Familiar Wife (2018)

Familiar Wife was the only then-airing drama that I was waiting for every week. This, if anything, indicates how this show is captivating, though it isn't flawless, especially if you keep comparing it to Go Back Couple. Believe me, they have the same theme, but have different treatment.
The 1st episode is a copycat of Go Back Couple's. But from 2nd episode onwards, you'll realize the difference.
The plot itself is very real and depicts marriage life and personal flawed traits within a fantasy frame. The time travel theme is here just to serve the thought of "what if". Everyone face a debacle/s in his own life and wishes to reverse things back, but going to the past is not always the best thing.
The characters are flawed and not so likeable, especially at earlier episodes, but they soon grow mature and that's what makes it relateable. The protagonists needn't always to be angels and saints. The characters' behaviors are consistent from the beginning till the end. I love it when the writer knows what to do and doesn't drive me to wonder why.
All actors here are excellent at their job without exception. Ji Sung never fails, especially at emotional scenes, but Han Ji Min here is the show stealer. She managed to move from one mode to another easily, keeping her charm and electrifying chemistry with Ji Sung.
OSTs and BGM are melodious and fit the scenes well. My fav is Let Me Show You. It's real fun.
I'm glad a lot of current dramas care about cinematography, and FW is no exception.
My only complaint is about the fillers. There are two needless cameos and a lot of office scenes that I had to skip.
One last thing, This show kept surprising me. I never knew where it was heading to and had some good cliffhangers.

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This was a surprisingly heart warming show.

I started it because of Ji Sung and at first I was really disheartened to see him in a role which I rally disliked because he was acting in a really selfish manner. BUT as the story progressed it becomes clear that Ji Sung has come to terms with his previous life and that he also contributed in making his own life hell by simply not paying enough attention to his family, even though he didn't do it intentionally.
He also realises that he was simply in need of a break, rather than wanting a different person for a wife, he actually wanted a slightly different life but with the same person, and that realisation was slow but meaningful.
ALSO I can't believe this, but the first and only time in forever, I actually liked the second lead better than Ji Sung, only briefly but still. Jang Seung Jo absolutely STOLE MY HEART WITH HIS CUTENESS.
I also really enjoyed all the side characters at the bank, and the girl's mother as well, and the trio of friends were cute and fun!
Overall a great watch. Loved it.

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A man is merried to a women and their marriage not go well for both of them after realizing the he is not happy at all a strage palce appears in front of him and he gos back to the past and change his future . Allot in his life have change except his work place after a day or 2 suddenly his past wife appears as a co worker and everything in his life change again . He realise that his past wife is a different person than before and falls in love with her again . he is trying thow to keep his distance knowing that the marriage wasn't a happy one but because he know alot about her he can not avoid helping her and worry about her and dissolves his current marriege he realized that he is the problem that the 2 of his marriages are ruined and desides to stay alone but his past wife finds the truth about the past life they've had

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A Familiar Story

I watched this drama right after Ji Sung's riveting Secrets, so my momentum had to be brought down a little bit more to sit back and enjoy The Familiar Wife. I will not write too much as the other reviewers have already done a good job sharing their thoughts.

For me, the drama was overall enjoyable especially with Ji Sung's always charismatic acting. One could see the real struggle of 'what if's' if one was to turn back the clock and change their destiny in married life. Though the drama did not create a lot of eagerness to chase the episodes, it does a good job to share how one could have coped with difficulty in relationships differently without needing a second chance. It was educational and the last hour of the entire drama truly made me laugh and I felt real happiness in my heart after all the struggle. Normally, the ending of dramas have short and rushed happy endings, but Familiar Wife managed to dedicate almost an entire episode of happiness and I appreciated it.

The story was not without it's flaws but the Director did a pretty good job and the Actors were on point. I guess this drama would be more suited to those who are Ji Sung's fans and might want to watch him acting in a less confident role. For me, I enjoy more watching him in his manly and confident characters, but then again, he is so versatile.

Overall 7 Score for this drama!

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Dragged

I didliked the male character for most of this drama! Totally immature from the start - and after abandoning his wife in his next life sold himself to the rich girl and became in his own words "a puppet"and when he finally begins to assert himself then apologises when she divorces him- saying he made her unhappy!!!So then he abandons his real wife again as he will make her unhappy. Does this guy learn nothing? Knowing how being inconsiderate to his first wife then overconsiderate to his next- does he not learn just to love and communicate ? Finally he makes the right decision but by this point I really didnt care!
I think the writer just let this go on for too long - it became exhausting to watch.

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Pour une histoire comportant des retours dans le temps, ce n'est pas mauvais. Il était facile de s'attacher aux personnages.

Mais malgré ça et au fait que je me sois prise aux jeux des sentiments de chacuns.

Ça manquait sur certains points: le personnage principal même s'il est attachant et très bien interprété, il lui manquait de la profondeur.
On se retrouve encore avec le problème de destinée de chacun des couples du drama. Ce qui fait que les fins possibles sont prévisibles.
Et le plus gros point noir pour moi c'est la fin. Où on n'essaye de nous résoudre tous les problèmes moraux. Mais dans le fond on se retrouve avec 2 protagonistes avec 2 mémoires différentes. Et comme on est dans un monde où tout est beau, ils refont les "mêmes enfants" comme par miracle...

Mon esprit trop cartésien n'a pas supporté.


Question bande son, je n'ai pas détesté mais aucun ost m'a transporté.

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Great female lead and interesting story that is less familiar then one may think

I came for Han Ji Min and stayed for the story.

What if... don´t we all have the what if I had stayed... what if I had showed upp in time... If I could just redo this one thing would my life change and would I be happier? What about the people around me would they be happier in a world where I made a different choice?

