This review may contain spoilers
Whenever Your Heart Calls To Me, I Will Come To You
This is a very touching and innovative series despite some serious flaws in the story. Whenever you are dealing a “time travel” movie or series, careful attention to detail is necessary, otherwise, when you pull one thread that doesn’t quite work, the whole thing can come apart like a house of cards. Einstein once said, “Nothing happens until something moves.” This was his reference regarding time and space, which he scientifically proved, do not exist because it’s all relative.The series is about love, time travel, and a chilling murderer, and how all three are intertwined and what can be done about it. Of course, some suspension of disbelief is necessary, but in many cases with this series, even that isn’t enough. This is a case where the series might have worked better had it extended the story another four episodes to give the characters time to be more grounded and realistic.
A big flaw in the series is how quickly everyone accepts the time traveling component. I’d wager that if someone approached you with this explanation, you’d laugh in their face with disbelief. Even if the person seems to have “changed,” time travel would likely be the very last thing you’d accept as a plausible explanation. Something else was needed to try and convince others about time traveling being the cause of a personality change.
In 1998, Kwon Min Ju is a lonely, shy high school student who walks around, staring at the ground and never really looking at anyone. She meets Nam Si Heon and his friend, Jung In Kyu, and she seems to come to life a bit, especially when the tall, handsome Nam Si Heon is around. However, he has absolutely no interest in her.
In 2023, Han Jun Hee is suffering from the loss of her boyfriend, who has died in a plane crash. She looks like Min Ju, except that she is outgoing, vivacious, and spirited. In short, she’s full of life, whereas Min Ju is a girl suffering from extremely low self-esteem. A mysterious tape player with a tape is sent to Han Jun Hee, and upon listening to it, she finds herself transported back to 1998 and in the body of Min Ju. However, it’s Han Jun Hee’s personality, and everything she is, inhabiting the body of Min Ju, who can only sit and watch from within Jun Hee’s mind.
Like many time traveling stories, this one is about attempting to prevent the events of the past in order to change the future. On the one hand, Jun Hee is trying to find a way to get her boyfriend back. However, a cold, serial killer is on the loose, and Jun Hee is also trying to prevent the murder of Min Ju.
For the most part, the story actually works, largely due to the performances of the two leads in Jeon Yeo Been (Min Ju/Jun Hee) and Ahn Hyo Seop (Si Heon/Yeon Jun). You might feel like you need to keep a notebook handy in order to keep track of all of the time movements and who is embodying whom! Jeon Yeo Been just an exceptional job of playing the dual role, so much so that it took me an episode to realize that she was playing Min Ju and Jun Hee!
Another big problem is the character of Oh Chan Yeong, the serial killer. Now, by the end of the series, Jun Hee is able to prevent him from inhabiting his brother’s body and going to 1998 to kill Min Ju. However, Chan Yeong is still alive in 1998, and very likely, he will still become a killer, and yet nothing is mentioned about this, and it’s something that should have been addressed.
The suicidal aspect of Min Ju doesn’t entirely work either. Someone who is that determined to commit suicide, even to the point allowing someone to murder them, is someone with severe problems. Min Ju’s issue with being “too hopeful” or having “too many expectations” are laughingly bad. Her issue has to do with incredibly low self-esteem and not feeling worthy of anyone or anything. If you deal only with the symptoms rather than the cause, then you aren’t doing anyone any favors, and Jun Hee is hardly a therapist who can easily diagnose Min Ju. A person with such a low self-esteem is highly likely going to attempt suicide again, especially when something bad happens in their life.
I also didn’t think that Si Heon would so blindly accept Min Ju’s explanation about “making up Jun Hee” when the handwriting is still the most solid evidence against such a whimsical attempt to explain her.
Also, the emotional depth could have been much deeper than it was. I was disappointed in the scene when Jun Hee finds Si Heon at the morgue, having just been murdered by Chan Yeong. She lost of the love of her life, then briefly got him back only to lose him yet again. She should have been far more distraught than what we’re shown. Anyone else in that situation would have been completely devastated. Now, it’s all right for her regain her resolve to try and set things right, but in that immediate moment, I was waiting for a deeper and much more realistic reaction. I just didn’t feel it all from the usually sound performance of Jeon Yeo Been. I think that part of the problem is that there simply wasn’t great chemistry between the two leads. It was good, but not great, and you can always easily tell when chemistry exists. There are a number of youtube videos from actors/actresses who speak to this. I’ve seen Jeon Yeo Been and Ahn Hyo Seop in a couple of series now, and their acting chops in this one is very good. I was just hoping for more.
