Premiere Watch: Manhole, Live Up to Your Name
by girlfriday
We’ve got two time-travelers headed our way this week and they both seem like hilarious goofballs—one’s a loser and one’s a genius, but you wouldn’t know which is which from the stills alone. Despite the fact that both new dramas this week are fantasy time-slip stories, they’re actually very different in setup, and I’m expecting two very different shows. As a bonus, it looks like they’ll both be delivering on the laughs, which is definitely a welcome thing.
Manhole
Time slot: Wednesday & Thursday
Broadcaster: KBS
Genre: Fantasy rom-com
Episode count: 16
Reasons to watch: This drama looks wacky and fun, thanks to some awesome teasers and a great premise—a slacker gets a wakeup call when the love of his life announces that she’s getting married to another man, and he uses a manhole to travel back and forth in time to prevent the wedding. But the price of his time-travel is that it’s random and he can’t control where he travels to, and every little action he takes in the past changes the present. I can’t wait for the unintended side-effects, which are bound to be hilarious.
This is Jaejoong’s army comeback drama, and I think he’ll be really cute opposite UEE, who’s done a string of dramatic projects in recent years—they’ve earned her cred as a solid dramatic actress, for sure, but I’m looking forward to seeing her do something light and fun again. The producers’ credits are all over the board—PD Park Man-young did family dramas Strange Daughter-in-Law and Sweet Secret, second PD Yoo Young-eun worked on Mystery Queen, and writer Lee Jae-gon comes from the Special Affairs Team TEN franchise—so it looks like fantasy rom-com will be a new realm for them. But I’m already sold on the premise alone for this one.
Live Up to Your Name
Time slot: Saturday & Sunday
Broadcaster: tvN
Genre: Fantasy medical rom-com
Episode count: 16
Reasons to watch: Kim Nam-gil. Do we need any other?
This one is all about the fish-out-of-water hijinks, as Kim Nam-gil travels 400 years in time from Joseon to the present and fumbles his way around modern-day Seoul (and ends up looking a bit like a mental patient because of it, hee). He plays real-life historical figure Heo Im, a brilliant acupuncturist, and he’ll butt heads with Kim Ah-joong, a contemporary surgeon. The time-travel element is what keeps this drama from seeming like any other medical drama out there, and from the promo material that’s been released so far, Kim Nam-gil is having a blast with this comedic role.
PD Hong Jong-chan directed the amazing Dear My Friends last year, and writer Kim Eun-hee (not THE Kim Eun-hee of Signal—this one is a different writer) co-wrote Queen’s Classroom. I feel good about the producers and the comic take on the mashup between time-travel, medicine, and romance. But mostly I’m thrilled that Kim Nam-gil is coming back in a sageuk, even if it ends up being for all of five minutes in the premiere.
RELATED POSTS
- Jaejoong goes back to high school for Manhole
- Acupuncturist versus surgeon for Live Up to Your Name
- Manhole gang’s funky new character posters
- Jaw-dropping, club-hopping Kim Ah-joong in Live Up to Your Name
- Manhole goes retro for the ultimate beach holiday
- Kim Nam-gil flaps his wings to travel back to the past in Live Up to Your Name
- UEE and Jaejoong cozy up under the sun in new Manhole stills
- The needle vs. the knife for Live Up to Your Name
- Cast of Manhole throws dignity out the window for new dance teaser
Tags: Jang Nara, Kim Ji-won, kim Tera, Live Up to Your Name, Manhole, Premiere Watch, Ryu Hwa-young, Seo Hyun-jin, Seo Ji-hye, Sohn Ho-joon, Woo Do-hwan, Yang Se-jong, Yoo Ji-tae
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1 eked13
August 6, 2017 at 8:07 AM
Live Up to Your Name looks fun, and it'd be a nice change of pace. Hope it is as amusing as the teasers.
Manhole - not a fan of either lead & the whole time travel to deal with failed relationship thing feels slightly done to death.
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Chandler
August 6, 2017 at 8:50 AM
I feel like I've only ever seen it done poorly in Operation Proposal? I'm wondering where else you've seen it? Anyway, that particular drama left a bad taste in my mouth so I admit to feeling hesitant about this premise, but this drama seems to be a more wacky and comedic take so I'm hoping it'll become an exception for me.
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2 inna
August 6, 2017 at 8:07 AM
Yay!! Live Up to Your Name.. Please be funny, light and worthy to watch..
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3 gadis
August 6, 2017 at 8:20 AM
Looking forward to Manhole. Please be as funny and wacky and crazy as the teasers promised.
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4 earthna
August 6, 2017 at 8:37 AM
Lol. Reason to watch: Kim Nam-gil. Might check it out just for him.
Definitely watching Manhole though. I love everything about it so far.
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5 Lord Cobol
August 6, 2017 at 8:46 AM
I smell a mutant baby drama where the guy's first love is a surgeon and he goes back in time to stop her from marrying the time-traveler from Joseon.
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Kip
August 6, 2017 at 9:17 AM
Omg I thought this was good mutant baby drama material too! Now that premise would be something I'd like to watch, so long as the writer has good creds and the girl gets to do some time travelling of her own too. ?
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giocare
August 7, 2017 at 5:41 PM
I second this!! That plot would be such a fun drama to watch. Imagine if writers started picking two dramas randomly and combining the plots. The dramas would be way more interesting
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6 hannaehh
August 6, 2017 at 8:50 AM
I'm looking forward to Manhole premiere!! Can't wait for it. As for Live Up To Your Name, I'll wait for reviews first because I've way too many dramas that I'm watching right now.
