Welcome2Life – Full Review
Welcome to Welcome2Life – Full Review. This drama about a greedy prosecutor who gets a glimpse into what his life would have been like if he had made different choices in his life. Enjoy the read and feel free to leave a comment. If you haven’t watched this one yet, you might want to check out my unspoiled review with a simple summary and information here.
Welcome2Life
♥ Aired: August 5- September 24, 2019
♥# of Episodes: 32
♥Where to Watch: Viki
♥Genre: Romantic Law Fantasy
♥Starring: Rain and Im Ji Yeon
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The Story
Lee Jae Sang is a prosecutor who has spent his career putting his own financial gain and winning record over people. Even when it meant losing his one true love. But after a serious accident, Jae Sang wakes up in an alternate reality where his life looks very different. In this version of life, he made better choices that led him down a completely new path in life. At first, he only cares about getting back to his old life, but eventually he begins to see that there is more to life than greed, and that he has things now that he wants to protect.
The Leads
Rain as Lee Jae Sang
Lee Jae Sang is a bombastic prosecutor who has never lost a case, due to his determination to do whatever it takes to win. The rich and influential hire him when they need to get the job done, and he has never had a moment of guilty conscience or regret. But, after waking up in an alternate reality where he has married the love of his life and has a daughter, he begins to see how his choices have affected innocent people. In this new reality, he is a lawyer, and he uses his skills to protect and defend those who need him most. So that when he is sent back to his original life, he is a changed man. Now he just wants to hold on to the happiness he had in the alternate universe and live a life he and the people around him can be proud of.
This was a great role for Rain. He was annoying, funny, and heroic in turns. But through it all, he brought his special brand of charisma. By the end of the ride, I really felt like I had been on a journey along with him and I was invested in his success.
Im Ji Yeon as Ra Shi On
Ra Shi On is a tough detective who puts jusice above anything else. She broke up with Jae Sang when she found out that he lied to her about a case involving her brother. Since then, she has watched Jae Sang lie and cheat in court and she hates who he has become. But in the alternate reality, she forgave him and they got married and had a daughter. She is still a detective, dedicated to fighting for what is right, but now Jae Sang is fighting alongside her. She is hot tempered and spontaneous, but she is also a happy, adoring wife.
Some fans found Im Ji Yeon a bit over the top with her flashes of temper and violence, mostly against Jae Sang in their original reality. But just as Jae Sang needs to grow and see his past mistakes, Shi On is not perfect either. And it is the love of Jae Sang that helps her balance out her anger. It is important that this is a two-way street where they both work to make the other a better person.
Supporting Characters
Kwak Shi Yang as Goo Dong Taek
Goo Dong Taek is Shi On’s partner and has been in love with her for the past 10 years. He is an outstanding detective and well-liked by everyone in the department. Even though he has feelings for Shi On, he always treats her with respect and is careful not to push her emotionally. Dong Taek is an admirable character that received a lot of love from fans. I loved that he always weighed Shi On’s feelings, even when it cost him personally. In the end, in both realities, it became apparent that Shi On’s true feelings for Jae Sang were something he couldn’t compete with, and he accepted that with a grace that made me appreciate him all the more.
Shin Jae Ha as Yoon Pil Woo
Yoon Pil Woo is a biotech genius who is the CEO of Babel Research Center. He is the illegitimate son of Jang Doo Sik, the aspiring politician. In the beginning, Shi On is convinced that the serial killer who framed her brother was Jang Doo Sik. But eventually we find out that it is actually Pil Woo, whose genius covers up some seriously psychopathic behaviors. Shin Hae Ha is a frighteningly convincing villain. His crazed laugh and dead eyes are the stuff of nightmares. I was shocked to see Shin Jae Ha handle this evil role so effortlessly.
Lee Soo Ah as Lee Bo Na
One final shout out to Lee Soo Ah, who played Jae Sang and Shi On’s daughter, Bo Na. This 5 years old gave a terrific performance. She was fun and endearing and she handled her scenes with the rest of the cast, especially Rain, like a pro. Resisting the urge to fall back on overly cutesie actions that quickly become irritating, she had genuine dialogues and sincere interactions. I see great things in her future!
