Kairos (2020)

Another time travel drama with a messed up plot ( and with an out of context/wrong title).

Let's start with the title.
Kairos ( it is read as keros) translates in Modern Greek language as weather and in Ancient Greek language as a time period / a frame of time. It is meant to be used for something longer than one minute. Two months, three months, the Summer, the Winter etc.

By the time that the plot of this series is based on the protagonists' communication that takes place in one minute's time frame, it would have been better to be used as a title the word Stigmi which means Moment, or Hronos that means Time and not the word Kairos in its ancient meaning. It is not considered as Kairos that one minute between 10:33 and 10:34 that they are able to communicate.

Stigmi now comes from the word Stigma which means spot. Stigmi is a spot in Time, a moment in time, a minute for example .
Hronos is also a very valid word, and translates as Time.

As a Greek language speaker the first thing that I thought when I saw the title was that this is some sort of environmental disaster drama. lol Then after watching the first episode I realized that this was an alternative time drama but the title didn't make sense to me either way as one minute is not such a long time to be considered as kairos.

As I predicted, very early on and after watching this drama up until its conclusion, the writers messed up completely the time lines. as they have done after all in many other time travel/alternative time line dramas including Signal, Tunnel, Sisyphus: The Myth, etc.

And that obviously happened because it is almost impossible not to have a "paradox" when you deal with time travel story plot, as any alterations on the past mean alterations on all possible alternative versions of the future which means in its turn, that the writers have to keep detailed notes and track of the story plot on multiple time lines.

Something that as we have realized by now THEY DON'T BOTHER TO DO! lol

As in many other time travel dramas, the writers of Kairos, lost completely the plot.
And I in my turn, lost completely my interest when the protagonists started to remember events that they had not actually taken place in the time line that they were actually living in.

( spoilers below)

How could Seo Jin f.e remember that he saw his wife with her lover and his child in the country villa by the time that at this time line he was killed? As a living person on an alternative time line, it was impossible to have any memory of this event, as some sort of deja vu because he himself was canceled in that time line.
It did make sense that he got some extra altered memories whenever he had already lived an event in the past, that was related with the time line he was living in in the present, but it was impossible to have any kind of memories in the present, if the time line that the past event occurred had been already canceled ( along with himself). lol
In other words the living Seo Jin wouldn't been able to remember his own murder!

Such kind of paradoxes and illogical plot twists were repeated again and again in this drama, creating a mess between the time lines and making the characters looking like they were either amnesiacs or like the had some sort of clairvoyance. And that because there were scenes that they didn't remember things that they should have remembered while on other scenes happened the exact opposite. There were events that they shouldn't know but they ended up knowing for unknown metaphysical reasons!


The acting was great, the production excellent but Kairos is another time travel drama with a messed -very messed up - plot.
6/10 of me just for the sake of the good acting and production.

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Kairos: An opportune time for action.

Kairos, a blend of realism and fiction with an awesome take on timeslips.
The drama takes place around the lives of Kim Seo Jin and Han Ae Ri played by Shin Sung Rok and Lee Se Young respectively, and their drive to constantly change the detrimental future that they continue to face in the hands of time.

Starting off, the performances from the first episode to the last are not to be missed. In terms of quality acting from both main leads, supporting roles, and extras, this drama does not miss a beat. The compelling takes from each actor do not go unnoticed, especially Shin Sung Rok who I did not expect to wow me in terms of how he portrayed the grief and anxiety of a father, a husband, and also a friend. Lee See Young who is not new to the action genre definitely exuded growth as an actor and Ah Bo Hyun who was introduced to a new setting for me in this kind of character, I think he definitely nailed the most important parts of the drama.

