THE SHORT VERDICT:
A time travel tale that is engaging, absorbing and tightly written.
It took me a couple of episodes to get completely sucked in, but when I did get sucked in, boy did I get sucked in good. Serving up twists and turns that literally keep you on the edge of your seat (and perhaps your sense of sanity too), Nine is thought-provoking, intense and really rather addictive. The dramatic tension flags in a few spots, but overall, I'd say this is a solid, worthy watch.
If you like your dramas to keep you on your toes and keep you thinking, and keep you guessing too, this would definitely be up your alley.
NINE OST -
Download:
THE LONG VERDICT [SPOILERY]:
Nine is definitely a different beast than your average kdrama.
If I had to pinpoint one single thing that makes it that different a beast, it is that in Nine, it is the plot development and writing that takes centerstage, over and above character and relationship development.
In your average kdrama, the plot developments power the characters forward, and are the catalysts for character and relationship development, which are often given more prominence and importance than the plot developments themselves. In Nine, however, I sort of feel like most of the characters stay fairly constant throughout the show, letting the writing and plot developments twist around them instead.
It's an intriguing construct and it works, in the world that Nine sets up.
In keeping with the show's emphasis, this review will also go a tiny smidge lighter on the characters and their relationships than is my usual, and I'll spend more time discussing my thoughts on the writing itself.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
The cinematography in Nine is excellent, and applied very deliberately to present to us the different facets of the show.
Scenery is framed beautifully and presented with airy, almost magical strokes, like in the opening scene (above) or in this one below:
Cityscapes are dark, slick and polished, like so:
Helpful time markers are overlaid to clue us into which time window we are in, and the use of split screens is applied liberally but judiciously.
Here, it's used to show details in one given moment, creating energy in the frame:
While here, it's used to show interactions between characters:
I love the little detail, where characters in the past are framed with rounded corners to give us a retro sort of flavor, like so:
Another important use of the split screens is for the main theme of our show: time travel. We get to see events unfolding in parallel in the present and the past, and that often provides a nice juxtaposition, like so:
I thought the sepia filter was also a nice - and helpful - touch for events happening in the past. It helped to clue me in to which time period we were looking at.
[SPOILER ALERT]
One of my favorite scenes involving the split screen device is of Present Young Hoon and Past Young Hoon both racing towards Sun Woo in the hospital:
So well-shot, and obviously well thought-out and carefully planned. Kudos, Show. Love it.
[END SPOILER]
There were times when the cinematography leaned a little indulgent, such as when the split screen frames whooshed as they moved and changed during a scene. I found it an interesting device, but it drew attention to itself, which is kind of the opposite of drawing attention to the scene. I got used to it after a while, so no major damage there.
Overall, I really enjoyed the cinematography in Nine. The attention to detail was massive, and clearly the result of a great deal of care and thought, particularly in creating scenes featuring the past, as well as recreating various scenes in the present which echo the past.
It all came together artfully and quite beautifully to support the world that the writers created.
THE CHARACTERS
Because we are dealing with 2 different timelines revolving around one set of characters, we have a pretty huge cast. I'm just going to highlight our major characters, and for those who are played by different actors in the different timelines, I will differentiate between them prefixing their names with Young and Adult.
LEE JIN WOOK AS ADULT SUN WOO
Sun Woo is the pivotal character of the entire show. From start to finish, Nine revolves around Sun Woo's journey, and that journey takes eminence over everything else, pretty much. All other characters exist in relation to him, and their importance is also mapped in relation to him.
Lee Jin Wook turns in a solid performance as Sun Woo, effectively portraying him with an almost impenetrable veneer that is at once intelligent, rational and tenacious, while giving us glimpses, in the quiet moments, of the uncertainty, fear and worry that he keeps to himself.
I'd only ever seen Lee Jin Wook in , and there, he played a character with some striking similarities to Sun Woo [SPOILER: presents a strong outer shell while hiding an illness, uses humor as a coping mechanism, and teases the object of his affection with an aggravating off-handed sort of charm].
It did bother me a little that Lee Jin Wook imbued both characters with such a similar sort of feel, but thankfully, the story here is so vastly different from the story in INR2012, that it doesn't interfere.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Sun Woo's a pretty great character, in so many ways. He's smart, quick on the uptake, and fast on his feet. He conducts himself as if he's fearless, even though there are moments where he admits to being afraid. He cares about the people around him, and puts his own life on the line without hesitation, if it means there is even the slightest possibility of saving someone that he loves.
He put himself on the line for his father, for his brother and for Min Young too.
Even at the point of dying, after the phone booth hit and run, his concern is Shi Ah / Min Young and not himself.
When Sun Woo hears that Shi Ah is there looking for her teddy bear which her mother neglected to pack, Sun Woo smiles and says reassuringly, "I'm glad that your mother didn't pack the teddy bearCome here. Remember my face. Don't ever forget it.""When you see a man that looks just like medon't get close to him. Don't try to warm up to him. Don't even take interest."
Shi Ah asks, "Why not?" And Sun Woo smiles weakly, "He is going to ruin your life. Just stay away from him. Okay? Promise me. Hurry. I don't have much time." And they pinky promise while tears well up in his eyes.
