It’s at all times good to see Kim Dong Wook again on the small display screen, and this time round, he’s paired with the superb Jin Ki Joo and one heck of an ideal script. “My Perfect Stranger” is a homicide thriller, a love letter to folks all over the place, and a sobering reminder that we don’t usually get the time we predict we now have. It explores the far-reaching implications of a collection of murders in a small city and demonstrates that generally time can’t repair every little thing.

There’s a lot that was superb in regards to the preliminary duet of episodes, so with out additional ado, right here’s what we beloved!

Spoilers for episodes 1-2 under.
Warning: mentions of suicide.

1. The chilly open

With a premise like time-travel and being caught in 1987, you’d suppose the present must undergo a substantial amount of set-up to get us to purchase the plotline, however “My Perfect Stranger” launches us straight into the world in a way that feels impeccably plausible. Who wouldn’t begin a random deserted automobile that purports to be a time machine only for the sheer heck of it? And who wouldn’t be unnerved to seek out that they die in a yr because of a collection of unsolved murders that befell far prior to now?

It’s a premise that feels much like the equally nice “Tomorrow With You,” a drama additionally anchored by a strong female and male lead, and this present feels no totally different. The pacing is incredible. The episodes fly by, Yoon Hae Jun’s (Kim Dong Wook’s) straightforward incorporation within the village feels natural, and we get an ideal really feel for the folks of 1987. Plus, with time at play right here, there are quite a few components and potential easter eggs to be thought-about. Who left Hae Jun the automobile in the appropriate place on the proper time? Was it his future self? Someone else? It’s an ideal begin that bodes properly for the remainder of the present!

2. Hae Jun’s motives in fixing the 1987 Woo Jung Village thriller

Upon discovering that he’s to be the sufferer of the identical killer chargeable for the 1987 Woo Jung Village murders, Hae Jun is aware of that he has no alternative however to discover a option to avert his homicide. Especially as he is aware of one thing that the 2021 police don’t: they don’t have the appropriate killer.

Back in 1987, after the murders, a person named Min Soo (2021 self performed by Im Jong Yoon) was arrested and spent over 30 years behind bars regardless of protesting that he was harmless. Hae Jun believes him. Why? Because on the day earlier than Min Soo was to be launched, he takes his life in jail. An entire yr later, Hae Jun dies by the hands of the Won Jung village killer, clearly indicating that the police had the fallacious man.

Naturally, Min Soo thinks that Hae Jun is nuts when he involves him with a narrative of time-travel. But Hae Jun is a compelling speaker. As a information anchor, he is aware of that info communicate louder than phrases and convinces Min Soo by predicting the long run, right down to Min Soo’s plans of suicide. This averts Min Soo’s suicide and permits the 2 to crew up in 2021 to avert the 1987 murders with the purpose of stopping Min Soo from each being arrested. Motive-wise, it’s a incredible driving power for Hae Jun’s fixation on 1987. Shows like “Tunnel” usually use the time-travel trope to avoid wasting a useless spouse or so forth, however right here the hero simply needs to avoid wasting himself. Fully onboard!

3. Yoon Young’s causes for wanting to remain in 1987

We spend extra time in Baek Yoon Young’s (Jin Ki Joo’s) 2021 life than we do with Hae Jun. We don’t know what anchors Hae Jun to the current, however we rapidly discover out why Yoon Young has no use for her current. She’s the editor to a snooty writer Ko Mi Sook (2021 self performed by Kim Hye Eun), who appears to be on her final dregs of fame. Yoon Young spends her days having to suck as much as Mi Sook and accompany her on private errands, without having the time to spend along with her mom Lee Soon Ae (2021 self performed by Lee Ji Hyun).

The bother is that Yoon Young doesn’t actually need to hang around along with her mom. Her dad and mom have an sad marriage, along with her father consuming himself right into a stupor and inflicting untold injury to varied shops and her mom patiently taking all of it. Yoon Young is uninterested in having to witness it and spends as a lot time as she will from dwelling. Soon Ae appears to know that her daughter is considerably ashamed of her. It doesn’t assist when Yoon Young runs into Soon Ae on a buying journey with Mi Sook, and Mi Sook appears to be like down on her (with out figuring out that she’s Yoon Young’s mom). Soon Ae makes the sensible level to Yoon Young that she would by no means choose her or anybody by what they put on, however Yoon Young’s had a foul day, and the 2 argue in basic mother-daughter vogue. It isn’t even a mean-spirited argument, and Yoon Young totally believes that she will make up along with her mom. But it finally ends up being the final argument they’ve. That evening, Soon Ae’s physique is present in a river. Supposedly suicide.

And Yoon Young fully breaks down. When her drunk father exhibits up, fully out of it, she loses it and screams that she needs she may return in time to forestall her dad and mom from assembly in order that her mom may have fulfilled her goals and lived robust and free, with out a daughter who was ashamed of her and a wastrel husband. And when Yoon Young enters the identical tunnel that Hae Jun’s time-traveling automobile speeds via on the way in which to 1987, one thing occurs that has by no means occurred in all Hae Jun’s previous journeys. He brings her with him to the very village her mom lived in 34 years in the past. And Yoon Young vows to guard her mom this time round.

