I was initially a little hesitant to watch Yeo Jin Goo so soon after Circle (which ended just a month ago!), especially since the whole staying young thing happened again. However, I think by the 4th episode, Reunited Worlds has managed to set itself apart from Circle.

(Spoilers ahead – but since it’s only for the first 4 episodes, I would say not much harm in reading!)

Based on Wiki’s synopsis, Reunited Worlds revolves around Hae Sung (Yeo Jin Goo) and Jung Won (Lee Yeon Hee) who were high-school lovers and supposedly grew up in different parts of the world, hence aging differently. I don’t really see this in the first four episodes and maybe it is an accidental spoiler for future developments (as recent synopses ALWAYS do), but here’s my quick review of what happened — Back in 2005, Jung Won organised a birthday surprise for Hae Sung and told him to go to her art class room at night to pick up her wallet, in order to buy her and the family more time to prepare. While in the art room, Hae Sung saw one of their classmates, someone he had an altercation with in the day, bloodied on the floor. As mobile phones weren’t really prevalent in 2005 (I assume), Hae Sung frantically cycled to find the ambulance/help but was knocked down in the process (Circle spoiler: very, very, very reminiscent of Circle…even the way he flew into the sky, someone stop knocking down Yeo Jin Goo!!). Fast-forward to 2017, Hae Sung wakes up on his school rooftop and is distraught to find that he has been dead for 12 years. During this time, Jung Won blames herself for Hae Sung’s death and has to go through various therapies, all while paying off her debts which she incurred when paying Hae Sung’s grandmother’s hospital bills. Thankfully, the couple manages to reunite pretty quickly and Hae Sung’s old friends all support his return, albeit with a few faints because they thought they saw a ghost. Ha.

I genuinely enjoyed the first four episodes. I think Yeo Jin Goo and Jung Chae Yeon had very good chemistry and I always look forward to watching the younger scenes, just because they are such a cute and innocent couple. I don’t follow Kpop and Korean variety shows so I was a bit surprised to find that Chae Yeon was from Produce 101, and not a newly-joined actress. She acts quite well!

I’m also very intrigued by the fact that in contrast to Circle, Yeo Jin Goo will find himself surrounded by older actors and actresses and must be able to hold his ground. Not only does he have to act a convincing love story with Lee Yeon Hee (who is in reality 9, and not 12, years older than him), he has to be friends all with actors older than him. I think he’s been doing quite well so far; it’s been a convincing act that Hae Sung is someone who feels like it was just another day in his life and treats all his family members and friends in the same way. I’m looking forward to see how much more this can develop, since we are only at the start. I also think that Yeo Jin Goo and Lee Yeon Hee have good chemistry going on. Although 12 years is a bit of a stretch for me, I think the premise of the show completely throws this regard out of the window and I support their coming together in 2017!! Of course, this isn’t just Yeo Jin Goo’s credit. The other actors are doing very well in terms of reciprocating and treating Hae Sung as an equal. On this note however, I thought there was something on about Yeo Jin Goo and Park Bo Young, and that they would pick each other out for a noona-dongsaeng melodrama? Nonetheless, I didn’t think Park Bo Young would have fitted the role of Jung Jung Won at all, so it’s okay. Next time!!

Plot-wise, I think it did an okay job setting up the premise and the conflict of the story. Three main questions at this point in time – who killed the classmate (since dead men can’t talk, Hae Sung was blamed for his death, but we all know he’s innocent)? Who knocked down Hae Sung (supposedly Hae Sung’s friend (Tae Hoon)’s father’s chauffeur, yeah just digest that for a while) and most importantly, why is Hae Sung back after 12 years? This is then linked to the question – why are there others like Hae Sung? Are they brought back to right a wrong in the society, and then maybe die afterwards (oh no)?

The first 2 questions seem easily answered. My guess is that Hae Sung’s brother was the one who killed the classmate, as he was beaten up by the classmate just the night before the murder. Tae Hoon’s father was probably the one who knocked down Hae Sung, but got the chauffeur to take the rap.

Hae Sung faints at the end of Episode 4, with a scene of Cha Min Joon (Ahn Jae Hyun), meeting someone who is possibly his father in the background. (Possible spoiler: Min Joon said that his father remarried and he has a half brother – what if that half brother is Cha Tae Joon, making the man in the background Tae Joon’s father? Does that explain why Hae Sung collapses on the ground when his murderer is nearby?)

What we can’t figure out yet is what Hae Sung is now, although as a pure fangirl/viewer of the story, I sincerely hope he doesn’t die towards the end of the show again. I can’t handle watching Yeo Jin Goo die so many times within 2 months.

Lastly, just as a frivolous note, I am enjoying Ahn Jae Hyun’s role as Cha Min Joon. I didn’t hate Blood (hehe) and I think Cha Min Joon is a very suitable vessel for Ahn Jae Hyun to excel. Not many chances to perform in terms of acting skills, but Min Joon is very likeable as a second lead. If I was not already such a huge fan of Yeo Jin Goo, I daresay I would end up with a serious bout of second lead syndrome for sure. What I do like about this show is that they made Min Joon’s crush on Jung Won obvious from the first episode – he got to confess to her and she understood it there and then. Such directness and “cleverness” from a first female lead is rare!!

Let’s see what next week brings us!

<3thoughtsramble