Once Again

Those last few seconds...

From the premises of this series, I knew it qould be too much for a happy ending. So when it ended the way that it did, I wasn't even mad...until those last few seconds.

Story-7.5/10
This series had me curious to see how it would handle the time travelling concept. As the series progressed, I knew there was no way for a happy ending- one of them would have died. Shin Jae Woo because Kang Ji Hoon wasn't there to save him or Kang Ji Hoon because he saved the then ten years old Shin Jae Woo. As we wnet further into the story, I realized that Kang Ji Hoon was not going to let the small kid died. So, he basically went to save Kang Ji Hoon, knowing fully well he was not going to survive.

But before all of this happened, love blossomed between the two youg gentlemen in the span of three weeks. And I was okay if it had just ended there...but it doesn't. It seems to me that they are in time loop . So, these 3 weeks will continue over and over again qith Kang and Shin having 3 weeks of happiness and then Kang Ji Hoon dying to save ten years old Shin Jae Woo. And that right there, did not sit well with me. If they had stop just a few seconds before this, I would have given the story an 8 or 8.5. But because I know that they will always be in this time loop and not be able to come out of it, I'm giving it a 7.5.

Acting/Cast-8/10
I felt that there acting was actually really good. They were able to bring across thier emotions very well and this made the story enjoyable (at least up to those last few seconds). For that, I'm giving them an 8.

Music-10/10
This has to be one of the best OST from a Korean BL that I have seen in a while. Loved all of the songs. A ten from me.

Rewatch Valu-8/10
Despite those last few seconds at the end of this series, I would actually still rewatch this series. It had me entertained and I actually wanted to see what happened next!

Overall-8.5/10
Overall I give this series an 8.5/10. I liked it. I was entertained. And I just knew that there was no way for a happy ending. I would recommend this series to others- once they are not looking for a happy ending.

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I wasn’t ready, I ran out of tissues…

I LOVED how this series felt like a breath of fresh air. At the same time, I HATED how fatalistic it made me feel —— like a hamster doomed to tread on the same track over and over again…

STORY: 10 - It was great coming across a story that’s different from most of the BLs that I’ve marathoned. It intrigued me so much that I was actually able to watch it all the way through, without being tempted even once to skip to the end (which I so often do if it’s not an ongoing series). While the episodes were relatively short, not a whole lot of time was wasted on things that were not critical to building the story, so I felt like I was given enough to be able to relate to and understand the characters.

ACTING: 10 - I’m not sure I’m qualified to speak to the quality of acting, but I certainly know how the actors made me feel. I felt Jae Woo’s hate and rage as he pounded on the gate of the killer’s house, his desperation as he tried to get back into the hotel on Jan. 30. I felt Ji Hoon’s confusion and disbelief as he pieced everything together, I felt my own heart breaking as I watched him say goodbye to Jae Woo and return to his own room to cry over their parting, knowing what he was about to face. I bought Hyung Jin being youthful and carefree in 2007, and then tempered by maturity in 2022.

MUSIC: 9 - One of the reasons why I got into watching dramas (whether BLs or otherwise) was because I would often pick up good music that’s made even greater by the emotional connection established with specific scenes. Unfortunately, I didn’t get that here. I still gave it a 9, though, because the music was appropriate enough and served the purpose of helping to evoke specific emotions. It was eerie or melancholic or tender when it needed to be.

REWATCH VALUE: 9 - Like others who’ve submitted reviews, my only reason for not giving this a 10 in this criteria is because it would be emotionally draining for me to watch it too often. My heart won’t be able to take the strain…

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love a good time travel

the story was well done everything from traveling back in time to find a way to save the man who died which made him feel guilty for 15 years. the chemistry of the lead actor is off the charts I really love it. hope they have another drama in the future at a lead couple. the script was well written. it definitely worth a watch.



that only reason I put 5 stars of the rewatch value is I don't think I could watch the ending again this is the most I cried in a BL before and I thought Until me meet again, theroy of love & 1000 stars where sad this is on another level for me.the having to wait 15 years to see each other again and then loses his again is a sad though.

