symph

I was very fond of all the characters, but I was a /different/ level of fond for Togashi and Shinkai, gosh. I'm not sure if there was another time I rooted for the second couple so much. So loved their scenes together!!

So good. I was in the mood for a lighter drama that was still grounded in reality, and this one was perfect. (This one pulled me out of a drama slump and really motivated me in the middle of my semester, ha!)

I would say this is is career focused (satisfying mentor-student plotline) with tasteful amounts of romance and friendship throughout. This drama really captures the wonder and awe I have when thinking about planes/flight, with a lot of insightful dialouge/reflective moments throughout (including but not limited to: overcoming fears/the past, learning from everyone around you, empathy and understanding of other people's perspectives, family, etc. good stuff).

You really root for everyone in this story! There's a reason Kimura Takuya is as beloved as he is. He's perfectly cast as Shinkai, who is bold and confident, yes, but also earnest and optimistic in a way that's really quite wise. And ahh, I admit I am biased, but I was really fond of Tsutsumi Shinichi's Captain Koda (Had just finished watching him as the ML in Yamato Nadeshiko.) Great foil to Shinkai, and despite how sharp and cold he could be, Koda was such a scene-stealer when I watched, especially when interacting with Togashi. Togashi was just all-around so amazing (I basically cheered everytime she was onscreen). Ogawa really pulled on my heartstrings and I loved her no-nonsense attitude. Great chemistry all around! Fitting music choices - fantastic ending theme - and elegant editing.

I thought the character development was great and that the story arc was satisfying. Also had a very satisfying last few episodes. I'm definitely saving it to rewatch when I need motivation or when I'm in the mood for a feel-good story. I really enjoyed it!

Currently rewatching - as thrilling and magnetizing as it was the first time! Also - what a fantastic OST. Kudos to the composers as well as editors for being very smart on where to insert music and when to keep the silence. Builds up tension super well.

The entire past life sequence was shot with rather overly bright lighting - which I feel kind of obscured the emotional impact it could've had - but geez? Poong Baek and the Princess had a really moving story? It was really sweet seeing that Cha Cha Woong was the shy one in their previous life, and that he had once used his magic for good (and only good, that he insisted he could not use it to hurt others), and that Seulhae was as forward and kind as always. In line with my comment above about how I felt the ML and FL shined more in quieter, slower scenes, I thought their acting really sparkled in this section.

The Princess and Poong Baek at the pavilion - Poong Baek presenting the ring - the Princess joking around at first that it's a proposal, but then it's like something more serious settles over the characters (and thus the audience) and you can just tell that this is the start of a deep connection, that it isn't just The Princess fangirling over an amused Poong Baek, that's there's just that /something more/.

Poong Baek not acknowledging his feelings because he knows there's a big gap between them and that he's already a big target, then their reunion in the cave with all the flowers blooming (imo this was the most cinematic scene of the drama)...

How happy the two were to be married! Then the utter despair of knowing they couldn't be. The Princess being defiant, Poong Baek feeling defeated, both terrified. Poong Baek saying they should complete their duty, but unable to respond when the Princess asked for what /he/ was truly feeling. And then the horrible, greedy Prince not being satisfied with what he had already taken, framing Poong Baek - the tie in that even in his previous life, Cha Cha Woong had faced envy from people that wanted to use him for his magic, but also never fully trusted him - and then conspiring to murder him...and their thoughts as they lay together. Really, A+ work from writers and everyone here. It just felt a tiny bit out of place given how silly and carefree the drama had been up to that point.

Bonus: PHJ's acting when Cha Cha Woong wakes up in the hospital after remembering their past lives and sees Seulhae is SO. GOOD. I felt allllllllll the feelings.

Light-hearted magic-mystery romcom. Save the last arc, it doesn't take itself very seriously (this is meant as a compliment). Relationships are devloped and mysteries are figured out without too much angst. The style of humor that this drama had loads of early on isn't really my cup of tea, but I was still able to enjoy much of it.

While I enjoyed the romance a lot (cute friendship that evolved into a cute romance,) I actually think the most unique thing from this drama was the great ensemble cast - all three stories from the 3 ghosts really moved me, and everyone had great banter with each other. The other is the [spoiler] arc, which I loved to bits (and will ramble on about in another comment).