Tears. What a heartbreaking scene. T.T
Above it all, my favorite quality in Sun Woo is his resilience.
From the beginning of the show, to the very end, he is resilient. Whether he's time traveling and fighting off baddies while dealing with a tumor in his brain, or trying to make it through a time slip while bleeding profusely from a stab wound to the gut, or trying to survive a hit and run, Sun Woo is fiercely resilient.
Even when he allowed himself to get into a drunken slump after Min Young and he agree to live as niece and uncle, he snaps to real quick, when his brother's whereabouts come into question.
One of my favorite quotes from Sun Woo in the entire series is in episode 19, in one of the messages that he leaves in his phone while trapped under the debris of the phone booth. His voice slightly shaky, he records:
"Third message. I'm really hurt. I still have no way of going back. But I want to believe that this is not how my life is going to end. I have to survive. And I'm going to find a way back."
That he manages to say that and mean it, while barely staying alive in the lonely wreckage of the phone booth, bleeding out under the relentless thunderstorm, just says so much about the strength of his will even in the midst of extreme adversity.
Yes, he didn't make it out of the phone booth alive, but he showed such strength of character in the moment. That's the stuff that true heroes are made of.
[END SPOILER]
PARK HYUNG SIK AND YOUNG SUN WOO
I thought Park Hyung Sik did admirably well as Young Sun Woo, more so when I consider that he's an idol actor, and we know how so many idols don't manage the crossover to acting terribly well.
I felt that Hyung Sik's Sun Woo was a reasonably good echo of Adult Sun Woo, with both Sun Woos giving off similar vibes. While there's definitely room for growth and nuance, I thought Hyung Sik's restrained delivery was solid.
[SPOILER ALERT]
One of the most endearing qualities I found in Young Sun Woo, was his courage in the midst of confusion.
There was so much to be confused about, for Young Sun Woo, particularly when a random stranger stopped him in the street and proceeded to knife him with the intent of killing him.
Young Sun Woo's shaken bewilderment in that moment, combined with his valiant efforts to fight off his attacker and save himself, remains one of my favorite scenes delivered by Park Hyung Sik. He made Young Sun Woo so brave, in the midst of his confusion and fear.
Another of my favorite plot points involving Young Sun Woo, is when he decides that he needs to find a way to communicate with Adult Sun Woo. True to his quick-thinking nature, he leaves messages for Adult Sun Woo where he is sure to see them.
On his guitar, because he knows that it's so precious that Adult Sun Woo would never dispose of it:
And around the house, because he deduces from Adult Sun Woo's ID, that he still lives at the same address:
And in his journal, because he believes that Adult Sun Woo will read it:
So smart, that boy.
I love that in him, we see the same qualities that we see in Adult Sun Woo. Truly, a hero in the making.
[END SPOILER]
LEE SEUNG JOON AS ADULT YOUNG HOON
I freaking love Lee Seung Joon as Young Hoon, seriously.
As Sun Woo's BFF, he balances out Sun Woo's almost clinical intellectualism with lots (and lots) of care and concern. Mostly in the form of cursing, swearing and railing at Sun Woo to take better care of himself.
Lee Seung Joon's expressions are priceless, especially in response to all the time-traveling talk and accompanying hijinks that Sun Woo exposes Young Hoon to.
I luff Young Hoon. Such a sincere, grizzled, unkempt, dorky and adorable grumpypants.
[SPOILER ALERT]
I love that Young Hoon's always scolding and swearing at Sun Woo in the most inappropriate places. Out of concern, of course. First, in the ER in episode 2 (above), and then again, in a church during Christmas mass in episode 5. It's like his love and concern for Sun Woo is so big that it bursts out of him; it can't be contained by mere lips. Heh.
Even better, I find it hysterical that Young Hoon then gets yelled at by his wife in public, at the restaurant, also in episode 5. So, what goes around, comes around? Or, that's where he learned that yelling is caring? Hee. I was really quite tickled by this little running gag with Young Hoon.
Young Hoon also brings a lot of the comedy in Nine, from this classic bewildered facial expression:
To actual physical comedy, like here, where he's whooping in horror while running around the hospital, flailing.
I love how Lee Seung Joon plays Young Hoon and makes him look like he's literally about to lose his mind. And that he goes this crazy because that's how much he loves his BFF? Love that even more.
I do feel for Young Hoon, though. The emotional rollercoaster he's constantly going through as Sun Woo's BFF is no small thing, and he handles it as well as you can expect a normal human being to handle it, under the circumstances. In that sense, Young Hoon is extremely relatable; his reactions to the craziness of time travel mirror pretty much how any normal person would react.
My favorite Young Hoon moment in the entire show is at the end of episode 9, after he fights tooth and nail to get Sun Woo in the operating theater and promises to save him, only to be ribbed by his best friend, "You're going to save me? You're a liar."
As events unfold in the past and his memories evolve, Young Hoon's priceless shocked expression gives way to the most endearing, adorable goofy grin as he sees Sun Woo, alive and well, reporting the news on TV.
