Title:나인: 아홉 번의 시간여행 | Na-In: Ahop Beon-Ui Sigan-Yeohaeng | Nine: Nine Time Travels
Genre: Science Fiction | Romance
Episodes: 20
Broadcast Network: tvN
Broadcast Period:
Synopsis:
Park Sun-Woo is a handsome and successful newscaster. On the outside, he seems to have everything one can wish for. He thought so too even after the tragedy that happened with his family when he was young. But, everything changed when he found out that he is dying with brain tumor. As he is grappling with his sickness, he also learned that his older brother died in the Himalayan mountains and the body was discovered for several months ago washed over the river. When his body was found, his fingers was tightly gripping a mysterious incense stick. As he went to Nepal to claim his brother’s body, the woman he loves but never did anything to do something about it happens to be taping a TV report in Nepal as well. He tried to hit two birds with one stone, so, he oddly proposed with the premise of staying only together for 3-6 months to avoid revealing he was sick to Joo Min-Young, who happens to be in love with him for the last 5 years. But, Han Young-Joon, his doctor and best friend unwittingly revealed his sickness to her. Park Sun-Woo was trying to figure out a lot of things including who will take care of his mentally sick mother when he’s gone when he discovered through his brother’s things that the incense his brother was gripping for his dear life when he died holds the key to Park Sun-Woo’s own life by changing his and his brother’s past. He can actually use it to travel through time within 30 minutes and change crucial events that can give him and his brother a second chance to survive and even probably stop the death of his father when all bad things began. But, changing the past resulted to serious consequences in the future that he never really planned or intend to happen.
Characters:
- Lee Jin-Wook as Park Sun-Woo
- Jo Yoon-Hee as Joo Min-Young
- Jeon No-Min as Park Jung-Woo
- Kim Hee-Ryung as Son Myung-Hee
- Jung Dong-Hwan as Choi Jin-Chul
- Lee Eung-Kyung as Kim Yoo-Jin
- Um Hyo-Sup as Oh Chul-Min
- Lee Seung-Joon as Han Young-Joon
- Yeon Je-Wook as Kim Beom-Seok
- Oh Min-Suk as Kang Seo-Joon
- Greena Park as Lee Joo-Hee
- Yoo Se-Rye as Sung Eun-Joo
- Lee Joon-Hyuk as Sang-Beom
- Lee Shi-Woo as Young-Soo
- Jin Ye-Sol as young Myung-Hee
- Seo Dong-Won as young Jin-Chul
- Kim Won-Hae as Park Chang-Min
- Lee Han-Wi as Joo Sung-Hoon
- Park Won-Sang In A Cameo Role
- Park Hyung-Sik as Park Sun-Woo
- Jo Min-Ah as Joo Min-Young
- Seo Woo-Jin as Park Jung-Woo
- Park Moon-Ah as Sung Eun-Joo
- Kim Hee-Ryung as Son Myung-Hee
- Jeon Guk-Hwan as Park Chun-Soo
- Jung Dong-Hwan as Choi Jin-Chul
- Um Hyo-Sup as Oh Chul-Min
- Lee Yi-Kyung as Han Young-Hoon
- Na Hae-Ryung as Han So-Ra
- Ga Deuk-Hee as Kim Yoo-Jin
- Kim Won-Hae as Park Chang-Min
My Review:
So, What do I Like About this K-Drama?
This is one of the K-Dramas that is truly worth to waste your time watching for 20 episodes. From Episode 1 to the very last, it seems you are in a roller coaster ride. It starts slowly, then, it speeds up to maximum throttle until it comes to end with a smooth break. It doesn’t waste your precious time as it provides you an exhilarating entertainment with gripping suspense and mystery as little by little the story unfolds. It has all the right ingredients without sacrificing the quality of how it was done. It is as perfect as it can get for a science fiction slash suspense slash romantic K-Drama. It was thoughtfully and tightly written that makes illogical logical, brilliantly directed and full of actors with immense talent to make the plot-driven drama come to life.
(1) I like that this K-Drama is not only entertaining to boot with beautiful looking lead actors but it is thought-provoking. It provides the audience food for thought on philosophical arguments on topics such as fate versus faith, selfish versus selfless, religion versus science, and each and every decisions and actions we take does affect not only yourself but has a rippling effect with the lives of others.
(2) Although, this K-Drama has chosen the right actors to play for each and every role, however, I must say it truly showcased the endearing bromance of two best friends and the acting abilities of the actors who played them, Lee Jin-Wook as Park Sun-Woo and Lee Seung-Joon as Han Young-Joon. I believe that this is the best K-Drama that Lee Jin-Wook became a part of. Not only it features all of his deliciousness as a man but it highlights his acting talent at the certain stage as well. And, wow, his subtle expressions especially when he wants to hide his feelings or project deep sorrow are phenomenal. Lee Seung-Joon as Han Young-Joon, on the other hand, gave me so much comic relief that just watching his reactions almost made me wet my pants with laughter and drive me to tears to his pain. He made everything about this K-Drama a little bit lighter with loads of entertainment along the way.
