A finance manager for the Soonyang family is betrayed by one of the family members and ruthlessly murdered while on a business trip to Turkey.  But when the unlucky employee wakes up, he finds himself back in the year 1987.  And instead of his own body, he is now the youngest male relative of the great Soonyang Group.  Bent on revenge for his unfair death and betrayal, he uses his business knowledge and quick wit to earn a fortune and challenge the Soonyang heirs to their position.  But if his plan is going to succeed, he will have to win the trust and favor of his new grandfather, the patriarch and CEO of Soonyang.  

Lee Sung Min as Jin Yang Cheol

Jin Yang Cheol is the CEO of Soonyang Group.  He grew his business from nothing into one of the most rich and powerful companies in Korea.  Along the way he has done whatever was necessary to ensure the Group’s continued success, no matter how illegal.  But now, as his life is drawing to a close, he is burdened with the task of naming his successor.  He has always been a strong believer that his oldest son and grandson should be the ones to take over.  But when his youngest grandson suddenly shows natural business acumen and an all-or-nothing attitude similar to his own, he begins to rethink his decision.  Now he will pit all of them against each other to find out which of them has the strongest will to survive.  

Jin Yang Cheol is greedy and obsessed with money and success.  Nothing is more important to him that Soonyang Group; certainly not his own family.  He is wily and will not be easily won over.  He will call the shots right up until his final breath, and possibly even after.  Lee Sung Min was brilliant in this role.  He was entirely loathsome and shockingly cruel.  You could never underestimate the depths he would go to  to achieve his goals, and Lee Sung Min played the part perfectly.  I looked forward to hating him each time he appeared on the screen!

Yoon Je Moon as Jin Young Ki

Jin Young Ki is Yang Cheol’s oldest son.  He has spent his life preparing to take over the business.  But he has made plenty of mistakes along the way and his brother and sister are just waiting to catch him in an unforgivable situation.  He spends his time sucking up to his father and determined to become the next CEO of Soonyang Group.

 ♥ Financial History

I thought this drama did an interesting job of giving a lesson on the financial history of Korea in the 80’s and 90’s.  From IMF to 9/11, we see it all replayed, with some sports victories on the side.  I must admit that my knowledge of the Korean IMF crisis is limited to a handful of dramas that touched on the subject.  But this series shows what happened and it’s effects and outcomes on the country as a whole.  Seeing the whole story of that time in context gave me a clear perspective on how the events shaped modern Korean business practices.  

♥ Jin Yoon Ki

Do Joon’s father is the most interesting of all the Soonyang siblings because he is the only one with any depth or character development.  Unlike his siblings, who are all just terrible for the fun of it, Yoon Ki has a journey.  He is the only one brave enough to step out from under his grandfather’s umbrella, to pursue his own dreams.  But in a moment of weakness, he allows himself to be drawn back into the web of deceit.  Ha In’s reaction to his increasing family involvement make it clear that there is more going on than just family dinners.  And in the end, we see him trying to reclaim that independence he fought so hard for in the first place.  This trajectory makes his character seem relatable and interesting.  

Grandmother

So the grandmother’s two-faced sweetness was pretty sickening, and I get that.  But the fact that Do Joon sent her out of the country and no one ever gives her a second thought is just really sad.  She specifically says that she didn’t tell any of her kids anything because she couldn’t face them knowing what she did.  Yet those same kids never even try to get her to come back.  And who is actually running the house now that she is gone?  Is there really no one who misses her?

Time-Travel Rules

Every time travel drama is faced with the question of what changing the past will do to the present.  In this case, after Hyun Woo’s mom dies despite his best efforts, he concludes that what is meant to happen can’t be changed.  But that doesn’t seem to apply to everything.  Do Joon changes the course of people’s lives often with his knowledge of what’s about to happen.  For example, having his father invest in the movie “Titanic”.  It just felt inconsistant and it seemed like the writers randomly changed the rules whenever the story needed it.  And what are the consequences of certain changes like Do Joon’s mom dying of suicide instead of a heart attack?

“Reborn Rich” has a messy and rushed ending that is open for interpretation.  Was it a happy ending?  That really depends on who you ask.  Do Joon dies in a car accident, just as Hyun Woo remembered.  And  then Hyun Woo wakes up in the hospital after being in a coma.  It is unclear whether his memories of Do Joon are all just a dream or if he did live as Do Joon for 20 years.  But Min Young did save Hyun Woo from dying, and now the two of them team up to expose the family’s crimes.  In the end, all the Soonyang siblings are forced to hand over leadership of the company to a management team. We don’t see any of them doing time for their part in it all.  But we see Young Ki die alone in the hospital, much like his father.  And Sung Joon’s wife leaves him. Do Joon finds Se Hyeon and once again convinces him to be his partner, so Miracle Investments is alive and well.  And Min Young has finally let go of her overwhelming grief at losing Do Joon.  And when she accidentally bumps into Hyun Woo, we see a glimmer of recognition in her eyes.  He definitely reminds her of someone she knew and loved.  So there stil seems to be some hope that their destiny will bring them together again.