Back to the Future meets Sherlock Holmes
Have you ever wished that you could go back in time to change things? Viki’s new web drama, Blue Birthday, may just show you how difficult changing the past could be.
The story begins in the year 2011, when Oh Ha Rin is told to meet in the school’s photography studio by her childhood best friend and crush, Ji Seo Jun. Excited to meet him as he has a birthday present for her, Ha Rin’s heart breaks when she discovers him lifeless and seemingly has taken his own life.
Ten years later, Ha Rin still yearns for the passing of Seo Jun as she was never able to figure out why the horrific event took place and what she could have done differently. Reminiscing in the past, Ha Rin comes across Seo Jun’s old photos and the camera that he was attached to.
Feelings bubbling up, Ha Rin burns one of the photos and unknowingly gets transported back to the day the photo was taken. Realizing that burning a photo takes someone back to the past, Ha Rin does everything she can to stop Seo Jun from passing away.
Little does she know that while discovering the truth, maybe Seo Jun didn’t take his own life, but if so, who did?
Although this web drama is not as long as many Korean dramas, it seems to be well written as it doesn’t leave you with any questions.
While some scenes throughout the series may be repetitive like Ha Rin going back to the same day a couple of times, each scene gives you a hint on who may have committed the questionable crime.
Another aspect I liked about this series is the cinematography while switching back from the past to the present. During the present time, the lighting is bright and gives you the aspect of it being the true reality. While going back to the past, it is almost like the lighting is through the lens of the camera as it is a bit darker.
Not only was the cinematography good, the writing was just as equal as the idea of the series was interesting and unique. While diving into the idea of time traveling through photos, there are many rules to time travel that our Back to the Future fans may know of and this series adds a twist to those guidelines.
I do believe that the acting could have been better as many of the supporting cast could have shown more emotion. But as for the two main leads, Yeri and Yang Hong Seok, they portrayed their characters with the right amount of passion and novelty expected.
For those who like thrillers and plot twists, this drama just may be for you. If you would like to give this show a try, it is available to stream on Viki.
