itwillneverbefar

Three syllables: Cha Se Gye

Look... say what you will about the story, plot, execution whatever, because none of that matters. You only need one reason to watch this show, and his name is Cha Se Gye. I haven't enjoyed a character this much in a long time. So colorful, so expressive, so neurotic, so funny, so charming, and such an absolute loser in love. I could watch Heo Nam Jun raise his eyebrow or curl his lip or swallow for 14 more hours. I have never rewound so many scenes just to re-watch the way a line was delivered. Ever. I already miss him.

But there's more! You also get the bold and hilarious Shin Seori, who is so full of heart and brings so much brightness and fun to the show. She was impeccably brought to life by Im Ji Yeon. There is no Se Gye without Shin Seori.

The third gift: their chemistry. It was magical, passionate, and on a cosmic soul-mate level. You will want them to be together so badly, and cackle at their petty bickering and antics, you will feel all the longing every time they're in the same room, all the heartache when they're apart. I am low key high key convinced Im Ji Yeon and Heo Nam Jun actually fell in love on set while filming this, it's that good.

Other parts of this show that you don't want to miss:
- Jang Seung Jo is way more interesting and alluring than he had a right to be as a villain. He was truly chilling, truly fascinating, and at times even heartbreaking. I loved every one of his scenes.
- A performance that really pulls at the heartstrings by Kim Hae Sook as Seori's grandmother, and two brilliant comedic performances by Kim Min Seok as Seori's manager and Yoon Byung Hee as Se Gye's assistant.
- The love story itself is at times very touching and moving with a good resolution, and definitely the strongest plot element by far.

I'mma be real, the main cheabol and time travel plots fall apart in the second half and kinda just devolve by the end with some gaping plot holes and rushed conclusions to story lines. There are a handful of side characters that don't really serve a purpose and feel like empty space. But man, even knowing all that, I already want to rewatch it again because what it does well it does exceptionally well. Totally worth a watch despite its flaws.

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Imperfect, but definitely worth a watch

This story has some unrealistic plot points, some uneven story telling, and meanders at times. But it also never fully unravels like so many other dramas these days. By the end it tells a coherent story that feels intentional and that shows real character growth and poignantly explores its themes.

I really enjoyed having 4 separate and quite different types of romances to follow, and that the usual leads love triangle was subverted by it being with her already-dead boyfriend. Watching the ML/FL slowly fall in love was really lovely and beautiful. But they definitely dragged out the secret storyline too far, to the point where it was getting frustrating to watch, and it made the character arcs more rough than they could have been. The resolution for 3 of the 4 couples was perfect, but the second couple, which was at times even more compelling than the leads, completely putters out by the end. That was one of the most disappointing aspects of the show.

I also loved the emphasis on the non-romantic relationships. On the connection between the sisters, on the different relationships that each character had with their parents, both dead (or treated as dead) and alive, both those they were born to and those that became a stand in through choice and love.

Some of the acting performances were better than others. Kim Tae Young is a sweetie, but felt out of his league in this drama and made the youngest couple's storyline weaker than it could have been. Interestingly Oh Ye Ju was my favorite of the sisters, I loved her in every scene and she kept the youngest couple's storyline grounded enough to enjoy regardless. Han Ji Hyeon, who I have really liked in other roles, felt a bit one note here, possibly because the writing didn't give her much other choice. Lee Sung Kyung has that enchanting bubbly warmth and genuineness she brings to every role, but she still struggles to show the more subtle and deeper emotional energy in the quieter moments that would have made her character feel truly layered and alive.

The standout by far was Chae Jong Hyeop. I've never seen him in anything before this, but he has my attention. It is a lot easier to make an impact with a smoldering, closed off, reserved, mysterious ML. A ML who is open, generous, and upbeat is much more challenging to make compelling. But his Chan had me engaged and rooting for him from the start. At first I was confused by how Chan's happiness felt subtly forced at times, but I came to realize as we learned more of his backstory that each smile was an active choice, a decision to be happy in that moment, and you really felt this hard-earned hope and resilience stubbornly burning and alight even through all his moments of loneliness, fear, and pain. It made him seem so alive and grounded, and was a really beautiful and subtle characterization. He was also just as believable as the depressed loner without any hope in his past as the more mature ray of sunshine we saw in the present, and he brought such vulnerable and deep emotion to every scene. My heart ached so deeply for him at times. He was the heart and soul of the show, and what made it all work as well as it did.

This is not an addictive show you will binge watch obsessively, it is one you will be quietly drawn to throughout. And one that will hit you deeply in moments if you have the patience to allow it to unfold. There are some moments and some insights that transcend the drama and that I will think about months or years from now.

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Ambitious, thought provoking, engrossing drama

This show has something that so few other dramas even seem to be aware of as a narrative device--thematic resonance. The show asks the question "What makes a story worth telling?" and explores the answer in a focused, thoughtful, and compelling way, with every single scene and line of dialogue serving to point back to this ultimate question in some way. And all while resisting the lazy urge of giving easy answers. The answers aren't for the show to decide, they are for the viewer to come to their own conclusion about as they watch this particular story unfold.

And what a story it is! Part psychological thriller, part slice of life, part coming of age, part mature romance, part family drama, even with a hint of absurdist comedy at times. The tonal shifts are handled flawlessly, helped along with a truly phenomenal score/soundtrack and a slew of stellar performances.

Choi Hyun Wook plays the ever-shifting Lee Kang with such understated intensity that the most mysterious character in the show somehow also feels the most grounded and real. The director lets you sit with him often, showing long close ups of his face, daring you to try and figure out what is truly behind his eyes. The moment you think you know, the next scene will make you question yourself, and the next scene question yourself again, but you never lose the feeling that there is SOMETHING yet to discover about him. He is a major source of tension and intrigue as you eagerly await what he will say or do next, and a truly captivating performance from what I think is the most promising actor of his generation.

Heo Mun Oh as the depressed, lost, and obsessed writer is the center of the story in a powerhouse performance by Choi Min Sik. Mun Oh is not likable or particularly charismatic, and yet he is so completely compelling. Despite so much that makes him unpalatable, Min Sik never lets us lose sight of what makes Mun Oh human, and I was fascinated and often extremely moved watching his character evolve over the course of the 6 episodes.

With an exception here or there, the side characters were also very well acted and help carry the extended side plot scenes without the leads so that they didn't feel draggy or bland.

This is a show that won't spell everything out for you, because while the show resolves in a satisfying and full way, it will leave you with many unanswered and unanswerable questions. This is actually one of the greatest strengths of the show, since in order to truly engage with it it demands you take time to digest it and mull it over even after the final credits roll, making it have a lasting and deep impression if you let it.

Were there some parts of the story I might have executed differently? Sure. I think the final twist could have been foreshadowed better, I might have spent less time in the second half on the side story with the family and more on the interactions between our main duo, and a couple other things here or there. But those few things cant and shouldn't overshadow a show that on the whole feels like such a breath of fresh air in a sea of muddled, cliche, rom coms and thrillers. At only 6 episodes, it is well worth the time and effort.

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