On September 8, 2023, the time travel drama A Time Called You was released on Netflix. The series featured Jeon Yeon-been, Ahn Hyo-seop, and Kang Hoon in the lead roles. It is a remake of the smash-hit Taiwanese series Someday or One Day, which has garnered a huge fanbase globally.
A Time Called You narrates the journey of Jun-hee, who is grappling with the pain of losing her boyfriend Yeon-jun in 2023, a year after his passing. Unexpectedly, she finds herself transported back to 1998, awakening in the body of an 18-year-old named Min-ju. There, she encounters someone bearing an uncanny resemblance to her late boyfriend.
As A Time Called You aired, many fans worldwide couldn't help but compare the remake with the original version. They started expressing disappointment in how the overall drama had many shortcomings. Even those who hadn't watched the original treated the drama as an average watch and didn't find it intriguing.
"Why even watch remakes when the original is present and good" - Fans aren't impressed with A Time Called You
As every episode of the much-anticipated remake, A Time Called You, was released, fans found several faults within the drama. The most significant issue they discovered was the lack of a compelling OST collection and concerns about the cast in the remake.
Someday or One Day is known for its unforgettable OSTs, including Last Dance, Someday or One Day, and Miss You 300, which evoked a variety of emotions among viewers and intensified every scene in the original drama.
However, the absence of impactful OSTs in the remake acted as a major setback for it. Therefore, fans who had watched the original didn't feel connected to the characters.
Moving on to the actors, Ahn Hyo-seop and Jeon Yeo-been, fans complained that they didn't resemble high school students at all. This aspect was executed exceptionally well in the original, where the actors, despite their age, appeared as high schoolers due to their outfits and authentic portrayal of life in the 90s era.
Fans acknowledged that the cinematography of A Time Called You was brilliant, but that alone couldn't save the drama from being a disappointment. They claimed that those who hadn't watched the original version might enjoy the remake, but it wouldn't have the same impact as the original.
Additionally, Ahn Hyo-seop and Jeon Yeon-been lacked depth in portraying their characters in comparison to Greg Hsu and Alice Ke.
Moreover, even after finishing A Time Called You, fans returned to watch the original version because the remake couldn't evoke the same feelings.
Check out how fans are discussing the two dramas on the MydramaList site, a well-renowned site where Asian drama fans engage in hot debate and discussions:
A Time Called You has also divided fans into two sections, those who had watched the original claimed the superiority of Someday or One Day and stated that no remake could do justice to it. They believed remakes shouldn't be attempted unless there's a genuine intention to do justice to the original work rather than just make easy money.
However, those who had only watched A Time Called You stated that the Taiwanese actors didn't appeal to them. They also claimed that the drama's aesthetics were better than the original one.
In defense, original drama fans argued that judging the Taiwanese actors based on their appearance wasn't appropriate and felt wrong to them. They emphasized that the production quality of the original was brilliant considering it was aired in 2019.
Fans were also disappointed that the remake fell short of showcasing the vulnerability of the supporting characters of the second male and female leads, a portrayal that was executed well in the original.
Fans have noted that the conclusion of the original drama continues to linger in their thoughts, while the ending of A Time Called You appeared ambiguous and had numerous unresolved elements.
Meanwhile, Someday or One Day is reportedly set to get a Chinese remake Want to See You.