Times - 타임즈 [2021]

[mademoiselle]

@SnowBlob

I am watching episode 7 now. I don't know whether I'm ok with it yet but I think I understand why Tea prefers not to have the previous format because it can become repetitive and predictable. That was how it was with Kairos.

 

@SilverMoonTea

Interesting twist. Reminds me of LSJ's previous drama LOL. His dimples are so deep.

[mademoiselle]

@SnowBlob @SilverMoonTea I'm done with episode 8... must say I watch more korean politics via kdramas than pay attention to my own country's politics!

Looks like it's possible the 2020 Jin Woo and Jung In might contact 2015 Jin Woo again later to change the future. I wonder if Jin Woo 2020 has been in contact with Jin Woo 2015 all this time, but they can't possibly contact each other too much otherwise the phones will break.

[SnowBlob]

@mademoiselle yes it could get very repititive but i came to watch this thinking past and present connection as a theme...so if they change it just to be a political drama...then  hahahaha..but that's my preference only. As it has been proven with me and silvermoontea... What one thinks is good..the other may not and vice versa 

[mademoiselle]

4 minutes ago, SnowBlob said:

@mademoiselle yes it could get very repititive but i came to watch this thinking past and present connection as a theme...so if they change it just to be a political drama...then  hahahaha..but that's my preference only. As it has been proven with me and silvermoontea... What one thinks is good..the other may not and vice versa 

To be honest I was also getting a bit bored of the political bit in ep8. I also know I won't be very interested if they just repeatedly tried to stop Seo Ki Tae from being killed (and each time the perpetrator is another small character). So I was glad that in ep7 we had a bit of change. Overall I cannot say this drama is my cuppa. It was a bit up & down for me, LOL.  

Edited March 17, 2021 by mademoiselle

[SnowBlob]

@mademoisellehahahahah I'm still gonna stay tuned to this drama for now:) Now that I think about what you said, it's probably a good thing that they changed the pace and the direction in ep 7 and 8.. but I sure do hope they'll combine it with the past-present phone connection in the future eps~ 

 

Random rambling: so sleepy... always at this time of the day 

[40somethingahjumma]

I don't think this is a bad drama by any stretch of the imagination... and I actually like the political side of things. I appreciate the show taking a different route to other dramas with dual timelines. In fact, I think the best part of the show right now is all the behind the scenes wheeling and dealing. Seeing all the veterans coming out in full force, bring their A game... I love it. All of that rings true. More so than Jin-woo's current trajectory which I find a bit drastic.

 

I have mixed feelings about Jin-woo in a ways I don't usually have about MLs. He's intelligent, somewhat charismatic but in some ways he's very impulsive and naive. The recklessness that we saw in those early episodes is absolutely right for the man who was the journalist. Those are qualities that are needed for a crusader in search of  a story. But it's disappointing that he's still lacking discretion even while he's in politics. On top of that he's made so many compromises that he lacks credibility. Yet he wants to create waves. The old saying, "Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely" applies in his case. Sure, it took him 5 years to become brusque and cold but for us and Jung-in, it does feel sudden.The other thing that still bothers me is how easily he believed what he was told about his brother and yet he hasn't considered why KYJ for instance isn't more of an ally. I'm not convinced Seo Gi-tae killed his brother but I don't mind being proved wrong. What worries me is that he's entire revenge trajectory is based on a recording that sounds off to me. 

 

Jung-in in the meanwhile Is now playing second fiddle to the political heavyweights. It makes sense on some level seeing where the drama is at currently but I hope it's not a sign of things to come. 

 

It's not that I mind Jin-woo going into politics because Lee Seo-jin is a fine actor and does well nicely cleaned up. He certainly projects the right kind of energy. But I'm not convinced that going into politics to take revenge is any kind of wisdom because it's bound to crash and burn. His long-time friend and manager is right to be concerned. Jin-woo doesn't know how to play the long game.

[SilverMoonTea]

 

Hook ent.

[SilverMoonTea]

Lee Seo Jin Falls Into Despair As He Discovers The Truth Behind His Brother’s Death In “Times”

20 Mar 2021

by C. Hong

 

Another exciting episode is coming up for OCN’s “Times”!

