#i will turn back this time

[lurkingshan]

The other day in a conversation about I'll Turn Back This Time, @troubled-mind asked me about my favorite dramas that show the same couple falling in love multiple times, in different iterations.

So of course, I am now here with a list! Takes on the fantasy trope that ITBTT uses--an alternate universe and/or time travel mechanism that sets up the protagonist to fall in love with the same person, or different versions of the same person, more than once--is actually not super common in dramas, but there are a handful of shows that do something like this:

Triage 

If you ask me what is the best QL with this trope, I don't even need to think about it: Triage is the answer. I love this show, and alongside its masterful suspense plot you get to watch these two try (and fail) to get the other to fall for them over and over again. It's a great time.

Someday or One Day 

If you ask me what is the best drama with this trope, period, I have to hand it to Someday or One Day, a Taiwanese drama that is probably my favorite time travel alternate universe romance of all time. In this one you get multiple versions of the same characters falling in love with each other and traversing time and space to find each other. It's so good that a Korean production attempted to replicate its magic. An absolute must watch for people who love this trope!

Every You Every Me

Now we're getting into some with asterisks. In this show you get to watch the same two actors play multiple different pairs who fall in love with each other in different universes--kind of. I can't say more or I will spoil it for those who haven't seen it yet! It's not a perfect show by any means, but it's a lot of fun.

4 Minutes 

This show is not a great example of this trope IMO, but it sort of gets at the experience, as you see a few different versions of the lead characters and their relationship through various narrative turns. I'm keeping it vague because saying much more would be spoilerific!

The Legend of the Blue Sea

A mermaid meets a conman, has a whirlwind romance, and then deletes his memory. But oops! They were already lovers in a previous life, her mermaid powers are not working quite as planned, and she can't stop herself from finding him again anyway. It's all a bit more complicated than that, but the point is you get to watch these two find each other and fall in love several times in multiple lifetimes. And damn did I love it every time.

Until We Meet Again 

In this drama, the story is about two souls who meet again in another life after a tragic end in their first. So it kinda fits here, but their reincarnated souls go into new characters played by different actors, so the experience of watching it is a bit different. This one is less about time travel and choice as it is heavy on the red string of fate.

Extraordinary You 

In this fantasy drama, our mains are side characters in a manwha who gain sentience and start trying to change their story together while an omnipotent writer keeps shuffling them back to where they think they belong and deleting their memories of each other. It's definitely a unique twist on this trope, and you get to watch them fight to remember and fall for each other and find a way to take control of their destiny over and over again.

In addition to narratives with a fantasy construct that resets or produces multiple iterations of the core relationship, I also thought about second chance romances where you get to see both the original and the second chance love story in full, giving you the experience of watching the same two people fall in love twice. Some noteworthy dramas in this category:

Lighter and Princess

This drama centers on two tech genius types who originally fell in love in college and started a company together before something went very wrong, resulting in his incarceration. The story picks up when he gets out of prison and sets out to reclaim his legacy, and you get to live both their first and second love stories in detail. One of my absolute favorites and permanently in the rewatch rotation.

We Best Love 

This story is told in two parts, with the first focused on their original enemies to lovers romance in college, and the second their reunion after a confusing and closure-less break up. It's honestly kind of a mess but I love it so much anyway, in no small part due to the actors.

The End of the World With You 

And now for something a little darker! This one is heavy on the toxic psychosexual vibe, and all the more fascinating for it. Two former lovers meet again at the end of the world, and we see what went wrong for them in college and watch them sort through the wreckage as adults and try to make something of the time they have left.

First Love: Hatsukoi

Two high school sweethearts get separated by life circumstances, and meet again twenty years later to realize they are still not over it. I was charmed by the teen love story in this one especially.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo

Let me end on a note of excellence and take this opportunity to again implore everyone to watch this beautiful show. Both iterations of this relationship are compelling and complicated and full of deep feeling; it's one of the most satisfying second chance romances I have seen, and after everything they've been through, it's so rewarding to see these two get the chance to fall in love again.

[guzhufuren]

New modern chinese BL I'll Turn Back This Time premieres on GagaOOLala on January 11, 2025

Made by the same team that made first uncensored chinese wuxia BL Meet You At The Blossom and has the same actors that played the side couple (Li Yimu as Jinbao and Kou Weilong as Que Siming) in main roles this time

Time: 8:00PM GMT+8

Should have 6 episodes with 50 minute length each.

Premieres internationally with exception of Thailand, Japan and Korea

Actors and filming team from China, filmed in mainland China, made through a production company of Singapore

Synopsis: Shen Nan and Gu Shiwen become step-brothers through their parents' remarriage. As they grow closer, and Gu Shiwen decides to confess his feelings, tragedy strikes. Shen Nan, who travels back in time, tries to change their fate.

