Although by no means the best kdrama I’ve watched, About Time still holds a special place in my heart for being the first I ever saw. I stumbled on it purely by accident.
I signed up to Netflix early in 2022, mainly because the Russians had just invaded Ukraine and I was intrigued by Vlodomyr Zelenskyy. Who was this comedian who played a history teacher who becomes president in a satirical TV show, and then makes it happen in real life? And when Russia invades, tells the Americans who offer to evacuate him: “I don’t need a ride, I need ammunition.”
The first season of his show, Servant of the People, was on Youtube; the 2nd season also, but it had no subtitles, and I was very keen to see it, and knew it was on Netflix. So I signed up (decades after most people, but, you know, what’s the rush). Servant of the People is an extraordinary show, not only because life imitated art so powerfully, (and not only because its opening credits are so wonderful) but also for the insight into everyday life in a culture I knew nothing about. Of course, this is also one of the reasons kdramas are so appealing to me.
After I finished this show, I was a bit lost about where else to go on Netflix. I watched one American series, the Lincoln Lawyer, which was pretty good. But none of the other much-touted western shows grabbed me. I googled “best movies on Netflix” and one that was recommended was called About Time, a nice little British romantic comedy. I searched that on Netflix, and found “About Time” but when it opened up, it wasn’t what I’d anticipated… I didn’t really know what it was. But I dived in…. and haven’t been heard of since!
I’ll confess at this point how little I knew about Korea 20 months ago! I knew about the Japanese occupation and the comfort women, the Korean war and the division of the country, that it had a hi-tech economy. I knew there was kpop (none of which I’d heard, except for Gangnam Style), and kdrama, which I’d never seen. That was it. Oh, and the Kim dynasty and their military threats. So, not much.
Even my geography was vague. Down that Pacific coast of China, I knew there was Taiwan and Hongkong and Japan and Korea but I certainly wasn’t clear what order they were in. I sure am now. I can point out Jeju Island straight off too. And in 2022, I’d never heard of it.
When I first started watching About Time, I was confused. Was this Japanese? No, the programme notes revealed it was Korean. Ah, so this was kdrama. There were many things that struck me very quickly.
1) Not being used to Korean beauty standards, I was struck straight away by Lee Sung-kyung’s extraordinary doll-like beauty. I’d really never seen anything like her. She really held the camera. But she was no shrinking violet, or clothes horse — she was the heroine and she had charisma, dignity and agency.
2) I was confused by the tone of the thing. Was it aimed at teenagers, I asked myself? There was an atmosphere, a way of people relating, that felt really unusual to me, slightly child-like or naïve. Or maybe lacking in western-style irony/cynicism.
3) What I now know as kdrama cliches were quite fresh and exciting to me:
* the hitting (all by women) which shocked me (I don’t doubt Korea is just as full of male-on-female domestic violence as anywhere else in the world, but the very specific hitting and kicking of their menfolk by kdrama women just does my head in)
* the toxic chaebol family,
* the sexless love affair which had me really confused about what sort of relationship it really was,
* the bowing and bullying and harsh hierarchy
* the razor-edge fashion (particularly on Im Se-mi)
* the childhood connection of the lead characters
* the female lead diving into the water and rescuing the male lead who makes no effort to save himself and just drifts helplessly downward
* noble idiocy – in particular the passive-aggressive kind where you don’t even say “I’m leaving you for your own good” – rather you’re just mean and rejecting and lie through your teeth
* and, very powerfully: the intense and unabashed romanticism.
The romanticism was beguiling to me, partly because it was so un-ironic – there was a purity to it. Not because the characters were pure in any sense, but because the intent was not to mock it. I was astounded by scenes which would close episode after episode, of Choi Mika and Lee Do-ha just gazing into each other’s eyes – and that tableau would be frozen on the screen and little hearts and birdies would be fluttering round the edge of the picture (well, almost!). And the music would swell. And then we’d get four different camera angles of the same.