 

“Times” is a “time-warp” drama about two people living in different times who are connected through a mysterious phone call.

 

Seo Jung In (Lee Joo Young), the daughter of South Korean president Seo Gi Tae (Kim Young Chul), lives in 2020, while Lee Jin Woo (Lee Seo Jin), a passionate and talented reporter, lives in 2015.

 

Seo Jung In enlists Lee Jin Woo’s help to save her father’s life, but the two end up causing unforeseen consequences.

Spoilers

One of the mysteries in the drama is about the untimely death of Lee Geun Woo (Ha Jun), Lee Jin Woo’s younger brother and Seo Gi Tae’s former aide. Lee Geun Woo had made enemies when he unveiled the existence of JC Communications’ illegal slush fund, which implicated political figures like Seo Gi Tae, Kim Young Joo (Moon Jung Hee), Baek Gyu Min (Song Young Chang), and Nam Sung Bum (Yoo Sung Joo). After discovering the evidence his brother had collected, Lee Jin Woo suspected Seo Gi Tae of being the murderer, but Seo Gi Tae insisted on his innocence.

 

 

In the new stills, Nam Sung Bum seeks out Lee Jin Woo as he grasps at straws in order to survive. He comes to him with a haggard face and makes a request, but Lee Jin Woo’s response is ambiguous. The preview for this episode revealed that there might be a new clue in what Nam Sung Bum has to say. After a threat on his life, Nam Sung Bum says to an unknown person, “You should not forget what I know.” He approaches Lee Jin Woo with the bait that he knows something about Lee Geun Woo’s death.

 

Meanwhile, Seo Jung In and Lee Jin Woo’s uneasy partnership fractured further as their “time-warp” connection was broken. Seo Jung In was tasked with finding out the truth about her father’s involvement in JC Communications’ illegal slush fund and whether Lee Jin Woo was right in suspecting her father had killed Lee Geun Woo. But this task was made more difficult for her by Lee Jin Woo’s interference.

 

Seo Jung In had planned to seek out the special phone that allows her to connect to the past so that she can partner up again with 2015’s Lee Jin Woo to seek out the truth. Foreseeing this, Lee Jin Woo had already taken the phone away so that Seo Jung In could not partner up with his past self again to change the past. Seo Jung In was not one to give up and chose to continue to pursue the truth so that the present could lead to a better future, even if the past could not be changed.

 

But the new stills show Lee Jin Woo being thrown into confusion and despair, while Seo Jung In runs from someone who is chasing her. Lee Jin Woo seems to not be able to believe the evidence before his eyes, while Seo Jung In hides in an alley with an aura of mounting tension.

 

The production staff stated, “As Lee Jin Woo learns the truth about his brother Lee Geun Woo’s death, Seo Jung In finds herself in desperate danger. These events will mark a turning point in the drama’s storyline as well as the two characters’ relationship. There will be a truly shocking development in this episode beyond anything that could be imagined.”

[SilverMoonTea]

 

Cr OCN

[SilverMoonTea]

Ep 9. 

 

This episode is very good. Especially this scene. I always a bit reluctant in the beginning with this drama, but it became very good. Or perhaps can I say LSJ really stunning after the upgrade with the suit? 

 

@Thong ThinDid you managed to watch this? 

@40somethingahjummaYou were right about SKT.

@SnowBlobDon't go, come back here 

@mademoiselleHope you enjoy this episode. Don't open yet if you haven't watch haha... 

 

 

[mademoiselle]

@SilverMoonTea

Looks like Snow got her wish after all 😄

[40somethingahjumma]

Episode 9 was really decent like you said @SilverMoonTea It was good to get confirmation that Seo Gi-tae isn't the monster that people think he is. In fact I was actually quite impressed with Seo Gi-tae in this episode. I was surprised at how good he was as a political operator and how he managed to force the hand of more than one person so that the truth about Geum-woo's death came out... inadvertently. Or not. I was glued to my seat for that part of the episode. It's kinda realistic... the shifting alliances, the changing fortunes of key people and the consequences of Jin-woo's press con for him. There was some level of complexity which I liked.

