Currently Watching: Again My Life

As I write this, Again My Life will finish airing in about ten days. This may be a drama recap rather than currently watching. Please enjoy anyway. 

Lets me start by saying that I absolutely hate gritty crime dramas. Hard nose prosecutors and corrupt politicians are not my cup of tea…….like ever. When my streaming feed suggested I watch Again My Life, I was rather bored, so I took a leap and clicked. Somewhere I saw the word Fantasy as a genre and well….I’m a fantasy kinda gal. Except this fantasy started out as a gritty crime drama. Eewwwwwww!

But then it got better……….

Some of the interesting people in Again My Life

This show is fine piece of work adapted from the novel series of the same name by Lee Hae Nal. Maybe if the title were different like My Life Again or Again, My Life (yeah, I’m like that), I could have guessed what this show was about. Because of title confusion, I had no clue, which was probably a good thing because I had no preconceived notions for AML.

AML starts with Kim Hee Woo, well-done by Lee Joon Gi, a rather vigilante type of prosecutor who would do anything to catch the supervillain. The dope, Kim Hee Woo, is oblivious to so much evil subtext that the viewer and every other character in Episode 1 understand quite clearly. He appears to be the only person on the planet who doesn’t fear or love the supervillain. In fact, long before the end of the first episode, NOT A SPOILER, our fearless prosecutor is killed by a minion of the powerful supervillain.

Hence the title, Again My Life. Kim Hee Woo is given a second chance to live again, and this time, prepare properly to take down the baddie.

This supervillain Cho Tae Seob played by Lee Kyung Young is WAY MORE powerful than this cocky, and frankly, quite annoying law man. Regardless, I started AML and was moments from dropping this gritty crime drama before episode 1 was halfway through (please see my whiny thoughts about gritty crime dramas).

Kim Hee Woo – Poor guy gets bloodied a lot

After our fearless hero dies, a woman in red, meets the corpse (he’s still moving around quite well for a dead guy). Kim Hee Woo wants to meet up with his dear departed parents……wait, this cadaver had parents? The woman, who we come to know is Han Ji Hyun, offers Kim Hee Woo the opportunity to go back in time and prepare more effectively to take down the super villain who appears to be omnipotent.

She is mysterious, supernatural, and obviously has a very large chip on her shoulder for the evil bad guy. Once the viewers figure out who the woman is and how she got the ability to help the dead Kim Hee Woo, it makes their head hurt (it’s a chicken and egg scenario).

Luckily with the appearance of Han Ji Hyun, THIS SHOW BLOSSOMED INTO SOMETHING INTERESTING!

Grim Reaper? Angel? Personal Assistant? I don’t know.

Avoiding spoilers, just know that in Episode 2, Kim Hee Woo morphed from a cocky annoying prosecutor into a loving son, protector of women, and all-around good guy. Almost to episode 6 and I still like him……quite a bit.

This is the first show I’ve seen with Lee Joon Gi as the lead (LOVED his cameo in Hotel del Luna). I haven’t found a good place to stream Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo and I’m a little suspicious of Flower of Evil (I like happy endings). I’m pretty impressed with his acting because I didn’t like him in episode 1, but I sure do like him in all the other episodes. Any actor that can make you hate him one moment and then love him another is a good actor.

There isn’t an apparent love interest as yet but most of the female characters adore Kim Hee Woo. My guess is its Kim Hee Ah portrayed by Kim Ji Eun, but so far, he likes all the women. Either way. There are several fascinating female and male characters, a veritable cornucopia of characters.

Other than the supervillain……all the baddies so far are pretty stereotypical. Tell me if you’ve seen these characters before:

• How about the corrupt prosecutor dude who is a hideous father?
• I do find the ambitious prosecutor a bit of a nitwit…..but he makes me laugh.
• Evil enforcer dude can really take a punch, wearing black of course, but is quite conventional.
• Ahhhh….can’t forget about the scummy son of the corrupt police chief……ick.

The nasty characters are familiar but not so tiresome to watch. But the GOOD GUYS are rather exciting and witty. I'm quite entertained by them.

Plenty of good guys and bad guys and cannon fodder to keep things interesting 

A few episodes in and I really like these songs. What the Ggang performed by Yoon Do Hyun and Bring It On sung by Son Seung Yeon are two that stand out for me so far. None have reached the repetitive irritating point, but this may change by episode 16. Yet, I may download What the Ggang before the end of the month. It’s pretty cool.

• It is rumored that Lee Kyu Han was cast as Lee Min Soo but left the series due to personal reasons. I did enjoy him in Graceful Family. Lee Min Soo is now played by Jung Sang Hoon.  So far, the character is full of quirk, and I LOVE THAT!
• Based on a web novel with the same name and a webtoon of the show was released in early 2022.

Everyone bows and scrapes to the supervillain

I’m not quite halfway through and I’ve discovered that AML might very well dig me out of my drama slump. It is amusing, intelligent, scary, and just enough fantasy to make me wish I could go back to my college days and start again. 

I have high hopes this won’t drag as I near the halfway point. Plus who doesn't like the idea of changing the future by going back to their past with all the astonishing knowledge? The mind boggles.

Should you watch Again My Life? Heck yeah! With snappy dialogues, intense action, brain numbing thinking patterns, it is a roller coaster ride (so far). I’m rather excited……to be excited again…….about a drama. Thank you, team AML.

What about you? Have you kept up with Again My Life? Do you love it as much as I do? 

After you die, would you want to go back to the end of high school?

I think not......