I was excited to watch this because I had seen both leads before (PHJ in Man to Man, Jin Ki Joo in Come and Hug Me) and trusted that they would act well. Indeed, any limitations I felt with this drama felt like it was more of a "writers could've written this better" over a "that was badly acted" issue. A few of my favorite scenes were the slower ones, where the writer/directors gave their characters more time to contemplate certain emotions and ideas, and dialouge that was a little more thoughtfully written. It didn't happen as often as I would've liked, especially since I know both leads can act very well - but not every drama needs to be so complicated, and I appreciate From Now On, Showtime for being a fun little show that made me smile!

On the [spoiler] arc:

Completed a rewatch reccently and I just have to add: Kwak Sun Young does an amazing job as Song Ji Yun, So Eun's sister. I really liked how the writers went about her storyline. Really, I'd consider their sisterhood to be a highlight of the drama, even if there isn't a ton of time spent on it!

ML and FL: I admit I was a little grumbly when first watching the drama because I guess I was expecting a romance - but I grew to really enjoy the light banter they had and how they worked together. I think Hyung Joo had feelings from the beginning to the end (lightly at the start, more intense as the story went on), but I think Ji Hyun didn't really until the very end, and in my opinion that was a fitting way for it to go. I think the decidedly not-romantic/only hints of romance approach was really the correct one - this made the ending episode more impactful and meaningful. Thus, I don't view the ending as a cliffhanger, even - the reveal that in this new timeline, Ji Hyun and Hyung Joo immediately feel a mutual spark (her eyes light up in a different way) marks this ending as a nice and happy one :)

Antagonists: The bad guys in this drama were imo the weakest parts. I don't really know what would've helped, but I also think they didn't take away from my enjoyment too much, which is good!

Ending: This drama's ending is on my list of "most satisfying k-drama endings," I really thought they wrapped up everything very nicely!

A very smooth watch - clearly the writers knew what they wanted the story to be, and stuck to their plan. Cleanly shot, with very straight-to-the-point pacing and basically no filler at all. I really appreciated that there weren't unnecessary frills, over-the-top visual effects, or humor that seemed out of place. It meant we could focus on the story, which was twisty, but satisfyingly so.

Great acting from everyone - I quite liked these two leads! To me, all characters were pretty perfectly conveyed. Understated, but far from boring - in other words, realistic. (This is a MUST watch if you're a fan of Lee Jun Hyuk, btw - one of my favorite roles from him. Especially in the latter half of the drama & last episode, he really shines!) They used their brains - which is really! nice! to! see! - but at times fell prey to their own emotions and flaws, which also made sense and was done in reasonable ways.

If you're planning to watch, I would strongly suggest staying away from specific spoilers about the plot because the mystery really is the point of the show. There's a reason this drama pops up in discussion of good time-travel dramas - I really enjoyed it!

Some thoughts on romance/chemistry, the antagonists, and the ending:

Technically an open ending, but one that very strongly implies a happy ending will happen soon. Personally, I cried happy tears. I'd give it a shot!

That is so nice of you to say, I'm glad it made sense! I feel like the affection I have for this drama simply grows by day, so much so that it's become difficult to describe it concisely. It is definitely something I will return to often in the future as well!

I certainly think that he had at least subconciously acted upon his feelings for her a long time ago - he really took care of her so much, from then until now - but like you said, he felt so guilty about his father's actions that I believe he had purposefully restricted himself to having a sibling-like relationship relationship with her (because he felt like he would be a terrible person if he hoped for more). It wasn't exactly working though, because even Se Kyung could tell they could have something, hence the confession and then her anger after, because she could see that Do Won wasn't being honest with her.

I just think the actual, concious realization (labelling of feelings) was a little delayed - Do Won had become at relatively content with staying by her side/protecting her without actually having a relationship, even if it meant pushing her away & becoming a heartless person in her eyes, because he whole-heartedly thought that was the best path to take.

I think the show emphasizes that after losing her, Do Won fully understands that while he had noble intentions, Se Kyung from World A had been hurt by his actions and words immensely, and if you're hurting the other person like that, can you really say you're caring forthem? Therefore, he's much more direct when it comes to Se Kyung in World B, doesn't hold back on showing that he cares. It's a nice change!

I 100% agree that Do Won had always deeply loved Se Kyung, though. For a thriller, Train somehow crafted a love story so astounding that I think I remember it more clearly than some other cut-and-dry rom-coms. Really impressive work from everyone!!

