.
The Appalling Age-gap
I stumbled upon comments where people mentioned that the show received a lot of flak for not only showing Jung Da Jung romancing a teenager (even though it is her husband) but also because of the age gap between the co-stars in real life. I did not see the age gap between the co-stars as an issue because:
>They acted brilliantly! The romance was far from cliche. It was innocent, professional and simply amazing.
>If the Goblin (in Goblin/ Guardians) could be older in real life than his co-star, why not here? Why do older woman not have the same rules as male celebrities?
>It did justice to the characters in the story.
Too Good to be True
I will point out here that towards the end, it was too good to be true only because Hong Dae Young mapped out his story in advance. You will understand if and when you watch it.
Not Your Average Tunnel Vision
The drama does not focus on what will Hong Dae Young choose in the end? That is the underlying question of course but not the only focus on the show. We have bullying, bribery, co-worker relationship development, self-acceptance, respect, familial love, not one but two love triangles, confidence-building, rivalry, self-dense in a world where men think they can do whatever they want and so much more.
Soundtrack of feelings
Believe me when I tell you that the soundtrack is so beautiful that even if you do not know Korean, you will feel the lyrics. Listening to the soundtrack while watching the show adds more meaning and understanding but even on its own, it stands firm. Do yourself a favor and give it a listen!
Check out my favorite track with English subtitles. This is a fan-made video (FMV)
Full Playlist (FMV)
In Conclusion
Convincing someone to watch Korean dramas is not the the aim of writing this appreciation post. My aim is to show you that if you look beyond the communication barrier (Hello Subtitles feature!) and the stereotype belief that “but they all look the same”, you will find yourself falling headfirst in love with brilliant acting skills, scripting and dialogues.
P.S. if you watch the show, please come back and tell me what you thought even if it is just one song. I would love to hear your positive, constructive, negative review about the show.
Where to watch? — Netflix, Viki, DramaCool