The series starts out strong, but by the end, it felt a little rushed and a bit contrived as well. It also needed more heartfelt moments which could have served the overall story even better. While this is actually a very good series, it felt like a missed opportunity to be even better. I haven’t seen the original series from Taiwan, but it made me wonder if that version filled in many of the gaps that this version left. A good series, but in the end, it also felt like a letdown, a missed opportunity.
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male lead only reason to watch
So first things first, I haven't watched the original drama....I've read quite a few reviews of how the remake doesn't to justice to the original but I personally really liked it.....Tbh I only watched this because Someday Or One Day had amazing reviews and well because of ahn hyo seop...
So the story line is amazing and the way they've portrayed and executed everything was the cherry on top....
It made me feel a whirlwind of emotions and the acting was really great (tbh I'm not really a fan of the FL but she did a really great job here)
So for me this was a pretty satisfactory drama in terms of all aspects and it did check most of the boxes for me...
The only complain i have is that they should've showed how all the characters ended up in their lives......Now we don't really know what happened to min ju or if in gyu and min ju's ship ever sailed.....
Probably a great watch if u haven't watched the original...
P.S.: Did not know rowoon and hyo seop together was something i was missing out on TvT
P.S.P.S.: Newjeans slayed their ost..... such a beautiful songggg
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Low Expectation
Someday or One Day is my favorite Taiwan drama ever. That being said I had low expectations for this show, like how could this drama be better than that masterpiece, right?Well I think that's exactly what helped when watching this kdrama; I had low expectations. I kept thinking "oh there not gonna do my favorite scene". or "there not gonna add the gay storyline". After finishing the show I had same sort of love that I had for the original. It took me some time to be use to the pacing, but as I watched each episode I was criticizing less and enjoying it more. It seemed as each episode went by the writer was more confident in the story. Slowly the writer added their own take to the beloved remake. Adding their own spin and exciting take on the crazy loophole ride that we go on. The storyline is not destroyed as many remakes do? The original one needed a rewatch for complete understanding but I feel someone who hasn't watched the Taiwan one would understand this because they made Kdrama ver a little more precise and clear.
The acting was amazing especially the last couple of episodes, so many emotions… Props to everyone, especially the main cast as they definitely carried part of the show on their backs.
I wouldn't say it's a perfect remake, but if you’ve never seen the show before I think you’ll enjoy it!
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To Travel Back In Time To Save You...
I would literally travel back in time to a time called You.It brings so many emotions to watch this drama, and even Kim Min Seok's OST made it even more emotional because I recognized his voice from Mr. Sunshine.; His Vocals is so magical.
The cast truly delivered, I'm so rooting for AHS; I need another chance to see him before this year runs out. And Jeon Yeo Been truly captured me when she was mostly Han Jun Hee. Her chemistry with the two actors was top-notch. I think I'll have to add her to my list of artists to watch.
Overall, A masterpiece of Casts, btw! Not really the plot.
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I know most of the actors in the drama, and I find them okay acting as their roles, is just that I am not so in awe with their acting in this drama, maybe because in the first I am not a fan with the story.
The music is fine, it does give the viewers the sense of what the characters are acting.
Would not rewatch this for sure. Maybe I will just watch the original drama.
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Passable
Jeon Yeo Been is an amazing actress, the switch between Min Ju and Ju Hee is amazing so much so that I was able to recognize which character she was just by her eyes. Ahn Hyo Seop was good especially in Episode 11.overall story is meh, but the characters are good ( sometimes). The first 2 episodes are snoozefest, it gets better in the middle but starts going down when they start explaining their time travel mechanics, as there are numerous plot holes and a bunch of unnecessary stuff. Still the ending message was good alingwith the final plot twist.
Ok watch. Don't really recommend it. Watch it if you're a fan of Jeon Yeo Been.
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This review may contain spoilers
Here for Jeon Yeon Been only :)
If you watch this drama because wanna know how FL saved her late boyfriend by time traveling, you're not gonna find it. FL traveled to the past to save Minju LOL. Both the director and writer are failed to deliver the story. Here is why:The writer developed the story really well when Jun Hee trapped in Minju's body, but not when Si Heon trapped in Yeon Jun's. Why i wanted it to be developed? Because, when i reached 9th or 10th episode, i was sad knowing that actually, Jun Hee has been loving Si Heon who trapped in Yeon Jun's body all along. That's why, imo, this time travel is also meaningful for Si Heon, not only Jun Hee buttt again, Si Heon's story wasn't really developed by the writer.