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Bittersweet Time travel

I must say I didnt expect much going in to this drama. It was an 8 ep korean Bl with 20 mins per episode, I mean what could they even say in this short runtime? I'll say though, it did exceed my expectations. They made great use of the short runtime to tell a pretty full story. The problem is however, most of the time goes into telling the story and not enough time spent on their relationship building. But to be honest, they did the best with what they were given

The actual premise of the show is good. It's fresh and new in the BL scene. Time travel, fight to save someone that saved you, and romance. My only problem is that, the line between jaewoo seeing him as an uncle and then seeing him as a lover seemed so thin it almost makes it hard to support. Like yea that's your savior from 15 years ago and you look up to him and obsessively blame yourself for what happened, but now (very early on) it's turned into love? hm. Then There's Ji hoon's side, we kinda dont really see a smooth progression from him finding Jaewoo really creepy to somehow taking an interest in this kinda creepy man to falling head over heels for him. It just happens, and then you're like oh okay i guess they like each other.

Once the romance is establish by magic and plot convenience though, the story flows well. The bittersweet sacrifice both of them were willing to make for the person that they loved was heart wrenchingly beautiful. It was a story that was meant to end in tragedy no matter what happened. Someone would always die. And so theres the loop they created. "come see me again" oh beautiful. Now my only thing is it's never explained how Jaewoo got into the past in the first place or how the magic phone worked but yknow what, we'll keep it under the rug. All in all, not a bad drama at all. The music, like many kdramas was great to me, and i did enjoy the acting of the characters.

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Great concept, poor delivery

I honestly enjoyed the concept but was disappointed by the delivery. I couldn't help but feel frustrated with both leads for the lack of communication. If they had been more upfront and honest with one another the entire conflict of the BL would have been avoided. There were multiple instances that could have been handled much better by the characters, but each character seemed to veer in the complete opposite direction of reason or logic.

I understand that this was the purpose of this K-Drama. To have one of the leads sacrifice themselves in honour of their love and devotion to the other was the overall goal. It just seemed needless for one of them to die if there was a safer alternative in which they both could live.

Ultimately, it was not a terrible BL, the acting was pretty good and the concept for the plot was fairly engaging. It just was not the style of K-Drama I typically enjoy. I'm sure if you enjoy a bit more of a bittersweet ending with all-or-nothing stakes this is a good BL for you.

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Korean BL made me fall in love once again

Korean BL are getting stronger with their short series film.

Well, after reading the synopsis I kinda have a vague picture of what the ending could be given the plot of the story but I still gave the drama a little bit of hope for a fairytale finale. The storyline was great not new but fresh, maybe because of the location and the premise. New faces for casts and that's a plus. There's chemistry and acting wise they're good. Eight Episodes are just enough too many episodes will surely kill the flow so it is fine. Music scoring is good as well. Korean dramas are now starting to use English songs so it's a plus.

Worth the watch? Yes. Will you like it? Depends on your taste. Will watch it again? Possibly yes.

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He loved him once. Destiny gave him one more chance. But that chance hurt.....

Once Again isn’t just a love story it’s a second-chance tragedy wrapped in a time loop of guilt, longing, and pain. Shin Jae Woo isn’t some lovesick schoolboy, he’s a man drowning in the memory of a love he couldn’t save. When he literally hears the voice of his past love through an old intercom and realizes he’s time-traveled back to 2007? Baby, I knew I was about to cry in HD. 😭

This drama isn’t loud or flashy. It’s all about that quiet ache the kind that simmers beneath every awkward reunion and desperate second attempt. Watching Jae Woo try to reconnect with Kang Ji Hoon, who has no clue why this strange guy keeps calling him “uncle,” is heartbreak in slow motion. That awkwardness? That hesitation? That deep desire to fix what was broken? 100% relatable tragedy vibes.

The acting is subtle but sharp, Lee Hyun Jun’s portrayal of a man on the edge of emotional collapse is haunting. And Moon Ji Yong as Ji Hoon? So effortlessly boyish and gentle, you totally understand why Jae Woo fell so hard. The chemistry is soft, not explosive, but it works because this story is about trying to change fate, not just kiss in the rain. Could we have used 2 more episodes? YES. Could the time-travel twist have gone deeper? Absolutely. But even in its brief runtime, Once Again hits like a punch to the past and it hurts so good.

