K-Drama To Watch: 'Because It's The First Time'
OnStyle's "Because It's The First Time" follows the tradition of the "I Need Romance" franchise, in putting a fresh spin on relationships and the oft-worn out K-Drama plot device of the love triangle.
SHINee's Minho is Yoon Tae O, an optimisitic 20-year-old who attends college in order to live up to the expectations of his father. He is a typical single guy, who treasures his freedom and the ability to date as many co-eds as he can, before he is forced to settle down into a practical, but potentially loveless marriage.
Tae O is best friends with Han Song Yi (Park So Dam), a poor neighborhood girl, who family fell upon difficult times, when he father died. Song Yi is the quintessential K-Drama heroine. She works four part-time jobs, out of sheer necessity. However, she secretly yearns to grow her hair out, far past a practical length and dreams of wearing high heels.
Song Yi wishes she were more beautiful, because may then, she would attract the attention of her crush, Seo Ji An (Kim Min Jung).
Ji An, like Song Yi, is forced into practicality and a life spent dedicated to part-time jobs. He is also in love with her, but she has yet to realize it.
The twist of "Because It's The First Time" is that Song Yi does not reciprocate the feelings of Tae O, who is deeply infactuated with her, even though he repeatedly denies it.
Jung Hyun Jung, whose screenwriting credits span each installment of the "I Need Romance" series and "Discovery of Love," continues to provide a refreshing look at young love in "Because It's The First Time." In the tradition of "I Need Romance," the drama focuses on Tae O and his circle of friends, whose experiences in their 20s could impact the rest of their lives.
While many dramas are centered on the quest of the heroine to obtain unrequited love from a wealthy protagonist, "Because It's The First Time" is traveling down a different path. Tae O realizes he is infactuated with Song Yi, he will be forced to come to grips with her true sentiments towards Ji An.
The drama appeals to fans of SHINee's Minho, whose last drama role was in the 2013 series, "Medical Top Team," as well as, audiences who enjoyed Kim Min Jung in "Twenty Again."
"Because It's The First Time" is available with English subtitles on DramaFever for audiences in North America.
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Adrienne Stanley is a contributing editor at KDramaStars. She is also a contributing music writer at KpopStarz, MTV Iggy and other publications. When she is not listening to "Rhythm Ta," she can be found on Twitter. (@retrogirladdy).