There were some parts i wish they developed for instance; I want Si Heon, who just trapped in Yeon Jun's body in 2007, to be as crazy as Jun Hee who always talks about the time travel. I also need their lovey dovey moments during that year to develop, so that when Yeon Jun died in 2022, we as viewer will feel the grief Jun Hee experiences. Why we should feel Junhee's grief as viewer? IMO and from my POV, this time travel is to satisfy JunHee's grief, because she is able to meet someone who resembles her late boyfriend, not because she wanted to prevent her late boyfriend from dying, she's just happy meeting Si Heon who resembles Yeon Jun.
If only the writer focused on Si Heon's time travel and developed the story from Si Heon's POV started from episode 6, i think it would be so much better. Because it's gonna make sense why Yeon Jun and Junhee met in university and then they fell in love, same goes with Junhee, it's gonna make sense to us why Junhee time travel to the past and met Si Heon.. But in the end, the writer makes us think that JunHee did time travel to save Minju, like for what? She's not a part of Junhee's life in the future, she's also not a threat for Junhee's life both in the past and future. Si Heon also never liked Minju in the past. So whyyyyy towards the end of the drama, the writer focused on saving Minju????? Hello, writernim???
==
Let's talk about the cast. When i watched the first episode where Si Heon, In Kyu and Minju were punished for being late. I knew right away they cast the wrong ML :p just my opinion, i have Nam Joo Hyuk in my head the moment i see Si Heon who was so friendly, cheeky and playful. Throughout the drama i was like, oh i wish it's NJH.
AHS is suitable being cold and cool just like Seo Woo Jin on Dr. Romantic (i don't watch Business Proposal, tho). Or i can say, he's kinda failed to be Si Heon, there's still Seo Woo Jin vibe on him. Therefore, as for the character, imo, there seems no contrast between ML and SML. Because SML is portrayed to be quiet and a loner.
What made me staying until the end was only for Jeon Yeon Been. Unfortunately, imho, she still looks too old for a high school student (don't get me wrong, i'm a fan of her). Compare to AHS, which all of sudden NJH popped in my mind, i didn't have any name popped up in my head as to who is better portraying JunHee and MinJu.
Speaking of JYB's acting? 8.5/10. I was in awe on episode 11 or 12 i forgot, when Jun Hee sat in Si Heon study desk, immersed in his drawing and all of sudden it took her back to the future. After few minutes, she traveled back to the past and suddenly stood then hugged Si Heon without saying a word. By the way she walked,I knew right away it was Min Ju, no longer Jun Hee, even with her gesture, she proved how good actress she is. (if you have watched 'till the end, you know which scene i talked about).
==
The director could not bring the best out of the cast (?)
In ATCY mostly i'm not satisfied with Ahn Hyeo Seop acting, he's good on Dr. Romantic 2 and 3, but not here. I know he is supposed to be bubbly and friendly as Si Heon, but still no fun...
Director should be really detailed in directing the actors to be similar to the role they take part in. Until the end of the episode, only Yeon Been is the star, even i watched on Netflix she said there was line she changed so that fit with the circumstance. Showing how immerse she is in her role as both Junhee and Minju. It takes two to tango, not only the director but also the actors who are willing to do more.
Behind the scene of every drama has been my favorite since i'm in kdrama land. Because as a viewer, i learn how the director direct the drama. For instance, when i watched bts of Vincenzo, how the director wasn't satisfied with actors' intonation and gesture, she would told the actors to perfecting certain part.
To conclude, as someone who never watched the original version, this is 7.5/10 from me.
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This review may contain spoilers
Character Analyze: Kwon Minju.
I, as a Kwon Minju defender, will never understand the hate Kwon Minju gets.— PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS MY OPINION and my attempt on character analyze of Kwon Minju and other characters. I just want to share about how I feel about the Characters in this drama because I have a lot to talk about. —
THIS CONTAINS HEAVY SPOILERS
TW // MENTION SUICIDE
Let me make it clear, I don't watch the OG. I absolutely LOVE the conception of this drama, I love the conception of time. Fantasy and time traveling are one of my favorites. I get the complexity of this drama, and I will never watch this drama ever again. You could say I have a Love-Hate Relationship with this drama. The time travelling part was confusing at first, but if you pay attention and don't skip any scenes, you'll get there eventually.
I especially love how they potray the characters. Jung Ingyu is my favorite, I love him very dearly. I also love how they added character complexity to Kwon Minju. Yet, some people couldn't understand her. People hated her for how she turned out in the drama.
Let me list some of the reasons I heard WHY Kwon Minju was hated;
1. When Kwon Minju finally took over her OWN BODY back, she pretended to be/acting like Han Junhee so that Nam Siheon likes her.
