[Drama/Series]: A Story to Read When You First Fall in Love (2019)

Do you remember the first time you fall in love with someone? The feeling of it when you first saw them? These questions summarize the first Jdrama that I started for the first half of this year. 初めて恋をした日に読む話 Hajimete Koi o Shita Hi ni Yomu Hanashi. 

It's a story about Junko Harumi works as a cram school teacher and her life at the beginning of her 30s. When she was still young, she was a model student who studied hard but she failed to enter the prestigious Tokyo University. Now that Junko Harumi is in her 30s, she meets three different men in her life that change her daily routine. Masashi Yakumo, an intelligent cousin of Harumi. Kazuma Yamashita, a classmate of Harumi back in high school who she supposed to tutor with. And Kyohei Yuri, a defiant high school student who rebels to his dad. 

I happened to see this as an update before I am not supposed to follow this but the moment I saw the cast, I felt the chemistry already and I thought why not watch this to make up for my 2018 Jdramas disappointments so yes I didn't regret that I follow my own taste.

About the plot and love line, I could consider it problematic. A lot of people actually hesitant on watching this because of a cousin falling in love with his own cousin?! a man who is at the edge of divorce falling in love with his former crush and a high school student falling in love with his teacher. I mean, I can't blame some people who find the love line problematic. Rather than the drama focusing on the love line, it's more of a story about a woman in her 30s finding value to her job and to what she really wants to do while love is along its way.

The cast did well on portraying their characters. Kyoko Fukada seems she's not aging for her age that her chemistry between her leading men is all palpable most especially wit Ryusei Yokohama. Kyoko Fukada plays as Junko Harumi, a cram school teacher who grew up studying all her life that she neglected about love. She has a past memory about her mother that she doesn't carry it as hard feelings. Junko Harumi is more of a positive minded person that strives hard for her work but also oblivious to things around her. She has a best friend that she relies on sometimes whenever she needs a love consultation. Junko Harumi is still living with her parents and what I found so cute in her room. She has this cute big dog that always greets her when she comes home and her room is so neat and nice that you can't even tell that she can have that kind of room in her house but yes I found her room cute plus her big dog.

Ryusei Yokohama as Kyohei Yuri. He is a high school student who is in rebel with his dad who is conglomerate. When Harumi and Yuri first meet each other, Harumi called him "Fearless pink" due to the fact that he has a pink hair color and his personality is strong but at the same time with a mix of sincereness. Yuri finds a new hero to Harumi when Harumi talked back to his dad hence to why he applied to their cram school and aims to enter the prestigious university in the country which is Tokyo University. As Yuri starts his studying at the cram school and circumstances happen, he also finds himself falling in love with his tutor and that is Junko Harumi. Yuri finds a new purpose to why he will enter Tokyo University. It's for him and for Junko Harumi.

Tomoya Nakamura as Kazuma Yamashita. He is a teacher in Yuri's high school. Harumi, Masashi and him are schoolmates in high school. Yamashita used to be a kid who's not often attending class to the point of failing grades but thanks to Harumi as a kid, she fought for Yamashita and they end up studying together to achieve Harumi's goal for Yamashita and that is to prove that he is a worthy student. As they grow up and become adults, Yamashita is on the verge of divorce and he finds himself coming back to his old feelings for Harumi.

Kento Nagayama as Masashi Yakumo. He is Harumi's cousin who has long-time feelings for her since high school. Masashi is an alumnus from Tokyo University and working in a big company. Even Harumi's mother is celebrating and proud of Masashi due to his status. Even though Masashi and Harumi knew each other for a long time. Masashi still finds it hard to express his feelings for her. Harumi is not aware and more oblivious about his feelings for her.

In terms of technicalities, I love some certain cinematography in some episodes but it does not necessarily mean they entirely focus on that. The soundtrack is nice too, that seems fitting with the series. There are some plot holes that I noticed but it doesn't affect as a whole.

The rivalry between the three leading men also shown in this drama but of course, our leading lady is still not aware of it that the three men in her life are fighting over for her affection. The rivalry is more done it to conversations and false interpretations rather than actual fighting that involves punches and violence.

What I also like about this Jdrama is the family like of main characters to the supporting characters. No one is left behind! Everyone is friends with each other in a warm tone.

I also want to mention that this Jdrama gives me a new light to Ryusei Yokohama. I seen some of his films and he's not bad at it but him in this series solidifies that his range of emotions for acting is open and widely vary meaning this man can act whatever genre he wants and he still can act it. We could consider that this series also gave him the boost of popularity; thanks to his charismatic personality in the series and yes! his fearless pink hair!

A Story to Read When You First Fall in Love was based on a manga with the same name. It's a Romantic-Comedy series that tackles about love and loving someone despite the status, pursuing a dream and being determined to your goal. This J-drama has been my happy pill every Tuesday nights. I would say that it's a light drama that you can watch if you want some good heart fluttering moments and a good laugh because this drama sure has it.