 

It's clear that Jin-woo is something of a babe in the woods in the political arena and he paid the price for that which is somewhat realistic. Whatever little credibility he had was shot to pieces in my view when he exposed the ledger. It wasn't just a political misjudgement but it showed up his hypocrisy. He had become the thing he hated and was publicly campaigning against. The corruption of wanting power infested him to the point that his first instinct now was to survive and protect his present position. How is he different from the rest of them? Perhaps he was fortunate that he hadn't completely given himself over to his misguided ambition.

 

What a wakeup call for both Jin-woo and Seo Gi-tae. Let's hope there's some way of repairing that.

 

 

[Thong Thin]

@SilverMoonTea thanks for tagging me.

 

I am far behind watching, only can spare 1 hour on weekdays .

 

Will try to catch up if time permits, still at Ep 6.

 

 

[Chocolate]

@SilverMoonTea I gave up the harem drama and decided to continue watching this instead 😂

 

Just finished episode 4.

 

So when things are changed in the past, the future is automatically changed. The investigation board and computer files are auto updated. Seo Jung In remembers the past conversations with Jin Woo and what happened to her, but she does not know what has taken place since the change in 2015 eg her life with her father between 2015 and 2020 since he did not die?

 

SJI goes and meet Choi alone? LJW just lets the nurse (who was to be hit by a car) walk off in another direction? These are some parts that irk as the decision seems not the brightest. But nevermind.

 

Pacing is good so far.

 

[SnowBlob]

@SilverMoonTea ta daa...I'm still here and as @mademoiselle pointed out.. I got my wish in ep 9 and 10 

@Chocolate do not read what I wrote below..it contains spoiler! To answer your question...yes apparently the present JI won't remember what happened between the day in the past when things changed to the present 2020. It seems so...BUT...if I'm not mistaken..there were a couple of scenes where it seems JI remembered vaguely what happened in between. Don't trust me though..I'm really not good at recalling 

 

Contain Spoiler. EP 9 and 10

 

I'm happy that the writer even managed to surprise me that this time around it was the present Jin Woo who got connected to the 2015 Jin Woo. I was really sure that he would be connecting with 2015's JI but didn't happen (Hey..but maybe that WILL happen in the last 2 eps next week? shrugs).

 

But honestly, I'm not expecting anymore phone calls in the upcoming 2 eps. I think Jin Woo will try to settle and fix his present in the present time only. For some reasons, I feel like this show is also trying to tell us that there are always consequences of changing the past even though people might want to put it as 'right the wrong' or 'putting things right in their place'. After all, so far...our leads never got the future that they 'wish' so far. There's always something lacking...or wrong. 

 

OOOOO...I just had a light bulb moment...or a 'dohhhh' moment. I was just wondering how come the 2020 Jin Woo got connected to that particular 2015 JW who was preparing himself to do the press con. I was just typing the question here when I got the answer (face palm). It's because they're always connected to the exact same date in the past as in the present (face palm again). 

[mademoiselle]

@SnowBlob I think the bigger twist for me is Jin Woo was sent to prison by Seo Ki Tae.

 

Lesson 101, never ever trust a politician! True that Seo Ki Tae probably did not kill (at least before he learnt that his daughter will die. We don't actually know the most current timeline whether he had order to kill), but he too seems to have no hesitation when others get in his way. I quite like the portrayal from that actor who played Seo Ki Tae. He was so loving and "nice" in the beginning but when it was needed, especially last week's episode, his facial expression was hard & cold. That was pretty bravo.

 

One of the phones is dead now if I'm not mistaken, which is Jung In's phone. So the only phone left potentially still works is Jin Woo's phone, but could that connect with 2015 Jung In?

 

Like you, I don't think they need to contact the past anymore because the biggest evil both needed to fight is Seo Ki Tae in present day. Jung In, who lost her memory due to the reset, will again learn the truth about her father (based on the preview) and it seems to me we will see a repeat of Seo Ki Tae going down the same path he did before Jin Woo changed the future. However, this time I think we will get a different ending, I just don't know what and how.

 

Edited March 23, 2021 by mademoiselle

[Chocolate]

I'm here now!

 

 

So that's how she appeared at Daily Search instead of DBS in episode 1. But does that mean the 2 baddies also remember all the unsuccessful assassination attempts and the changes to the past/future since they also have the special phones?