2. She didn't tell the truth to Nam Siheon that she is Kwon Minju and not Han Junhee.
3. Kwon Minju won't listen to what Han Junhee said to her (It was when Junhee is inside her body and Minju can still hear her)
4. Kwon Minju hates herself.
Now, let me elaborate.
(1) When Han Junhee took over Kwon Minju's body, Minju was trapped inside of her OWN BODY. She couldn't do anything, all she could do is watch everything Junhee does, out of her will. Watching YOUR crush slowly liking someone who is NOT YOU is heartbreaking. The worse part is, Minju witness EVERYTHING. She hears her name being called by her crush, but it was never really directed to her.
Minju is only a teenager. She was overcontrolled by her emotion. Its normal for being irrational at that state. She acted as someone she's NOT for the sake of being liked. Being loved. She saw all the things Junhee does, and Junhee was loved just by being her. While Minju, wasn't. All she wanted was being loved, was that so hard to ask?
Her crush doesn't want her to exist. Her own brother said that the "other version" of her is better. Can you imagine how hurtful it is to hear all those things? No one wants her when she's herself, everyone wants Han Junhee back. The "better" version of her, the fun quirky and bubbly version of her, which is NOT MINJU HERSELF.
(2) I am a huge Nam Siheon hater.
No, he's not a green flag you are all saying. Even if you convince me, no one will ever make me like him.
All the things he said to Kwon Minju was all unecessary. When he realized that Han Junhee is no longer there, he didn't care about Kwon Minju's existence and demanded for Han Junhee to go back. It's the same thing like he's telling Kwon Minju to dissapear because Han Junhee is better, and all Nam Siheon wants is Han Junhee. He was selfish, he didn't care about Kwon Minju and only thinks about Han Junhee.
In this state, even if Kwon Minju told Nam Siheon the truth, would it make it any better? Would anyone still want her because she's back being Kwon Minju? Would it prevent Siheon to say mean things to Minju? No. It doesn't change anything no matter how you think about it. All Minju did was trying to be loved.
(3) Now, if you're in Minju's situation, would you listen to someone who literally stole a part of your life? Minju has the right to be mad, how she acts does make sense. It would be irrational if she does what Junhee says. Afterall, Junhee doesn't understand how Minju feels all this time, all the things she has been through.
When she was back, she wanted to have fun.. All she wanted was friends and have fun.
(4) Before I get those people saying "Minju should've socialize more." or "Minju should atleast try, she doesn't try." or "It's her own fault for feeling like that."
Okay. First of all, Fuck you.
There are many things that we couldn't understand, on why she doesn't try or why she feels the way she feels. She's also broken home. Maybe she did try, Minju wants to be loved, she just doesn't know how. It shows how she acted/pretended to be Junhee. Now that she knows "being" Junhee can lead her to be liked, she did it. She followed everything, she observed how to be Junhee in all those time she's trapped in her own body. She would be crazy to think that people will still like her if she acts like the way she used to, she hates herself that much.
By the way, I love the plot twist being Minju killing herself instead of being killed. It's sad, but it what makes it so great. Also, Jung Ingyu was there and took the blame.
AND SPEAKING OF JUNG INGYU!
I love him so much.
Unlike Nam Siheon and anyone else, Jung Ingyu is the only one who accepted both Kwon Minju and Han Junhee. He even backed down the moment he realize that (both) Junhee/Minju is into Siheon. He still likes Kwon Minju the way she is, and he accepts Han Junhee as a friend. Not to mention that he's the only one who understood why Minju pretended to be Han Junhee, and he didn't make a big problem out of it and go with the flow as how Minju would've want. When Minju was at the edge of killing herself, he tried his best to confront her. He loves her so much that he prioritize Minju's happiness over his, he didn't care if Minju likes Siheon, as long as Minju is happy he would bare with it. His love for Minju genuine, even the moment Minju killed herself, he took the blame and went to jail so that Minju isn't forgotten or just remembered as "someone killed themselves" and sound miserable. That is a BIG sacrifice.
Overall, i gave this a 7/10 just because I hate the ending and I also hate Nam Siheon.
NOT because it ended with Junhee and Siheon. The ending was too bland. They had so much potential to make this drama an angsty one. For them to meet again is too cliché, they could've ended things better.
