If the writer had at least been consistent One More Time (aka The Day After We Broke Up) would have been confusing at best. Unfortunately, this show is just a jumbled mess. Sadly, even though Kim Myung-Soo’s acting is really good and the soundtrack is excellent, this 2016 eight half-hour episode Netflix original just made it onto my least favorite list.
At the beginning of their relationship Yoo Tam and Moon Da-In were blissfully happy and enjoyed every second they were together. But time and financial stress has taken a toll on Tam and he decides to accept a solo offer from an entertainment company. During a performance with his band, One More Time, Tam blurts out the news that he is leaving the band and at the same time informs Da-In that he is breaking up with her. That night he falls into a lake and the next thing he knows, he is waking up in his bed in his own apartment. Tam finds it impossible to believe but he’s experiencing a time slip, reliving the day he just went through over and over and over again. Just as he’s resigned himself to the crazy situation, he discovers something that changes the way he thinks and feels – and it has to do with Da-In.
For the past seven years Tam and two of his childhood buddies have been making a humble go of their indi band, One More Time. He is the leader, does all the singing, plays the guitar, and writes their songs. But his college loans are due, he’s having trouble with his throat, loan sharks are after him, he has to vacate his apartment, and his dream of One More Time being successful enough to be a real career that can financially support him is rapidly fading.
Moon Da-In’s parents passed away while she was in high school and she’s pretty much been alone ever since then. She is a quiet girl who doesn’t call attention to herself. At first she was just a fan of One More Time but now she’s part of it, playing the keyboard and writing songs. She loves Tam with all her heart but is getting the feeling he wants out of their relationship.
For information about Kim Myung-Soo (aka L), the actor who plays Yoo Tam, you can go to my Miss Hammurabi review.
Twenty-six year old Yoon So-Hee was born in Germany but only lived there six years before moving to South Korea. The gal is pretty smart, majoring in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at KAIST, one of the most prestigious science and research universities in the country. As far as her entertainment career goes the first thing she was in was a variety show. Then she appeared in the intermission video at Super Junior concerts and she was also in music videos for SHINee and EXO. The historical drama The Blade and Petal was her acting debut. She then went on to have parts in many dramas, but it was her role in the 2017 Kdrama The Emperor: Owner of the Mask that won her a Best New Actress award. She has also been in two movies. Moon Da-In is her first leading role.
I had such high hopes for this show but by the time it was over, after struggling through all four hours in one night, those hopes had been dashed to pieces. There were just too many baffling things about it. So much of the story didn’t make sense, no sense at all. In trying to relate the drama to my roommate, I realized how silly it all sounded. Then, when I was finished, my roommate compared it to a dream – “Sara, that sounds just like when I have a dream that seems so real and it plays out just fine and then I wake up, mull it over, and think to myself, that was the most stupid dream I’ve ever had.” I kept waiting for the story to sort itself out but it didn’t do that. In fact, the ending was impossibly confusing. Simply bad writing.
So, what kept me watching this bewildering drama? It was Kim Myung-Soo and all the great music. I had just finished Miss Hammurabi three weeks earlier and wanted to see more of Myung-Sol’s acting. The fact that he’s really good in this is the only thing that prevented me from calling it quits prematurely. Also, he sings and plays the guitar and I really enjoyed the music.
After some thought I decided to be kind and give One More Time a generous score of four. After I had finished the show I noticed that the folks at Netflix had only given it one and a half stars out of five. Too bad I didn’t notice that before I began the show.
Thankfully, I didn’t notice any “oops” but that doesn’t mean there weren’t any. I could have just been so engrossed in trying to figure it all out that my mind skipped over them.
As previously mentioned, the show’s music is great. Tam (Kim Myung-Soo) sings several songs throughout the drama and Da-In (Yoon So-Hee) even does a duet with him on the street. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the entire soundtrack on YouTube, just the title song One More Time. It’s definitely pretty but I wish all of the songs were available there.
As far as backgrounds go, there’s nothing special that stands out location wise other than a forest scene where Tam and Da-In go camping and see lots of fireflies.
If you choose to watch this drama my advice to you is to not even try to figure it all out. I don’t think you can. I don’t think anyone can. It’s so vague all you’d be able to do is guess anyway. It’s just plain disappointing. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be any less frustrated even if I were to watch it One More Time.
Score: 4
The Good:
Kim Myung-Soo’s acting
Excellent music
Only four hours long
The Bad:
writing – confusing all along the way
Ending makes no sense whatsoever
Heart and Seoul 