The Full-Time Wife Escapist: A Japanese Drama

Me at Coban Rondho Waterfall, Malang, Indonesia.

Hola, this time I’ll review an 11-episode Japanese dramaNigeru Wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu (The Full-Time Wife Escapist). For my previous posts about Movies and Dramas, you can check them here ^^

This Japanese drama is really great. I’ll say that this drama is a must-watch. Both men and women must watch this drama. Not only because it is funny and interesting but also because it can give us another perspective on some issues. Well, at least there are 3 things for which I find it “worth-watching” here.

  1. The story revolves around Mikuri (played by Yui Aragaki) and Hiramasa (played by Gen Hoshino). Mikuri can’t get the job she wants but she likes cleaning the house. Hiramasa is a very clean and neat person but he barely has time to clean his house that’s why he uses a cleaning service. Long story short, Mikuri takes the job of cleaning Hiramasa’s house in regular basis. And of course she gets paid for that. But then they come up with a crazy idea of turning that employer-employee relationship into a contract marriage for the sake of convenience. Nobody knows, not even their parents. The deal is still the same, Mikuri cleans the house, cooks their meal, and get paid for that. No sex or whatsoever involved. It’s purely “professional work” as a housewife. They even calculate the details such as how much Mikuri should get paid, how much she should share for the meal and living cost, etc. But of course they have to go out together once in a while so that nobody finds out. It’s just for a public display, but as they live together they come to love each other. It’s so very cute that even now as I’m writing this, I’m still smiling, giggling, and blushing. Both Mikuri and Hiramasa are so “logical” and awkward about their feelings like they don’t know what to do about it. Hiramasa is also inexperienced with girls, so he often feels nervous about his feelings. It’s totally endearing. I really love it.
Me at Tumpak Sewu Waterfall, Lumajang, Indonesia.

But, okay, I list it here not for the lovey-dovey aspect. I list it here because it teaches us to respect a housewife more and more. Many of us often disrespect and look down on housewives, women who (we think) “do not work”. But if we think about it, being a housewife is not easy. Especially if we look at the traditional idea of a housewife where she is expected to clean, cook, raise the kids, etc. We often take it for granted thinking it’s their job (even without “paying them”. LoL). But seriously, if you use a service agent for all of those jobs, you know it’s not cheap. It’s expensive. Hence, we should appreciate housewives more. Well, I know marriage is different. Housewife is different from a regular “worker”. However, at least, as we see it from this different perspective, we know that it’s not easy to be a housewife, that housewife is worth a lot, so while you get the service for “free”, please respect and appreciate your wife. And if you see a woman “only being a housewife”, I hope you can respect her the same if not more, because we know it’s a respectable job, and once again, it’s not easy. If the work as a housewife is marketed, it will get a lot of money. Well, I’m not sure if I put it right, but I hope you understand what I mean, or better yet, watch it yourself ^^

  1. Another issue revolves around Yuri (played by Yuriko Ishida). She’s Mikuri’s aunt, a successful “career” woman that is still single. (Oh my, oh my, here we go. Wkkwk) No, I mean, there’s this part where her “conflicts” are portrayed. You know, the dilemma of being a single “old” and successful woman. People wonder why you’re not married yet. But you also don’t want to compromise. You want to fall in love too – and maybe get married, but you want to do it right so you don’t want to rush it just because you are getting older. Then you fall in love with a (much) younger guy. That guy shows interest in you too but you feel that it’s not right, because you feel old, and he’s still young. You know, that kind of stuff that puts us in a dilemma just because it doesn’t conform to the ideal relationship desired by the majority of people. You feel insecure. But you also try to be strong. It’s sometimes tiring, but you feel like you have to be a good model for the younger generation. You know, that kind of stuff. I really love it. Not because I myself am a 30yo single woman, but, well, I think it’s just great to find something we can relate to and to understand that everyone has their own problem. I really think that it can help us delay our judgment, or better yet, hep us to be non-judgmental 😊
  2. The third issue revolves around Ryota (played by Ryohei Otani). He’s the younger guy who falls in love with Yuri. He’s portrayed to be a very handsome man in this drama. (But if you ask me, he doesn’t fall into my type of handsome, so, well, sorry, everyone has different “taste” and preference, right? ^^) But anyway, let’s just agree that he is handsome. What I see from his “problem” is that the fact that even handsome guys have their own conflicts. You get judged and prejudiced just because you’re handsome. People instantly think that you’re a playboy. When you are close to a girl, they think you’re just flirting and playing around. You know, those kinds of assumption and crazy profiling. It’s tough. And this part really helped to open my eyes. I know, you might think I’m very bad to realize it only after the drama. But it really makes me feel bad and question myself: have I done it, too? Have I profiled and misjudged someone just because they are handsome? Well, because, again, we often stand up for those called or considered “ugly”. We say nobody gets to choose how they’ll look when they’re born. Nobody is ugly since everybody is beautiful in their own way. However, some of us also tend to guilt-trip people for looking gorgeous. We often forget that they, too, didn’t get to choose how they are going to be born either. We say, “That’s because they’re beautiful/handsome/etc.” But we know that it’s simply wrong to assume negative things just because someone is good-looking. Well, it’s wrong to judge someone solely on their looks at the first place anyway.

Well, I know these things that I notice might not be the ones that you’ll pay attention to. Sometimes I myself watch a movie or a Japanese drama and a friend says something about it and I’m surprised because I didn’t see it that way before. It’s really interesting to see how everyone perceives things differently. All the more reasons not to judge blindly. Well, it’s indeed easier to judge than to try to understand; and many of us prefer the easy way. Maybe that’s why I like this kind of stories. It helps me to understand people better. I guess, at least to some extent. Well, I’m curious about what you’ll think if you watch this drama. I wonder if you also see what I see the way I see it. Do you see something else? Do you learn something else? Happy watching 😊

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