Edited by Hwang Hong Sun
Translated by Kim Hoyeun
The TV adaptation of the web novel Again My Life follows the revenge of prosecutor Kim Hee Woo (Lee Joon Gi), who got murdered while pursuing the corruption of Jo Tae Seop (Lee Kyung Young), who runs the political and business world of Korea. But this sentence is confusing. If the main character is already dead, how can he take revenge? There’s a special explanation behind this – Hee Woo was given a chance to live again thanks to someone’s help. The drama paints out his plot for revenge, from his 20-year-old self to the day he becomes a prosecutor. Watching Hee Woo’s exhilarating performance in every episode, viewers can’t help but cheer for the man. Let’s take a look at the two things about Again My Life that have captured viewers’ hearts.
The Grand Scale of Revenge
The trend of K-dramas these days is “exhilaration.” No one is waiting for a show where the main character barely manages to prevail after enduring countless hardships. In Again My Life, the protagonist is taking down the villains without difficulty with his ability to shrewdly grasp the situation. And even the size of his revenge is exceptional.
Villain Jo Tae Seop is not just a politician. He’s the “absolute power” in Korea who has the political and business circles in his clutch. If it was any other drama, prosecutor Hee Woo would uncover Tae Seop’s corruption and punish him according to the law. However, Hee Woo was already once killed, trying this very method. Whoever it was that gave him a second chance, he told Hee Woo to become a monster to bring down the demon. From this point on, the story unfolds Hee Woo’s past episodes, establishing the foothold for his revenge.
The method Hee Woo chose to bring down the demon is quite refreshing. As in his previous life, he attends a prestigious college and becomes a prosecutor, then persuades those with power to be on his side, making the best use out of them. He approaches a famous real estate investor and prevents him from making the wrong investment and also stops a businessman from losing a promising item to a major corporation. He helps a prosecutor with whom he had beef with in his first life and makes him his ally. And this was only possible because Hee Woo knows the future.
It’s still early in the story, so we can’t jump to conclusions as to what kind of fruit Hee Woo’s efforts will bear, but it will certainly play a decisive role in cornering Jo Tae Seop. Additionally, Again My Life isn’t just a solo play by Hee Woo. Like a caper movie, several characters with a common purpose work together to provide exhilaration that exceeds the expectations of viewers. The stories of the characters from Hee Woo’s second life that go back and forth between the past and present double the fun when they all “click” together.
Lee Joon Gi’s Presence
Lee Joon Gi returned to the small screen after about two years, and yes, he leads the show with such power. In particular, how he pretends not to know anything despite living his second life is interesting. Hee Woo knows all about the future of people around him and the upcoming big events in Korea. So he implicitly hands over a vital piece of information to people in order to put himself in an advantageous position. In this process, Lee Joon Gi’s poker face stands out.
Of course, the scenes where he has an outburst of emotions are also admirable. After starting to relive his life, Hee Woo reunites with his parents who died in a hit-and-run accident. Having reunited with his parents after 15 years, he holds them in his arms and sheds tears as he determines never to lose them in vain. And this affectionate and heartwarming scene shows a contradicting side of Hee Woo, who seemed so thorough and meticulous, narrowing the distance with viewers.
As such, Lee Joon Gi’s presence in Again My Life is absolute. He reconstructs the story like another scriptwriter within the drama, giving viewers a dramatic sense of satisfaction. He must feel pressured to take on such a significant role, but he allows his character to so naturally nestle in the plot with the acting prowess he has honed for many years. The only flaw of Lee Joon Gi is that he looks so young, making it impossible to separate the past (when he’s 20 years old) from the future (when he’s 35 years old).
There’s a slight disappointment in the development process. As the plot primarily centers around Hee Woo, the support characters are inconspicuous. Also, in some conflict situations, he uses his fists instead of using the item that only he has – reliving. But this problem will be resolved as Hee Woo becomes the prosecutor again.
It’s been so long since I last cheered for someone’s revenge. How will this revenge that he risked his life on and had planned out a perfect plan comes out to be? If the show continues to keep up with its momentum, I’m sure it’ll remain an exciting show that’ll blow away our stress. (8/10)
Editor Hwang Hong Sun: A Korean movie buff who wishes that the warm messages in good works will warm up this world at least by one degree Fahrenheit.
Translator Kim Hoyeun: If you are a fan of K-drama, K-movie, and K-pop, I am your guy. I will continue to provide you with up-to-date K-entertainment news.
