“My Ahjussi” Episode 1 Review And Recap

Just like everybody else, I had my own expectations going into “My Ahjussi,” and they were low.

The casting choice and huge age gap between IU and Lee Sun Kyun made me take a step back and wonder whether I’d be tuning in at all or not, I just don’t feel comfortable couples with a huge age gap fall in love in kdramas.

tvN’s “My Ahjussi” was involved in a number of incidents before its broadcast. Oh Dal Soo was edited out and replaced by actor Park Ho San of “Prison Playbook,” veteran actress Na Moon Hee stepped out because of scheduling issue and actress Ko Du Shim took her place.

The production had to reshoot a couple of scenes due to Oh Dal Soo’s sexual harassment allegations. The drama production team went through a lot ahead of the premiere.

tvN worked hard advertising the drama as the next ‘healing’ drama. It promised that it was going to be about real people and real problems, and with its premiere, I can say that they delivered, and it was beautiful.

These days I am not watching many kdramas, “That Man Oh Soo” is okay but a bit too slow for my taste, “Great Seducer” is fine but I got issues with the casting choice because some actors are weak. I felt empty because there was nothing that I looked forward to much.

It looks like “My Ahjussi” will change that and fill the gap. I am in love, it might be too soon to say that, but I am in love with the drama.

The first episode is 1 hour and a half, when I saw that I was a bit worried and annoyed, ‘ain’t nobody got 1 hour and 30 minutes to spare’ so I thought to myself, but as I continued to watch, I lost track of time and concentrated on the characters, it didn’t take me long before I felt a connection with some of them. (Which rarely happens for me with any drama premiere)

I pity the three ahjussis a lot, especially Park Dong Hoon and Park Sang Hoon, I sorta hate but love Ji An’s character, I already hate Park Dong Hoon’s wife, how dare she cheat on him. I love Chang Ki Yong and hate his character Gwang Il.

“My Ahjussi” is going to be one of those dramas that you’ll either love or absolutely hate. I watch horror and gore often, so it takes a lot of depressing and violence to turn me off, this is why I am not turned off by the drama depressing and violent atmosphere. I’ve seen far worse.

Everyone’s performance was on point; the first episode was 1 hour and 30 minutes for a good reason. We managed to find out a bit about each character, not a lot, just enough to spark our interest; I liked how everyone’s background and past wasn’t shoved down our throats in the first episode like many kdramas do these days.

I liked that, I liked that not everyone was introducing themselves in a sense, but the camera took us on a trip that was depressing and silent at times but beautiful nonetheless.

IU’s performance is just WOW, she stole the spotlight once again y’all.

She has come a long way since “Dream High.” I am not gonna lie, I didn’t like her acting in “Dream High,” and only watched “Producers” back in 2015, it was boring as hell, but I saw potential in IU.

Then 2016 came and “Scarlet heart Ryeo” proved us that IU isn’t just another idol turned actress, but someone who can properly act. Her performance in the drama stunned all of us.

Again, through “My Ahjussi” she proves her worth, she is an amazing actress and the character she plays is very very difficult, not just any actress can easily pull off.

I liked that the majority of the main characters are relatable. There is no hot arrogant rich guy or a bubbly cute hard working female, it’s real; this drama is about REAL people and REAL problems. It doesn’t beautify reality.

I like that the main female character is unlikeable at first, while other kdramas try so hard to make us love the female lead, this drama takes a different approach.

I also liked the fact that the main lead was sort of a loser, not someone who is well-off or someone with connections or someone from a chaebol family, but someone ordinary just like you and me, just like the majority of us watching kdramas, a real human being.

Ji An steals, fights back, is rude and indifferent, something that we rarely see in kdramas, kudus to the writer for trying something new, for taking a chance with the female lead. (FINALLY SOMEONE DID THAT)

I am, as you can probably already tell, in love with this drama, I am waiting for the subtitles of the second episode to be out so I can watch and review it on my blog.

Before I end my review I wanted to also discuss the controversial fighting scene between Ji An and Chang Ki Yong’s character. Unlike the sensitive motherfuckers out there (sorry for my French), I enjoyed the scene, I enjoyed how realistic it was, there are some very bad people who hurt young helpless women and beat them up like that, instead of glossing over such issues that plagues our societies, its nice to see that someone is willing to show it.

I didn’t like the fact that he hit her, of course I will never approve of such thing, but I admired that Chang Ki Yong took on such a role, I honestly had no idea what character he was supposed to be playing and I was legitimately taken back, happy but taken back.

I feel like the drama is trying to tell us that there are people who live those lives, there are people who struggle so hard, there are people who get used and thrown away, there are hardworking people no one appreciates.

I love the message that the drama is trying to send so far.

Would I recommend you watch this drama?

Maybe… It depends on your taste.

If you were someone who likes fluffy unrealistic romance and mystery, this drama will probably be too depressing and slightly boring for you, as for those who love realistic stories and don’t mind depressing scenes, this drama is for you.

Also, if you’re too young, you’ll probably have a difficult time relating or liking the drama, its made for the elder audience, I feel like they’re targeting people between the ages of 20-60.

tvN has come back to its roots, I have a feeling this drama will be a huge hit. I remember watching “Misaeng” back in 2014 or 2015 (I don’t remember the year), I was so blown away by the realistic characters.

I feel like this drama won’t focus much on love (the cast said so in a VLive session). This drama will focus on those people and how they’ll manage to turn their lives around during the course of this drama.

I am excited about whats to come and I hope that I won’t be disappointed with episode 2.

To those who watched “My Ahjussi” episode 1, what did you think of it? Let discuss the drama in the comment section below.