The storyline however unfortunately is not as compelling as the performances. I say this coming from a view of repetition. A lot of scenarios and outcomes throughout the drama felt very unvaried in terms of how they would react to the same problem or the reactions they faced when entering a new timeline of issues. I could try to see the view of how it was meant to be taken by the audience. I believe they wanted to express the change of emotions from different characters and not necessarily the actions of the main leads. It was very evident from how different characters stepped onto the main screen when some results were reoccurring. I also believe some reactions within the earlier moments when the main leads met each other were very humane which you don't often see in a lot of fantasy/action dramas. it engaged viewers; very simple but genius.

The cinematography was awesome as well as the effort of the director, I found it amazing at the scene sequencing and the placement of every reaction at every given time and place in the drama. It was beautiful, there was no scene or moment that was left unwrapped which I find common in a lot of dramas in this genre. I loved the big prints of the title I thought it was new and almost cinematic and the use of different filters -rather than the way it would appear in dramas of this genre- when depicting different timelines, was top-notch quality

Overall, the drama was very engaging and if you have not watched it I suggest you do! it's a lot of fun and there are moments of good comic relief so it doesn't just run through on a dark pace if the storyline doesn't keep you going the performances will. So if you're thinking of watching it, WATCH IT!

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THIS DRAMA IS WORTH IT AND LOWER RATINGS DON'T DO JUSTICE!

This drama is really intense and intriguing ! After every episode you will wonder what is going to happen next!
It is true that there is this 'call from the future' part similar to the drama Signal . If you have watched Signal and liked it, you might like this as well. I find this drama even more intense and fast paced than Signal.

The lower ratings don't do justice for real. For anyone who is seeking a a romcom or romance between the leads may be disappointed. However the leads have a good chemistry and we don't know yet if there will be sparks in the future. XD ( I would love that)
I binged watched 8 episodes ( i don't usually binge watch like that these days, but it was hard to stop) then I had to wait for the 9th episode---IT WAS HARD TO WAIT!

Give this is a shot if you like intense dramas or thrillers, you will love it.

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This drama is good..if you watch in 2x speed!

If you're into time travel, this was a solid show that offers exactly that concept. Personally, I found the constant back and forth and calling every night over the phone redundant and confusing at times since I have to remember what that character did in that timeline, but the production team does a great job in contrasting the colors and also including the date on the side of the screen for us.

The pace is super slow for the first 10 eps. Yes, 10 eps too many. There was too many unnecessary slowww scenes and back and forth. A lot of the drama could have been avoided if they were smart about certain things, and while you may tell me "but that's why this drama exist!", I will tell you I have seen dramas where the plot is just solid and doesn't have me annoyed at all these plot holes! How hard is it to straight up just say what you want to say on the phone instead of saying "There is one thing I must do. I have something to say." You have one minute on the phone and you really want to drag it. Now imagine this happening for 10 episodes.

The mom was the most aggravating character due to her constant running away to protect her daughter bs, and the female lead wasn't the smartest. Good thing the mom and daughter both redeem themselves towards the end. Once it reaches episode 11, everything starts pacing really well. I particularly enjoyed the action! It got me making frowns and on the edge of my seat without even knowing it.

The cast is phenomenal, and I would like to give a shoutout to the side villain who be doing the most and the girl best friend. Her expressions and crying felt so real! The mom's acting was phenomenal too.

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the best thriller of 2020

Short and sweet review — but first. Wow ... I’m in awe for how amazing this kdrama is, came to write a review as soon as I finished it and oof I have a lot of good things to say.

This drama dealt with time-travel similar to “Signal” but cleverly did it, in a way for viewers to still follow along with the characters and the plot (something TKEM didn’t do *cough cough*), you’re rooting for the protagonists like crazy through this drama because SHOCKINGLY, the villains are actually worth your time, and the amount of twists per episode were done so well, you can’t forget what happens in the previous episodes.

I really have to commend the flow and pacing of this drama as well, thrillers are supposed to have good pacing, that’s how thrills are enhanced and we as viewers find out more intricate things about the characters and the overall plot, I can tell you right now, you won’t have a problem with awkward cuts or “off character” motives, everyone has a part to play. Even characters you might hate at the beginning, you’ll end up feeling sympathy for in the end.

