See You in My 19th Life (2023)

The best drama

Es uno de los mejores kdramas que he visto. Tiene todo lo que me gusta, te hace llorar, te deja con intriga, es divertido y muy emotivo.

El tema de las vidas pasadas me gusta mucho porque creo firmemente en él, y me encanta cómo fue tocado en el drama.

El romance entre Seo Ha y Ji Eum me gustó mucho, porque no hay mucha resistencia entre ellos, Seo Ha va conociendo de nuevo a Ji Eum y se vuelve a enamorar de ella <3

Pero ese finaaaal, me sigue doliendo. Cuando le dice “Puedes irte”. Nooo, bastaaa 😭 lloré mucho, porque a pesar de que todos hacen lo posible para que Ji Eum siga en sus vidas, ella ya no los recuerda y eso me duele mucho.

Igual me gustó demasiado, se convierte en uno de mis favoritos <3

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Mejor lean el manhwa

Historia
Esta basada en un manhwa. Cómo tal esperas que la adaptación este a la altura. Al ser 12 episodios con más razón crees que no tienes que temer. (Es es lo que pensé yo, quien lo vio en emisión) Este no es el caso, hicieron muchas agregaciones (como el hecho de profundizar sus vidas pasadas) que estéticamente era muy bello, pero siento que gastaron sus recursos económicos en esas tomas, que llamaron la atención al principio, pero solo fue vistoso. De todas formas el principal problema de la historia es que no supieron que dirección tomar si un drama o una comedia. Claramente ambos no resultó. Siento que al leer el manhwa no hubo un misterio para mi (al menos con lo que respecta al choque) porque lo del final fue exclusivamente del k-drama. Y me sorprendió para mal. La verdad me quedo con el bonito recuerdo del manhwa, siento que fue una mala adaptación.

Actuación/elenco
La verdad la vi en emisión por Shin Hye-sun. Nunca me decepcionó y ame cada uno de sus dramas. Siempre hay una primera vez, siento que este papel la deslució, a veces me daba pena ajena. Muy excéntrica su actuación (en otros papeles estaba bien actuar asi, en este no)
Los demás... Bueno no me gustaron. Pero los niños actorazos. Me encantaron llegue a un punto que quería que el k-drama sea la perspectiva de los niños. De adultos me daba cringe.

Musica
Para mí no acompaño bien (fue lo peor)
El único que tema que ame "Star" fue el único que casi no pusieron. Lo que más escuchaba era un sonido feliz que no armonizaba con el drama. (Cómo olvidar que en un episodio seguía la música feliz incluso cuando lo secuestraban) -no lo llevaban a una fiesta sorpresa-

Valor de repetición
Ni siquiera tienes que mirarlo, así que no hay pensarlo mirarlo otra vez, es mejor leer el manhwa. Pero esto es solo mí opinión personal.

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Amor/odio a las adaptaciones

Bueno solo puedo decir que si te gusto el drama te leas el webtoon en el que se basa. Ambas obras por separado están bastante bien, si no viniera del webtoon probablemente me habría gustado más, pero no todo puede ser perfecto.
Hay decisiones de cambio que no entiendo porque la obra original me parecía más emocionante y no tenian que inventarse eso de la primera vida de la protagonista con personajes nuevos que no existen. Por eso para mi la segunda mitad fue un descenso de interés sin frenos. La trama principal del accidente es algo secundario y es algo muchísimo mas grande en la obra original.
El actor principal no sabe ponerse triste, desde mi punto de vista, siempre le veo con cara de asco, es como si no supiese que hacer y es una pena, eso si cuando sonríe ilumina la pantalla y me encantó en el capitulo final.
El drama como serie independiente esta bastante bien pero como adaptación no me pareció la mejor y me duele en el alma porque la historia es preciosa y me pico muchísimo