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7 Kudo Ran
August 6, 2017 at 8:55 AM
I'll check the first two ep of Manhole next weekend (my drama schedule is already full for the week), Live up to your name seems good too , but not enough time so I'll wait the reviews and maybe binge watch it later this year ^^'.
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8 kabsy
August 6, 2017 at 9:02 AM
*robotic voice* no more space on the schedule. No more space. Too full. Too full.
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9 FritzB
August 6, 2017 at 9:26 AM
I'm really looking forward to 'Live Up to Your Name'. It looks like a blast! From the 6-minuted extended preview I saw, it looks like the time-traveling hijinks will go both ways. I thought I saw Kim Ah-joong donning hanbok in Joseon as well.
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10 pipette
August 6, 2017 at 9:31 AM
I've looking forward to both of these so much, all thanks to the teasers. Manhole in particular feels like it should be a hoot, but this wouldn't be the first time a good trailer has led me astray. Anyway, fingers crossed!
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11 mooninpisces
August 6, 2017 at 9:39 AM
Do we know who'll be airing these series? DF? Viki?
I'm interested in both but have a sinking feeling I won't be able to view them.
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FritzB
August 6, 2017 at 9:58 AM
Not sure about 'Manhole', but DF is carrying 'Live Up to Your Name'.
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bbstl
August 6, 2017 at 3:37 PM
Thank goodness!
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mindy
August 6, 2017 at 1:02 PM
Manhole is KBS so probably the dreaded kocowa... I'm really sick of that site already lol. Still haven't even tried the free trial.
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Lord Cobol
August 6, 2017 at 4:40 PM
Have your seen my rants? Fan Wall - very short post with the meat in my replies to myself.
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evelynray
August 6, 2017 at 7:53 PM
Viu is definitely subbing both! At least for SG Viu :)
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onetempi
August 11, 2017 at 4:33 PM
Looks like DF will not have "Live Up To Your Name After All", at least in the US. This is the message I just got on their site: "Due to last-minute licensing issues, we are not able to make this series available. Still interested in a fun time travel medical drama? Check out Faith or Time Slip Dr. Jin!".
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12 mango
August 6, 2017 at 10:02 AM
I'm all for Manhole. I might wait before starting Live Up To Your Name because my schedule is already well furnished.
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13 Ahj ❤ ❥ ♡ ♥ ღ
August 6, 2017 at 10:05 AM
Manhole ------ I'm ready! :)
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14 jing // thisisakdrama
August 6, 2017 at 10:16 AM
EXCITED who needs sleep and who needs to do work
Was at first only planning to watch Live Up to Your Name, but after reading the synopsis of Manhole it looks really interesting too. I do want some light-hearted rom-coms during the week, other than School 2017 and seeing that The King Loves might turn darker soon :"D
sIGH dramas. If only I could have 48 hours a day.
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15 canxi
August 6, 2017 at 11:23 AM
Live Up to Your Name!! I'm so excited. Man-hole looks pretty cool too. Although I am also a little shy after watvhing Operation Proposal. Not that it was a bad drama but there is something so frustrating about watching someone mess up over and over and over...and over! Lolll
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16 zgs1994
August 6, 2017 at 11:30 AM
Looking forward to BOTH of these shows! <3
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17 PakalanaPikake
August 6, 2017 at 3:17 PM
Thanks for the timely reminders for both these shows, girlfriday.
MANHOLE wasn't quite on my radar until the past day or two, thanks to a string of intense shows (SEVEN DAY QUEEN, I'm looking at you) -- and "finale fatalities" spread out over more than a month that have bummed me out over the body count. Frankly, the title was much less appealing than the premise at first, although I can see the homage to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. As long as the manhole in question leads to dry utility tunnels and not sanitary sewers (ewwww!), I'll be happy.
LIVE UP TO YOUR NAME had me at Kim Nam-Gil, along with its reverse-FAITH twist.
I'm grateful that both the shows premiering in the coming week are comedies. I need levity, eye candy, an opportunity to turn off my brain, and total absence of scheming Joseon ministers. Oh, and hold the gummi brain fetuses, please. ;-)
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18 evelynray
August 6, 2017 at 7:52 PM
Comment was deleted
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19 meandthestar
August 7, 2017 at 10:18 AM
Kim Nam Gil and Lee Jun Ki back in the dramaland in the same time. I'm blessed. I have waited for Live Up to Your Name so please don't disappoint me, Kim Nam Gil!
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20 faniya
August 7, 2017 at 1:03 PM
Waiting for Manhole
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21 Ronni
August 7, 2017 at 4:19 PM
Looking forward to both! Ready for light, airy, and fun!! And, who doesnt just want to look at Jaejoong.....I mean, really!! I am down for that!! :)
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22 Beverly A
August 8, 2017 at 3:56 PM
Kim Nam-Gil got me hooked in my first K-Drama, 'Queen Seondeok'. I've never looked back.
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23 rychastings
August 11, 2017 at 8:48 PM
not a big fan of manhole, the male lead is too cringy and too clingy
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24 Yoshioka09
August 12, 2017 at 10:08 AM
Manhole.. Episode 1.. I stopped watching after 10 minutes.. eeek
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