The first time I saw this sort of scene (and of course there were many of them), I didn’t know whether to laugh (from my cynical western perspective) or sigh with pleasure. I probably did a bit of both. And not only the romanticism, but the words to express romantic feelings were quite new to me – “making my heart flutter”, “staying by my side”. And how “I like you” actually means “I really really LIKE you”.
As a drama, About Time is not one of the greats. One critic put it on her list of the worst kdramas of all time. That’s unfair. Though the bit near the start where the action is diverted to some holiday resort in China is pretty tiresome. And I have little interest in the kind of bland musical theatre which is central to the plot.
But I loved the introduction to the kdrama world, and to Korean life (though of course, I could not tell how realistic a portrayal it was); I thought Lee Sung-kyung was great (which led me to Weightlifting Fairy, and from there to follow Nam Joo-hyuk to his other dramas, and on and on…).
I was also introduced to a couple of other actors who I have really enjoyed in the many places they’ve popped up: Jung Moon-sung, who plays Lee Do-ha’s dying half brother; and also Kim Hae-sook, who plays her vivacious older friend Lady Oh.
Those two in particular are wonderful in Hospital Playlist, Jung Moon-sung as the much put-upon, but loveable resident doctor who is a gorgeous foil to the icy Jung Kyung-ho. And Kim Hae-sook as the irascible matriarch, desperate that her youngest and best son won’t be stolen by God, like all the others!
It was interesting to me to discover that the way I watched About Time would become something of a pattern. I watch about a third of a show, then get bored and irritated at the meandering progression of the story and go and watch something else. Then I come back and watch the whole show again and enjoy it a lot more. I need time to commit to characters, but once I do, I can watch a show two or three times.
Anyway, thank you, About Time, for showing me the way…
Thank you for sharing, what an interesting road to K-drama story. The timing was perfect as I was trying to remember the name of this drama to link to the drama mentioned in the news item about the girl with a week to live.
I watched this a while ago too and was fascinated by the fantasy element.
The fantasy element really drove her, didn’t it. What a burden and a curse, to have that knowledge of, not only your own, but everyone else’s lifespan. But it also gave her a great deal of empathy too. Putting aside the noble idiocy, I thought she was a character with a lot of dignity.
Right? My first drama was My Love From Another Star, and it will forever be special to me. What’s super weird is thinking that I’ve been watching dramas for close to 10 years now then- I’ve spent years feeling like a relative newcomer to dramas, and now I have a watchlist that reaches back to shows from 2011 (I have a few from before then but only one for each 2007 2009 2010)
Thank you for sharing your K-drama initiation. In retrospect and with a bit more K-dramas under your belt how is your experience now. Did you ever rewatch About Time.
Yes, I’ve rewatched it more than once!
There are so many things I could say about my experience now, because I think about it a LOT, and it is constantly evolving. Here’s a few snippets:
1) I recall, back before I knew many of the actors, that I was watching Itaewon Class at the same time as What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, and had NO IDEA the lead actors were the same. Take a bow, Park Seo Joon!
2) I’m very happy for dramas to use the familiar tropes, as long as they do so with economy, style and purpose. Eg, drinking sessions can be hilarious and/or revealing, but relentless heavy drinking is boring.
3) I still feel uncomfortable about dropping shows — many shows I have started and left, but do plan to go back to.
4) I had a major crush on JCW, but it’s kind of fading now. Which is good because I can evaluate him better now. I still think Healer is the only role he really “disappears” into (likewise Lee Min-ho as Gu Jun-pyo) — I don’t see the actor, I just see the character. But that show was very special in so many ways. I often worry that I’m liking male actors and characters more than female. But then I think, well maybe that’s because I’m a woman who likes men! But is it because there are fewer good well-written female roles? That’s another big tick for Healer — Park Min-young and Kim Mi-kyung both have brilliantly written and delivered characters.
5) I’m fascinated by the role of the military in Sth Korean life, and how the biggest most cosseted male stars still have to do their service.
