Since I was in the mood for something less time consuming than a regular 16 or 20 episode Kdrama I started browsing through Viki.com’s webdrama listings. After reading the synopsis of every single Korean one (that I had not already seen) I settled on a romance entitled Timing and unwittingly hit the jackpot!
Bo-Suk and Hyo-Min have been friends for many years, so when Hyo-Min completely looses her memory Bo-Suk takes it upon himself to help her recall her past – and his part in it.
This is the paragraph where I usually give you a character analysis on the main people in the drama but because this show is so short we don’t get much of a background on them. (Usually that puts a damper on the show but for some reason I didn’t seem to mind with this one.) Here’s what we know…
Bo-Suk and Hyo-Min both lived in Seoul when they were younger.
Hyo-Min and her mom left Seoul and went to live in her mother’s hometown when her father went bankrupt and her parents divorced.
Bo-Suk’s mother also raised him alone.
Hyo-Min was a very good student.
While Bo-Suk was serving his mandatory military assignment Hyo-Min began a masters program at a university.
When Hyo-Min was unable to get a job, she went to the U.S. to further her studies.
After his service, Bo-Suk worked at a restaurant (it’s inferred he runs the place because he tells a couple there that he invented their dessert).
That’s about it.
Thirty-six year old Yoon Jong-Hoon, the actor who plays Bo-Suk, began his entertainment career at full speed with the TV dramas Empress Cheonchu and The Return of Iljimae, and the theater production Jewelry Bridge – all three in the year 2006. He’s also been in three movies, starting in 2010 with the short film Frozen Land. 2012’s Suddenly Last Summer was his first full-length movie. He’s also appeared in two variety shows and three music videos. He won the Best Character award for his acting in the 2018 crime drama Return. The dramas I’ve seen that he’s credited for being in are Emergency Couple, Her Lovely Heels, Dr. Frost, Another Oh Hae-Young, Bride of the Water God, Come and Hug Me, Rookie Historian Goo Ha-Ryung, and I’m excited to see him in this year’s Find Me in Your Memory.
The character Hyo-Min is played by thirty-three year old actress Han Bo-Reum. Coincidently, she was the female lead in my last review – Level Up. You can find information about her there.
I’m sorry my plot and character reviews are so vague but if I tell you too much I’ll be ruining the story for you. Because the show is just shy of an hour and a half long, providing too many details would make it so you didn’t even need to see the show, and this is one webdrama I don’t want you to miss.
Timing is an original story, wonderfully written and marvelously acted. You can’t ask for more than that. The drama starts right off with Bo-Suk lovingly and desperately trying to help Hyo-Min recall her past, and it’s in that remembering that we learn of the sweet relationship they have shared for so many years.
Bo-Suk sincerely loves Hyo-Min but has never been able to tell her how he really feels for fear of ruining their friendship. Hyo-Min, too has more than just buddy feelings for Bo-Suk but decides to run away from them, probably for the same reason Bo-Suk never said anything. It’s frustrating to watch, and though I did understand their hesitation, I thought one of them should have just said something. I mean, if you’re going to regret it either way you might as well regret saying something and loosing a pal than not saying something and loosing the person you love. Right? (Comment and let me know what you think. I’m curious if I’m alone in feeling like that. I often tend to be the only one in a room that feels/thinks a certain way.)
The music is all soft, slow background stuff which is perfect for this drama. No breaking the rhythm of the story simply to insert a ballad or a cute, upbeat song. What we get is a story accompanied by subtle, beautiful music, which is all we need.
Many scenes are set at the hospital where Hyo-Min has been admitted but many are outside that facility as we see flashbacks of the friends’ lives. High school, restaurants, outside… regular places people spend time.
I’m sorry this has been such a short and undetailed review but I have written as much information as I dare give you for this particular show.
This is only the second webdrama I’ve placed on my perfect score list and it certainly deserves a spot there. It’s a warm, endearing, emotional, uplifting story. I really can’t think of anything it’s missing. My suggestion is – don’t put it off. Turn it on the first chance you get. If you wait too long you may regret it. After all, as they say – it’s all in the Timing.
Score: 10
The Good:
Beautiful, original love story
Excellent writing
Wonderful acting
Bo-Suk and Hyo-Min’s friendship
Great casting
Good chemistry between Yoon Jong-Hoon and Han Bo-Reum
The Bad:
Nothing, nothing at all
Heart and Seoul 