Young Hoon, all teary, gurgles at TV Sun Woo, "Who says I'm a liar?""I just saved your life."
Aw. I. LUFF. YOUNG HOON.
[END SPOILER]
LEE YI KYUNG AS YOUNG YOUNG HOON
Lee Yi Kyung is an excellent Young Young Hoon, managing to mirror the vibe of Adult Young Hoon to a T.
Not only are they equally dorky, sporting similar plastic-framed glasses and corresponding goofy grins, each loves and trusts his BFF Sun Woo with the same fierce loyalty.
As an aside, I'm particularly tickled by how Lee Yi Kyung is all hardworking & nerdy in Nine, when he was a little gangster brat in .
[SPOILER ALERT]
The pivotal moment for me, when Young Young Hoon endeared himself irrevocably to me, is here in episode 9, when he sets eyes on Sun Woo lying in his hospital bed and promptly bursts into tears.
Aw. How sweet is he?
And then, when Sun Woo starts with what would sound like crazy time travel talk to anyone else, Young Hoon listens intently, like so:
Without questioning Sun Woo's sanity (as most people would've), Young Hoon does as Sun Woo requests, and goes to the park to wait for Adult Sun Woo, who had promised to meet Young Sun Woo at 9pm.
Not only that, he waits patiently in the cold for 2 whole hours, warming himself by blowing on his hands and even doing push-ups. All for the sake of honoring his BFF's crazy-sounding request. That's loyalty, man.
One of my favorite Young Young Hoon scenes is what follows this scene, when Young Hoon goes back to Sun Woo's room to check Sun Woo's pager for him, and finds the sachet of meds that Adult Sun Woo had dropped.
It is Young Hoon who connects the dots between the meds and what Adult Sun Woo had said about someone dying. He says urgently over the phone, "Aren't you dying of a disease?""Hey! Call a doctor! Now!"
Smart, nerdy Young Hoon. He really does save Sun Woo.
My favorite screenshot of Young Young Hoon in the whole show is this one, where he pops up in Sun Woo's room, with a half-eaten bun in one hand and a carton of milk in the other, as Jung Woo is talking to Sun Woo.
It's a throwaway moment, but the slight milk mustache, coupled with the crumbs around his mouth and the dorky grin as he silently offers Sun Woo the food in his hands, is just SO. CUTE.
I just wanna squish him, I really do. Unnggh!
[END SPOILER]
JUN NOH MIN AS ADULT JUNG WOO
Jung Woo is mostly such a tragically weak character that often, I didn't know whether to sympathize with him or throttle him.
Despite some glaringly wooden moments, Jun Noh Min does a decently solid job portraying Jung Woo's brand of hapless impotence.
As with all other characters in the show, Jung Woo's importance is mostly in relation to Sun Woo, and it is his weakness that is ultimately a key catalyst that drives many plot developments in the show.
[SPOILER ALERT]
From the moment that we first meet him and throughout the show, we get a clear sense of Jung Woo's awareness of his own weakness, and the resulting sense of guilt, self-loathing and frustration.
For most of the show, Jung Woo lives in a world of regret, ashamed of his past and the choices he's made; deeply desiring to change the course of history, but thwarted again and again by his own cowardice.
I do appreciate, though, that at his core, Jung Woo very much wants to do the right thing.
In episode 12, when Sun Woo drops the whole time-travel bombshell and the accompanying details on Jung Woo, he spends hours deep in thought. The decision literally involves Jung Woo's very life. If he gives Sun Woo the go ahead to go back in time to change things back, he is likely to no longer exist in the new reality.
Finally, Jung Woo calls Sun Woo, and we hear the most heartwrenchingly honest conversation between the 2 brothers. It's also the first moment that I feel truly sympathetic towards Jung Woo.
Jung Woo begins, "Is it a dream to have the opportunity to bring the past back? You have no ideaHow much I have regretted that moment my whole life. I couldn't have a good night's sleep once for the last 20 years. I had hope then. I hoped that I would forget in a few years. But I couldn't. It tortures me even today. And since the moment you found out, it has been hell for me. I wanted to die, but I couldn't. Because of my family. I think what you said is a God-given opportunity. Not anyone has this chance. So many people live with regrets in their hearts. Having the chance to reverse it is a fortune. I still remember. 20 years ago is when I was filing papers for immigration. It tortured me everyday. I wanted to turn myself in every time I drove by the police station. But I couldn't. If you can go back and convince me, I will be able to turn myself in. Do that for me. If you go back, will everything go back to its place?"
Sun Woo answers, "I don't know either. It never went as planned. Perhaps my life could change completely. ButI think that I have to bring it back. Because the start went wrong."
Jung Woo then asks about the happiness of his wife and Min Young in that alternate reality and Sun Woo's answers reassure him. Jung Woo then concludes, "That's good then. I want you to get to it ASAP then. The wedding is soon. Do it earlier and make it easy for my wife. I mean for Yoo Jin. It's just terrible for her.""Today could be my last day."
Sun Woo, tearing up: "That won't happen. That will be meaningless then. I'm telling you this so that you wouldn't wander for the rest of your life." Jung Woo answers serenely, "It's okay for me. When I heard that I died in the Himalayas, I thought that it was like me. I'm not saying that this life is bad. But I always felt that something was off."