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Huequito en el corazón

Esta historia se ha ganado un huequito en mi corazón. Al empezarla no tenía grandes expectativas, solo había visto que la recomendaban mucho; pero este drama ha sido sin duda el único que me ha hecho llorar en cada episodio que veía. El hecho de tener recuerdos de vidas pasadas y ver que nadie te cree, que nadie intenta comprender tu dolor continuo durante todas esas vida pasadas, este sentimiento de impotencia y, al mismo tiempo, de soledad.
La parte que más me toca el corazón es el último capítulo, donde tiene que decidir si seguir recordando sus vidas anteriores influenciando su vida actual, ya que ahora es feliz; o tener que olvidar esas vidas pasadas junto a las personas que pertenecen al pasado, pero salvando sus vidas al mismo tiempo. Esa fuerza de voluntad que tiene la protagonista de olvidar todo por el bien de los demás, y al mismo tiempo, para acabar con esa eternidad de sufrimiento de recuerdos inconclusos. Me gustan todos los personajes de este drama, pero sobre todo la protagonista. Seo-ha es un buen personaje, pero no atribuiría como la mayor aportación su forma adulta, sino mees mas entrañable su forma infantil, cuando es un niño, aunque le sigo queriendo un montón. También adoro a Cho-Won y a Do-Yoon, y como consiguen estas juntos a pesar de las miradas y expectativas de los demás, Y que decir de An-Pyeong, una masita de amor, que dedicó toda su vida a su tío y a Ban Ji-Eum
Kang Min-Gi me parece un personaje que aporta, aunque no mucho, pero es necesario para que la historia transcurra.
Por otra parte, me encanta como desde pequeña el único propósito que tiene Ban Ji-Eum es reencontrarse con Seo-Ha, ya que él es el único que ha conseguido quitarle esas piedras de sufrimiento de encima y le deja ser libre, vivir una vida normal. Como Seo-Ha se va enamorando progresivamente de ella, sin saber que es Ju-Won. Me parece tan entrañable y bonito que siempre me sacaba una lagrimita.
Lo único que de cierta forma me ha dejado un poco inconclusa es que no le cuenta directamente a su madre que ella es Ju-Won, ya que ella le estuvo esperando a que volviese desde el momento que murió y es la única que no sabe la verdad sobre el retorno de Ju-Won, pero bueno, todo se arregla con un abrazo.
Y, el final, a mi sinceramente me ha gustado como se van acercando a ella y como de cierta forma tiene lagunas en su memoria que le provocan un cierto sentimiento de nostalgia. Y como Seo-Ha utiliza las mismas palabras que Ban Ji-Eum para reconquistarla, ya que esta y seguirá amándola hasta el fin de los tiempos.
Me encanta como actúan los actores, pero sobre todo como transmite la protagonista, como te hace llorar en los momentos que se siente mal, porque lo más importante, es transmitir a través de una pantalla, y nada mas.

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Por fin he podido traer el post de See You in my 19th Life.
La verdad es que me ha gustado mucho en general, sin embargo ha habido algo (que no sabría qué decir) que hizo que no terminara encantándome.
Lo que más me gustó fue que se expusiera, en mayor o menor medida, las otras vidas de la protagonista y principalmente que indicaran la vida que estaba recordando ya que muchas veces nos hacen un lío cuando recuerdan algo del pasado. También me gustó que no hicieran ver que al ser mujer en esta vida lo era en todas, sino que cambiaba de sexo según la vida nueva que le tocaba.
Otra cosa que me gustó mucho es que no han hecho relaciones entre mujeres de rivalidad sino con relaciones sanas y de respeto. Seguramente también aparezcan en otros dramas pero en este me sorprendió bastante.
En general me ha parecido una buena serie y muy recomendable, al ser solo 12 capítulos se ve bastante rápido y la trama se hace ligera la mayor parte del tiempo.
Si estás buscando una serie con una trama un poco diferente, te animo a ver See You in my 19th Life.

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Enjoyable But... I Wish They Gave Us More!

***Disclaimer: This is just my opinion. We don't have to agree and I'm not here to argue with anyone***

(This review is entirely based on the show, I did not read the webtoon and went into this completely blind)

I really loved this drama... I thought the story was interesting, the acting was phenomenal and the OSTs touched my heart. I wish I could rewatch it for the first time and be able to experience and feel all the things I did all over again.

