Cover 5 Korean dramas that delve into time travel: ‘Lovely Runner’, ‘The Atypical Family’, and more (Screencaps from respective shows; edited by Angela Nicole Guiral)
5 Korean dramas that delve into time travel: ‘Lovely Runner’, ‘The Atypical Family’, and more (Screencaps from respective shows; edited by Angela Nicole Guiral)
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Still can’t get over ‘Lovely Runner’? Here are other Korean dramas that dabble in time travel that you can watch in your free time
We all grew up with classics like Back to the Future and The Time Traveller’s Wife, so time travel isn’t entirely new. Several Korean dramas have played with the idea, too. Lee Min-ho’s character in The King: Eternal Monarch navigates parallel universes through portals, while Jang Ki-yong in The Atypical Family possesses time travel as a supernatural ability. Watching these stories unfold and exploring the concept through its applications, consequences, or emotional impacts allows viewers to be tickled to pieces, engaging our imaginations.
Here, we celebrate such creativity and exceptional storytelling by rounding up some of the best time-travel-themed Korean dramas that have made waves in the local and international scene.
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Lovely Runner (2024)
Above ‘Lovely Runner’ is a fantasy romance where two people, separated by time, finally find their way to each other
One of the most talked-about Korean dramas in 2024 is ‘Lovely Runner’ by Yoon Jong-ho. It is more than just a time travel story; it’s a poignant tale of first loves. Right after a top celebrity ends his life, his greatest fan is transported back to a time when they were in high school. She seizes the chance to protect him and change his fate.
For Lim Sol (Kim Hye-yoon), Ryu Seon-jae (Byeon Woo-seok) is an idol out of her reach. To him, she is his unrequited first love. Lovely Runner is a fantasy romance where two people, separated by time, finally find their way to each other.
“Is there such a thing as a predetermined fate? Like an inevitable fate, that we can neither change nor defy. If there is, Sol, my fate is no matter in which time we meet, past, present, or any other. I’ll fall in love with you.” — Ryu Seon-jae
The Atypical Family (2024)
Above In this scene from ‘The Atypical Family’, Gwi-ju (Jang Ki-yong) discovers Da-hae (Chun Woo-hee) locked in a storage room. Da-hae begins to weep as she recollects a similar incident during her childhood, prompting Gwi-ju to assure her that he will save her in the past
Similar to the plot of Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy, this series delves into the dynamics of the dysfunctional Bok family. Each member possesses a unique power but struggles to use it effectively due to personal issues ranging from lack of self-confidence to gluttony and even depression.
The main protagonist, Bok Gwi-ju (Jang Ki-yong), can travel back in the past, but only to moments when he was genuinely happy. After enduring a traumatic incident, he finds the strength to use his powers again with the arrival of Do Da-hae (Chun Woo-hee) in his and his relatives’ lives. However, there is more to Da-hae than meets the eye.
“But one thing’s for sure: Do Da-hae’s past is my future. The moments I spent with you pull me back into them.” — Bok Gwi-ju
The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)
Above The collaboration and the cooperation of the two universes in ‘The King: Eternal Monarch’ unfold a different level of fantasy romance drama that is sometimes romantic and sometimes heartbreaking
When used in fictional material, the concept of time travel can be confusing when executed poorly, but The King: Eternal Monarch explores it in a way that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. It’s one of the reasons why it remains one of the best Korean dramas to date. Two parallel universes co-exist in the show: one that follows the everyday life of modern-day Seoul, where there are prime ministers and presidents, and another that a monarch runs.
One day, young prince Lee Gon (Lee Min-Ho) witnesses his uncle murdering his father. He is next in line to be killed, but a mysterious stranger saves him. Meanwhile, in the other universe, detective Tae-eul (Kim Go-Eun) investigates the same man—Lee Gon’s uncle.
Years later, Lee Gon is king and begins a quest to find his saviour in the other universe. This quest leads him to Tae-eul, and he uncovers how their lives are intertwined across dimensions.
“Just like that, we decided to love the fate that chose us. Just for today and only today. And forever.” — Lee Gon and Tae-eul
Related: 8 Lee Min-ho Movies and Shows You Need to Watch: ‘The Heirs’, ‘TKEM’, And More
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016)
Above Stuck in the past and amid the drama between two princes, will Hae-soo (IU) ever find a way to belong in the series ‘Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo’
Hae-soo is one of IU’s most breathtaking and heartbreaking performances of her career. In Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, she wakes up in a different era—the Goryeo Dynasty in particular—after saving a child from drowning. She was no longer Ha-jin, but Hae-soo to the people of the past. Here, she meets Wang So (Lee Joon-gi), and the rest is history.
“You could be living well and just end up dying one day. You can fall right out of the sky and then end up living in a place like this. So, just follow your heart and live. Do everything you want to do and live however you want.” — Hae-soo
Tomorrow With You (2017)
Above ‘Tomorrow With You’ tells the story of real-estate CEO Yoo So-joon travelling through time to marry photographer Song Ma-rin in an attempt to change the future
In Yoo Je-won’s Tomorrow With You, the main protagonist, Yoo So-joon (Lee Je-Hoon), is a CEO who can travel in time whenever he uses the subway.
One day, he discovers that Ma-rin (Shin Min-ah), a photographer struggling after an unsuccessful career in the entertainment industry, is about to have an accident. He then intervenes with fate and saves her, intertwining their lives ever since.
“Every now and then, I have these thoughts. Isn’t there a reason that I was saved? Is there a more special future awaiting me?” — Ma-rin
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Angela Nicole Regis Guiral is the assistant digital editor of Tatler Philippines. She studied journalism and has since written features that look closely at how culture, lifestyle and social impact converge, while occasionally wandering into the worlds of style and travel.