Sun Woo insists, "That won't happen."
Jung Woo, still serene, answers, "It doesn't matter to me." [also could mean "I don't matter"]
What a tough decision Jung Woo came to, and with so much sincerity. I admired him in that moment.
Another Jung Woo scene that I found rather moving is in episode 16.
We see Jung Woo in the final moments before his suicide, making a phone call to an oblivious Min Young.
His parting words to Min Young are really sad, "Thank you for choosing me as your father when I wasn't qualified.""I'm sorry. Stay well."
So much meaning in so few words. Poor Jung Woo.
Ultimately, Jun Noh Min made Jung Woo a sympathetic character, which I consider an uphill task, taking into account how infuriatingly weak-willed he was as a character for much of the show. But I ended up feeling sorry for him, and I appreciated that in the limited scope of his abilities, that he tried hard to do the right thing.
[END SPOILER]
SEO WOO JIN AS YOUNG JUNG WOO
I suppose Seo Woo Jin did a decent job of portraying Young Jung Woo, since he was effectively infuriating in depicting Jung Woo's weakness.
I don't know if it was intentional in the casting, but both Jun Noh Min and Seo Woo Jin delivered their respective Jung Woos with varying degrees of woodenness. So in an ironic sort of twist, they managed to make Young Jung Woo and Adult Jung Woo have enough of a similar vibe to be believable.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Killing your father by mistake, and finding out that your real father is the scumbag who's blackmailing you about it has got to be horrible for anyone. But for Jung Woo, who's particularly cowardly and weak-willed, that has got to be the worst nightmare ever, multiplied many, many times over.
It's no wonder that Young Jung Woo mostly looks like he hasn't slept in years, with eye bags the size of saucers (enough to rival the awesome Editor's eye bags in ). It's also no wonder that he's always on edge, and pretty much constantly looks like he's about to jump out of his skin in panic.
I sorta wanted to feel sorry for him, but.. couldn't. I found him exasperating and infuriating. And his cowardice was completely maddening.
The point in the show where I felt most aggravated by his weak character was when Adult Jung Woo, wanting to set things right, gives Sun Woo the go-ahead to convince Young Jung Woo to turn himself in to the police.
Young Jung Woo hems and haws and even turns around and makes to leave (I was so annoyed at this point), but I do give him credit for finally plucking up the courage to do it. Yes, he got tripped up by a dirty cop and then nothing actually changed, but, well, he did try.
It is only towards the very end of the show, when Young Jung Woo actually walks away from his wedding ceremony, that marks a truly redemptive arc for his character.
I feel that even more than the decision to walk away from the wedding, the defining moment for Jung Woo is when he sees how badly hurt Sun Woo is, from Choi's attempt on his life. I think this is when he truly steels himself and summons up the courage to do the right thing.
Afterwards, we get to see him speak with Sun Woo while in prison, and honestly, this is the only time in the entire show that we see Young Jung Woo with a sense of freedom about his face. He's no longer a slave to his guilt, and his conscience is satisfied. And while it was long in the coming, his character finally did redeem himself in my eyes.
[END SPOILER]
JO YOON HEE AS JOO MIN YOUNG
Because the entire show is written such that everyone and everything pivots around Sun Woo, Min Young as a character gets relegated to a very reactionary sort of place, even though she is one half of our OTP.
As a result, Jo Yoon Hee spends most of her time onscreen looking either very smitten, very pouty, very confused, or very sad. More's the pity, because in the few moments that she got to show some spunk, she was quite delightful. I would've loved for her to have been a more proactive heroine, but sadly, the writing wasn't in her favor.
All things considered, I feel Jo Yoon Hee did a very decent job of the role, and I found Min Young likable, if limited in scope.
[SPOILER ALERT]
I thought I'd just highlight a couple of Min Young moments that I liked.
I liked Min Young's starry-eyed response to Sun Woo's reprimands during their first interaction at the hospital. I found it pretty cute, that she just blurted out her attraction to him without a second thought.
Girl knows what she likes and isn't afraid to say so. And I nod approvingly, heh.
Plus, how does she manage to actually look like she has literal stars in her eyes?!?
When Min Young's old memories are stirred by the muscle memory of writing her vows on the album sleeve, I like that Min Young pursues those memories, undeterred by Sun Woo's dismissive explanations.
She is so intent and so focused on the memories trickling back to her, that she doesn't even seem to hear Sun Woo's outward disdain, and grabs him for a kiss.
Girl isn't afraid to reach for what she wants. And that felt particularly refreshing in the sea of reactive material that she had to work with for most of the show.
I was most moved by Jo Yoon Hee's performance here, in episode 19, as Min Young watches her memories evolve in her mind's eye as her younger self talks with a dying Sun Woo.
Her pain, horror and grief are palpable as her silent tears turn to anguished wails.
This scene brought tears to my eyes, in part because of Sun Woo's death, but in equal part, in response to Min Young's grief. In her agony, I felt Min Young's love for Sun Woo.
I thought Jo Yoon Hee did beautifully here.