6) It takes a lot of emotional effort for me to commit to a new show, to allow the characters to grab me. When they grab me fast, I’m very grateful. Two that grabbed me very fast were Lee Jong-suk in W: 2 Worlds, and Yoo Seung-ho in I am not a Robot.
7) I don’t tend to watch live. There’s still so much back catalogue just waiting for me. I have a big watch list.
That’s so nice you’re enjoying K-dramas at your own pace.
1) Aura counts for something! Yes it is indeed as if he’s a different character.
2) Absolutely, tropes add to the sense of familiarity but too much drinking, toxic parents, bullying are a no-no.
3) A rule of thumb is “Are you having fun!“. If your answer is No then I’d say it’s safe to drop the drama. 😅 No pressure, no judgement. If it doesn’t vibe with you don’t force yourself to hate watch or be uncomfortable or unhappy in any way while watching.
4) Hehehe, I’m still starry-eyed over Wookie.
Since K-dramas are usually written by women I find a lot of strong women characters in dramas.
5) They all take it very seriously which is really awesome.
6) I’m so happy for you. Hope you enjoy your K-drama journey as well as your Beanie life.
Kas61
January 28, 2024 at 9:11 PM
About Time
Although by no means the best kdrama I’ve watched, About Time still holds a special place in my heart for being the first I ever saw. I stumbled on it purely by accident.
I signed up to Netflix early in 2022, mainly because the Russians had just invaded Ukraine and I was intrigued by Vlodomyr Zelenskyy. Who was this comedian who played a history teacher who becomes president in a satirical TV show, and then makes it happen in real life? And when Russia invades, tells the Americans who offer to evacuate him: “I don’t need a ride, I need ammunition.”
The first season of his show, Servant of the People, was on Youtube; the 2nd season also, but it had no subtitles, and I was very keen to see it, and knew it was on Netflix. So I signed up (decades after most people, but, you know, what’s the rush). Servant of the People is an extraordinary show, not only because life imitated art so powerfully, (and not only because its opening credits are so wonderful) but also for the insight into everyday life in a culture I knew nothing about. Of course, this is also one of the reasons kdramas are so appealing to me.
After I finished this show, I was a bit lost about where else to go on Netflix. I watched one American series, the Lincoln Lawyer, which was pretty good. But none of the other much-touted western shows grabbed me. I googled “best movies on Netflix” and one that was recommended was called About Time, a nice little British romantic comedy. I searched that on Netflix, and found “About Time” but when it opened up, it wasn’t what I’d anticipated… I didn’t really know what it was. But I dived in…. and haven’t been heard of since!
I’ll confess at this point how little I knew about Korea 20 months ago! I knew about the Japanese occupation and the comfort women, the Korean war and the division of the country, that it had a hi-tech economy. I knew there was kpop (none of which I’d heard, except for Gangnam Style), and kdrama, which I’d never seen. That was it. Oh, and the Kim dynasty and their military threats. So, not much.
Even my geography was vague. Down that Pacific coast of China, I knew there was Taiwan and Hongkong and Japan and Korea but I certainly wasn’t clear what order they were in. I sure am now. I can point out Jeju Island straight off too. And in 2022, I’d never heard of it.
When I first started watching About Time, I was confused. Was this Japanese? No, the programme notes revealed it was Korean. Ah, so this was kdrama. There were many things that struck me very quickly.
1) Not being used to Korean beauty standards, I was struck straight away by Lee Sung-kyung’s extraordinary doll-like beauty. I’d really never seen anything like her. She really held the camera. But she was no shrinking violet, or clothes horse — she was the heroine and she had charisma, dignity and agency.
2) I was confused by the tone of the thing. Was it aimed at teenagers, I asked myself? There was an atmosphere, a way of people relating, that felt really unusual to me, slightly child-like or naïve. Or maybe lacking in western-style irony/cynicism.
