18 Again – Full Review
Welcome to 18 Again – Full Review. A middle-aged man is given a chance to go back in time and change the moments that he most regrets. Now he will do whatever he can to put his broken family back together. If you haven’t watched this drama yet, I recommend checking out my unspoiled review here.
18 Again
♥ Aired: September 21 – November 10, 2020
♥# of Episodes: 16
♥Where to Watch: iQIYI
♥Genre: Romantic Drama
♥Starring: Kim Ha Neul, Yoon Sang Hyun and Lee Do Hyun
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The Story
Welcome to my 18 Again – Unspoiled Review. A husband and father, disappoint in the accomplishments of his life, makes a careless wish to go back and do it all again. Instantly transformed into his 18 year old self, his wish came true, but now what does he do? Can he find a way to use this miraculous chance to rebuild all the realationships that have broken down over time and put his family back together?
The Leads
Kim Ha Neul as Jung Da Jung
Jung Da Jung has spent her whole life as a devoted wife and mother, but now that her kids are grown she finally has the time to realize her own dreams. She is increasingly frustrated by her husbands neglect and irresponsibility. Add to that her own guilt about being the cause of him having to give up his dreams of playing college basketball. At the end of her rope, she finally divorces him. Now as a single mom, she feels the pressure to provide for her family. Being a television announcer has always been her dream, so when she is offered a job at a local station she is thrilled. But when they find out she is a divorced mother, they try to get her to quit. To make matters even more difficult, her love life has gotten very complicated. A professional baseball player has shown an interest in her and a young student who looks exactly like her husband at 18, is bringing back many of the feelings she was hoping to forget.
Kim Ha Neul did a great job in the role of Jung Da Jung. Not only did she have to establish some kind of chemistry with 2 different actors, but one of those actors is much younger than her. Her character represents the struggle many women face in the choice of family or career. Tenacious and gracious in the face of discrimination and injustice, she is a solid role-model for her children. And Da Jung’s endless love for her husband through it all is selfless and inspiring.
Yoon Sang Hyun as Hong Dae Young (At 37)
Hong Dae Young’s gives up his life-long dream to play college basketball after finding out that his girlfriend is pregnant with twins. The couple marry and he takes a thankless job, doing everything he can to provide for his family. Now, after almost 20 years, his wife finds his self-pity irritating and his children treat him like a stranger. But he is still shocked when his wife hands him divorce papers. Going back to the place it all started to go wrong, Dae Young ends up at the high school gym and in a lapse of momentary regret, he wishes he could go back again. And just like that, lightning flashes and he is 18. He tells his wife he has been transferred to Busan and begins attending school with his kids. As a peer, he gets a chance to really know his children and through them he also sees his wife.
Hong Dae Young is an unusual character because even though he is a focus of the show, Yoon Sang Hyun only shows up from time to time. Even so, Yoon Sang Hyun manages to tear at our hearts. His floppy hair gives him the perfect ragged look of someone who has lived a life like Dae Young’s. Dae Young is not perfect; he is the first to admit that he has made a lot of mistakes along the way. Going back to high school has given him a new perspective on his children and the things that give his life value.
Lee Do Hyun as Hong Dae Young (At 18)/Go Woo Young
Go Woo Young is the name Hong Dae Young gives to himself as an 18 year old. As an 18 year old, Woo Young spent his time at school befriending his kids and spreading small doses of wisdom and maturity when the occassion permits. Sometime he says things that make him sound a little too much like an adult, but the kids like him and listen to what he has to say. He joins the basketball team and even convinces his son to join him. As the children’s friend he finds ways to help Da Jung; bringing her an umbrella, walking her home, or carrying her groceries.
Lee Do Hyun gives a standout performance. The nuances of old soul in a young body come through so clearly in his acting. It is impossible not to root for him on every level. Despite the age gap, there is no awkwardness in his scenes with Da Jung, and you can feel his fatherly attitude toward his “peers” at school. The sincerity in his feelings toward his family are so genuine. It’s almost too bad that the world will not see this version of Dae Young grow up gradually with all the lessons he has learned and regrets he has come to terms with.
Supporting Characters
Wi Ha Joon as Ye Ji Hoon
Ye Ji Hoon is a profession baseball player who Da Jung meets when she goes to interview him for one of her first assignments on the job. He is charming and reserved. His views on love have been tarnished by seeing his brother have his heart broken. He is also a single father to his niece, and he has worked hard not to let his fame affect her. Ji Hoon develops a crush on Da Jung, but Da Jung is only interested in being his friend.
Roh Jeong Eui as Hong Shi Ah
Shi Ah is Da Jung and Dae Young’s daughter. She is smart and outspoken. Secretly, she is working at a convenience store to earn money to pay for a makeup academy. College is of no interest to her, but she dreams of becoming a makeup artist. Shout out to her best friend since elementary school, Seo Ji Ho, who has a crush on her and is too shy to confess his feelings. Shi Ah pretends to be tough and unemotional, but her parent’s divorce has been devastating for her.