The way this drama had me in a chokehold for weeks needs to be studied! I honestly don't know if this drama would've had the same effect on me had I just binge watched it in one go. From beginning to end you can see the care / effort the writers put into bringing this story to life on screen. I thought the cast was beautifully chosen as the actors captured the essence of their characters so well. The emotions through the drama were raw / real and it was almost palpable through the screen. I heard the webtoon and the drama are different and that writers changed some stuff but idk I think that's the whole point of an adaption it gives the writers creative license and room to explore what the original story didn't have / lacked. Ahn Bo Hyun and Shin Hye Sun were so amazing. I need to see Bo Hyun in more leading roles... perhaps a historical drama next.

Overall, this drama was enjoyable. My only problem with it was that it was too short (12 episodes) and the last couple episodes seemed rushed and like they were trying to tie everything together at the last minute. They could've used the middle episodes to develop the plot further or have Seo Ha find out that Ji Eum was Ju Won's reincarnation earlier as well as her memories from her 1st life and how to break the curse. I found the shaman guy (Min Ki) so annoying. Especially the fact that they let his identity remain a mystery until the last two episodes, it was very underwhelming. They made it seem like he was a lover but as it turns out he was the reason why Ji Eum was cursed to be reborn each time she died. I found the ending of her forgetting everyone while they lived on remembering her very strange / not well thought out but I'm glad everything all worked out in the end and the drama ended on a happy note. I was initially so scared that it would end badly but then again I'm a lover of angst and pain. Either way I think I would've loved this drama bc the storytelling, acting and sequence of events was so entertaining.

I definitely would rewatch this drama sometime in the future. I think the key to enjoying this drama is just to go in blindly without any preconceived notions from the webtoon or constantly comparing it to it. As a reader myself it's just a fact that no adaptation can ever really live up to what you imagined in your head.

With that said I give this drama an 8/10.

❤️

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A Dance with Destiny: See You In My 19th Life's Alluring Tale of Memory and Love!!

This drama stands out as the most beautiful and captivating production of the year, boasting top notch cinematography, mesmerizing OSTs, and exceptional performances from the cast.

Rather than being a direct adaptation of the Manhwa, the concept is taken from a webtoon, and the writers created their own world with beautiful characters. Although there were several changes from the webtoon, I found myself genuinely liking the drama, which left me spellbound. The storyline revolves around a female protagonist who recalls her past 18 lives, embarking on a journey to fulfill an unfinished love from her 18th life while uncovering intriguing mysteries.

One of the drama's standout elements is the portrayal of an unconventional relationship, where the female lead exudes strength while the male lead grapples with post traumatic issues. Their dynamic is refreshing as she takes the lead and he follows, creating a unique and endearing relationship.

The ending of the drama was satisfying, with the female protagonist starting afresh by forgetting all her past memories, putting an end to a 19-life-long curse.

The relationship between the female lead Ban Jieum and her 60+ year old niece Aegyeong from her 17th life was heartwarming to watch.

Among the many memorable scenes, the bridge scene in the 9th episode stood out for its creativity. It beautifully depicted all of Banjieum's past lives walking behind her, symbolizing the interconnectedness of her experiences across time.

Shin Hye Sun's portrayal of Ban Jieum was nothing short of phenomenal, impeccably capturing the emotional depth, strength, and love for her closed ones from past lives.

Equally, Ahn Boh Hyun's casting as Seo Ha initially raised doubts, but he skillfully displayed Seo Ha's vulnerabilities and romantic side, proving himself to be an excellent fit for the role.

The chemistry between the main leads was undeniable, making them my favorite on screen pair from 2023. While the second leads had limited screen time, they also did well, with Ha Yoon Kyung shining in the role of Cho Won.

A character that left lasting impression was Mingi, whose mysterious aura captivated the audience from the beginning until the end. Lee Chae Min's portrayal was stellar, much like his performance in his previous drama CCIR.

The chemistry between the actress playing Aegyeong and Shin Hye Sun was palpable, just as evident as their on screen chemistry in their previous drama, Mr. Queen.

The drama was masterfully filled with numerous plot twists, keeping viewers engaged from start to finish. The character portrayal was praiseworthy, as none of the villains were entirely negative; instead, they were complex and shaded with grey, making them more realistic and intriguing.

The cinematography of the drama was simply breathtaking, elevating every scene to an awe inspiring level. Notably, Episode 9 stood out for its exceptional cinematography, making it an unforgettable visual experience.