I lastly have to commend the cast for their amazing acting performances, in particular Shin Sung Rok and Lee Se Young as the ML & FL respectively. They did a fantastic job of portraying their characters, and honestly now that I look back, I can’t see anyone else playing them, they were just so good. However don’t look for romance between the two, with the amount of crap they had to go through, they did NOT have time for that lollll

If you’re a thriller guy/gal this drama will definitely be up your street, what holds it’s high rating I assure you are the acting performances, a well written ending, and a story that will tug at your heart strings till the very end :)

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Best Thriller

This year had so many great drama each drama just gets better and better. When i first started watching i didn't quite like it the first episode but after hearing so many good review gave it a try and have to say the drama got better and better with each episode.

This has to be one of the best thriller I have seen this year.

The cast was amazing with a great acting. They each portrayed their roles so well. I could feel their emotions and their helplessness and their frustrations.

The story line was easy to follow. There was no confusion about past and present as the drama had the dates so it was easy to identify. They answered all of the question and every plot they took from the start to end they finished it so nicely.

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System says it's a 4.5

I'm not gonna insult ppl that thought this was amazing. To me as someone who's seen alot of time benders and "corruption", I knew everything from ep 1. One literally just needs to see certain actors or characters and know what's up. Tho ML here is usually the villain xD

When the limping kidnapper appeared I told my mom, he's forced into it
When old CEO came I told my mom he's the villain
When 2ml came I told my mom, he'll be the soft villain
When 2fl died I told my mom, she's probably lying
When the kid died I told my mom it's a scheme

Now one would think I'm spoiling it for my mom who was watching it with me, but I was actually throwing safety anchors so she didn't get lost xD
When everything was revealed, mom didn't go "dang you told me so" she was like ah

I had more fun cuz I watched it with my mom but this was a trash plot. Every death, murder, hindrance happened just so the future needed to call the past. And honestly everything was too connected to 2 sets of villains, 2FL, 2ML, Driver and CEO.. driver was too involved in everything, tho I'd assume they didn't want new face every time someone was dead or being killed

The past connecting them all.. the dads.. honestly why do all writers do the same conflict? Murder ppl for money, have someone try to reveal it, Murder them, then have their kids do everything, and boom last ep everything is solved


FL is a horrible actress. Not to be mistaken as a horrible person. She just can't act. She's loud. Obnoxious. Cries so loudly and she cries often.
Her character here especially. She was a murderer that was given a 2nd chance. Half way through she started cursing at future ML who was actually dead/erased/rest and blamed him for going to jail. When he literally saved her from the death raw
ML was stubborn as a mule. The writers didn't want the 2 meeting in one timeline so they kept killing fl in the future, but past ML just didn't want to listen when future ML could've given him better evidence to believe FL
2FL literally could've just gotten a divorce
2ML could've sent 2fl's dad to prison then left


Anyway this was a train wreck

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Too good to be true

many a drama throughout the year have dabbled into the time travel, fantasy genres and everytime i was left feeling with want for more, every drama felt incomplete. due to some loopholes, general plot ambiguity and many things left unexplained.
kairos is not that drama.
every detail of the plot, of the time and space mechanics and just how the memories and time travel worked in the drama world were so thoroughly explained. the plot was relatively simple, not the likes of Secret Forest or other crime thrillers, but it was definitely gripping enough to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the ride. the writing was INCREDIBLE, my love for all the characters and just how they were brought together is so much omooo.
the post production and the cinematography. MY GOODNESS, PERFECT. every episode started with KAIROS flashing across the screen and everytime i was in AWE, of just how well done the drama is down to the tinie tiniest details. from the parallels between the two times, the colour grading, the clock, the phone calls, EVERYTHING WAS DONE JUST PERFECTLY. TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE MAN. IT WAS FLAWLESS.

definitely not for someone whos looking for something lighthearted and with romance, KAIROS only gives you the thrills and chills, with some wholesome family feels every so often. not a lot. uff. will definitely keep coming back to this. amazing. so good man. the acting, the cast, literally everything about it was so good.

must watch for my crime thriller fans out there. 2020 has been a legendary year for dramas. too good man. kudos to the writer and the whole production team for topping off this incredible year with something so truly epic. too good to be true.

