Edited by Seo Hayne
Translated by Yu Jin Kim
Twinkling Watermelon unveils the tale of a musically gifted boy born into a deaf family, who ventures back in time to form a band with his father during his childhood. Meanwhile, the upcoming drama, The Story of Park’s Marriage Contract, weaves a narrative featuring a 19th-century girl and a 21st-century boy who enter into a contract marriage that transcends time and space. Time-traveling shows often provide viewers with a sense of vicarious satisfaction as the characters navigate their destinies by glimpsing the future and making corrections. Let’s explore five beloved time-slip romance dramas that have consistently captured the hearts of viewers.
Confession Couple (2017)
What if we could relive our dazzling twenties? Confession Couple explores this intriguing question by following the journey of a 38-year-old married couple who, after divorcing, are transported back to their 20-year-old college days. Ma Jin Joo (played by Jang Nara) is a full-time housewife, while Choi Ban Do (Son Ho Jun) is a team leader at a pharmaceutical firm. Their marriage is on shaky ground, headed for divorce. However, the unexpected happens – they find themselves in 1999 as 20-year-old college students with their married memories. As they go on a blind date where they once fell in love, they try to keep their distance from each other. The show weaves a heartwarming tale of romance as the two protagonists rediscover their feelings from the past, all while exploring themes of family love, particularly the relationship between Jin Joo and her mother and the yearning for family bonds.
Familiar Wife (2018)
Familiar Wife follows Cha Joo Hyuk (Ji Sung), an ordinary banker who’s given the opportunity to go back in time and change his life by selecting Seo Woo Jin (Han Ji Min) as his wife. Though the two were once deeply in love, Joo Hyuk is now consumed by his work, while Woo Jin is overwhelmed by her responsibilities at work and home. The drama realistically portrays the challenges faced by a married couple experiencing the seven-year itch, making the story highly relatable. In his second chance at life, Joo Hyuk chooses Lee Hye Won (Kang Han Na), his college junior, as his first love. The story unfolds with a series of tumultuous moments involving Joo Hyuk’s new wife, Hye Won, Woo Jin who enjoys her single life, and Joo Hyuk, as they all work at the same bank. Thanks to its intriguing premise and the passionate acting of Ji Sung and Han Ji Min, the drama received acclaim not only for its romantic elements but also for its office comedy.
See You in My 19th Life (2023)
See You in My 19th Life, based on a webtoon of the same name, is a fantasy romance drama that revolves around Ban Ji Eum. She has the unique ability to remember her previous lives and is on a quest to find the person she is destined to meet in this life: Moon Seo Ha. Ji Eum carries memories from her numerous past lives, all the way up to her 19th reincarnation. Her primary goal in her current life is to reunite with Seo Ha, her first and only love. With each reincarnation, she has acquired various skills from different occupations, which she now employs in her pursuit of Seo Ha. However, there’s one major obstacle to overcome – the past life that caused Seo Ha to close his heart. Directed by Lee Na Jung, known for works like Love Alarm and Fight for My Way, this drama offers a heartwarming romance that provides peace for those who have experienced the loss of their loved ones.
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My Perfect Stranger (2023)
My Perfect Stranger draws a special time travel between a man and a woman who get trapped in the year of 1987 for different reasons. The news anchor named Yoon Hae Joon (Kim Dong Wook) discovers a time machine car that can travel between the future and past by setting a specific year. He goes back to 1987 in order to stop his death, but gets stuck in that time with Baek Yoon Young (Jin Ki Joo), the chief editor at a publishing company, due to a sudden accident. Yoon Young strives to prevent her parents from meeting each other in order to save her mother. The two team up as they realize their goals are fundamentally connected to each other. The drama depicts the romance of Hae Joon and Yoon Young by intriguingly unfolding a mysterious serial murder case at its centerpiece.
A Time Called You (2023)
A Time Called You is a time-traveling romance that unfolds between 2023 and 1993, capturing both the heartwarming moments of school days and the heart-wrenching emotions of long-lasting love. Han Joon Hee (Jeon Yeo Been), who has been longing for her boyfriend who passed away a year ago, suddenly finds herself in the body of a high school student named Min Joo. There, she meets a boy named Nam Si Heon (Ahn Hyo Sup), who bears a striking resemblance to her deceased lover, and she strives to prevent a tragic event. The drama features a complex timeline, similar to its original series, but the timeless romance and a mysterious murder case add an extra layer of excitement to the story. One day, Joon Hee wakes up as Kwon Min Joo in 1998 after playing a mysterious cassette with the song “Gather My Tears,” originally sung by singer Seo Ji Won in 1996. The drama’s OSTs covered by NewJeans, Melonance’s Kim Min Seok, and Lim Kim have received positive reviews.
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Editor Seo Hayne: I like actors as they faithfully lead through their long running-time. I also like idols who accomplish everything on stage within 3 minutes.
