Immutable Law of First Love – it’s a bit on the tricky side if you’re not thinking outside the box and giving the show your full attention. However, if you’ve read the story this webdrama is based on (a web novel of the same name) it might be a little easier.
Park Jong-Goo is a high school physics teacher. One day, he watches as a cute little dog walks up to his bike and pees on the wheel. Then, nice as you please, he flops down beside the bike for a little rest. The dog’s owner, a beautiful young girl named Lee Yeo-Ri, comes running over to get her dog and she’s not in a very congenial mood. Jong-Goo is surprised when he discovers this pretty girl is angry because she’s under the impression he hurt her dog. After a quick sparing session involving words and wits, Yeo-Ri runs off with her dog, leaving Jong-Goo a bit on the flustered side. Later, as he’s telling the incident to a colleague, he realizes he’s becoming more and more intrigued by the young woman. Jong-Goo decides to put his curiosity to rest by finding out more about Yeo-Ri. He cleverly orchestrates an “accidental” encounter with her at a bus stop and from there a romantic relationship begins. They just seem to “click”, and it’s not long before they’re talking marriage. But life isn’t perfect for the two sweethearts. They’re very much in love but there’s a distance between them. Why? Why is Jong-Goo so depressed and why is he ignoring Yeo-Ri, the woman he says he loves?
I was able to come up with the answers but, in all honesty, I had help from the synopsis. I’m sure it would have been more confusing had I been flying blind. I don’t want to give you the hint I had because there just may be a few of you who want to try and figure out the answers to those questions on your own. I wish I had started the show not knowing anything about it. I might have wondered why Jong-Goo was being so aloof with Yeo-Ri but at least I would have had a chance to guess. My suggestion is – give it a try without getting any help. If you get frustrated, stop, read the synopsis, and then finish the show. I think you owe yourself a chance to see if you can piece it together on your own, first. Your choice.
The school’s student teacher is interested in Park Jong-Goo but can’t get him to look her way. She obviously wants more than just friendship and she’s not subtle, at all, in expressing that to him. Jong-Goo is irritated by her aggressive behavior because he’s in love with Yeo-Ri and doesn’t appreciate the advances of another woman.
Lee Yeo-Ri is a photographer who specializes in taking pictures of canines. Unfortunately, Jong-Goo is allergic to dogs so he sneezes a lot when they’re together. She’s not at all shy and says what’s on her mind. She’s heartbroken when Jong-Goo begins to ignore her but perseveres and tries her best to keep the relationship from crumbling.
Kim Jeong-Hoon does a wonderful job playing the part of Jong-Goo. He was first known as a singer when in 2000 he debuted with Choi Hung-Won as UN. They disbanded in 2005 and he went on to co-star in the smash hit Princess Hours (aka Goong) as Prince Yul. He attended Seoul National University, studying dentistry, until he decided to drop out and major in acting at Chung Ang University. Evidently, Jeong-Hoon isn’t just a handsome face, his IQ is a whopping 146! Amazing.
Lee Yeo-Ri is played by Song Ji-Eun. In 2007 and 2008 she sang on several Kdrama soundtracks. Then, the following year she began her career as a member of the girl group Secret. She went on to do some solo singing and started acting just a year after her debut in Secret. I thought this was kind of cool – Ji-Eun got The World’s Most Beautiful Faces award, ranking 99 out of 100.
Immutable Law of First Love is only 11 episodes long, each lasting around ten minutes, so you can finish the whole drama in one sitting. It’s not any longer than a full length feature film.
This webdrama didn’t skimp on music. The songs are ballad-style love songs and every single one is beautiful. Mind you, since I’m not fluent in Korean I can’t vouch for the words but the music and singers are excellent. A few songs are played throughout the show although most of the music comes at the end of each episode over the ending credits.
The scenery is your normal, everyday kind of backdrops – small city streets, a school, an apartment, a photography studio, and two beach scenes (one day, one night). Nothing fancy but everything keeping within the type of story the drama is.
If you want to watch a good webdrama staring Kim Jeong-Hoon find Missing Korea. As far as spending two drama hours on Immutable Law of First Love is concerned I don’t think you’d feel like you wasted your time but I promise there are better webdramas out there. Have you tried Her Lovely Heels, Page Turner, or The Secret Message yet?
Score: 5.5
The Good:
Handsome Kim Jeong-Hoon
Cute way the lovers meet
Enjoyable soundtrack
The Bad:
Confusing if you go into it knowing nothing about it
Some editing mistakes