 

[SnowBlob]

@mademoiselle hahahaahha... I wonder irl..is there really not a politician to be trusted  I concur that SKT's actor's acting is really good. Since i'm not sure when...i think his acting and facial expressions made me unable to decide whether he's good or bad

@Chocolate mmm i think the two baddies would remember the unsuccessful attempts in as a linear timeline as other normal people. So the 2020 baddies wouldnt know that their past had been changed a few times if that made sense...

[Chocolate]

Oooh! I just knew she was going to get hit by a vehicle. So Jin Woo will now use the phone to call himself in the past to change things? 🤔

 

I must say this story is very tight. 12 episodes is good.

 

Edit: I'm up to date! In time for the finale this weekend.

 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Chocolate

[SnowBlob]

Yes..so glad it's a 12-ep drama and 2 eps per week at that too! The pacing is just nice that way

[SnowBlob]

Yippeee... I finished watching the last 2 eps! 

Not a bad ending at all   but

Spoiler

we also don't have definite conclusion on what happens to Seo Ki Tae. I think this drama is trying to open up the possibility of having season 2 by creating such ending (including the phone call they received from Seo Jung In at the end of ep 12 - hmmm I wonder would that be SJI from the future..or from the past??) 

I for one wish that they'd just tie the drama nicely without having unfinished ending. Season 2 can always be created anyhow.

Overall, I'm happy with the drama. I'm glad I watched it but not something that I'll rewatch in the near future. 

Spoiler

I do though feel like rewatching Signal again - same phone-call-from-the-past theme

Thank you everyone who already gave comments and reactions~ I enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts 

[Chocolate]

I think the last episode was one of the weakest of the 12.

 

The mobile app thing and the companies/people encompassed in this dubious setup was not given enough airtime earlier, or I must have missed it - it felt a bit strange for it to suddenly pop-up at the end to be the major conspiracy that makes Seo Ki Tae the bad guy.

 

I also got a bit frustrated by Lee Jin Woo - he was played out by his informants/witnesses a few times on national TV. He doesn't learn. Doesn't really inspire as a smart reporter, and a hero of this drama.

 

Seo Jung In is a better character, but that last telephone call totally erased her memories of all her efforts in 10 episodes!

 

Nevertheless, the drama was a good watch. I'm just not sure I will watch a Season 2, if there was one 😅

 

Edited March 30, 2021 by Chocolate

[SnowBlob]

10 hours ago, Chocolate said:

I also got a bit frustrated by Lee Jin Woo - he was played out by his informants/witnesses a few times on national TV. He doesn't learn. Doesn't really inspire as a smart reporter, and a hero of this drama.

 

Ohhh...yes this one! I totally agree. He still didn't check the fact thoroughly before doing the press con  I wonder whether most of reporters irl are like that anyway. And true that not all the bad guys got their punishment. I wonder if they're saving this for season 2 if there's any 

[SilverMoonTea]

My feelings after watching the finale :

 

 What did I just watched? 

 

I don't think the ending was meant to call for Season 2. The ratings was mediocre ranging from 1.5%-2% and 3% for finale. I found this drama can't be called very good or very bad. Everything kind of lukewarm at best. 

 

The character seems have a lot of confusion and very patchy. I don't think people will change easily from their path. But not so with this drama.

 

It seems Seo Ki Tae was depicted to have bigger pictures for future and was doing all the bad things for the sake of Jung In, but it's so sketchy. The ending is like choose your own story to make. It left me unsatisfied, but even there is Season 2, I don't think I will watch it. 

[mademoiselle]

LOL at @SilverMoonTea's final thought.

 

I'll come clean that I was preoccupied with doing other things while episode 11-12 were on. I wasn't very interested anymore with all the politics going on but I wanted to know how it ended so I let it play on.

 

I joked with Tea that the message I took away from this is that politicians can't be trusted and their lives are not worth saving The only politician in drama I liked was Ji Jin Hee's character in Designated Survivor 60 days. But a politician like that doesn't exist. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed that show and definitely more satisfying compared to this. Times is not a memorable show either so no, I don't think it'll get a season 2.

Edited April 1, 2021 by mademoiselle