I know second-act breakups can be frustrating but for this drama it felt entirely necessary instead of contrived. Even as FL and ML were happy together there were cracks (imo mainly on Cha Soo Hyun's side, reluctance to tell Kim Jin Hyuk about her worries and fears) and there was a change after - Soo Hyun realizing that Jin Hyuk wanted to be by her side no matter what, and that her withdrawing before was akin to telling him she didn't trust him and ultimately the most hurtful. Resolved well too - Soo Hyun being the one to run to Jin Hyuk in the end. Really written very well, I enjoyed every bit of it!

A mezmerizing watch from beginning to end! I found it so calming and healing. Wonderful cinematagraphy and OST. Memorable, well-written characters, from the main cast down to the side characters. Rightfully focused entirely on the romance, with conflicts and obstacles (both internal and external) that made sense for both the characters & story.

I really liked that the relationship developed naturally without feeling rushed. You can tell that the ML and FL were taking this seriously, contemplating their feelings carefully, but still couldn't help but to be drawn to one another. A perfect example of how finding your right person can be truly magical, even fairytale-like. Ah, just literally makes me believe in love.

Really, bravo to the entire team!

I wish there was something a little more about the blue eyes - felt like a missed opportunity for symbolism, if not an extended plot point.

I really liked ML confronting the researcher in the greenhouse in the final episode. ML's question to the researcher ("Have you thought about your daughter while using another child?") specifically was on point. Their entire conversation laid out the tragedy of the story well - ML wanted to know more about the past but he did choose to take the job in the first place, and even though the researcher was avenging his family, he had lost the moral high ground a long time ago by ruthlessly threatening people he knew ML cared about. It's ironic, because the ML wanted to save the numbered children regardless, so I feel like the researcher didn't even need to really threaten ML like that. Just unessesary brutality.

"Why did ML leave the door to his secret base open/why was he so obvious that he was an assassin?:" I'm fairly certain (especially by the later episodes, after ML got the feeling FL figured him out,) ML had already accepted that he'd be caught and would either go to jail or die. Maybe it's a stretch, but I could argue that ML had already had a guilty conscience for a long time, I almost felt like he /wanted/ to be exposed, starting from after the two figured out their connection, (or even from when he intervened to save Seul Ki.) The last unsolved thread of his past - Lee Young Eun - was solved, so all that was left was ensuring no more people would get hurt. Perhaps not the most logical choice, but he was ready to die, so what can I say?

Seul Ki being the child that was rescued by the nanny was a neat way to tie things up. I liked the line that she was someone plenty of people sacrificed themselves for, so to please protect her and ensure her life was worth those sacrifices. Ending scene of FL letting the paper plane fly was nice as well. It's like finally, with the help of Hyun Jin, Soo Hyun can be free :)

Soo Hyun's death: could see it coming from the very start and really wanted a happy ending, but I also think it was necessary to conclude the story that way, even though it feels unjust. Nana's sorrow was so realistic, one of the best I've seen in a drama, I cried a river with her!

This drama had just the type of angsty romance I like so much: the one that ends before it could even truly start. The two never even held hands, but the audience is left knowing that something beautiful could've started if they had met under different circumstances, perhaps in a different life. Though the ML & FL's chemistry wasn't really fully explored (like it would've been in a rom-com, for example) the glimpses of it were very touching!

I quite liked how streamlined and focused this drama was. Scenes flowed together smoothly, and even though you may expect a "thriller" to have a faster pace, the slower development of Kill It worked really well for its story, in my opinion. Nice OST, helped by the fact that it was used sparingly.

I also believe that the better question to ask yourself when watching isn't "What happened?" - because many important developments are revealed to the audience relatively quickly & it's not that difficult to figure out - rather, it's "How will these characters react and what will they do next?" In that sense it's really not a whodunit, and I had a much better time watching once I put my attention on the characters, their thinking, and their emotions.

I started watching for Jang Ki Yong (Kim Soo Hyun) - really liked the restraint in this character - but ended up being especially impressed by the acting from Roh Jeong Eui (Seul Ki) as well as Nana (Do Hyun Jin). Seul Ki really tugged on my heartstrings by the end and her strong belief in ML's good character really stood out (espcially when FL was having doubts). She /is/ a child, after all, and shouldn't be forced to grow up more than she already has had to. I really liked Hyun Jin's character, and her directness (without being cold) + compassion (without being totally naive) was a breath of fresh air. Lee Jae Won as Phillip was also great, I wish we could've learned a little more about their friendship.