The story start off like many other stories like them an unhappy marriage. a miserabel life filled with misfortune and lets face it a guy who is a total d**** , to be honest the guy may evolve as the story progresses but he is still a total coward and a d**** hence not very lovable (yet handsome) making me wish the female lead would stay singel . The female lead is however cool, fun and just has this amazing vibe to her that made me wish her all the happiness in the world, no matter who is or is not beside her.

The acting in this drama is great, the side characters are all lovable, and add that little extra spark to the story-line. The pace of the drama is good as well and it truly is a good drama that almost makes you forget the whole back to the future theme to it...

If you have seen go back couple this drama is a bit more mature it has more drama, more smart humor, less awkward humor and is more about the male leads journey and how small choices can change ones life completely. More responsibility less communication problems, and an entirely different plot. I liked both the acting, the plot and the side characters in familiar wife more (but enjoyed both).

Last but not least, I was really surprised by the ending so I guess this may not be a must watch but definitely worth the watch !

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Time Travel realness

This is actually a drama I just recently finished and wow.
I really wasn't expecting to like it this much, but it really didn't disappoint!
Im usually a sucker for time travel kdramas and this one..wow this delivered everything and more that i needed.
The regret of changing the past, how the smallest things can change the biggest outcomes in your life, and what i rellay found unique is how they didn't go back to their old life yet they actually used this time travel to their own benefit and found a way to be happier than when they were before the travel.
It teaches you a lesson that your fate is written with a certain person, and they are simply your soulmate and you can't do anything to change that fact!

Really recommend this! It will not leave you bored!!

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OVERALL:
Time travel is really interesting, but can be very messy too. Since the writer is Yang Hee-Seung (Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo, Oh my Ghost) you can look forward to see many funny moments and a very enjoyable drama but I couldn't take the drama seriously. The drama was too long. It could have just been 12 episodes....

STORY:
It is one of the typical time travel stories. I actually didn't like the concept of "it’s always the man's fault when there's trouble in the marriage".

CAST:
Jisung is an actor that makes the drama really enjoyable with his acting. I kinda liked his character, but he was selfish and no one actually talked about that, but then, he had such a good devolvement.
This is the first time I watch a work from Han Ji Min and she's so good, this role fits her so well.
Amazing support characters. They were so funny and refreshing.

[NEGATIVE POINTS]
--[SPOILERS]--
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(This is the part when he wanted to go back to the past.)
1) They lost their son and he didn't care. We just watched one short part when he felt "sorry".
2) His actions were not because of "jealousy", but because he was being selfish about how happy his "wife" and his best friend were together. He was always in the way of these two, because he didn't want his best friend and "wife" to end up as a couple, which is so selfish and childish.
3) His sister married his other friend and had a child, and he still didn't care about it.
4) He didn't think or cared for his "new" wife either.
But as I said, he had a really good devolvement.
5) Now a different problem: for me things got fucked when WooJin uses the coin to time travel. They could have removed that part....
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--[END OF SPOILERS]--

The drama had a really good ending!
Yes, I do recommend this drama. It was very enjoyable.

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This drama series was good! This time I didn't get confused with the parallel world of going back n forth... it was continual and was told right. I loved all the actors and the two main leads did tell a story. The only that was lacking for me is that the directors had Ji Sung a very weak character. I mean at first, he showed he was tired of his original wife nagging, screaming, and almost killing him. Then the character was just sobbing all the time while he was going through the motions. Men and Women were able to beat up on him and he never protected himself. That was my only dislike. But overall, I loved the storyline.

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A Second Glance at "Familiar Wife": A Journey of Regret and Redemption

Upon first encountering "Familiar Wife," I found myself trapped in a web of conflicting emotions - primarily fueled by Cha Joo Hyuk's seemingly nonchalant attitude towards the radical shift in his life and the memories of his past wife. Like many, my initial journey with this drama halted prematurely, unable to reconcile with the male lead's choices. Yet, a renewed perspective gained from exploring other time travel narratives nudged me to revisit this title, offering a richer and more nuanced viewing experience on the second run.

Cha Joo Hyuk, as I came to realize, embodies the axis of pain, regret, and growth within this narrative. Though steeped in controversy, his character development draws the audience into a reflective journey of self-discovery and transformation. Though warranted, the palpable sense of anguish he embodies unfurls a complex character trajectory that stands as the centerpiece of this drama.

The casting aligns perfectly, bringing forth a slew of seasoned actors who meld into their roles seamlessly, offering depth and dimension to the unfolding narrative. The camaraderie depicted within the bank scenes not only portrays a polished depiction of work life but resonates with familial warmth, adding a touch of realism and enjoyment to the series.

Despite the stellar cast and setting, the drama stumbles in its scriptwriting, often wandering into the realms of confusion with an over-reliance on flashbacks. Instead of propelling the story forward, these narrative tools sometimes halt the momentum, creating a disjointed viewing experience. Moreover, a more realistic portrayal of early-onset Alzheimer's, a critical plot point, would have grounded the story, offering a balanced perspective amidst the fantasy elements enveloping the time travel theme.

The set design is a testament to the meticulous attention to detail, mainly seen in the aesthetically pleasing bank setup, which leaves no stone unturned. Yet, the soundtrack fails to carve a distinct identity, blending seamlessly into the background without amplifying the emotional undertones of critical scenes.

In conclusion, "Familiar Wife" beckons viewers to approach it with an open heart and mind, offering a narrative that intertwines regret, choices, and the rippling effects of time. Although marred by certain shortcomings, it remains a worthy venture for those willing to immerse themselves in a tale that holds redemption at its core. It serves as a reflective mirror, urging viewers to ponder the implications of choice and the labyrinthine journey of human relationships, anchored firmly by remarkable performances from a well-assembled cast.

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