(3) I like how the K-Drama tries hard to depict the timeline. It tried to keep the integrity of the period by depicting the time with features and details in line with it such as model of mobile phones.
(4) I think this is the first few K-Dramas I’ve seen before that really shows true kiss appropriate to the scene and characters. It forgives almost the childish actuations of the main female lead, Jo Yoon-Hee as Joo Min-Young, in tune with her character. This is more often than not one of my frustrations with korean romcoms when the lead female character needs to act childish or helpless just to attract the attention of the lead male character.
(5) I love the OST. It adds depth to the scene rather overpowers it.
What I do Not Like About this K-Drama?
This K-Drama is almost 99.99% perfect except for .01% minor issues that when you see its totality it actually doesn’t make a big impact to the over-all greatness of this K-Drama. However, this is one of my quirks when it comes to brilliant dramas that are marred by inconsequential loopholes that could have been easily taken care of by the director or writer. So, it irks me to no end as for the reason/s why because this letting go of fixable and minute details that are indeed relevant and significant to the over-all result shows certain level of complacency as to the level of professionalism that the director and the rest of the production have. I will not go into details of what I will mention below to avoid spoilers but suffice it to say, you will know exactly what I am talking about once you watch this K-Drama.
(1) During a major surgery of Park Sun-Woo, how come no surgical nurse even wipes the blood or perspiration of the surgeon? I believe this is the most common mistake of almost all K-Dramas commit when it comes to handling medical scenes. Just to deliver the gore of blood to intensify the severity of the patient’s situation, an arterial sputter needs to happen to the doctor’s face. Now, don’t get me wrong, it does happen but, the surgeon’s face is always well protected and there’s a surgical nurse that automatically wipes this off from the surgeon’s face as it not only dangerous for communicable disease transference but this impedes the vision of the surgeon which is critical to ALL surgical procedures.
(2) How can the fiancé of Joo Min-Young automatically concludes that there’s something going on between Park Sun-Woo and Joo Min-Young? One, the fiancé, Kang Seo-Joon, knows that Joo Min-Young and Park Sun-Woo are close, actually, closer even to the most regular uncle and niece relationship? He knew Park Sun-Woo got stabbed and being operated on while Joo Min-Young is sick, and, even if he found her lying in Park Sun-Woo’s bed and wearing Park Sun-Woo’s polo shirt, does that warrant immediate red flag of something immoral especially considering the circumstances behind it? Is it justifiable to jump into conclusion seeing the Whitney Houston’s LP at Park Sun-Woo’s night stand when he knows the LP is owned by Park Sun-Woo? Wouldn’t the first line of questioning is what happened to his fiancée rather than conclude something dirty? Even if he had doubts beforehand, why immediately assume that Joo Min-Young is having the affair with Park Sun-Woo? Kang Seo-Joon is a doctor after all, and, logically speaking, how can one afford to have the energy to have sex when one was stabbed and, the other too sick with even a nurse on standby who will clearly witness something if they are both indeed doing the deed? Kang Seo-Joon’s reaction and the rumours don’t have logical basis. There’s more logic given on the time travel rather than this nonsensical act of jealousy. It doesn’t have enough basis to warrant the actions of Kang Seo-Joon even with the same penmanship that wrote the short but loving note.
(3) How come their mobile phones don’t have password protection?
(4) How was Choi Jin-Cheol be able to freely walked out of the hospital when he was already sentenced as guilty by the court? Is that really how powerful rich people are in Korea?
(5) I must take a bow on how durable that mobile phone used by Park Sun-Woo in the phone booth, it survived through extreme impact, rain, tears, blood and supposed passing years yet it is still working. Should I get one?
Would I recommend this K-Drama? Totally 100% YES.
My Rating to this Drama
( See My Rating System: ) 5/5 Stars
OST:
01. Just a Little Bit – Urban Zakapa
Play Me:
02. Nine Scents – Lee Ji Hye (이지혜)
Play Me:
03. Because It’s You – Kim Yun Woo
Play Me:
04. Oh Please – Natthew
Play Me:
05. Nine Title – Leekeugeobook (이크거북)
06. Sob Story – Youme
07. Time Travel – Leekeugeobook
08. In The Eyes – Leekeugeobook
09. Himalaya – Leekeugeobook
For Lyrics in English, Romanization and Hangul, CLICK HERE