The OSTs were perfect additions to the narrative. "Juicy Juicy" by Jo Yuri and "Star" by Colde has to be my most favourite OSTs of 2023.
However, BGM department could have been better as some scenes didn't align well with the background music.

In conclusion this drama is an absolute masterpiece, with brilliant performances and flawless execution. Fantasy lovers should not miss out on this mesmerizing series.

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A mixed up jigsaw puzzle that didn’t quite make a beautiful picture

I had reasonably high hopes of this one after the first episode. The characters were intriguing, the scenario showed promise, the acting was good, the cinematography on point. But all that promise was gradually gambled away by a plot that was so clunky you could hear it grinding.

This was a scenario that could have been so good in better hands but unfortunately there was zero finesse to the unfurling of the mystery. It relied totally on incredible coincidences, cringeworthy conveniences, inexplicable premises and unrealistic actions.

The unfolding of a plot is not about what happens, but how it happens and therein lies the skill. How information is revealed in such a way that characters can discover it credibly/naturally and the viewer can gradually see the bigger picture unfolding. But here, it was like the writer didn’t have the patience (or attention to detail) to complete the jigsaw properly, so cut random pieces to fit the gaps and rammed them home. Leaving characters clinging onto the edges like loose pieces that didn’t quite fit anywhere and blue sky questions sitting in the middle of muddy field explanations. It had all the hallmarks of seat-of-your-pants writing rather than well structured and planned writing.

Too much of it relied on inexplicable premises that I continued to hope would be explained, but never were. The hotel plot in the present was not really tied to the plot in the past or maybe I just missed the point. All this increasingly became the focus of my frustration leaving me very little energy to appreciate the good things, which is a shame because there were some really good things.

One thing the writer did get right (ably assisted by the director and the actors) was a cast of interesting and engaging characters. Both the leads played their parts well and created a believable chemistry. I really liked Ahn Dong Gu as the tsundere Ha Do Yoon. This type is always difficult to make sympathetic and he did very well in revealing the emotional undertow of the character. Also an honourable mention for the child actors, particularly Kim Shi Ah who totally captured the enigmatic aura of the 18th incarnation.

I really enjoyed the cinematography in this show. The clever use of angular sets and monochrome environments was notable and there were some stunning set shots throughout.

So overall, if I hadn’t been so distracted by the plot I would have really liked this show and given it a much better rating. If you’re not going to be affected by that, then go ahead and watch, there’s plenty to enjoy.

What my rating means: 6+ Some aspects of it were OK but it had serious flaws. It will pass the time but you can find something better.

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Charming hanger, to tell the same old story about Cupid's arrow in a refreshing crisp new way

"See you in my 19th Life" is first and foremost a love story. However, there is this particular, dramaturgically appealing impulse, since the protagonist has been incarnating on this planet again and again since 980 AND is actually able of recalling all of her 19 multifaceted lives so far quite well. So the protagonist is neither ghost nor demon, but a human being like you and me – only with more knowledge and experience from her previous lives with different gender. She brought all she has ever learned and known along with her.

A nice hanger, I think. A great (not necessarily brand new, though,) idea to tell the same old story about Cupid's arrow in a refreshing crisp new way. The idea goes back to a web toon. As tvN-KDrama it comes along in 12 episodes. Here Shin Hye-sun once more took the chance to break down female stereotypes, as she had already successfully stirred up gender-specific behavior patterns with her acting in "Mr Queen". Wonderful.

I think the concept overall works very well. The KDrama presents a Rom+Com in a light-footed pace. However, the protagonists certainly have their bags to carry. So the story doesn't just sail along on the surface. And then, of course, there are also mischievous characters, e.g. in the Jaebeol milieu, adding some extra excitement. In addition, the subplots are quite elaborated in a charming manner, too.

So: If you're in the mood for Rom+Com, you'll be well taken care of with this KDrama. The story draws with pleasure from the large pot of possibilities that arise from the idea of ​​awareness in reincarnation, thus lovingly spicing up a solid love story. Predictable it may still be, yet it is fun, heartwarming and including some surprising twists, too.

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A waste of a potentially great adaptation

I know with adaptations from well-beloved sources, there is more of a general tendency to recommend seeing them as separate entities, but I think there's a legitimate argument for feeling upset when an adaptation fails to such a degree as this has to me to meet expectations.