Li Yimu as Gu Shiwen, Kou Weilong as Shen Nan

[heretherebedork]

It's been a week for umbrellas over wet boys in BL.

[thisonelikesaliens]

not sure if someone else already pointed this out but the title is more accurately translated as "this time I'll turn back first"

這次換我先回頭

that "first" feels like to key word but maybe I'm just overthinking. maybe it means nothing

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[ellsieee]

I'll Turn Back This Time premiers Jan 11, 2025 on Gaga.

Stars Kou Weilong and Li Yimu from Meet You At the Blossom (Que Siming and Jin Bao).

Trailer:

The admins of Stealing From My CEO fangirling again under Gaga's premiere post.

I love them.

[lgbtally4ever]

[outofthemouthsof]

Ever since The On1y One, “Ge” gives me an even bigger thrill than “phi” or “hyung”…

[negrowhat]

I HAVEN'T SEEN COLOR SWATCHES IN A BL SINCE COLOR RUSH!

[benkaben]

Is She Nan don't worrying where his dad is. Like. Did he just forgor. About the whole step siblings thing.

[lurkingshan]

Quick Plug for I Will Turn Back This Time

A new Chinese BL produced in Hong Kong [ETA: or Singapore! Production info a bit confusing, thanks @guzhufuren] just started airing, and it's on Gaga for international fans, yay! It's six episodes total with the first out today, and I really enjoyed it. Some info on the premise (spoilers for basic story set up):

Shen Nan, our protagonist, meets Shi Wen when their parents get remarried to each other.

They are both adults and the four of them are not living as a family, so it's really not a stepbrothers story. The marriage is the device for the two leads to meet and not what the narrative is about.

The tone of this is more dramatic than comedic, but not too heavy. And they are using all your favorite tropes in the romance.

In this first episode they meet, get to know each other over several months, fall for each other, and then as Shi Wen runs to confess to Shen Nan, he gets hit and killed by a truck of doom.

This starts a time loop for Shen Nan, and presumably the rest of the show will be him attempting to prevent the accident and them falling in love repeatedly.

The overall production quality is pretty solid, it's a very interesting premise, the first episode was well paced, and the short episode order gives me hope they can manage the story well. There is cast crossover with Meet You at the Blossom. And it's just pretty cool to have another high quality BL from China that's actually accessible to us. I highly recommend joining the weekly watch for this one!

[guzhufuren]

New posters and still of upcoming uncensored chinese BL I'll Turn Back This Time, airs tomorrow January 11!

Will broadcast every Saturday on GagaOOLala, KMH TV station, Heavenly, YouTube and Facebook at 8 PM GMT+8, 6 episodes.

"I crossed the ocean of time to find the light in your eyes."

"Look back at me, look back at you, countdown 1 day, our story is about to begin."

[heretherebedork]

Two absolutely shattering umbrella scenes in one week across two countries? Impressive work, honestly.

[thisonelikesaliens]

compared the subs for Gaga and YoYo, and overall Gaga is better, but i need to thank YoYo for adding innuendo here:

"united as one" is a freaking stroke of genius (idk if it was intentional or i just have a dirty mind but i seriously laughed so hard at this so thank you)

(idiom basically means "if people work together they can achieve anything")

[hughungrybear]

It's one adorable meet-cute except:

(1) That's either one slow-ass bus or a very fast cyclist 😅

(2) The road was empty. How can the cyclist not swerve and prevent running over the pedestrian? 😭😭😭

[inkbloodpaperandbone]

Something something something just thinking of the foreshadowing and the use of colour in how Gu Shi Wen has red-green colour blindness and before being given paints by Shen Nan didn’t draw/paint much in colour (as commented by his friend) Shen Nan gives Gu Shi Wen a R A I N B O W of colourful paints he’s wanted for ages

and now he’s using colour in his work and he’s figuring out his feelings for Shen Nan and how Gu Shi Wen runs to confess and they get to the opposite sides of the crosswalk where they had they’re meet cute ‘hit and run’ when Gu Shi Wen missed the changing lights again

he missed the changing lights,likely a mix of excitement and nerves and the fact he’s colour blind and can’t tell the difference between red and green

(but also can we please get some road safety lessons in drama world)

and so he starts to cross the road to meet Shen Nan then he gets hit by the RED truck starting this whole time loop for Shen Nan which we already have hints that this isn’t even the first loop and i’m loving the angst i’m loving the details idk if anyone gets what i’m trying to mean here

AAHH i wanna chew glass

[negrowhat]

So...are they no longer step brothers now that The Powers That Be turned back time???

They're questioning Shen Nan after he let himself into the cafe and IDK why he won't just say, "Hey I'm your new brother. Your mom is marrying my dad."