A Time Called You is a solid remake that honours the beloved original

A Time Called You is a Korean remake of the 2019 Taiwanese series, Someday or One Day.

With a story this unique, making it as fresh and original the second time can be a challenge. The elements of suspense and surprise are gone, along with the initial magic of discovery. Any remake is already at a disadvantage right from the start; making comparisons somehow feels a bit unfair. Given this context, this remake did an admirable job honouring the original material, while introducing the story to an entirely new audience.

I watched the original Taiwanese series shortly after it aired and the nostalgia and haunting beauty of the story lingered long after the series ended. At the same time, enough time had passed that the twists and turns were a bit hazy. Watching this remake felt like I was taking the journey again — somewhat familiar, but with different friends to make the experience fresh again. There were some elements executed better in the original and some better in the remake. The complex structure of the time travel seemed clearer and better articulated in the remake than the original, for example. (I didn't have to draw myself a diagram this time!)

Aside from having seen Ahn Hyo Seop in the over-rated 2022 hit, A Business Proposal, I was relatively unfamiliar with the previous works of the casts in both productions. With few pre-conceived expectations on performances, everyone did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life. If anything, I found myself warming up to the protagonists more quickly in this remake than I did while watching the original. Ahn and Jeon Yeo Been both did a wonderful and moving job portraying Nam Si Heon and Han Jun Hee/Kwon Min Ju at different ages, stages, and experiences in life.

The music in A Time Called You is perhaps the main element that fell short for me. This isn't necessarily the show's fault, but rather something that can't be helped sometimes when watching international dramas. There was a certain nostalgia, mood and emotional connection that was ever-present in Someday or One Day through its music that was somehow missing here, likely due to my unfamiliarity with older Korean songs and inability to understand the language. The Korean version’s more polished feel may have also contributed to these missing elements too; there is a certain roughness that comes with nostalgia, because it is a feeling rather than something clear and tangible.

Another factor that unfortunately affected my own viewing experience of A Time Called You was the somewhat toxic discussions taking place online comparing the two productions. I started watching the early episodes without thinking too much about the original and came into the comments section to express my enjoyment for the remake, only to find a lot of silly and infantile behaviour. Instead of helping people discover the joys and magic of the original through this adaption, i'm sure it turned some people off instead, which is a shame. I started thinking too much about the original while watching the remake, making the entire experience less immersive and consequently less emotional, unfortunately.

For those unsure whether this is worth watching because of all the criticisms coming from fans of the original, definitely give this a chance, especially if you are new to the story. You'll be able to enjoy the twists and turns without being coloured by the original. I also encourage you to watch the Taiwanese version too. If you end up liking Someday or One Day more, at least you were able to still enjoy this adaptation too without the comparison. Those who feel Someday or One Day is significantly better do make a valid point, however: that it's better to experience a complex story at its finest first, especially given the tension, build-up, and plot twists in the final episodes. (Either way, I would still recommend placing some time between watching the two versions so that crucial details have faded a bit!) I would be curious to see whether some of the magic and excitement is inevitably lost when watching a retelling of the same story, regardless of the order.

Final verdict: I really enjoyed both versions and thought the casting was well-done for both. For various reasons, however -- and many not exactly the fault of the production -- there was a certain nostalgic and emotional connection missing for me when I watched the Korean version. Overall, still a solid remake.

(Slightly spoilery) lingering questions/thoughts:

* Based on the timeline, I didn't think Jun Hee stayed around long enough to be putting up Christmas decorations at the record store. Was this a continuity error or did I overlook something?

* Are we to assume the real person died in the 2007 car accident when NSH transmigrated into their body, since they don't seem to have any memories of the other person?