Things I Liked
♥ Divided Time Line
Unlike many other alternate universe style dramas, Welcome2Life gave a very balanced time line. Rather than lots of erratic shifts back and forth or spending the main part of the story in one universe and only returning to the original at the very end, Welcome2Life split the 2 evenly. This allowed the viewer to see what life was like in the alternate reality and then watch Jae Sang go back and make the changes to his original life, based on what he learned from his experience. I feel like this gave the story a very smooth story arc.
♥Good Pacing
Despit the split storyline, this drama keeps a good, consistant pace all the way through. It never seemed to drag or get monotanous. The plot twists just kept coming. I felt invested in the story right up until the very end. And the story didn’t get bogged down in trying to explain every little detail. Some things, such as why he went to the alternate reality in the first place, are better left to the imagination.
♥Chief Oh and Ms. Bang
Park Won Sang was fun as the world-wise “Galileo”. And I always love Jang So Yeon . Whether she is a prim and proper nurse or a super-efficient secretary, she brings a sparkle and quiet humor to every show she is in. The subtle give and take between these 2 characters had me rooting for them to finally get a second chance at love, even if Ms. Bang is not Scarlett Johansson.
Things I Didn’t Like
Where is Jang Do Shik’s Son?
Ok, Maybe this is a weird criticism, but I felt like they built up the character of Jang Do Shik’s son, Ju Won. We get to see a glimpse into his personal struggles at school and at home with his father. It seemed like they were setting him up to play a more substantial role, and then he just disappears. We see him in the hospital after his mother’s death, but there is no indication that this is the last we see of him. I expected to see more, either after his father’s death or as news that his “brother” was a serial killer became public.
Shi On’s Fashion Sense (or Lack of!)
Yes, I know that Shi On is a rough and tumble detective. I understand that it would have been ridiculous to dress her in short skirts and heels, with flawless makeup and hair. But surely there is a happy medium between that and those ugly, baggy track suits she wore with that shaggy haircut. I mean, I appreciate that Jae Sang saw her as beautiful, even in that lackluster wardrobe. And no amount of boring clothes and ugly wigs can hide the fact that Im Ji Yeon is naturally gorgeous, but still, I think they carried the point too far.
Bodily Function Humor
So, I really don’t get the kdrama fascination with toilet/bodily function humor. I guess I just don’t find it as funny as the average Korean. Quite the opposite, it really gets on my nerves. Especially when this drama had plenty of other humorous moments, like when Jae Sang is convinced that Shi On is cheating on him or the scenes with Jae Sang and the neighborhood women. These scenes were funny and interesting. So why fall back on silly and childish antics. Personally, I felt like it was beneath them to include scenes of children passing gas in their parent’s face. Better to have left humor to the less obvious variety.
The Ending
This ending was well done in my opinion. The loose ends were all tied up nicely. I especially loved Dong Taek’s ending. The evil Doo Shik is killed by his own son, which seems fitting. After kidnapping Shi On, Pil Woo tries to kill her with his favorite weapon, a hammer, and is stopped and arrested by Jae Sang and the crew. Justice is served and all is well with the world.
On the personal side of things, I especially loved Dong Taek’s ending. He receives a promotion and moves to a new department where he is trending on social media for arresting a pick pocket and a man taking pictures up women’s skirts. The victim of the pick pocketing flirts with Dong Taek, and he doesn’t seem unintersted. Chief Oh finally admits that he likes Ms. Bang and holds her hand. And Shi On and Jae Sang finally start dating. Shi On collapses and Jae Sang rushes to the hospital where she tells him she is pregnant. Then Shi On says she has been having dreams about the North Star, and Jae Sang realizes that the baby she is pregnant with will be Bo Na. Once again, their family will be complete. Happy endings all around!
Should I Watch
Welcome2Life is a fun mix of comedy, suspense, and romance. The cast are talented and the relationships are heartwarming, especially for a crime show. For people who expect their crime dramas to be more true-to-life, the alternate reality storyline may seem too far-fetched to be enjoyed. Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t give a warning about the blood and gore of certain scenes. I’ve read quite a few reveiws from people who were unhappy with the extreme violence. There were definitely parts that were hard to watch, so if you are squemish, this drama may not be for you. But for the majority of fans out there, I would recommend Welcome2Life as an interesting story with plenty of twists and turns and lots of heart. I give Welcome2Life an 8 out of 10 ramen.
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