Saagar Kote
Netflix’s ‘One Year to Live, Buy a Man’ or ‘Yomei Ichinen, Otoko wo Kau’ is a Japanese romantic drama film that delves into the life of Yui. She is a 40-year-old, frugal, and introverted woman whose life takes an unexpected turn when she is diagnosed with cervical cancer. Having lived most of her life worrying about financial independence, she declines chemotherapy and decides to spend the rest of her days chasing happiness.
Realizing that she only has a year left, Yui pays money to Sena, a handsome man in his late 20s, to keep her company as she prepares to embrace death. The transactional relationship between them soon deepens as they come to enjoy each other’s company. With the cancer growing and death ever so close, Yui starts to wonder if life is worth fighting for and if Sena could be the one to provide her a sense of meaning and belonging. SPOILERS AHEAD.
One Year to Live, Buy a Man Plot Synopsis
Yui is a frugal working woman and an introvert who just wants to spend her life without depending on others for money. The 40-year-old is extremely careful about her monthly budget and has already bought a house using her savings. Though her life is monotonous and lonely, she finds no reason to complain, happy that she is almost close to achieving full financial independence. During a routine health checkup, she receives the devastating news from the doctor that she has fairly advanced cervical cancer and has only a year left to live. While the doctor suggests chemotherapy, she suddenly decides not to receive treatment, choosing to spend her remaining days happily without worrying about money. At the hospital, Yui meets Sena, a handsome man in his late 20s, who is struggling to pay his hospitalized father’s medical bills.
Sena is a special nightclub host whose job is to please women by keeping them company and engaging them in excessively friendly conversations when they visit the club. When he asks Yui for financial help, she instinctively pays the entire bill, shocking him. Later, while he thanks her, Yui tells him that she wants him to accompany her to a hotel to spend the night. Sena does so without much thought, believing he owes her some gratitude. After they have sex, Yui tells him that she has cervical cancer, and that she just wanted to buy whatever happiness she could afford. Although this was supposed to be a one-night stand, Sena tells Yui that he owes her a lot more than just a single night, as she did spend an exorbitant amount of money to pay off his father’s hospital bills.
Not defining their transactional relationship by any other moral standards, Yui and Sena continue to spend time together. At her office, Yui is close to her colleague, Maruyama, who doesn’t know about the cancer. Ikuyama, Yui’s boss, is a married man who was in an affair with her. He still awkwardly tries to intervene in Yui’s life, telling her that he cares for her, despite their breakup. Yui and Sena’s bond goes beyond sex, as they start going out, enjoying delicious food, and watching movies on the big screen. A few weeks later, Yui also meets Sena’s mother and Miina, his toddler niece. Sena is regularly troubled by his sister, Nachi, who keeps worrying about their hospitalized father and the money needed to keep the family afloat.
Yui and Sena decide to go their separate ways, as she feels he has done enough to compensate for the money she paid. Days after she stops seeing Sena, Yui starts feeling lonely again and wonders if she is ready to die alone. She goes to Sena and makes a bold marriage proposal. She promises to sign over everything to him, including all her money, if he marries her and stays with her when she dies. Though this is not an easy deal, Sena accepts, hoping he can provide her with the emotional support she needs. They soon get officially married and also meet Yui’s father and stepmother. Yui, who had lost her biological mother at a young age, has a difficult relationship with her stepmother. The father and the stepmother welcome Sena to the family, still not aware of Yui’s cancer diagnosis.
One Year to Live, Buy a Man Ending: Is Yui Dead or Alive? Why Does She Opt to Receive Treatment?
Yui’s relationship with Sena takes an unexpected turn after they visit her parents. She hides her cancer diagnosis from her father and stepmother, causing Sena to worry about her state of mind. Though he knows that Yui is probably going to die within a year, Sena can’t bring himself to accept her being so secretive about it. When the two visit Sena’s sister, Nachi, she displays an instant dislike for Yui. When Sena is away from the hall, Nachi tells Yui that she finds her disgusting. She uses the word “disgusting” multiple times in this conversation, and accuses Yui of taking advantage of Sena’s financial vulnerability. Though Nachi is thankful that her father’s hospital bills were covered by Yui’s money, she refuses to accept the nature of Yui’s relationship with Sena.
