I honestly put aside this show for awhile because I tend to find noona romances not well done, cringe, and plot-lacking. As I started watching The Rational Life, I was genuinely interested in the FL's story and character. Normally, work politics and the work plot are served to the side of romance and not much of it intrigues me. A lot of the work drama is often petty and the female lead ends up annoying me.

There were a lot of eye-opening and moving moments in the show--as a woman. The FL holds strong ideals and is fiercely independent; she can't fathom being in a relationship or get married only to help lower a man's cost of living. She has a lot of really great logical reflections, many which I relate to. Is the FL being too rational when she wants to stand on her own? I LOVED that The Rational Life brings about the issues that the modern woman faces: Sexism, ageism, gender roles and expectations. Your value is not attributed to your hard work and dreams, but instead what you bring into society as a mother and wife. In return, you are seen as not a fit candidate to climb higher.

The Romance: very slow burn and very cute! I like that Dylan didn't try to overact cool or try to appear to be something the character is not. The ML is young, but responsible and reliable. He respects and admires her as a person first. Funny because that's a bare minimum the other men in this show cannot do. I didn't find the romance or his acting cringe, but rather endearing. The pace is realistic, while still entertaining to watch. I thought the age gap was done well, and the chemistry was there in the subtle glances and smiles.

The Love Triangle: I was surprised by the SML, I thought he was gonna give old, creepy, power tripping boss vibes when pursuing her. As we see in the show, a lot of the other men could not handle rejection. The SML was classy and reasonable, maybe he utilized his position in some minor parts, but that was unavoidable since he was her superior. He respected her value, and probably thought they could be a power couple together. He thought "better quality, more expensive, higher views" would be anyone's choice if given the option.

The FL's best friend is the other view of the traditional housewife. She is regretful when she looks at the FL, who is still in a "promising" career. Not fully knowing that the FL has her own set of struggles in the workplace. The sacrifices she made to be a housewife are resulted in gaps in her career -- making return to work life not easy. I think her story is something many housewives can relate to. Society praises motherhood and homemaking, until they don't. Because your workplace is in the home, it's not a job right? I found it very sad that she felt her husband had "changed." In reality, he most likely held these expectations, but hoped she would come around eventually -- and by then she would have no choice because she HAS to rely on him. A side plot that actually adds value to the show's message!

Overall, a well done representation of modern society in the lens of a woman. Although themes were not that new or creative, the message was still refreshing. Highly recommend if you want a drama that gets you to reflect, but still be cute and entertaining!