My friend suggested Brush up Life and I will forever thank her.
It was such a nice break from pointless and predictable romance dramas out there.
The story is so unique that got me hooked from the 1st episode.
Be warned, there is 0 romance , and it mainly focuses on the bond of these school friends.
As a woman in my mid 30's it was extremely relatable and thought provoking.
Even though I did get frustrated by the main protagonists choices sometime, I understood that this is a realistic portrayal of a person that is flawed, she obviously made many mistakes. Also, coming from a different culture some of her choices to become better person were definitely ... interesting. I saw some other comments here criticising the drama for being too "western" and falling victim of western ideologies; I think this person was watching a completely different drama.

This is a beautiful depiction of Japanese society and beliefs but at the same time it contains universal truths about relationships and the meaning of life.

All the characters, even side characters were well built and were very realistic; just humans trying their best to navigate life to the best of their abilities.