Thirty But Seventeen (2018)

December 17, 2022

Our Take: A feel-good, uplifting drama that reminds us to keep moving forward.

The Premise

Thirty But Seventeen is a love story between two 30-year-olds with stunted emotional growth and maturity due to a tragedy that happened to them when they were 17.

A violin prodigy at 17, Woo Seo Ri (Shing Hye Sun) was preparing to study abroad in Germany when she unexpectedly gets into a bus accident that leaves her comatose for 13 years. When she wakes up, she's now physically 30 years old though she feels as if she was 17 just yesterday. As she tries to make sense of her new reality, she encounters Gong Woo Jin (Yang Se Jong), a stage designer who hides his guilt and PTSD from the bus accident by closing himself off from his friends and family.

Through their fateful encounter 13 years after they initially meet, together they help each other overcome the trauma from the accident that left them emotionally trapped in time.

Practicing Gratitude

As we grow older, we learn to hide our emotions and only see what we want to see to protect ourselves from getting hurt. We start living with our hearts closed and eyes shut without seeing what we need to see to avoid being vulnerable and putting ourselves out there.

In the process, it's easy to forget to say a simple thank you to our friends and family for the love and support we receive from them. When Seo Ri calls Woo Jin out for complaining about receiving help, she reminds him (and us) that sometimes all we need to do is say thank you. By practicing gratitude whenever we can, we open ourselves up to a more fulfilling and happier life.

Adulting is Hard

The prevalence of social media has made it easy for us to curate our lives and only show people what we want them to see. But, behind the accolades and glam, we don't know what is going on in people's lives and whether everything is pretend or a façade.

When Seo Ri confesses to Woo Jin's boss, Kang Hee Soo (Jung Eugene), that she feels jealous of her because she appears like she her life put together, Hee Soo says, "B*llsh*t. I don't know anything. I just pretend like I do."

Most of us probably have no idea what we are doing or if we're making the right decision, but we don't want others to know that out of embarassment or fear of being exposed. We prefer people to think we are thriving and living our best lives instead of showcasing our struggles and imperfections. But, as Hee Soo says, it's okay to admit when we are struggling and don't know the answer. Life wouldn't be as fun or exciting if we always knew the correct answer to everything.

You Don't Need to Be Good at Everything

In our pursuit for success, we frequently focus too much on becoming good at what we do and forget to enjoy the journey. As they navigate their music careers, Woo Seo Ri and fellow violinist Kim Tae Rin (Wang Ji Won) call attention to the importance of pursuing our passions and having fun.

When Seo Ri gets invited to perform on stage with her former professor, she's initially excited about the opportunity as she didn't think she would be able to perform on stage again. She devotes all her time to proving that she still has what it takes to be a great violinist. However, as she's practicing, she realizes she's rushing herself to make up for the lost time and isn't enjoying the opportunity because she's too stressed. After some reflection, she decides to let go of it in favor of taking things slow so she can rediscover what made her love playing the violin in the first place.

Coming from a wealthy family, on the outside, Kim Tae Rin had it all. She was destined to become a successful violinist, following in her mother's footsteps. But, since her school days, she's always been jealous of Seo Ri, a violin prodigy who is not afraid to experiment with music and try new things. Unlike Seo Ri, Tae Rin plays the violin following conventional standards because she wants to be successful and live up to everyone's expectations. However, after talking to Seo Ri, she learns to let go of other people's expectations of her. By doing so, she discovers her passion for music and becomes much happier with her successes.

This Too Shall Pass

When we go through tough times, at the moment, it may feel like we're going to die or as if the pain is consuming us. But, whether we hold onto those agonizing memories or pray for them to pass quickly, time will eventually go by.

For years, Woo Jin let the guilt from the bus accident haunt him and prevent him from living his life to the fullest. But, with Seo Ri's support and guidance, he learns to let go of the shame and remorse he's felt for so long. He stops blaming himself for something out of his control and takes action for what he can control - the life he's currently living and shaping his future.

While we deal with grief and sadness, it's okay to not be okay, to embrace our feelings and acknowledge their presence in our lives. But, at some point, we need to let things pass and move on. There will come a day when those excruciating memories fade into the past and when the time comes, we need to keep moving forward with no regrets.

Only If

Following the theme of learning to let go, housekeeper Jennifer (Ye Ji Won) tells Seo Ri's old friend, Kim Hyung Tae (Yoon Sun Woo), "The most tragic experience is to live your entire life regretting what you could have done." While he expresses regret for not meeting Seo Ri earlier after she woke up, Jennifer also reminisces over her painful memories, saying, "I think it's so sad. The words 'Only if.' For the things that are hard to accept, maybe it's because I know very well how necessary that 'Only if' is."

Instead of mulling over our regrets and wondering how different our lives would be if we did certain things differently back then, we need to stop wasting time looking at the past. If we keep looking back, we'll forget to deal with our present day. We can't change the past, but we can change things now and shape our futures.

Choosing Happiness

When Seo Ri is presented with the opportunity of a lifetime to study abroad in Germany, she ultimately declines it and decides to stay in Korea with Woo Jin and those she loves. Even though it will take her longer to get to where she wants to be career-wise, she tells everyone, "I went with the option that makes me happier now. I didn't give up. I made a decision." Similarly, when Woo Jin's nephew, Yoo Chan (Ahn Hyo Seop) is given a choice between going pro as a rower or staying with his team, he ultimately chooses the option that makes him happier now.

As we make hard decisions in life, we need to remember to be true to ourselves, even if that requires us to give up seemingly promising opportunities. If something doesn't feel right, we need to trust our intuition and have faith that our decision will lead us to the right path eventually, even if it seems like a missed opportunity in the moment.

A Door For Happiness

"They say when a door for happiness close, another door for happiness opens up.

But, a lot of people are too busy looking at the closed door and keep on living without noticing the other door for happiness. Maybe the door for happiness might not be something so special or grand. Maybe the things that are very small and mundane that might seem unimportant might be another door for happiness that's waiting for us...

If you don't sit around in front of the closed door... If you look at the other door for happiness that's wide open before it's too late and if you walk toward that door courageously, maybe for the second time, you might be able to find the happiness you didn't even know existed."

This quote is hands down my favorite line in the drama.

You never know when bad things that happen to you actually become blessings in disguise. If we spend all our time crying over our painful experiences, we may miss a window of opportunity to find happiness elsewhere. By mustering up our courage and having an open mind, we may open ourselves to unimaginable things.

Final Thoughts

Thirty But Seventeen was an endearing and healing drama that exuded a sense of optimism throughout the show despite the heavy topics and heartbreaking moments. It struck a perfect balance between comedy, romance, and deeply touching moments, along with well-written and lovely characters you can root for. If you're looking for an uplifting and wholesome K-drama, I highly recommend Thirty But Seventeen.