[END SPOILER]
JUNG DONG HWAN AS CHOI JIN CHEOL
I have to wonder what the PD was thinking (or smoking, for that matter), coz Jung Dong Hwan's turn as Choi Jin Cheol was the most OTT crazy overplayed and exaggerated I have ever seen him.
Jung Dong Hwan is one of those veteran actors that has appeared in a gazillion kdramas, and we've all seen him deliver performances that were more restrained, subtle, and well, sane.
For some reason, his Choi Jin Cheol acted like he had escaped from the crazy-house, even though he wasn't a mental patient but a respected researcher that the nation supposedly loved.
I endured his extreme bug-eyed facial contortions, but I didn't enjoy them. This OTT villain was the most distracting thing in the entire show, which was otherwise played straight. It's like having Bozo the Clown show up as a character in Shakespeare's The Tempest. It's dissonant, it's distracting, and it just doesn't work.
UHM HYO SUP AS OH CHOL MIN
Aw. I really, really loved Uhm Hyo Sup as Chief Oh.
Although Chief Oh isn't technically a major character, Uhm Hyo Sup made him tremendously likable, and I perked up at pretty much all his scenes.
To Sun Woo, who had lost his own father at a young age, Chief Oh provided everything Sun Woo would have needed from his own father: a father figure, a role model, and an expectation of excellence and high standards, doled out with exceedingly generous amounts of genuine affection, trust and loyalty. And lots of ribbing on the side.
[SPOILER ALERT]
I knew that I loved Chief Oh by episode 2. I loved how he literally put his neck on the line to help Sun Woo, after the stunt that Sun Woo pulled while live on the air with Evil Choi.
I loved his gruff reasoning, which barely conceals the great amount of love that he has for Sun Woo, " if we don't help you, we will have to admit that what happened yesterday was an accident. That's embarrassing. So you just keep going. Okay? What happened yesterday was no accident. It was planned by all of us. I approved it." And then he adds, while giving Sun Woo the side-eye, "I ripped up your resignation."
So. Sweet. Seriously. How could I not love him??
I love how Chief Oh has clearly had a deep influence on Sun Woo. We see this in episode 17, when Sun Woo takes up Chief Oh's offer of help, by asking him for his contact details in 1993.
To Chief Oh's befuddled response, Sun Woo offers this explanation, "If the police is corrupt, then it should be up to the press to right itBut that doesn't mean that all the press do their jobs right. You're the reporter with the most integrity that I know.""If I can't even trust you, then my life was in vain."
Talk about leaving a deep impression on someone. Loved this moment.
Another favorite Chief Oh moment of mine, is in episode 20, where 1993 Chief Oh - then Reporter Oh - takes Young Sun Woo out to dinner after everything is over.
Sun Woo asks Reporter Oh if he can become a reporter, "I had never thought about it. But I like the job. You did something even the police couldn't."
Reporter Oh brushes it off, "Hey! Don't do it. Don't even think about doing it. This is a lot of hard work. Why would you want to do this? It doesn't even look good." But Sun Woo isn't easily deterred, "It looks good."
Reporter Oh protests, "Geez. You know that you have to be smart to be a journalist. Are you smart?" [Sun Woo: "Yeah."]
And Reporter Oh continues, "It's not just the brain you need. You also need the face to be a reporter on TV, like me." Hee.
Sun Woo, without missing a beat, shoots back, "That's me then."
Softening, Reporter Oh finally says, "Just come. And I will take care of you. You have experienced a lot. You will make a good journalist. You will see the loopholes in this society with your heart, not just your eyes. You will have the guts to fight it. Other babies can never fight it. Study hard and get in. And I will give you a chance."
Sun Woo jumps on it, "You promised." And Reporter Oh gives in, saying, "I won't have to worry about you having a good life. Here. Eat up."
How sweet is that scene?? How adorable is it, that Sun Woo instinctively sticks to Reporter Oh like the father figure that he is? And how endearing is Reporter Oh's gruff affectionate way of taking Sun Woo under his wing?
So many warm fuzzies.
[END SPOILER]
NINE OST -
Download:
THE RELATIONSHIPS
Because Sun Woo is the pivotal character of the entire show, all the key relationships are those in which he is one half of the equation.
I've already mentioned some of these relationships in covering the characters above, but I'd like to highlight a couple of these relationships a little more.
In the constant shifting of circumstances, thanks to all the time travel, there are certain constants that remain unshakeable in these relationships. It is these constants that provide us with a sense of immutability in the midst of the continuously shifting pieces of our characters' realities.
NOTE: Delving into the relationships is where things start to get seriously spoilery in this review, due to the twisty nature of the show. If you haven't watched the show and don't want to be spoiled, here's where I'd suggest you skip to the end of the review and check out the first vid that I posted, which is a set of 2 trailers for the show.
Come back after you've watched the show, though, and we can talk and discuss and analyze it all, as much as you'd like.
[SPOILERS DEAD AHEAD]
SUN WOO & YOUNG HOON
I loved the bromance between Sun Woo and Young Hoon in both timelines.