I didn't start out with many; I'll admit that I had never heard of the story before this drama came out. I'm not well versed in Webtoons, nor comics in general (Pyramid Game and See You In My 19th Life being the two that I have readat the time of writing this) – but I fell so deeply in love with the concept of somebody remembering all of their past lives, and going back to re-enter into the lives of the people they had left behind – using all of her previous knowledge and confidence to equip her in this endeavour, I found Ban Ji-Eum to be a magnetic protagonist, masterfully portrayed by Shin Hye Sun (whom I'd seen previously in Still 17, and was already a fan of). The ending to the third episode made me weep buckets, and by then – my mind was made: I would read this comic, as a way of tiding me over until the next episodes came along.

I engorged myself on it, binging it easily within the span of a week. I fell even deeper.

Coming back to the drama from the Webtoon was a bit of a shock to the system, but I felt – if anything – even more on-board than before. There were a few pacing issues I noticed; some scenes where it felt like it didn't linger enough for me to feel connected to them, scenes where the ML, Seo-Ha would just... be in the pool. A lot of gruesome (and quite badly triggering to the two people I was watching with, who had both been in serious vehicular accidents – which is something to keep in mind if you're sensitive to crashes even in the slightest) flashbacks. All the same, I was excited for where the story was leading.

Then came the murder plot.

I'll admit, the revelations, and the resolutions of it in the Webtoon didn't feel jaw-dropping to me – but it acted there more like a periphery, and a way to keep the characters together and motivated for long enough to stay close to each other. To me, I didn't feel like the resolution to the murder plot in the Webtoon needed to be stunning – because it lead to everything else I loved about it.

But the drama's version was something else, truly. It felt like, rather than lending itself to the romance plot, leading to answers that were good enough, and that made sense – I feel like it took over, and that the answers didn't give me nearly enough for me to believe in its motivations.

Seo-Ha's mother getting more of the spotlight as another reincarnation who remembers, I feel like was another change that added absolutely nothing to the story. The actress has her own charisma, but I didn't feel like she portrayed a character who had life experience enough to have been married with a kid, and the story behind why she was there was another addition that didn't make a lot of sense to me.

All in all, it felt like a definite downturn at this point. And for me, it didn't pick itself back up – it just kept digging itself into a grave.

One of my favorite plotlines in the entire Webtoon involved a plot turn that came in towards the end, involving Ji-Eum's first life. A lot of pieces that had already been lain down beforehand suddenly fell into place, and made it so that it didn't matter to me I'd already (accidentally) read spoilers, and knew what was coming. I really felt the deep tragedy, and the heartbreak of her past, and it changed the rest of the story in an interesting way for me, that flipped expectations for the reincarnation fantasy romance story-type, and made me love the characters even more.

I should have felt surprised when they dropped that storyline, exchanging it for something so much worse, but at this point, it felt like it was just another disappointment. By connecting the characters in such a flimsy way, it felt like it was leaning right back into the exact anticipated, tired cliches that the Webtoon was trying to avoid. I think the saddest thing is that this was the point of no return for my opinion of the drama – I feel like if they had set it up well, and nailed this one part of the plot – I might have come around to the drama as not being great, but not being so terrible either. Instead, it felt like I was served a kick in the teeth.

I don't normally feel so bad when I feel like a story's gone bad, or it disappoints me somehow. As a writer, I know how hard it is to write – I know there can be a million different expectations to live up to, and how impossible it can feel to live up to every single one – especially when it comes to adaptation, where there are people who will love the original more, no matter what.

But I also feel like it failing at being an adaptation is its own valid critique. When there's already a fully fleshed out story, and there are many people who are just looking for a faithfulness to the essence of the story; the most familiar story beats – I feel like there's less leeway there I'll give to an adaptation that changes it so much, and ends up making a huge mess of it in the process over an original story that makes a mess of itself.

On what I did like: most of all was its potential, but second of all was the strength of the OST. Standouts to me being (from the top of my head): Star by Colde, I'll Embrace Your Past by the lead actor Ahn Bo Hyun, and DOWN (Juicy Juicy) by JO YURI. This side of production, I loved.

