18 Again is about a middle-aged husband (Yoon Sang Hyun) on the brink of divorce who gets the chance to be 18 years old again. He takes the opportunity to rekindle his relationship with his wife (Kim Ha Neul) and be there for his teenage children.
Yoon Sang Hyun is Hong Dae Young. His life hasn’t gone as planned as he struggles to advance in his career and support his family. This has led him to not be there for them resulting in his wife wanting a divorce. But unexpectedly being transformed into his 18 year old self gives him the chance to reflect on his life.
Lee Do Hyun plays the 18 year old version of Hong Dae Young. After his transformation, he decides to enroll in the school his kids attend to help them as well as support his wife in her dreams of being a news anchor.
Then we have Kim Ha Neul as Jung Da Jung. After becoming a mother at a young age, she has struggled to achieve her dream of being a news anchor. It also doesn’t feel like her husband helps, and he seems oblivious to her struggles. Now, she’s ready to throw in the towel and get a divorce.
18 Again was such a fantastic drama. It’s a very thoughtful and contemplative show that touches upon a lot of issues that married couples and families deal with. It has a good mix of lighthearted fun as well as being more serious when dealing with important topics. It’s filled with heart and a lot of emotion.
I liked that it has a healing vibe with very poignant moments, but it never felt overly sad or depressing. It leaned optimistic despite the many issues the characters were facing. And so much content is packed into this drama! I was consistently amazed by how much story it was able to tell each episode.
The story is very character driven as much of the plot centers around individual character journeys and their growth. We really take time to explore all of the characters and dive into their challenges.
Dae Young goes on one of the biggest journeys as the one getting to experience life from a different perspective as he becomes young again. It really opens his eyes to his family’s struggles and what he missed out on. It gives him the chance to be there for them in ways that he wasn’t before. A lot of reflection gives him a great opportunity for growth.
Da Jung also does a lot of reflection in the wake of her divorce. She too realizes there were important things she missed out on concerning Dae Young and her kids. She’s a pretty great person all around, but even she finds ways to improve her relationships and learns what really matters to her.
Their kids, Si Ah (Roh Jeong Eui) and Si Woo (Ryeoun), face their own issues at school as well as coping with their parents divorce. These issues have a big effect on their lives, and they are able to begin the healing process through the help of the young version of their dad.
There are also a lot of relationships in this drama! We get two love triangles, one with the teens and one with the adults, as well as some other romantic relationships. Add that to all of the family relationships, and there was a whole lot going on!
All of the actors were wonderful and gave amazing performances. The soundtrack is also very good and serves to enhance the emotional moments and overall atmosphere of the drama. The world is fleshed out and really feels lived in.
The drama does have a unique way of telling its story as utilizes A LOT of flashbacks. Pretty much from beginning to end we jump from the present to many different time periods in the past. This is integral to the story as it delivers a lot of key information concerning characters. Excessive flashbacks normally wouldn’t be something I love, but it is utilized incredibly well in this drama, and it was very effective at helping the story to be told.
18 Again was a great watch. It’s got heart, humor, romance, family, and friendships. It touches on a lot of important issues and deals with them in a thoughtful way. It’s a lovely character driven story with a lot of warmth that left me feeling very positive.
My Rating: 8.5/10
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