Storyline: 8.5/10
Time-travel meets emotional redemption and it works. The premise isn’t groundbreaking, but the execution is quietly devastating. The pacing could’ve been tighter in some parts, and YES we all wish they dug deeper into the timeline mechanics. But the emotional hook? It stabs and twists.

Acting/Cast: 9/10
Lee Hyun Jun carried this with a face full of regret and eyes that SCREAMED pain. Moon Ji Yong’s subtle performance brought warmth and softness. Their chemistry wasn’t loud, but it was felt. Like unfinished business wrapped in nervous glances.

Music/OST: 8/10
Nothing overly dramatic or standout, but the music blended into the emotion. Soft, melancholic, and supportive. The kind of soundtrack that creeps up on you during a late-night sob.

Rewatch Value: 7/10
You’ll want to go back when you're in your feels again. Maybe not every month, but it has those “I miss this ache” moments that hit when the weather gets gloomy and you want to feel something.

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Never Again

Once Again benefitted a lot from the star-making performance of Moon Ji Young but it's muddled storyline, frustrating dialogue and lack of a real stake stands out the most, dragging the entire series down.

The cinematography looks nice but there's really not a lot to work on with this material, but it did work for the little material they were given.

Moon Ji Yong as the main lead was fantastic, he looked very committed and that reflects well on the screen. His facial cues and expressions are very impressive.

As for the storyline, the whole thing was so muddled and confusing. It fails to make the audience pay attention or even care. I finished the series not feeling anything, just indifference. It didn't make me want to care enough for the characters.

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It cost me lots of tears

Starting from episode 1, I already shed a tear. The concept is familiar but it somewhat feels new to me. I loved the fact that this short series was created this good with a good set of actors.

It made me sad when Jae Woo was able to meet Ji Hoon but the latter doesn't recognize him. It made me sad when Ji Hoon was finally able to piece everything together but it's somehow too late because of the limited time they have left with them. It made me sad when Jae Woo expected a lot for their vacation but ended up getting ditched for a reason. It made me sad when Ji Hoon was able to save the young Jae Woo but still ended up dying. It made me sad when Hyung Jin was able to pass the exam like what the dorm ajumma said in exchange of losing his best friend. It made me even sadder when Jae Woo tried to run and save his beloved man but ended up being late and going back to the present time, getting back the pain he felt before. But it made me happy that he chose to live his life to the fullest as requested by Ji Hoon.


It must have been good if Jae Woo was able to come and save his young self and his most admired person before losing time. Nevertheless, the story is good and it is really sad. I'm still crying while writing this review so I hope this helps

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Impactfully Acclaiming

Some things never changed, and that’s the painful part of life. Time traveling is an overused foundation, but they make good use of this cliche and establish a short yet impactful storyline. Despite the loopholes and some questionable parts, the conclusion dominated its cons.

The title itself is already conspicuous, relating to experiencing another ache. I cried. Those written messages burst me out.

“Jae Woo, I know you came here after 15 years to save me. But even so, I will still go save you.” - Kang Ji Hoon

The success is also all thanks to their impressive acting performances. As early as the pilot episode, I was too amazed by Shin Jae Woo. You can sense how desperate he is from changing the past. His howls did affect me emotionally. The two main actors portrayed their characters in the most anguished way. From feeling passionate about giving a try to save each other to eventually becoming hopeless and just accepting the consequences as long one of them will continue to go on with life.

I must say, Korean entertainment provides eye-catching actors with their head-turner visuals. Ji Hoon resembles Baekhyun from EXO and Tomo from Thailand. He is extremely cute and fluffy.

They also gave us top-tier songs from their OSTs. I genuinely go through the roller coaster rides of affection and attachment every time they insert the songs into a scene. I indulge in listening to them, I love it!

Once Again is a show that throws you a punch that even with its fairytale plot, we all return from the reality of accepting the suffering of life. There may be things that we cannot control, but as long as we value our life, we can always find the happiness that we keep relying on, for our day-to-day survival.

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