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Amazing!

I have never written reviews before but for this series I had to! I really like the subject of time travel so I decided to give this a try and I was blown away. Something that always kills a drama or movie for me is super dumb characters where a fact is so obviously in front of them but they just fail to see it just because it's too early in the drama. But in this drama I was so surprised to see the MCs are ACTUALLY smart and so badass!(90% of the time which is a lot lol) The story is really nice and you get engaged in it with the main characters! The subject of time travel is so hard to turn out good, but imo this drama pulled it off in the best way! IT'S DEFINITELY NOT like the movies where just a bunch of complicating things mix up in each other and at the end you will be like "but that doesn't make any sense!" Anything the MCs do WILL change time!

A MUST WATCH!

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CLASSIC THRILLER WORTH TO WATCH!!!!!

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the news somewhere about Shin Sung Rok, Lee Se Young and Ahn Bo Hyun as casts in a new drama, but I’ve never really pay attention to it, never was I interested in watching this drama. Hear me out, the writer, the casts (main and supporting) , the plot, the storyline, the everything there's no slip at all, and they say nothing is perfect but I think Kairos is perfect, at least a 99.9% perfection. Because the tight plot, fast plot and to the point of the story. Music is on point for the genre, I guarantee that every episode will always make you tense, goosebumps and want to know what really happened. The last few episodes have an incredible plot twist. not unexpected. It's a classic drama in its style: thriller and suspense 100%.

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Don't sleep on this!

For time travel fans, Kairos is just what is needed to cleanse the palette after Alice's disappointing run last season. It's a mystery thriller with heartwarming relationships and a story that's not as it seems at first glance. The story takes place in 2 timelines, 31 days apart from one another. In the future, we follow Kim Seo Jin, a well-off director of Taejung Construction whose daughter is kidnapped and who feels like the world is falling to pieces around him. In the past, Han Ae Ri is a woman working part-time jobs to save up money for her mother's surgery. But when her mother goes missing from the hospital, she doesn't know where to turn.

For just 1 minute every night at 10:33pm, they are able to interact with one another across time. They use this advantage to try to stop the tragedy that's struck their lives and to solve the dilemmas that they both face. But this drama wouldn't be a contender for one of the best of the year if that was the only storyline. As we go further into the story, we realize that everything is intertwined.

Kairos is masterfully told. Everything fits together perfectly, everything has a reason and a purpose. The writers did an amazing job tying everything together and created a solid plot. You don't get that kind of writing much. It's not often I walk out of a drama feeling as satisfied as I do now. I loved the characters, I loved the story and the themes, and Shin Sung Rok's brilliant performance reaffirmed his acting skills yet again. I can't recommend it enough.

Nothing is perfect, though, and I do have a few gripes. Without spoilers, I can't go into detail. But like every other time-related story I've ever watched, there are logical inconsistencies with the time travel. While the plot is solid and well-woven, there are holes in the sci-fi aspect of the show. I know most people don't expect time travel dramas to make much sense, but for anyone who does, there is one aspect of the time travel in this that might get under your skin. Spoilers, can't say what, but you'll know when you see it. The second problem I had with the story was the wife. Her backstory, in particular, and some of the plot surrounding her. It didn't make much sense and felt entirely out of place whenever it was brought up, almost silly. Her side story did not fit into the plot at all. It felt like I was watching a skit off to the side while waiting for the main actors to come back to the scene, and sometimes it was enough to take me out of the story. But these things aside, Kairos is wonderful. The cast is amazing. The music, while nothing memorable, fits into the story perfectly. It's a tense, suspenseful tale of family and corruption and everything in between, and I loved every moment of it.

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