Such an ideal motive!

4. Soon Ae’s e-book

1987’s Soon Ae (Seo Ji Hye) is a candy, shy woman, continually harassed by a quartet of bullies. Their chief? None aside from a younger Ko Mi Sook (Ji Hye Won). Mi Sook is rich and sees that as giving her the facility to do something to anybody with out concern of consequence. But she occurs to be reasonably sensible about it. She’s cautious to not be caught redhanded, in contrast to her three associates who’re reasonably unsubtle with pushing Soon Ae right into a lake, figuring out she will’t swim.

Among these associates is the the frankly disturbing Kim Hae Kyung (Kim Ye Ji). Hae Jun will get into the townsfolk’s good graces by saving six teenagers from a demise that Hae Kyung practically brought on. She’s the kind of bully that likes to goad folks into doing issues that hurt them after which watches the hurt in glee. In the unique timeline, she talks her associates into getting excessive off paint and glue on a mountain of all locations and watches them tumble to their demise. It’s unclear as to what would have occurred if Hae Jun allowed these occasions to progress, however he doesn’t. So Hae Kyung stays round, to bully Soon Ae.

But Mi Sook appears to be the extra disturbing bully right here. In 2021, she’s generally known as a well-known writer largely due to her first and most well-known e-book, written in 1987. It’s the identical e-book that made Yoon Young a fan and why she turned an editor within the first place. But every little thing Mi Sook has tried to provide afterwards has been rubbish. Yoon Young would know—she retains having to show Mi Sook’s rubbish into one thing readable. So when Yoon Young sees the identical phrases that Mi Sook makes use of in her debut novel in her mom’s diary and notices younger Soon Ae’s love of studying, she rapidly places all of the clues collectively and realizes a grave fallacious has been performed to her mom. And there’s just one option to defend her from what’s coming: by enrolling as a pupil in her mom’s highschool! It’s a reverse “Angry Mom”!

5. The homicide thriller tying every little thing collectively

The threads of the homicide thriller have solely began to unwind prior to now, however their results could be felt within the current. Min Soo has solely simply been launched from jail, Mi Sook lives within the lap of luxurious off Soon Ae’s work, Soon Ae doesn’t appear to even know that her e-book was stolen however appears to have been murdered by the identical killer from again then, and one thing terrible appears to have turned the devil-may-care would-be rocker Baek Hee Seob (Lee Won Jung) that Yoon Young meet in 1987 with the ineffective father (Lee Gyu Hoe) she is aware of in 2021. It all appears to focus on these murders.

Of be aware are Mi Sook’s feedback at her e-book signing. When requested why she solely writes about feminine serial killers, she notes that girls could be killers too and that she solely writes what she’s accustomed to. A touch maybe? Then there’s Hae Jun’s ambivalent relationship with Woo Jung High School’s Principal Yoon Byung Gu (Kim Jong Soo). We don’t know a lot in any respect about Hae Jun personally, however there appears to be a household connection right here, and it’s probably that Hae Jun is Byung Gu’s grandson. But it seems that there’s unhealthy blood between them in 2021.

Finally there’s the truth that Hae Jun and Yoon Young aren’t truly caught in 1987! The pacing right here stays impeccable. Because the crash that messes up the time-traveler automobile and leaves them quickly stranded in 1987 finally ends up being a fixable downside (at the least, judging by the preview)! But having each of them capable of journey between previous and future provides an attention-grabbing spin to this as they’ll straight see the results of their interference.

Yoon Young tells Hae Jun that she needs to remain in 1987 however hasn’t informed him why but. Given that subsequent week exhibits him wearily introducing her as a pupil, it appears she might need confided her causes in him. But this may make one heck of a wild romance, if we now have one, as a result of to everybody else, they appear to be pupil and instructor! And they’re dwelling collectively too, oh boy.

We’re solely two episodes in, and there’s a lot to love about this present. Here’s hoping that it stays good till the tip! This is one drama with the potential to be excellent!

Check out the drama under!

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Shalini_A is a very long time Asian-drama addict. When not watching dramas, she works as a lawyer, fangirls over Ji Sung, and makes an attempt to write the best fantasy romance of all time. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram, and be happy to ask her something!

Currently Watching:  “My Perfect Stranger,” “Tail of the Nine-Tailed,” “Stealer: The Treasure Keeper,” “Dr. Romantic 3”
Looking Forward to: “Black Knight,” “Gyeongseong Creature,” “Ask The Stars,” “The Girl Downstairs,” “The Worst Evil,” “Queen of Tears,” “Vigilante,” “Demon,” “Daily Dose of Sunshine,” and Ji Sung’s subsequent drama.