I loved that in both timelines, Sun Woo never hesitated to share his time-traveling exposure and related thoughts with Young Hoon, even though he must have known how crazy it would sound to anyone listening. And I loved that in both timelines, Young Hoon gave Sun Woo a listening ear and an open mind.
The amount of trust and openness the two shared is the stuff of epic bromances, and I loved how tightly they rolled, in facing Sun Woo's time-travel conundrums together.
There was never any doubt that as far as Young Hoon was concerned, Sun Woo's problems were his problems. By the same token, there was never any doubt that as far as Sun Woo was concerned, that there was no holding back or withholding information from Young Hoon.
In spirit and in practice, these two shared a bond that could not be broken. Not even by crazy time travel stuff.
Love it. So much.
One of the most moving, heart-in-my-throat sequences involving Sun Woo and Young Hoon is in episode 9, where Young Hoon runs towards Sun Woo in the hospital, both in 1992 and in 2012. Young Hoon's panic in both timelines, borne out of love, is heartwarming and poignant to witness.
Aside from the tears and conversation that Sun Woo and Young Hoon share in 1992, the exchange between Sun Woo and Young Hoon in 2012 is even more moving and filled with pathos.
As he's being wheeled into surgery where his chances of survival are faint, Sun Woo weakly chuckles to a distressed Young Hoon with the darkest humor possible, "I signed it. I was afraid that you would call my legal guardian. You were going to do as you like anyway. I know you. You would have forged it if I didn't sign it. Just kill me in peace."
Ow. My heart.
Sun Woo knows that it's almost guaranteed that he's going to die by agreeing to the surgery. Yet, because Young Hoon wants to cling to even the most remote possibility of saving him, Sun Woo agrees to the operation even though it would mean truncating whatever time that he does have left.
That is either the greatest amount of trust, to put your life in the hands of your friend despite the minuscule chances, or the greatest sacrifice, to give up the remaining days of your life, in order to give your friend the peace of mind that he tried everything to save you.
Either way, the extent of their friendship and brotherhood is epic, poignant and completely moving.
SUN WOO & JUNG WOO
I found the relationship between Sun Woo and Jung Woo interesting in that in the midst of its bitter contentiousness, there ran a deeply ingrained sense of care. And even though Sun Woo was the younger brother, he often felt like the more mature one between the two.
The very reason that Sun Woo began to time travel was to fulfill his dead brother's wishes, and even when things went wrong and it ended up messing up his own life, he was satisfied that Jung Woo did not die, and now had the life and family that he hadn't had, in the original timeline. That demonstrates to me, the magnitude of Sun Woo's care for his brother, despite his brother's failings.
Certainly, Sun Woo's only human, and there were moments in the show where his frustration with Jung Woo came spilling out. One such instance is in episode 8, where he bursts out in anger after discovering the truth of their father's death.
In increasingly upset and emotional tones, Sun Woo erupts, "You should be sorry. You took Father away from me. You took Mother away from me. Then you just left me behind without taking care of me. Then you came back as a dead man. You made me waste my youth hating Choi Jin Cheol. You left these cursed incense sticks for me to find out secrets that I didn't even want to find out. You ruined all of my precious memories. And my girl!"
Despite it all, though, Sun Woo consistently gives Jung Woo the chance to choose to do the right thing.
In episode 9, when Sun Woo's tumor has reached dangerous proportions and he's faced with imminent death, he decides to call Jung Woo in spite of his anger with his brother.
Quietly, Sun Woo says his parting words to Jung Woo, "I thought I should call you once at least. I don't want to have a conversation. So just listen to me. I don't think I can ever forgive you. This isn't up to me to forgive. But let me ask of you one thing. You could get her after all that sacrifice. Be responsible. Don't just depend on drugs. Fight off depression. Be a good doctor. Make your family happy. If you can't even do thatThen my life is just too meaningless. Visit Mom often before she passes. Be a good husband. Be a good father. That's your duty until your death. Okay?"
It's heartbreaking and true at the same time. Sun Woo has spent all of his precious, limited time trying to fix everything for his brother, only to be disappointed by Jung Woo again. Yet, he's still giving Jung Woo a chance to make it right, by giving him a to-do list to follow, after his own death.
As the timelines in the show continue to shift and unfold, this is one of the things that remains constant: Sun Woo is very clear about why he can't forgive Jung Woo, yet, Sun Woo faithfully continues to give Jung Woo the opportunity to make the right choice, in order to right his wrongs.
In episode 12, Sun Woo again spells it out for Jung Woo, "What Father said to you on that night. How he beat up Mother. I know that you had no choice. But I can't forgive you. Because you lied to me for 20 years. And you didn't pay for your sins. If you didn't fall for Choi Jin Cheol's trick and took the responsibility for your actionAt least it wouldn't have been this bad.""Choi changed on that day. He was afraid of nothing. He had lost his conscience. If it wasn't for that day, he wouldn't have become the monster he is today. So I'm asking you. Do you have the courage to go back to pay for your crime?"
In episode 17, Sun Woo again gives Young Jung Woo the chance to make the right choice, when he calls the church and tells Jung Woo that he can either run away to America or stay in Korea and pay for his crime.
