Familiar Wife
Time slot: Wednesday & Thursday
Broadcaster: tvN
Genre: Fantasy rom-com
Episode count: 16
Reasons to watch: I’m so excited to get a new rom-com from writer Yang Hee-seung, who penned the witty comedies Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-ju, Oh My Ghostess, and High School King of Savvy. This time she’s teaming up with the PD of Shopping King Louis to tell the story of a husband and wife who fell in love in their youth, only to end up a beleaguered salaryman and a weary mother of two who spend their time fighting like mortal enemies. The drama takes husband Ji Sung on a fantasy journey of what-ifs, instigated by a wormhole trip back in time to when he first met his wife. He’ll make a series of decisions that changes their futures, and end up in a completely different present where he’s not married to Han Ji-min, and she’s utterly happy and successful without him.
It’s a dash of Go Back Spouses (which was so cute!) but with more time spent in the alternate present, as Ji Sung gets to live out his fantasies, make new regrets, and then travel back and forth in time to fix the timeline he screwed up in the first place. I honestly can’t imagine Ji Sung being anything other than the perfect husband and father, but for the sake of fiction, I’ll roll with it. I think most people will tune in for the realistic relationship, relatable problems, and a chance to live out your fantasy do-over life. Me, I’m in it for hubby Ji Sung’s truckload of jealousy and regret when he realizes that his wife is now hot and single, thanks to him. Muahaha.