If you are looking for a quick drama that encompasses almost every woman’s romantic fantasy, look no further than the webdrama First Kiss For the Seventh Time.
It’s almost time to get off work from her job at a big department store and Min Soo-Jin is lamenting the fact that it’s her 25th birthday and she’s never had a boyfriend, not a single relationship her whole life. Just then, a woman comes up to her counter to ask directions to the jewelry department. When she leaves, Soo-Jin notices a small passport-looking object sitting on the counter and the picture inside is the woman she just gave directions to. She tries to track down the lady but isn’t able to find her so she goes back to her counter and, sure enough, the woman comes looking for her lost object. Wanting to thank Soo-Jin for her help she offers to repay the kindness. Holding Soo-Jin’s hands she tells her she’ll grant her a wish. Then, with a smile, the woman is able to perceive Soo-Jin’s thoughts saying she knows her wish is to be kissed. Then, pointing to the counter, six black silhouetted cards magically appear and she informs Soo-Jin she will meet a good man in ten seconds. That’s the first episode, the set-up for the seven men that are about to enter Soo-Jin’s life. Each man resembles a celebrity she is familiar with but they are completely different people, and with each man her life is completely different.
Lee Joon-Gi is a newly-rising IT tycoon who has loved Soo-Jin, and only Soo-Jin, ever since they were kids at church camp together. He’s been on magazine covers and is known as “the handsome genius, the number one most charming single man in Korea.”
Park Hae-Jin is Soo-Jin’s hardworking boss. Although he is serious about his job he also has a kind, gentle side and is sincerely interested in having a romantic relationship with Soo-Jin.
Ji Chang-Wook is a dangerous, sexy spy who would risk his life to love Soo-Jin. She worked under him at one time but because he loved her he didn’t want to put her life in danger so he left. Now he’s willing to die to protect her, staying right by her side.
Kai is a young man Soo-Jin tutored in Chinese. Although he’s five years younger than she is, and they’ve always had a teacher/student relationship, Kai wants more. He is a fun, young man who enjoys dancing in the street and eating burgers.
Ok Taec-Yeon is a chaebol, heir to a fortune who lives a soap opera kind of life. Although his mother demands he marry someone else, he loves Soo-Jin and is willing to give up everything he stands to inherit just to be with his “angel, like no other in the world.”
Lee Jong-Suk is a Hallyu star and model for the company where Soo-Jin is employed. When she is chosen to be in a commercial alongside him he kindly encourages her, helping her feel more comfortable in front of the camera. And when the shooting is finished, he suggests their relationship is not.
Lee Min-Ho is a well-known author who has written books about travel. Unlike the other men (excluding Lee Jong-Suk) who had their own history with Soo-Jin, Min-Ho doesn’t even know her. But when she is able to understand something in his book that most people overlook, their smiles indicate to each other they won’t be strangers for long.
Choi Ji-Woo is a Seraphim, an angel of love. She is kind, beautiful, generous and very grateful Soo-Jin found and returned her “passport” because, you see, she couldn’t “go back” without it.
Twenty-seven year old Lee Cho-Hee (Min Soo-Jin) began her acting career in 2001 with the movie Sun-Young’s Letter and the TV drama Life is Beautiful. All total, Cho-Hee has been in nine movies, 13 dramas, two music videos, and she sang on the soundtrack of the short film One Summer Night.
The 2006 drama Famous Chil Princesses was Park Hae-Jin’s acting debut. After finding success in his home country of South Korea he went over seas, acting in six Chinese dramas. He starred in the highest rated Kdrama in 2013, Seoyoung, My Daughter. I’ve seen him in My Love From the Star, Doctor Stranger, and Cheese in the Trap for which he received the Best Artist Award, Actor and the Best Actor Award for his performance as Yoo-Jung. This year (2017) he will be reprising that role for the motion picture of the same name. One interesting fact about Park Hae-Jin – he admits to owning over 1,800 pairs of shoes!
Kim Jong-In, better known as Kai from the Kpop group EXO, began dancing at the young age of eight. He started with jazz and then took up ballet. He said his parents initially wanted him to learn Taekwondo and the piano but I guess his love for dancing won out. At the very end of 2011 Kai was the first person to be formally introduced to the public as a member of EXO. Although he made appearances in the drama To the Beautiful You and the webdrama EXO Next Door his official acting debut came last year as the male lead in the webdrama Choco Bank. Kai will soon be starring in a Japanese drama entitled Spring Has Come. Congratulations are in order because that will make him the first non-Japanese actor to take the starring lead in a drama produced by the WOWOW broadcasting company. Just a romantic tidbit – as of April 2016 it was officially announced that Kai and Krystal, from f(X), are in a relationship.
Since I’ve written about the other actors/actress in past reviews, I’ll cheat and link you to them if you’re interested…
Lee Joon-Gi: Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
Ji Chang-Wook: The K2
Ok Taec-Yeon: Let’s Fight Ghost
Lee Min-Ho: The Legend of the Blue Sea
Lee Jong-Suk: W – Two Worlds
Choi Ji-Woo: Woman With a Suitcase
There aren’t many girls who wouldn’t want to have a handsome, charming man sincerely love her. Soo-Jin gets to have that same experience seven different times with seven vastly different men. That’s definitely fairy tale stuff, right there. It sounds wonderful, except when Soo-Jin is told she can only choose one of them. Now that’s a decision to loose sleep over. The thing I wasn’t happy about is that we’re not shown her choice, at least I don’t think we are. The ending isn’t really an ending so I’m not sure who, if any, she chooses. When you watch it (and I hope you do) let me know what you think.
There’s not a lot of music but what the soundtrack has is great. Ji Chang-Wook (the spy) sings the opening theme song Kissing You. Two thirds of the way through there’s a jazz-piano bit that is just awesome, mainly because it’s a totally unexpected surprise. The South Korean girl group Melody Day sings Beautiful Day. It’s a nice song that compliments and showcases the four girls’ lovely voices. My Girl is a slow, pretty ballad performed by SORIAI and Lee-Nu.
Usually, when a webdrama has only eight episodes (this show’s are anywhere from eight to 14 minutes long) like this one, there’s not a lot of wonderful/different scenery that can be written into it. So I was surprised at all the great and varied scenery in First Kiss For the Seventh Time. The scenery has to match each man so we get several different backgrounds for the unfolding of Soo-Jin’s romances. There’s a huge mansion-style house for Lee Joon-Gi, the department store for Park Hae-Jin, a dark hide-out for Ji Chang-Wook, the carefree outdoors for Kai, the department store and nice room for Ok Taec-Yeon’s press conference, and the inside and outside of Soo-Jin’s work for Lee Min-Ho.
If you’re a Kdrama romance lover you should definitely put this at the top of your watch list. The nonexistent ending doesn’t matter when you’ve got seven dreamy guys in seven dreamy situations with one girl. I just wish we’d have gotten at least one kiss out of a show entitled First Kiss For the Seventh Time. Oh, well.
Score: 8
The Good:
Lee Joon-Gi
Park Hae-Jin
Ji Chang-Wook
Kai
Ok Taec-Yeon
Lee Jong-Suk
Lee Min-Ho
Very romantic
Good soundtrack
Fun plot
The Bad:
The ending is too vague
Heart and Seoul 