Because This Is My First Life
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| Source: tvN (https://tvn.cjenm.com/) |
This 2017 tvN drama won the hearts of many viewers with its bold subject matter of contract marriage.
Contract Marriage: Is It a Realistic Premise?
"Because This Is My First Life" begins with the story of a woman who needs a house and a man who needs rental income meeting and entering into a contract marriage. While this setup might initially seem absurd and unrealistic, it actually pierces through to the reality of the housing crisis and economic difficulties faced by young Koreans in contemporary society.
The male protagonist, Nam Se-hee, is a 34-year-old IT company assistant manager who owns a two-story house left by his parents. However, he lives on the first floor while renting out the second floor to cover his living expenses. The female protagonist, Yoon Ji-ho, is a 30-year-old contract drama writer who, due to poor working conditions and unstable income, cannot afford her own place and stays at her friend's house.
Key Contract Terms: Their contract marriage is built on clear conditions. Ji-ho gets to live on the second floor rent-free, while Se-hee gains married status to avoid disadvantages at work. Rules about household duties, respecting privacy, and no emotional involvement are also established.
Economic Motivations Reflecting Reality
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The main reason this drama resonates is its economic realism. It fully captures the soaring rent and housing prices in Seoul, the instability of contract work, and the lives of young people who postpone marriage and childbirth. Scenes of Ji-ho sleeping on a makeshift bed in the corner of her friend's living room, and Se-hee covering his living expenses with rental income, reflect the reality many young people face.
The drama paradoxically shows how difficult normal marriage and independence are through the extreme choice of contract marriage. Ji-ho's line, "Getting even one room is this hard, so how are we supposed to get married?" spoke to the hearts of many viewers.
From Contract to Genuine Feelings: Natural Emotional Development
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While the two initially try to maintain a strictly contractual relationship, living together under one roof gradually sparks feelings between them. What's particularly impressive is how naturally this process unfolds in the drama.
Se-hee is a character who struggles with emotional expression and values rules and principles. A cat butler and perfectionist, he initially presents the contract terms to Ji-ho coldly. In contrast, Ji-ho has a rich emotional life and honest personality, gradually discovering Se-hee's true feelings.
The evolution of their relationship progresses slowly rather than abruptly. Se-hee's small gestures of consideration for Ji-ho, Ji-ho taking care of Se-hee's cat, and their growing familiarity while doing household chores together are delicately portrayed. The cliché of "it was a contract but became real" doesn't feel forced at all.
Questions Raised by the Contract Marriage Premise
The drama's contract marriage setup goes beyond being a simple romantic device to raise various questions about the institution of marriage in modern society. What is marriage? Must love and marriage always go together? Is a union based on economic necessity wrong?
Rather than providing clear answers to these questions, the drama offers viewers food for thought by showing various forms of relationships and views on marriage. Through the different situations of three couples - Se-hee and Ji-ho's contract marriage, Su-ji and Sang-gu's cohabitation, and Ho-rang and Won-seok's traditional romance - it explores diverse forms of love and marriage.
The Drama's Message: As the title suggests, "this is our first life" for all of us. There are no predetermined answers, and the core message of the drama is that we can make choices that fit our individual circumstances and values.
An Unrealistic Yet Realistic Story
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The premise of contract marriage itself is certainly unrealistic. Very few people would actually marry this way in real life. However, the themes the drama addresses - housing problems, the instability of contract work, the burden of marriage, and the difficulty of economic independence - are all very real.
Through a fantastical premise, the drama actually reveals real-world problems more clearly. By setting up the extreme situation of contract marriage, it paradoxically shows how much of an economic burden independence and marriage are in our society.
Why It Resonated with Viewers
Many viewers were enthusiastic about this drama not simply because of the romance. It was because the realistic concerns that felt like their own stories, the relatable economic difficulties, and the protagonists' journey to find happiness despite everything provided great comfort.
Viewer reactions like "I wish I could meet a landlord like that" and "I want to become independent like that" prove the drama's realism. While the method of contract marriage is fantasy, the concerns and dreams of young people contained within it were extremely realistic.
Conclusion: Perfect Balance Between Reality and Fantasy
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"Because This Is My First Life" is a work that exquisitely combines the unrealistic premise of contract marriage with the realistic concerns of young people. While showing us the possibility that "you could live this way," the drama doesn't turn away from real-world problems.
A love story that started as a contract but became genuine, meeting out of economic necessity but growing to understand each other. All of this naturally comes together to deliver empathy, comfort, and hope to viewers simultaneously. The drama's greatest success factor is accurately capturing the reality of people in their 20s and 30s while not losing sight of the positive message that happiness can be found within it.
Ultimately, the unique premise of contract marriage served as both a mirror reflecting the reality of contemporary Korean society and a medium for delivering the hopeful message that we can all find happiness in our own ways.