3) What I now know as kdrama cliches were quite fresh and exciting to me:
* the hitting (all by women) which shocked me (I don’t doubt Korea is just as full of male-on-female domestic violence as anywhere else in the world, but the very specific hitting and kicking of their menfolk by kdrama women just does my head in)
* the toxic chaebol family,
* the sexless love affair which had me really confused about what sort of relationship it really was,
* the bowing and bullying and harsh hierarchy
* the razor-edge fashion (particularly on Im Se-mi)
* the childhood connection of the lead characters
* the female lead diving into the water and rescuing the male lead who makes no effort to save himself and just drifts helplessly downward
* noble idiocy – in particular the passive-aggressive kind where you don’t even say “I’m leaving you for your own good” – rather you’re just mean and rejecting and lie through your teeth
* and, very powerfully: the intense and unabashed romanticism.
The romanticism was beguiling to me, partly because it was so un-ironic – there was a purity to it. Not because the characters were pure in any sense, but because the intent was not to mock it. I was astounded by scenes which would close episode after episode, of Choi Mika and Lee Do-ha just gazing into each other’s eyes – and that tableau would be frozen on the screen and little hearts and birdies would be fluttering round the edge of the picture (well, almost!). And the music would swell. And then we’d get four different camera angles of the same.
The first time I saw this sort of scene (and of course there were many of them), I didn’t know whether to laugh (from my cynical western perspective) or sigh with pleasure. I probably did a bit of both. And not only the romanticism, but the words to express romantic feelings were quite new to me – “making my heart flutter”, “staying by my side”. And how “I like you” actually means “I really really LIKE you”.
As a drama, About Time is not one of the greats. One critic put it on her list of the worst kdramas of all time. That’s unfair. Though the bit near the start where the action is diverted to some holiday resort in China is pretty tiresome. And I have little interest in the kind of bland musical theatre which is central to the plot.
But I loved the introduction to the kdrama world, and to Korean life (though of course, I could not tell how realistic a portrayal it was); I thought Lee Sung-kyung was great (which led me to Weightlifting Fairy, and from there to follow Nam Joo-hyuk to his other dramas, and on and on…).
I was also introduced to a couple of other actors who I have really enjoyed in the many places they’ve popped up: Jung Moon-sung, who plays Lee Do-ha’s dying half brother; and also Kim Hae-sook, who plays her vivacious older friend Lady Oh.
Those two in particular are wonderful in Hospital Playlist, Jung Moon-sung as the much put-upon, but loveable resident doctor who is a gorgeous foil to the icy Jung Kyung-ho. And Kim Hae-sook as the irascible matriarch, desperate that her youngest and best son won’t be stolen by God, like all the others!
It was interesting to me to discover that the way I watched About Time would become something of a pattern. I watch about a third of a show, then get bored and irritated at the meandering progression of the story and go and watch something else. Then I come back and watch the whole show again and enjoy it a lot more. I need time to commit to characters, but once I do, I can watch a show two or three times.
Anyway, thank you, About Time, for showing me the way…
Midnight
January 28, 2024 at 10:16 PM
This was so beautifully written and expressed. Thank you for a lovely read.
Kas61
January 28, 2024 at 11:17 PM
Thank you so much…. and I’m so glad that it happened!
cozybooks
January 28, 2024 at 10:29 PM
This is so lovely- thanks for sharing your kdrama rabbithole journey with us 🙂
Kas61
January 28, 2024 at 11:18 PM
Thanks! It was a complete accident… I tripped and fell down that rabbit hole.
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
January 28, 2024 at 11:51 PM
Thank you for sharing, what an interesting road to K-drama story. The timing was perfect as I was trying to remember the name of this drama to link to the drama mentioned in the news item about the girl with a week to live.
I watched this a while ago too and was fascinated by the fantasy element.
Kas61
January 29, 2024 at 12:14 AM
The fantasy element really drove her, didn’t it. What a burden and a curse, to have that knowledge of, not only your own, but everyone else’s lifespan. But it also gave her a great deal of empathy too. Putting aside the noble idiocy, I thought she was a character with a lot of dignity.
