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MattPeddlesden

Kent, UK

MattPeddlesden

Kent, UK
A Time Called You korean drama review
Completed
A Time Called You
1 people found this review helpful
by MattPeddlesden
Oct 1, 2023
12 of 12 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 9.5
Story 10.0
Acting/Cast 10.0
Music 10.0
Rewatch Value 8.0

Possibly my top drama watched this year?

I absolutely love Time Travel stories, they more often than not get some aspect of the time travel cause and effect loop wrong, or don't fully respect it and use it only when it benefits them, but when a Time Travel drama gets it right it scores a platinum - and this one such drama.

Based on a Taiwanese drama (Some day or One day) which i have not watched (nor was aware of) this is the Korean retelling of that story. I can't judge it for how similar or different it is, so I won't, i'm just looking at this from a "I watched this, this is what I think" perspective.

The writing on this is absolutely some of the best i've seen. At 12 episodes, it is allowed to keep a good pace throughout without ever feeling drawn out. It twists and turns, but it all makes sense and you'll find every episode opening your eyes and making you click "next episode" just that little bit faster. The back and forth on this one, the way that time travel is knitted throughout the story is just beautiful in execution.

The romance is fantastic too and the two leads are great - but specifically I want to call out the female lead, Jeon Yeo Been, who so beautifully portrays two different characters - the outgoing Jun Hee from 2023, and the shy quiet Min Ju from 1998, you can easily tell them apart even from the way that they walk.

I will say, if you're someone who needs to understand the "how" of something like this, you're going to find this a 1/10 drama, because really - there is no explanation for something that can't be understood at this point in time by us such as Time Travel, so I kinda appreciate it when writers don't try to dazzle us with science or fantasy and just ask us to "sit down, relax, and enjoy the story". Many of the best sci-fi elements tweak something and explore the outcome of it without needing to explain how that tweak was possible. Remember, Magic is Science that you don't yet understand, just enjoy the magic.

I related a lot to the portrayal of the loneliness of Min Ju as well, simply not understanding how to integrate with everyone else, being the outcast and loner, I relate to that far more than I even realised and particularly in the closing episodes it home really hard. and it helped me understand her character and motivations even more.

There aren't many dramas that have had this much of an effect on me emotionally to be honest, the last time I can think of a drama having me a-buzz like this was "The Light in Your Eyes" (2019) with Han Ji Min which was also alluding to be a Time Travel theme as well.

Music is good, lots of time spent in 1998 so some nice old scenes and music to listen to.

I won't go into any more detail, you just need to go on this journey for yourself and enjoy it.

As to the ending - in my opinion, it's perfect. Just exactly what's needed and not a drop more, and i'll leave it there :)
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