7 Reasons Why You'll Love "How To Be Thirty" No Matter Your Age

Mar 30, 2021

Are you 30? Almost 30? Not even close to 30? Then you’ll love Kakao M’s web drama “How To Be Thirty”! The drama follows three women navigating life and love as they enter this next phase of adulthood, but their story of heartwarming friendship and growing up will resonate even if you’re nowhere near your 30s. It may seem like 30-year-olds would have it all figured out, but it turns out a lot can happen at this milestone age! From relatable struggles to pleasant (and romantic) surprises, here are seven reasons you’ll love “How To Be Thirty,” no matter your age.

Warning: very minimal spoilers ahead!

1. Short, bite-sized episodes

It’s a busy time of year, but if you think you don’t have time to start another drama, then think again! “How To Be Thirty” is packaged in delightfully bite-sized, 20-minute episodes. That means it’s the perfect dose of drama before bedtime, or, if binge-watching is more your style, you can finish it in an afternoon!

Now that’s something to smile about!

2. Career-focused women

Seo Ji Won (Jung In Sun) is a webtoon author whose work is being turned into a film. Lee Ran Joo (EXID’s Hani) is a successful announcer. Hong Ah Young (Cha Min Ji) is an entrepreneur whose restaurant is thriving. Need we say more? These ladies are crushing it in life, and we’re totally here for their achievements! They’re smart, no-nonsense, and don’t have time for anything or anyone that might hold them back.

3. Strong womance

In addition to their careers, the female leads also prioritize their wonderful friendship: this trio has a strong bond that will warm your heart while making you laugh. They cheer each other on and have plenty of fun together…

And most importantly, they look after each other, even if that means telling hard truths that might hurt.

4. Fresh romance

While “How To Be Thirty” does have a first-love romance plot with a few of the classic K-drama cliches, it doesn’t necessarily take things the way you would expect! And, even better is 30-year-old Ran Joo’s relationship with 24-year-old Hyung Joon Young (Baek Sung Chul), which starts off hilarious and only gets funnier and sweeter.

Ran Joo is determined to ignore her younger suitor, but can she resist his charm for long? Especially when he respects her, cheers her on, and just wants to make her smile?

Another thing to love about “How To Be Thirty” is that it moves romances along at a reasonable pace, unlike the painstakingly slow tempo of some dramas. And when that means more of CNBLUE’s Kang Min Hyuk up close on our screens, we’ll take it!

5. Mysterious men…

“How To Be Thirty” clearly has some tricks up its sleeve: Kang Min Hyuk’s character Lee Seung Yoo will give you plenty to wonder about, as will Cha Do Hoon (Song Jae Rim), the director in charge of adapting Ji Won’s webtoon into a film. What role will this mysterious man, with his habit of starting sentences in the middle of his thoughts, have to play in Ji Won’s life?

6. And the not-so-mysterious man

Far less mysterious is Joon Young, who always says exactly what he feels in the most earnest way possible. How refreshing is that?

Joon Young’s youthful energy is bound to brighten up your screen — he’s so perfect that the only thing we would change about this character is his hair. Those bangs are out of control!

7. Relatable life advice

As 30-year-olds, the members of our main trio have experienced their fair share of letdowns and struggles in love and in career, and you’re sure to find something to relate to in their stories — so don’t be surprised if you find some useful wisdom or life advice from “How To Be Thirty”! Life isn’t always easy, but it’s how the characters handle these setbacks — and how they help each other through them — that counts. Getting older doesn’t lessen the difficulty of painful experiences, but it does mean that these characters know how to navigate hardships while taking care of themselves — and finding pleasant surprises along the way!