I have to say, in that moment, after Jung Woo had let us down again and again, I was very doubtful of whether he would pull through. With no more buffer and no more incense sticks, I really thought it would have been safer for Sun Woo to have not given Jung Woo a choice.
But Jung Woo did come through, and I'm glad. And I admire Sun Woo for believing in his brother, despite all indications otherwise, that Jung Woo was capable of doing the right thing, and making the right choice. Sun Woo could not - would not - act without Jung Woo's agreement and decision. Respect.
One of the most poignant moments between the brothers is in episode 13, when Sun Woo is stabbed during his time slip and Jung Woo comes to the hospital to see him.
As Jung Woo clasps Sun Woo's hand in his, he tells Sun Woo that Young Jung Woo has just gone to the police station in the past. He adds, "I'm sorry."
I love the little detail, even as their hands unclasp and Sun Woo is wheeled away, that Sun Woo is still reaching for his brother.
As tumultuous as the circumstances around their relationship get, two things are crystal clear: Sun Woo's care and respect for Jung Woo, and Jung Woo's love for Sun Woo.
NINE OST -(LOVE THEME)
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SUN WOO & MIN YOUNG
Although the OTP relationship takes a slight backseat to Sun Woo's personal journey, it is still a relationship that has a good measure of substance.
From timeline to timeline, as the jigsaw pieces of each new reality shift into place, one of the big constants is the love that Sun Woo has for Min Young, and perhaps more importantly, the love that Min Young has for Sun Woo. The reason I say more importantly, is because while Sun Woo is cognizant of each shifting timeline, Min Young is, for the most part, oblivious to the sometimes massive changes that occur in her life, thanks to Sun Woo's time traveling. Yet, her admiration and affection for him is just one of those things that never changes. Even when she becomes his niece at the end of episode 4, she is strongly drawn to him.
Throughout the show, we get little arcs and anecdotes that indicate the depth and extent of our OTP's regard for each other. Plus, we get a nice sprinkling of swoony moments too.
At the beginning of the show, when Sun Woo visits Min Young in Nepal and offers to date her for three months, she is at first confused and annoyed. But when Young Hoon informs her of Sun Woo's brain tumor and the prognosis, Min Young decides to accept Sun Woo's proposal, and she determines to put on a cheerful face for him, even though she's deeply grieved.
Her basis is Sun Woo's words, "What is the importance of that smile? I'm trying my best to muster up energy. But I still feel like crying multiple times a day. It's not just a smile. It's everything to me."
And so, Min Young forces that smile, to give Sun Woo strength. And she decides to marry him and give him whatever strength and happiness she can, in the little time that he has.
At the same time, Sun Woo is feeling a new confidence brought on by the discovery of the incense sticks. His closing words to Min Young at the end of episode 3 are quite swoony, "Don't you think three months is too short? How about three years? Noshould we keep it going for 30 years? That's good, 30 years! Let's keep it up until one of us bails out first.""You want to bet who lives longer? I'm confident all of a sudden."
It's pretty much right there, that we begin to see the depth of the love these 2 have for each other. She loves him enough to condense forever into 3 short months. And he loves her enough, to give her forever.
A quick, almost throwaway scene which I found really cute, is in episode 4, when Min Young wheedles Sun Woo to express his love for her in front of their colleagues, "Make a heart to them. A big one."
I love that just when we think he isn't going to do it, he makes the heart at them, complete with a stiffly defiant macho face.
Throwing his dignity away for her? In front of disbelieving male colleagues? Yes, he loves her alright. Heh.
Even after Min Young becomes Sun Woo's niece, she's deeply interested in Sun Woo.
I was amused by the exchange the newly minted uncle and niece share in episode 6.
Min Young jumps on the discovery that Sun Woo had a girlfriend, and grills him on why they broke up, and why he isn't trying to get her back, since he's so lonely without her.
Sun Woo answers, "Amnesia""Don't you know what an amnesia is? It's in dramas all the time. The most common disease in the world." Har har. Way to put a fresh new twist on one half of the OTP not remembering the other half.
Then, in response to Min Young's question on why he can't just start over with his amnestic ex-girlfriend, Sun Woo says, "I thought we were strangers, but we were really family. Don't you know? This is always in dramas too. Birth secret."
Ha! And Touche.
I love that the writers have a sharp sense of humor and hang a lantern on some of the admittedly more makjang plot developments in the show.
I also appreciate that Sun Woo doesn't lie to Min Young. He tells her the truth, in a way that makes sense to her.
At the same time, Min Young remains able to read Sun Woo even when she's his niece. In episode 7, she says to him, "You act like you're calm. But something inside of you is saying that you're uneasy. I can see that in your face."
I love that even though he has mostly kept up a hard outer shell all this time, not really letting anyone in, nor letting any emotion out, that she knows him this well.
One of my favorite OTP scenes is the rain kiss in episode 11.
I like how the writers connect Sun Woo and Min Young finally, through the understanding of a shared memory: The place where they first kissed, in an alternate reality.
After Min Young's gone missing for hours, she calls Sun Woo and tearfully tells him about her weird alternate memories of their honeymoon becoming more and more concrete.