Ryeoun as Hong Shi Woo
Shi Woo is Da Jung and Dae Young’s son. He is shy and soft-spoken. A loner who has been bullied, Shi Woo doesn’t really have any friends when Woo Young shows up. Shi Woo loves basketball, despite telling his father he has no interest. Between the bullies on the team and the fear of disappointing his father, he has never been able to pursue it. Luckily, Woo Young shows up and changes all of that.
Things I Liked
♥ Solo Time Travel
Too often this kind of drama involves someone going back to a certain place in time. What makes “18 Again” different is that the hero goes back while everyone else stays in the present. This approach gave everything a unique feel. A dad can become a friend, a husband is a cute friend of your kids, and a classmate is strangely mature. Of course, this story would not have been the same if they just went back to when Da Jung and Dae Young were in high school. Making the kids focal characters added a fun touch to what could otherwise have just been an overused cliche about getting to relive your past.
♥Ye Ji Hoon and His Niece
Ye Ji Hoon and his niece were so sweet together. Spending more time exploring this storyline would have been very worthwhile. As it was, we got the highlights of the story but I think they could have made it more complete. Seeing her smile the first time he called himself her uncle again just about broke my heart, along with the realization that for her she had lost both her dad and her beloved uncle in that accident. Such a touching story! Ji Hoon’s depth and sincerity really came through strongly in these scenes and honestly it was more interesting than his crush on Da Jung.
♥In-Law Relationships
One of my favorite things about this drama was the relationships that Da Jung and Dae Young had with their in-laws. Even when Dae Young’s relationship with his father was strained, Da Jung continued to take care of him and show her love and respect. Dae Young’s strained relationship with his father and loss of his mother may explain why he was so caring to his mother-in-law. The love that they showed to each other was so sweet and heartwarming. So often, dramas focus on the tyrannical in-laws. This was a breath of fresh air and I found it such a nice touch.
Things I Didn’t Like
Side Stories
The problem with trying to base a whole drama off a 2 hour movie is that it requires a lot of additional material. And if they had stuck to a couple well-developed side stories, I think this would have worked fine. But instead they seemed to force lots of short side stories that didn’t really help the overall plot. Things like the photo stalker or the high school friend who published stuff online felt rushed and out of place. There were so many stories involving the family themselves, plus the second love story with Go Deok Jin and Ms. Ok and Ji Hoon’s character. I wish they had used the extra time to focus more on these stories.
Kids in the Dark
It just seems like it would have been nice if the kids had found out who Woo Young was in the end. After all the work he put into developing relationships with the 2 of them at school, and really all he had done to provide for them all their lives, it seemed a shame that they didn’t get the chance to fully appreciate that. Especially since even Ji Ho figured it out, his own children should have caught a clue. For Shi Woo, he lost a best friend with no explanation. Luckily, from his time on the basketball team he now has lots of friend, but still, it must have been disappointing for him. And for that, I think he deserves to know the truth.
Explanation of Magic
Okay, I know that sometimes magic just happens and no one needs to explain that. But seriously, what just happened? Was that some spontaneous convergence of nature or did that old man somehow make it happen? If they had just left if with a clash of lightning, I probably would have just accepted it and moved on. But then the old, bald guy kept popping up and it made me more curious. Obviously, this is a vey minor complaint, but it did leave me wondering in the end.
The Ending
“18 Again” has a nice, strong ending that ties everything up nicely but also kindly reminds us that life is messy and love is more so. After a 2 year time jump, we find Deuk Jin and Ms. Ok are happy as a nerdy cosplay couple. Shi Ah is doing well and we can assume she is still pursuing her dream of being a make-up artist. She and Ji Ho have been dating while he is in medical school. Shi Woo is also dating his high school love, but they fight often over her jealousy of his many female basketball fans. Dae Young opened a youth basketball center to fulfill his own dreams of playing basketball. has her own television show. We end getting to see Da Jung finally wear her wedding dress and all is rosy and bright. But one last voice-over comes back to remind us that life is seldom perfect. They still have their struggles and disagreements, but they are fianlly equipped to deal with them openly and lovingly. That is what makes all the difference.
Should I Watch
18 Again is a wonderful family drama about love and family, without being too cheesy or heavy handed. And Lee Do Hyun is amazing as the 37 year old trapped in an 18 year old body. For those of you that are turned off by the fact that this series is based off an old Zac Efron movie, I can guarantee that once they stretched this drama from a 2 hour movie to 16 hour-long episodes, very little resemblance still remains. For fans who are looking for young and passionate romance, this may not be for you. This one is much more centered around family and marriage. And, of course, the story requires you to believe that someone can magically go back in time, so if that kind of premise is too unbelievable for you, than you probably won’t enjoy this. But if you are looking for a heartwarming family drama that is a bit slow paced and character-driven, this little gem is a great choice. I give 18 Again a 9 out of 10 ramen.
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