Presentation
Korean Title: 월컴 2 라이프
Aired in: 2019 (16 episodes)
Channel: MBC
Grade: 9/10
Actors: RAIN and Im Ji Yeon
For more…
RAIN:
– Come Back Mister
– Full House
– My Lovely Girl
– Sketch
Im Ji Yeon:
– High Society
– The Royal Gambler
– Blow Breeze
Parallel universes:
– Alice
– Circle
– The King: the Eternal Monarch
– Train
Preview
Synopsis
Lee Jae Sang works as an unscrupulous lawyer. His lack of morality pushed is ex-girlfriend away, Ra Shi On, who is a police officer. After an accident, Lee Jae Sang ends up in a coma. When he wakes up, he discovers he is in another universe, in which he is an upright prosecutor, married to Ra Shi On and father of a daughter. Lee Jae Sang tries to understand what happened to him, why he changed worlds, how to go back and starts questioning his methods as a lawyer.
My Opinion (No Spoilers)
Welcome 2 Life appeared to be at first a very typical and traditional fantasy drama about two worlds. The intrigue really grabbed my attention, because I wanted to see how Lee Jae Sang, the main character would deal with his new life. However, the more I watched the plot in the other world, the more it started to become an action drama, in which good characters are hunting bad ones. I was a bit bored then. That’s when this AMAZING twist happened and threw me back into the drama until the very end. Mid-drama, Lee Jae Sang actually goes back to his world, taking with him everything he has learned in the other one.
In that matter, he tries to do things right and it was really pleasant to see him trying to get his ex-girlfriend back. This twist was really refreshing and gave a second breath to the drama. That’s why I put a 9 out of 10!
Analysis
Characters: The main character is of course Lee Jae Sang, played by Rain. He is two-sided, meaning that depending on the world he is in, his personality and personal beliefs change. In the first world, he is an unfair, ambitious and quite corrupt lawyer. He is willing to cheat and go around the rules, if it means protecting his client and getting his money. He is a hateful character, embodying the bad side of the law and the judicial system. That’s the reason why, Ra Shi On (Im Ji Yeon) left him. Jae Sang used to be a prosecutor but drifted away from that path (and morality at the same time). Opposite to him Ra Shi On his very fair, upright and just. So, she couldn’t stand his change of heart.
However, in the second world, Lee Jae Sang is his perfect opposite. He is the embodiment of the right and just side of the law, proving that the system can actually protect people from its mischievous elements (Lee Jae Sang’s colleague lawyers for instance). In that second universe, Jae Sang is a prosecutor trying to put behind jail those who bent the rules. Because of his righteousness and sense of justice, he married his perfect partner Ra Shi On with whom he has a daughter.
The second lead Koo Dong Taek (Kwak Ji Young) is also quite interesting, even though he typically represents the second lead we encounter in a lot of other dramas. He is always trying to protect Ra Shi On (in both worlds) and secretly wishes to stay by her side.
From one world to another: The shift from one world to another was a crucial moment in Jae Sang’s life because it made him question his actions and, above all, his entire life. Being in a parallel universe in which he does good, proved him that it is not impossible to follow the rules and carry out justice, while liking his job and having a happy family. This is an enlightenment for him and a revelation as well. I really loved that we could follow Jae Sang’s thoughts and change in behavior and personality; we could really understand his dilemmas, how he tries to adjust his moral compass and live up to his other self in the second world. Indeed, he is very respected and appreciated, a situation he is not very used to in the actual world. I think the idea of being liked by others and thanked by his clients for setting things right makes him feel disappointed in his current self and determined to become a better man. Plus, the unconditional love from his wife and daughter seems to be another reason. In the other world, he in fact has a family to protect. He realizes that as a parent, he wishes his daughter to grow up in a safe and just environment.
I believe his family played a huge role in persuading him to definitely change; because he had to take into account the fear and stress associated with potential threats or harm coming to his family; a scenario he couldn’t even fathom in the other world, as he was all alone.
RAIN delivers in this drama a perfect depiction of a lawyer, who sometimes struggles finding sense when defending awful clients; and also of a prosecutor, who is restrained by the strict hierarchy and the external influence of lobbies. He also shows how to navigate in the in-between and how the processes he used as a “bad” lawyer can be of help to a “good” prosecutor. In the end, he takes the best of both worlds, using his past experiences as support to arrest criminals. I loved the fact that the drama was not entirely dichotomous: we didn’t have the representation of the good prosecutor and the bad lawyer. We definitely had a lot of insights regarding the struggles of both jobs, whether they’d be ethical, emotional or physical (putting yourself and others in danger).
Lee Jae Sang took from the other world what was needed in his other life.
The real bonus is in the ending, when both worlds are set on the same screen and timeline. Perfectly aligned and adjusted. This last scene gave off a very satisfying vibe.
Romance: I think some quick words regarding the romance are clearly needed. Ra Shi On and Lee Jae Sang are a very compatible couple, in both worlds. They just need to intellectually align their perspectives. It is incredible to see how far both are willing to go to protect the other, and their daughter (cc the shocking episode when Ra Shi On is kidnapped). In his actual world, Lee Jae Sang still has feelings for Shi On but their differences created a huge gap between them. They appear to be on two sides, impossible to reconcile. After his trip to the other world, the real fun in the relationship starts (in my opinion of course). Lee Jae Sang has to reconquer Shi On, and prove her he has changed (tough thing!). I loved seeing them tease each other, yell at each other, distrust and then slowly trust each other. It was a long and slow process, but it worked in the end.
The entire problematic also around the existence (or not) of their daughter is also quite well conveyed.
Finally, apart from the romance, the family ties are extremely strong and heartwarming.
Fantasy drama: This genre has given us a lot of very amazing dramas, especially when set on two timelines/universes (The King: The Eternal Monarch, W: Two Worlds,…). Adding romance and suspense to this already winning genre makes Welcome 2 Life a must-see!
Suspense (hunting and arresting criminals, solving cases…) is by the way very present and very intense in that drama, so if you want to add a little spicy touch, go watch it!
P.S.: The opening theme with RAIN pronouncing “Welcome 2 Life” is so sexy, don’t you think?
Once Upon a Drama 