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦆❤️🦆
January 29, 2024 at 3:15 AM
Lovely! Thank you for sharing 😊 I think our first dramas will always be special to us ❤️
cozybooks
January 29, 2024 at 7:36 AM
Right? My first drama was My Love From Another Star, and it will forever be special to me. What’s super weird is thinking that I’ve been watching dramas for close to 10 years now then- I’ve spent years feeling like a relative newcomer to dramas, and now I have a watchlist that reaches back to shows from 2011 (I have a few from before then but only one for each 2007 2009 2010)
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦆❤️🦆
January 29, 2024 at 2:46 PM
How cool – you have a great drama history!!
Kas61
January 29, 2024 at 12:46 PM
There really is something about the first drama — whatever its flaws, there was something in it that made us want more!
HopefulRomantic 🦋 Tigermoth 🦆❤️🦆
January 29, 2024 at 2:45 PM
Yes exactly!! 👏
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
January 29, 2024 at 7:58 AM
Thank you for sharing your K-drama initiation. In retrospect and with a bit more K-dramas under your belt how is your experience now. Did you ever rewatch About Time.
Kas61
January 29, 2024 at 1:32 PM
Yes, I’ve rewatched it more than once!
There are so many things I could say about my experience now, because I think about it a LOT, and it is constantly evolving. Here’s a few snippets:
1) I recall, back before I knew many of the actors, that I was watching Itaewon Class at the same time as What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, and had NO IDEA the lead actors were the same. Take a bow, Park Seo Joon!
2) I’m very happy for dramas to use the familiar tropes, as long as they do so with economy, style and purpose. Eg, drinking sessions can be hilarious and/or revealing, but relentless heavy drinking is boring.
3) I still feel uncomfortable about dropping shows — many shows I have started and left, but do plan to go back to.
4) I had a major crush on JCW, but it’s kind of fading now. Which is good because I can evaluate him better now. I still think Healer is the only role he really “disappears” into (likewise Lee Min-ho as Gu Jun-pyo) — I don’t see the actor, I just see the character. But that show was very special in so many ways. I often worry that I’m liking male actors and characters more than female. But then I think, well maybe that’s because I’m a woman who likes men! But is it because there are fewer good well-written female roles? That’s another big tick for Healer — Park Min-young and Kim Mi-kyung both have brilliantly written and delivered characters.
5) I’m fascinated by the role of the military in Sth Korean life, and how the biggest most cosseted male stars still have to do their service.
6) It takes a lot of emotional effort for me to commit to a new show, to allow the characters to grab me. When they grab me fast, I’m very grateful. Two that grabbed me very fast were Lee Jong-suk in W: 2 Worlds, and Yoo Seung-ho in I am not a Robot.
7) I don’t tend to watch live. There’s still so much back catalogue just waiting for me. I have a big watch list.
🌸 Cera (@Seeker) 🌸
January 29, 2024 at 2:02 PM
That’s so nice you’re enjoying K-dramas at your own pace.
1) Aura counts for something! Yes it is indeed as if he’s a different character.
2) Absolutely, tropes add to the sense of familiarity but too much drinking, toxic parents, bullying are a no-no.
3) A rule of thumb is “Are you having fun!“. If your answer is No then I’d say it’s safe to drop the drama. 😅 No pressure, no judgement. If it doesn’t vibe with you don’t force yourself to hate watch or be uncomfortable or unhappy in any way while watching.
4) Hehehe, I’m still starry-eyed over Wookie.
Since K-dramas are usually written by women I find a lot of strong women characters in dramas.
5) They all take it very seriously which is really awesome.
6) I’m so happy for you. Hope you enjoy your K-drama journey as well as your Beanie life.
Kas61
January 31, 2024 at 2:12 PM
Damn — I can’t watch About Time again, as Netflix have dropped it!