Sun Woo demands, "Where are you?" and Min Young chokes out, "MyI mean, where Joo Min Young's first kiss was with her love of 5 years."
Without hesitation, Sun Woo instructs, "Wait there."
He drives straight to her, and they finally meet face to face, in the pouring rain.
Confused, Min Young asks, "How did you know that I was here?" Sun Woo answers, "You said it was our first kiss."
Amazed, Min Young tearfully manages, "You also remembered?"
Grabbing her, Sun Woo says, "You know the word I hate the most in the world? Samchoon." and he swoops in for the kiss. Eee!
I love that it is a memory that they share in their original reality that reunites them in this new reality. It's like their love in the original reality is stronger than the fetters of the new reality. That that's how strongly they're connected.
Also, in episode 12, in the aftermath of the rain kiss, Sun Woo tenderly says these melty if amoral words to Min Young: "If you ask me to live with you far away, I would gladly do it. If you say that it's okay that we stay as family, I will just be a good uncle to you. If you want to see me sometimes without anyone knowingI'm okay with that too. I will do anything you like."
I like that despite Sun Woo's usually gruff treatment of Min Young, that in this moment, he's tender and he's genuinely giving her the assurance that he would do whatever she prefers.
Yes, the amorality of some of the options he presents niggled at me a bit, but his sincere tenderness towards her, putting her desires and preferences above even his own moral standards, is hard to ignore. In this moment, there is no doubt that he loves her deeply and that to him, her happiness is paramount.
Finally, I think many of us would have liked more OTP sweetness over the course of the show. Here's a photo spasm to soothe those of us who wanted more lovey-dovey goodness for our OTP:
ADULT SUN WOO & YOUNG SUN WOO
Perhaps the most surprising and heartwarming relationship in the show, is that between Young Sun Woo and Adult Sun Woo.
This was a relationship that I didn't even see coming, because I didn't expect Adult Sun Woo to enlist the help of his younger self in his quest to save his father. Call it conditioning from watching Back to the Future. Sun Woo basically consistently flouted my expectations when it came to messing with the space-time continuum.
Sun Woo appeared to have no qualms whatsoever in not just engaging his younger self, but identifying himself to him.
At the end of episode 6, Adult Sun Woo wakes Young Sun Woo from his sleep, with the most mind-bending introduction ever: "It's good to see you again. My name is Park Sun Woo. Born on July 9, 1975. Right now I'm 38. Do you know what that means? I'm you from the year 2012."
While Young Sun Woo takes some persuading, what I love about this moment is the look of kind affection in Adult Sun Woo's eyes as he speaks to his younger self.
I love that from deep and bewildered suspicion, Young Sun Woo comes to trust Adult Sun Woo implicitly.
In episode 9, as Young Sun Woo muses to Young Hoon about Adult Sun Woo's no-show at the park, his trust in Adult Sun Woo is clear: "I think something else went wrongI think the person who is going to die is me. He's not calling because he can't.""Because I'm dead."
In episode 17, as Adult Sun Woo puts a wounded Young Sun Woo in a taxi with the video evidence, Young Sun Woo asks, "Was my father really killed?"
I love the matter-of-fact, yet kind and assuring response that Adult Sun Woo gives, "You will find out soon enough. Don't hate the killer. He had no choice. It's no one's fault. It will be hard for you to accept it right now. But you will understand when you're my age. And that's not going to ruin your future. You will have a good life regardless of that. And you will be happy. Okay?"
I love, too, the look of trust in Young Sun Woo's face, as he hears that. And it's evident that he takes Adult Sun Woo's words to heart.
In episode 18, when he visits Young Jung Woo in prison, he says intently, "I still can't understand you. But he said that I will understand later. I'm trusting his words that I will some day."
The most affirming and bittersweet exchange between the two, is their final messages to each other in episode 20.
Adult Sun Woo leaves a voice message for Young Sun Woo, which says, "My last message to the me of 20 years ago. I will be going back at noon. I can never come back here again. No matter what message you leave me, I can't answer you. So forget me, and live your life. You don't need to find out how I lived. Because every decision you make will make me. I told you right? You always made the right decision. You will have a good life. So forget about my existence. If you live every day the right way then you will find me in the mirror after 20 years. I will see you in 20 years."
So kind, so reassuring and so full of belief and trust in his younger self.
In response, Young Sun Woo writes a message to Adult Sun Woo in his diary, "My last message to myself 20 years later. Did you get back alright? I will trust you that I will understand my brother someday. I will also believe that I will always make the right decision. You seemed like a good person to me. You were also brave. I won't leave a message to you again or try to find out what you are doing. I'm a man of my word. You know that right? I will see you 20 years later. Bye."
Equally affirming, and reciprocating Adult Sun Woo's trust by promising to keep his word. Love it.
I love how consistent both Sun Woos are, in their trust and belief in each other, and in their strength of character, and the purposeful way they both set their eyes to the future, determined to keep their words one to the other.
I love, too, that we get to see that eventual reunion in the mirror, even though it is bittersweet.
What an unexpectedly awesome bromance, between a man and his younger self.
NINE OST -
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