“Tomorrow, With You” (내일 그대와)

By Jae-Ha Kim
Substack
April 5, 2021

Yoo So-Joon (played by Lee Je-Hoon)
Song Ma-Rin (played by Shin Min-A)
↑Note: Korean names denote the surname followed by the given name.

“Tomorrow, With You” is Lee Je-Hoon’s second consecutive K-Drama that deals with elements of time travel. In the superb 2016 crime procedural “Signal,” he played a police profiler, who works with a detective from a different dimension to hunt down a serial killer. And in this series, Lee portrays a man who — after escaping a near-death experience — is able to transport back and forth into the future via the … subway (as in the train, not the sandwich chain).

During his numerous trips into the future, So-Joon sees wonderous things that allow him to purchase land that makes his real estate company millions of dollars. But he also forsees his own death, as well as that of a woman who’s a bit of a hot mess.

Song Ma-Rin is a former child star, who has been unable to parlay that fame into anything notable in her adulthood. The series never explains why strangers recognize — and mock — her where ever she goes. Since she was a one-hit wonder who stopped acting in her youth, what is it about her that makes her identifiable as a 30something?

The only ones who know about So-Joon’s secret are his best friend and Doo-Sik — an older gentleman who suggests that marrying Ma-Rin and having children with her could protect both their futures.

Say what? Never mind. They get married and are actually quite the sweet couple.

The series has so many wonderful elements — especially the adorable chemistry between the two leads. But the frustrating part was watching just about everyone in the series keep integral secrets from each other in an attempt to change — and protect — their future.

Ma-Rin says it best when she tells him to stop worrying about the future and what might happen and, instead, enjoy what they have together now.

Airdates: Sixteen hour-long episodes aired on tvN from February 3 to March 25, 2017.

Spoiler Alert: So-Joon and Ma-Rin were both passengers on the same train — but they got off a stop before a freak accident killed all the passengers, including So-Joon’s parents. We find out near the end of the series that Ma-Rin’s estranged father, Doo-Sik (Jo Han-Chul), had been on the train as well. But when he saw his daughter, he followed them off the train.

Which begs the question: Why are the men able to time travel, but not Ma-Rin?

So-Joon and Doo-Sik both know how Ma-Rin will die. Yes, telling her would’ve freaked her out. But not telling her just created a mess that could’ve been prevented. There is a whole subplot with one of So-Joon’s disgruntled employees set on killing everyone who gets in his way. He kills So-Joon’s de factor father figure and, according to the future, will kill Ma-Rin next.

Why let the murderer go when they had their chance to have him locked away for a different crime (embezzlement)? When they know that the latter will kidnap Ma-Rin, why not stay with her on the day it’s supposed to happen? Instead, So-Joon sends her home in a cab by herself — and she is kidnapped.

The ending is bittersweet. Just as So-Joon and Doo-Sik had witnessed in the future, Ma-Rin is about to be hit by a car. So-Joon goes after her to protect her. But neither dies. With moments to spare, Doo-Sik drives his car into the pathway of the vehicle that was destined to kill his daughter and son-in-law — and dies in the process. His action changed the future, as the ending’s flash forward showed.

© 2021 JAE-HA KIM | All Rights Reserved