The First Half of My Life 我的前半生

Episodes: 42

Synopsis:

      Luo Zi Jun thought she was set for life after marrying Chen Jun Sheng. Everything she wanted, she got. Zi Jun spends the day waiting for her husband to return from work while being a devoted housewife and mother. However, one day, that happy life ends when her husband suddenly files for divorce and leaves her. Zi Jun's life completely changes as she is unprepared to face the world as a single mother. Thus, she turns to her best friend Tang Jing and her long time boyfriend, He Han, for emotional support. He Han has always looks down on the life Zi Jun has led as a rich, spoiled housewife. He is a successful businessman and Tang Jing is a career-focused woman. The two help Zi Jun get back on her feet, get back into the work face, and strengthen herself up. As time passes, He Han slowly starts to develop feelings for Zi Jun. This is a story about empowering women and also brings up many controversial issues in life such as cheating, divorce, child custody, and facing single life once more.

Review:

         This drama is very real to life. However, the beginning of this drama annoyed me greatly. I hate it when people are not loyal to their girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse. It was such a struggle for me to watch Zi Jun try to be a loving wife to Chen Jun Sheng while he was cheating on her with Ling Ling. I hated how they all played Zi Jun for a fool by giving her a false sense of security while slowly pulling the rug from under her feet. Zi Jun's character development shines a lot of light into the societal standards women are put against. Her inability to work or be an active member of society is greatly due to the fact that her husband told her to stay at home and become a devoted housewife and mother for years. She follows him willingly and does everything in her power to be the perfect housewife he returns home to every day. Yet despite all this, he falls for a woman that is exactly the opposite of his wife--she's not as pretty, not as young, and definitely more career oriented than Zi Jun--and with the change of taste for women, he dumps Zi Jun leaving her behind like a fish out of water. 

        This is a very good drama and many middle aged women really love watching this drama. I feel as though this drama is a little above my age because it was hard for me to fully connect with the situations that were happening. It had a lot to do with life during your mid-30s with divorce and finding your way back into the workforce. However, the acting was phenomenal and I did enjoy how all the relationships and interactions are very human. This drama is extremely raw and it really pulls you into the shoes of every character in this show. This drama was fairly depressing in the beginning but as I continued watching, the episodes got increasingly better (the acting as well).
        Very well-done, beautiful, raw, and empowering drama. It truly shows off the good and bad in life, marriage, and careers.

Favorite Episodes:
Episode 9: I loved watching Zi Jun finally yell at Chen Jun Sheng when he was requesting child custody over their son. Her anger was so palpable.
Episode 14: When He Han helps Zi Jun out via text message when she's talking to Ling Ling
Episode 17: It irks me so much that a family is just split like this because of the divorce. It is pretty sad watching how it affects the child.
-The scene in the rain where she's running with Ping Er while her own husband is taking care of someone else's child.

Episode 22: That business rivalry Tang Jin has--you go, girl!
Episode 27: He Han picking Zi Jun up in the rain
Episode 32: He Han and Zi Jun's acting is no joke.
Episode 35: Ling Ling is so annoying...
Episode 39: Zi Jun's mom is always a busybody and nagging everyone. But she does it all out of love...just like a mother does. This is such a sad episode.