Go Back Spouses – A Fun, Heartfelt Time-Travel K-Drama
What if you could travel back into your past during your most influential years and make different changes? Would you? Go Back Spouses shows us what just might happen with a fun, heartfelt time-travel story.
THE STORY
The story starts out with Choi Ban-Do and Ma Jin-Joo; a married couple in their late thirties with a marriage falling apart. Ban-Do is overworked and beyond stressed with his job. And Jin-Joo is weary with her mother’s passing and trying to raise a toddler. After reaching a breaking point in their marriage, they divorce.
But the next day, they’re both pulled through a time slip and time-traveling back to their college days where they first met. However, this time, Ban-Do and Jin-Joo are both determined to do things differently and fall in love with someone else.
With a solid cast and intriguing premise, Go Back Spouses rounds out another solid time travel story. Admittedly, the beginning of the show was a bit slow for me. We see into the very painful place that Ban-Do and Jin-Joo are at. Reconciliation seems far away from them. But the time travel element quickly brings a wonderful component as we see them going back to the ’90’s.
Amidst garish ’90s fashion (did we really wear stuff like that lol?), Jin-Joo and Ban-Do try to figure out what happened to them and why. There’s comedy as they rediscover their past. And come to realize they don’t remember everything as well as they thought. Including each other and themselves. Thankfully, they have a strong group of friends to support, help and laugh with them!
THE HEART OF THE SHOW
I think the thing that really Go Back Spouses did best was the emotional power of the show. And that impact revolved around family. The deep and emotional bond of children and their parents packed a powerful punch that kept us riveted through smiles and tears.
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Just having Jin-Joo wake up and see her mom who passed away brought a plethora of feelings. I rejoiced and ached with her as she spent her time trying to soak up every moment with mom. On the flipside of that, Jin-Joo and Ban-Do’s agony of what might be a permanent separation from their son, Seo-Jin, broke my heart. Could they live in a world where their son never existed?
With each episode of Go Back Spouses, the story grew more touching and entrancing. Seeing Jin-joo and Ban-Do begin to ask themselves what they really wanted; to start searching deeply for what went wrong. And then actually opening up to one another again was so powerful.
Something as simple as honest communication had been lost between them and watching it repair itself was wonderful.
THE CAST
The show’s cast was fantastic. I really enjoyed all the side characters in the story. Jae-Woo and Bo-Reum have an adorable romance that we can root for. Seo-Young, Ban-Do’s first love, was sweet and enjoyable to see her grow.
Jung Jam-Gil, who had a crush on Jin-Joo in college, won our hearts with his super sweet love for Jin-Joo. He gives Ban-Do a run for his money. Seriously, you will get major second lead syndrome with this guy!
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The cinematography was beyond gorgeous; filmed in autumn with fiery red, aged yellow and multi-colored trees. I also really loved the very mellow and atmospheric lighting.
The show also won some awards including the Best Couple Award and Excellence Award (Mini-series) at the 2017 KBS Drama Awards.
Overall, if you love heartfelt stories, rekindled love stories, youth college stories, and just the powerful emotion and love of family, this is a drama that you will love.
Where to Watch: You can find Go Back Spouses on Viki and Dramafever. Both have free episodes up to episode 7.
Content Note: Nothing explicit.
Photos: Dramafever, KBS
OVERALL RATING
“You had me at hello.”
ROMANCE RATING
“In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My
feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me
to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
(scroll down for full Old-Fashioned Romance Breakdown)
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