"First Love" is a Netflix Japanese drama inspired by two well-known songs by Hikaru Utada, "First Love" (1999) and "初恋" (2018). The love story in the drama is somewhat clichéd, but I find the descriptions of certain professions in Japan and the exploration of life's fate quite interesting.
The main characters, a male and a female lead, have jobs as a building security guard and a taxi driver, respectively. Both professions are quite demanding, requiring night shifts, and the income is not particularly high. The security guard's job can be relatively easy when there are no incidents, but it does carry certain dangers when unexpected situations arise. The taxi driver interacts with a variety of people and even has the chance to get celebrity autographs, but the job requires long hours of focus, and any mistakes can also lead to danger.
In Japan, these two professions are not particularly popular and offer limited opportunities for advancement. The large roundabouts that frequently appear in the drama seem to symbolize the two characters being trapped in their lives, unable to find a suitable way out. In this situation, both need a trigger to escape this predicament, and memories of past relationships become that trigger.
The professions that are more esteemed in the drama include pilots, flight attendants, doctors, and artists. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force may seem unnecessary to some Japanese people, but in most countries, being a pilot is still enviable, as they can control flights and see beautiful sights that ordinary people cannot. The work of flight attendants is indeed very demanding and tedious, but their outward image is very appealing, and they have the opportunity to travel to many places and meet different people, which is a dream job for many girls.
Through their memories, the male and female leads in the drama recall their youthful love and aspirations for life, no longer trapped in the roundabout of life, and bravely pursue their former dreams. Although it is somewhat idealistic, many times, if one does not try, there is no possibility for change in life's fate. Whether good or bad, only by making an effort can one avoid regrets.