I feel like the Seo-Ha that Ahn Bo Hyun played was almost a different character entirely from his more expressive, grumpy shut-in Webtoon counterpart – but I did love to watch the moments where he was completely bewildered and rendered speechless by Ji-Eum's shamelessness, and while I don't feel like he was perhaps the right casting choice for the Webtoon, I feel like he had enough of his own endearing charm he brought to the role to largely not be included in my other, weightier and more substantial grumblings.

The child actors were all outstanding, and they all (I felt) brought something very special and unique to the drama; I've seen a lot of their other projects, too, and there's a lot of incredible skill there already. A lot of the supporting cast, in fact, were very very good. Cha Chung Hwa is always phenomenal, no matter where I see her – and I have my eyes on Ha Yoon Kyung (having already noticed her in Extraordinary Attorney Woo) and Ahn Dong Goo, as the second leads. I feel like they both brought a lot of depth and warmth to their roles while still feeling like their Webtoon characters.

If I were to revise this story myself and offer constructive feedback as a writer, I would've focused more on what the main characters want, and what they might lose. I would've had less accident flashbacks or pool scenes, and focused more on the development of relationships. I would've gotten rid of the "consequences" to knowing, and simplified where it didn't need to be that complicated. The scenes which fleshed out the relationships that Ji-Eum had with people like her niece, her mother, and her sister from a previous life were beautiful additions, and I would have leant a lot more into that.

While I don't feel very encouraged to pick up the future dramas of these writers – I do genuinely hope that they will improve from here. There was something almost magic to me about this drama, and it's always the "almost" that gets me.

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I booed out loud at the end

As others have mentioned, the series started off with an interesting premise and I enjoyed the first 4-5 episodes. Then, it became clear that the story was really about her first life, which wasn't particularly interesting. The same poorly lit/shot/designed scenes from her first life were repeated over and over again.

Spoilers follow: While one must throw logic and reason out the window when considering the premise of many kdramas, I had to question what the likelihood was that most all of the leads in the show were also in her first life. And they were also all at the same ages as they are in their current life. Which leads me to the biggest headscratcher of the series: When she finally unties herself from her past life and subsequently forgets about them, how is it that she also forgets about the relationships that she has built in her current life? Yet everyone else can remember them. She eats kimchi as Kim Ae-Gyeong's restaurant--where she supposedly had lived throughout her teens--and can't remember it? However, she ended up being the same senior engineer? Huge plot hole.

I'm guessing that the writer(s) was willing to overlook this due to their desire to set up the finally scene at the hotel swimming pool. As if none of the people who knew about her prior lives are not going to tell her about them anyway?

Still scratching my head.

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Great start and potential that was sadly absolutely squandered in the 2nd half

(Info: I don't know anything about the webtoon it's based on, so I'm just judging the show overall)

It started out as a fun and cute story with very charismatic characters and great romantic and platonic relationships, with the potential to have some of the best main 4 character group. The FL was quirky and great, with many heartbreaking and heartwarming moments. The ML also carried a lot of emotional moments due to his experiences and losses. The relationship of FL/ML was a highlight, no matter if it was the present day or the flashbacks to the FLs 18th life. The 2ML and 2FL were also good characters with a lot of potential, with a nice relationship setup and great and interesting relationships to the ML and FL.

But all of this was squandered in the 2nd half. As the wtiting became a giant mess of clichés, drama and mystery boxes without rhyme or reason. It even managed to remove much of the charisma of and chemistry between the characters.

The 2FL and 2FL and their relationship got incredible shafted and was basically the same scene or argument over and over again like a freespinning wheel.

The 'antagonistic' character of Mingi was not his own character but a plot device for a poorly thought out 1st life and an overdramatic cliché mystery.

The sudden focus to the boring 1st life mystery also negatively impacted the FL/ML relationship, as the development of their relationship took a giant step back and their moments became very lackluster after the reveal of her reincarnation.

The whole storyline of the abusive father/mistress/reincarnated mother was very messy and just a distraction and stealing screentime from the 4 main characters. The acting of the reincarnated mother was also not very good, as she never seemed to have the presence of a person remembering their former lives.

The acting, cinamatography and OST were very good, but they all couldn't save the very messy writing. What was a slamdunk 8 stars (with the potential for 8.5 or 9 stars), just crashed into a 6 star rating. What a disappointment :(

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