Netflix has once again brought a beloved manhwa (webtoon) to life with its latest live-action adaptation, See You in My 19th Life.
This captivating drama takes viewers on a journey into the realm of fantasy romance.
At the center of the story is Ban Ji Eum (Shin Hye Sun), who possesses the extraordinary ability to remember the memories of all her past lives.
However, tragedy strikes in her previous life, abruptly cutting it short. Ban Ji Eum embarks on a mission in her current life to reconnect with the people who were significant in her past lives.
Will the memories of her 18th life create obstacles for romance in her 19th life? Or will love triumph over the challenges presented by traversing different lifetimes?
See You in My 19th Life Episode 1 Recap
Ban Ji Eum: Not So Easy 19th Life
The series opens with nine-year-old Ban Ji Eum (Park So Yi), who has recently regained the memories of her past life.
Through a voiceover, we are introduced to Ji Eum’s extraordinary ability to remember all her previous lives.
In her current life, Ji Eum faces a challenging family situation. Her father is a drunkard, her brother is a bully, and her mother has fled due to her husband’s behavior.
It’s clear that Ji Eum’s journey in this life won’t be an easy one.
Ji Eum decides to utilize her knowledge from her past lives to earn money.
She becomes known as the Girl-of-All-Trades from Siheung, showcasing her talents in flamenco dancing, speaking Spanish fluently, and displaying an extensive knowledge of history.
She seizes opportunities to appear on television and earn money.
However, her father ends up wasting all of her earnings through his gambling habits, and her brother takes any savings she manages to hide away.
Fed up with her family’s actions, Ji Eum seeks out Kim Ae Gyeong (Cha Chung Hwa), her niece from her 17th life.
She reveals herself as the latter’s uncle, Kim Jung Ho (Lee Jae Kyoon), and asks for a loan with the promise to return it tenfold.
There is someone from her previous life whom she has to meet.
See You in My 19th Life Episode 1: Mun Seo Ha: An Unexpected Connection from the Past
Heir to the prestigious MI Group, Mun Seo Ha’s (Ahn Bo Hyun) connection to Ji Eum stems from her previous life as Yoon Ju Won (Kim Si Ah).
Ju Won’s mother, Jo Yoo Seon (Kim Yoo Mi), was friends with Seo Ha’s terminally ill mother, Lee Sang Ah (Lee Bo Young).
Despite his mischievous nature, the nine-year-old Seo Ha (Jung Hyeon Jun) possesses a thoughtful side and grows increasingly reliant on Ju Won, particularly following the tragic loss of his own mother.
Ju Won, on the other hand, finds Seo Ha intriguing, and their interactions allow her old soul to feel like a twelve-year-old again.
The pair bond over books in the Mun family’s study, music, a lot of time spent by the pool, and playtime with Ju Won’s younger sister, Cho Won (Ki So Yu).
However, their journey takes a tragic turn on Seo Ha’s 10th birthday.
Seo Ha and Ju Won are on their way to a much-awaited trip to the amusement park.
Ju Won presents him with a small chest, the key to which is hidden. After some begging from Seo Ha, she gives him hints to find the key.
While the two are having fun, they encounter a truck, which leads to Ju Won’s untimely demise and leaves Seo Ha with a loss of hearing in one ear.
See You in My 19th Life Episode 1: Ban Ji Eum’s Pursuit of Moon Seo Ha
Utilizing the money she received from Ae Gyeong, Ji Eum sneaks into Seo Ha’s house to check up on him. However, a single glimpse of him is not enough to satisfy her longing.
Thus, she becomes somewhat of a stalker, shadowing him wherever he goes and even climbing the tree near his bedroom on multiple occasions, all for the chance of catching another glimpse of him.
Their paths take a sudden turn in 2007 when Seo Ha mysteriously disappears, leaving Ji Eum in a state of uncertainty.
Eight years later, proving her determination and intellect, Ji Eum gained early admission to KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), South Korea’s first public research-oriented science and engineering institution.
In 2016, Ji Eum discovered that Seo Ha has been appointed to the German branch of the MI Group. She decides to join the MI Group in order to be closer to Seo Ha.
Finally, in 2020, Ji Eum achieved her goal as she successfully secured a position in MI Group’s automotive research and development unit, known as MI Mobity.
Her talent and accomplishments drew the attention of Lee Ji Seok (Ryu Hae Joon), the heir to the Daehwan Group, a leading automotive conglomerate.
See You in My 19th Life Episode 1 Ending Explained: Mun Seo Ha and Ban Ji Eum Cross Paths
We catch up to the present day as Seo Ha returns from his time in Germany.
But instead of joining MI Mobity or the company’s headquarters, he intends to take over the MI Grand Hotel which is currently under his stepmother, Jang Yeon Ok (Bae Hae Sun).
His father, Mun Jeong Hun (Choi Jin Ho), is not very happy with Seo Ha’s decision to take over his mother’s hotel and expresses the same by throwing things at him, injuring him in the process.
However, the older Mr. Mun doesn’t fail to advise his son on how to hide his hearing impairment from the executives, which come out as mocking.
Unbeknownst to Seo Ha, Ji Eum is aware of his decision and sees it as an opportunity to finally meet him face-to-face. Ji Eum applies to the strategic planning department of the MI Grand Hotel.
A graduate of a school for gifted children, holding an engineering doctorate from KAIST, and possessing fluency in seven different languages, Ji Eum’s qualifications far exceed the position’s requirements.
Initially, Seo Ha plans to reject Ji Eum’s application outright.
However, his friend and secretary, Ha Do Yoon (Ahn Dong Goo), advises him to at least interview before making a final decision.
Ban Ji Eum’s bold proposal
During the interview, Ji Eum finally comes face-to-face with Seo Ha as they discuss her qualifications and motivations for joining the MI Grand Hotel.
Seo Ha expresses his understanding but cautions her that the nature of the work may not align with her expectations.
However, in a stunning twist, Ji Eum takes the conversation to an unexpected level. She boldly asks Seo Ha if he would be interested in dating her.