On certain plot points, character motivations, and the ending:

A good chunk of my experience watching this was thinking to myself "Why are the good guys so stupid!? Why is Hwi so trusting of his brother Kang?? Why does Hwi give Kang so many second chances? Is it just me that remembers how much danger everyone is in right now??" But eventually it sunk in that it's part of Hwi's character to be that trusting. Naive, sure, but he's just written to be that compassionate. Some part of him still wants to make up with his brother Kang. Eventually he learns to be stronger and wiser (shown particularly well in the last episode/epilouge, imo) and that's really nice.

The middle part of the drama felt slower-paced to me, but the moment when the ML and FL truly have a deeper conversation/made up was really nice. I was initially very confused as to why the ML and FL were having issues! They were together now, ML is alive, what is the problem? But the FL explained it well - even though Hwi had the right reasoning (undoubtedly, he wanted to shield Ja Hyun and everyone else he cared about) by leaving her in the dark, it hurt her more not knowing. And after she became more serious, FL is a capable person indeed, they had more success once ML and FL were truly working together. A very nice message, conveyed well.

Was pleasantly surprised by the great third act in this drama. I thought both the ML and FL had satisfying character development, even if it was a little delayed. I think this drama suffered a bit from repetiveness (flashbacks, etc), but I actually feel like it didn't really drag that much - there was quite a lot of plot/palace politics to cover. I particularly liked how they wrapped things up. Nice watch overall, nothing too taxing for the audience, and a sweet romance to match!

Well, I still believe that the drama has a fantastic OST, that's for sure. Really love the main one ("Comfort") so much.

I will post the rest as a spoiler because I don't want to clog up the comment section, but sure, here it is:

Some dramas are gritty and realistic. Some aren't, and instead invite the audience to indulge in some fantasy for a while - "suspension of disbelief." While you might expect a drama involving court cases to be as down to earth as possible, Your Honor isn't really a drama designed that way. That being said - If you can accept that there's some strange logic going on (like why does no one supect the switch when the ML is so obviously different? I think I eventually comforted myself by thinking that the older brother was so scary to work under that no one wanted to question his apparent change in behavior) I think this is definitely a worthwhile watch. In fiction, free from realism, one can explore things that wouldn't be possible in real life, and I think Your Honor does a good job in this aspect.

On the court cases, I was really pleasantly surprised by the uniqueness and realism of the results. Like - talking about the appeals process, about what type of evidence is admissble, what people wronged by the system can do - that's really alot deeper than I could've ever wished for.

The ML (not the judge, it's his petty criminal brother) is a really wacky and ridiculous character, totally unreasonable and childish in many ways - but that's the point, and he brings a refreshing sense of directness to the world of his judge brother. The ML is both written well and acted well - Yoon Shi-Yoon accomplishes the difficult task of playing a very exaggerated character while endearing himself to the audience over time.

I really liked this FL! I know some people thought she was annoying, but her idealism and optimism is an essential part of the story. I was especially happy to see this actress - I had seen her in The Lies Within, which she also did so wonderful on, but where she had a much more limited range of emotions to portray - so it was so nice to see her play this role. Lee Yoo Young is such a good actress. I rooted for her journey so much!

(Also, I'm usually not someone to care about chemistry that much but this couple? Absolutely spectacular. Something about them clicks just right, and my emotions went up and down with them when I was watching.)

I was worried there would be a lot of 2FL mistakes ML as his twin and the whole jealousy/drama surrounding that, but besides one scene, there wasn't a love triangle there - nice!!

The supporting actors were also really great. I hated the 2ML with the fire of a thousand suns - so kudos to the actor!! The side story of the judge older brother and the news anchor was much weaker, but I did like the little bits that we saw. Ending felt a tiny bit rushed, but I think it was also an ending that made sense.

100000/10 OST. One of the rare times where I remember each song!

Overall, a really lovely watch for me. There was something really warm and touching about the themes and messages in the story. It was a little out of my comfort zone in the beginning, but it was 100% worth finishing! These characters and their world will stay in my memory, I'm certain!

I did post a long comment a little later, if you did want to read it, scroll up! ;)

Long answer about the judge - The older brother made a ruling to sentence a defendant to death, in a case that was very complicated and deserved a more nuanced decision than that. The defendant ended up taking his own life - this was not directly the judge's fault, but the defendant's family saw it that way, and sought revenge. He was also either corrupt or very close to being corrupt - by the end of the drama he sees the error of his ways and resigns from his position to repent.

Long-ish answer about the twin acting as the judge - He experiences a lot of character growth. He falls hard for the FL and changes a lot as a person. It's really nice to see! He eventually returns to his ordinary life. It'll all unfold in the drama, it's probably better to watch than to read my attempt at an explanation.