Once Again (Korean Series)

This show is backed by a very innovative and intriguing premise and plot. That combined with some genuine performances and a few sentimental moments, this series touches you at various points without going overboard. Sure, the pure science wizards would find all kinds of loopholes in this time travel story, and question the incoherently developed sudden romance, but despite that you won't be able to deny that the show touches you at a certain point with its honesty and wanting to do something new and different.

Back in 2007, a ten year old Jae Woo was walking back alone when a kidnapper tries to attack him. He is saved by a law student Ji Hoon, but gets stabbed by the kidnapper and dies. Fifteen years later, Jae Woo is now a university student in Seoul and has returned home on his break. He visits the cemetery to pay his respects to Ji Hoon, the hero who died saving his life. Jae Woo is visibly upset. He remains traumatized by the murder and still has nightmares about what happened that night. He tries to find the dormitory where Ji Hoon used to live and finds his room, which is completely empty, except a telephone on table. He picks up the phone pretending to talk to Ji Hoon and to his surprise someone actually answers the phone introducing himself as Ji Hoon. Shocked by this, he hangs up but revisits the dorm the next day. Ji Hoon answers the call from the year 2007. After realizing whom he is talking to, Jae Woo begins to sob. He runs out of the dormitory and sees Ji Hoon walking in flesh. It turns out that Jae Woo has been transported to 2007, a week before the murder happens. Jae Hoon now has to find a way to save Ji Hoon's life, so he joins the dormitory and befriends Ji Hoon. In hopes to stay close, after initial awkwardness, they become friends. But certain actions from Jae Woo, like confronting his younger self as a child, and also confronting the attacker a fe days before murder), makes Ji Hoon realize what is really happening but he doesn't let Jae Woo know. The du fall for each other in love under the most odd circumstances. Jae Woo wants to save Ji's life; but Ji decides to let the nature take its course but he does everything in his power to make sure that Jae Woo doesn't live a life of guilt for next 15 years.

With only 8 episodes of about 20 isa minutes each, the pacing of the series was well balanced. The way every episode would have a few scenes, and in the next episode, they would show what really happened between two scenes and would then show the connect was quite nice. The whole angle of when Jan Woo transports back in 2007, and how all the events connect together make for an intriguing watch. My biggest problem with the show is the romance. It builds out of nowhere. Jae Woo was a kid when this incident happens, so its very unlikely he fell in love at that point. I understand being guilty, but not love. Similarly, when Ji Hoon realizes what is actually going on, he also falls for Jae, which again felt very sudden and inexplicable. Coming to the basic idea of the story, as I mentioned before, the series never tackles the nuances of time travel (and thankfully I wasn't expecting it to), it take a simple approach which works to a certain extent. The way Jae Woo tries to prevent the murder seems odd also. At no point he has a proper plan. He has absolutely no plan and make impractical choices like going to the killer's home. Where the series score is its emotions and very sympathetic protagonists. You feel for Ji Hoon's situation and guilt, but why the hell the dup won't talk. Once Ji Hoon realizes what is going on, he could easily have shared it with Ji and the du could possible have worked something out together. The rushed romance with no flirtations and no build up feels jaded and unreal. 

Thankfully, the two actors playing the leads carry the show on their able shoulders and are dreamy couple. They are both gorgeous, act really well, had amazing chemistry and did their part really well. They are just let down by a poorly written romance. To enjoy this show, you will have to keep aside logic and brain and just watch the show with only emotions and heart. That way you may be able to connect with the show. If not, you will be stuck in fault finding melodrama, which won't be wrong, but at least I wasn't expecting anything top notch either. Overall, for me the show was nice, didn't feel stretched and was an interesting change for random university love stories. Only if the romance felt natural and more realistic, the show could easily have ranked much higher for me personally. (7/10)