That is all from me, thank you! ^^
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Stuck it out for Jeon Yeo-been
There are many remakes that bring a special touch to the original story - changes that add value or flesh out relationships that were under represented in the original. Take F4 Thailand for example. That's a worthy remake of Hana Yori Dango.A Time Called You is nearly a shot-by-shot remake of Someday Or One Day. The only thing it's added is a higher production gloss to the story. What it's taken away though is tension, subtlety, intensity, and depth of feelings.
It's also cut out many slower moments that had helped build out the world and relationships. But most egregiously, the writer and director chose to cut scenes that fleshed out Min-ju and In-gyu's perspectives.
The time Someday Or One Day spent on those two helps viewers understanding why the ending was what it was.
ATCY treats them as secondary characters, rivals getting in the way of fated lovers. And that's a real loss for viewers who will only watch this K-drama version.
Finally, this was a waste of Jeon Yeo-been's abilities. She has already shown in Be Melodramatic that she can play a depressed, reserved character with amazing impact. But it felt like she was never allowed to tap into any depth as Min-ju in ATCY. With the exception of one scene, which just proved to me that she was holding back throughout.
Ahn Hyo-seop was just mis-cast. I love the guy, but this role was not for him.
Loved the Rowoon cameo though!
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Inferior than SOOD but still worth a watch
I was so excited when they announced this adaptation of Someday or One day because I truly loved the OG.I kept asking myself if I hadn't loved SOOD so much, would I have watched this? Sadly, the answer is no. This didn't hook me from the first episode like SOOD did. ATCY muted the grief that future girl felt when she lost her fiancee which was what got me. The OST for time travel also wasn't as memorable. The leads didn't feel like high school students. The homeless man look of old Nam Siyeon was unnecessary. Still, I am glad they didn't ruin the story.
If you just want to watch something to pass the time or just know the story, I would still recommend this. But for a rewatch, I would still return to the OG.
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This review may contain spoilers
This is a conceptual drama
I had been waiting for the release of this series for a long time because I thought I could follow the Train of beautiful thoughts and beliefs of Kim Jin Won that I had found Mainstream of that in two series "my country :new age" and "just between lovers", And the result was just that.It seems like the director is trying to convey a concept to the audience through different series in the form of various stories, and that is that none of us are victims of fate. We are choosers, not forced. It is ourselves who choose to be happy or live in sorrow for our future.
Perhaps the most beautiful and tangible dialogue in this series, in expressing this concept, was the dialogue of Nam Si Heon in episode 9, who said, "We were changing our destiny. No matter how little. By our own choices and based on our own desires."
Nevertheless, my expectations were much higher before watching this series. Everything in this series was average or maybe slightly better for me. The series had a beautiful message, the actors played their roles beautifully, the story was new and beautiful, the excitement of the series was suitable, and finally, the ending was good and acceptable. However, nothing was extraordinary.
It seemed like everything could have ended in episode 9 and I liked that ending. Nevertheless, the series continued for three more episodes, which were accompanied by a slight decline. Perhaps the writer wanted to give another chance for better choices to be made by Jung In Kyu and Kwon Min Ju as well so that they could have a more beautiful destiOverall though, the ending was satisfying for me.
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This review may contain spoilers
Im soooo Confused???
Okay so I watched this drama for 1 reason only & of course that reason was bc of Ahn Hyo-seop's beautiful face! I dont nothing bout an original so I cant compare- maybe it wouldve helped me be able to follow the story bc I have no idea what the heck was going on? I think she was able to time travel after listening to a tape inside a walkman and land in another chicks body just bc they looked alike??? Okay so I can somewhat follow that but then they threw in that he also time traveled back into time into the boys body as well??? But they never showed him ever time traveling back??? Somehow he knew it would send her back so he mails the walkman to her in hopes she would go back in time and stop the murders from occurring so they all can live in the future- Han Jun-hee, Koo Yeon-jun, & Si-heon, Min-Ju, & In-gyu...Of course changing the course of the past changes the courses and lives in the future so I get that so how come in the end there was only Jun-hee & Si-heon??? Did the plane crash really happened that took Yeon-Juns life??? My conclusion, I think? is that Yeon-Jun never existed in Jun-hee's future since her entire life wiped away? It wouldve kinda came together more if at the end if Si-heon & Jun-hee introduced themselves on the bus & it took him back to his memory of when he saw her as a little girl when she told yelled her name to him & told him to remember the next time he saw her...I think alot of extra stories & scenes got thrown into this drama that made the story so difficult to follow when it couldve been made clearer by leaving alot of them out. I guess the story is way beyond my intelligence but I do have to admit, none of it took away from Ahn hyo-seop's handsomeness & I totally enjoyed watching him! That was the very best thing bout this drama, hands down!Was this review helpful to you?