Taken aback by Sena’s words, Yui leaves the house instantly, feeling extremely uncomfortable, confused, and melancholic. Sena senses that something is wrong, and follows Yui home. The newly married couple fight about the basis of their relationship and what it could mean on a moral level. A vital part of the discussion is the color of Sena’s hair. Since he has now changed it from pink to black at Yui’s request, he feels as if she is controlling his behavior. While Yui says she just wanted him to look presentable for her parents, she also tells him to change the color back if it pleases him. When Yui starts drinking sake, Sena asks her if she should really be drinking it, given her cancer. However, she says she doesn’t care anymore and that she deliberately opted out of treatment.
He is shocked to hear this from her, as he had always assumed she was trying to fight the cancer. Sena realizes that Yui is just giving up and doesn’t really value anything about life. Despite the transactional nature of their relationship, he feels profound pain due to her willingness to die. Yui tells him that it would be better if she died sooner, so he can finally get all the money, as per their deal. Feeling reduced to a financial talking point, Sena storms out, causing Yui to tear down her birthday decorations in anger. Soon after, she feels a sharp pain in her abdominal area and collapses. Sena stays with his colleague, Kiriya, for the night, and they have a meaningful conversation about their jobs as club hosts. They recognize the human element and empathy of the job, though it is just a money-based gig.
A few days later, Maruyama, on Ikuyama’s request, goes to the club to talk to Sena. Maruyama tells Sena that Yui hasn’t shown up for work recently and that they are worried for her. Fearing the worst, Sena hurries to Yui’s place, where he finds her sleeping alone, in a rather helpless and dreadful state. He wakes her up and tells her that he is there for her, no matter what. She talks about her dilemma between embracing death and fighting for life, and divulges that she would feel guilty if she chose life after being ready for the other outcome for so many months.
Yui also believes that she will be betraying Sena if she gets treated and survives, since that would deprive him of the money promised under the deal. He tells her that he wants her to live, despite what their deal says. Hearing this, Yui breaks down and hugs him tight. She is finally given a reason to stay alive and a person to rely on. Her pessimistic view of life vanishes, all because of Sena’s humanity. Three years later, Yui is in remission, but still visits the doctor regularly for checkups, taking every step to continue living and finding happiness in whatever way she can.
Do Yui and Sena Stay Together? Why?
Yui and Sena’s relationship is a complicated bond that undergoes unexpected ups and downs. What starts as a simple deal evolves into something much more profound and layered, challenging both of them in unforeseen ways. Their age gap also plays a vital role in determining the nature of their relationship. While Yui is in her early 40s, Sena is in his late 20s, which leads to the two having very different views on life. Sena’s youthful optimism serves as the biggest support system for Yui when she receives treatment for cancer. Three years after deciding to receive treatment, while she is in remission, Yui appears to be a completely changed person.
She is now more hopeful, cheerful, and motivated to connect with others. She no longer sees medical appointments as dreadful and meaningless, but rather as her responsibility towards her own life. On the other hand, Sena is still a club host and is proud of his job. Although their age gap remains a factor, both Sena and Yui mature over three years and find a sense of stability in their lives. Interestingly, they open a food truck with Nachi and run it with great enthusiasm. Yui and Nachi are now friendly towards each other, having overcome their past disagreements.
Yui and Sena, with all the hurdles that life throws at them, manage to find happiness. Along with this, they achieve some level of financial stability, which only strengthens their marital bond. Yui considers it an achievement that she can now be socially friendly and have deep conversations with others, something she dreaded in the past. Signed divorce papers are stuck to the wall in Yui and Sena’s place, which they don’t take down.
Yui believes that these divorce papers will only be used in the future if either she or Sena ever feels like they need to be on their own again. It is unlikely that they will separate, given how deep and meaningful their bond is. The house they now share is more colorful and charming than before, signifying that they are no longer restricted by their own insecurities. Yui and Sena overcome several hurdles and fight through emotional emptiness to find love and happiness.
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