Television series
About Time
Other titles called About Time: the 2013 film.
A South Korean fantasy-romance about a woman who sees people's remaining lifespans and the man whose touch pauses her own mortality clock. It's a high-concept love story told with warmth and melodramatic flair, blending magical-realist premises with genuine emotional stakes. For anyone who loves romance that takes its supernatural mechanics seriously.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you want a romance powered by a supernatural rule, where a countdown hangs over two people circling each other and the mood swings between giddy and melancholy.
Skip it if the emotional register is heavy and the fantasy rules serve the romance more than they drive the plot, which may frustrate anyone wanting a clever puzzle.
What it asks of you: Sixteen hour-long episodes, so it's a real commitment; expect to settle in for a steady, emotionally weighted watch rather than something you can dip into.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Goblin Slayer2018
A Korean fantasy-romance with similar metaphysical weight: an immortal man meets a woman destined to pull a sword from his chest. Lush cinematography, real chemistry, and a story that treats its magic system as emotionally consequential.
But The runtime stretches across 16 episodes, and pacing dips in the middle stretch. Some viewers find the tonal shifts between comedy and tragedy jarring.
Her Private Life2019
A lighter Korean romance with an appealing lead pair and a premise that unfolds with charm rather than doom. Great chemistry, accessible stakes, and the kind of show that makes you want to text a friend mid-episode.
But It's deliberately frothy—if you want metaphysical weight and darkness, this trades that for buoyancy. The second half feels less inventive than the first.
Timeless2016
American time-travel adventure that shares *About Time*'s preoccupation with whether you can change fate. Genuinely compelling mythology, strong ensemble cast, and that rare quality: a show that respects both the romance and the stakes.
But Cancelled after two seasons on a cliffhanger. The ending is incomplete, which stings if you get attached. The procedural elements can feel repetitive.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from About Time
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
A Matter of Life and Death1946
Both are earnest supernatural love stories that ask: if magic could save someone you love, what price would it cost? Both treat love as worth fighting heaven for.
A Powell-Pressburger masterpiece: a WWII pilot falls in love with a radio operator, then dies and must argue for his life in a heavenly tribunal. Visually audacious, deeply romantic, and takes love's stakes as seriously as any film ever made.
But Made in 1946 and shows it—very stagy in places, with theatrical performances that can read as affected. The Technicolor can feel dated. Subtitled version cuts the colour; colourised version is controversial among cinephiles.
More like this (5)
Odds Against Tomorrow1959
Korean drama about a man given a second chance at life who falls for someone trapped by circumstance. Profound meditation on meaning and connection, with the same earnest emotional depth *About Time* reaches for.
But Genuinely heavy throughout. Not a show for when you want escape; it demands you sit with difficult feelings about mortality and purpose.
The Empress of China2014
A sprawling Chinese historical fantasy with similar romantic fatalism: lovers separated by destiny and magic, elaborate world-building, and the kind of lush production that makes every scene feel important.
But It's 70 episodes long and wildly serialized. You're committing to mythology and backstory. Subtitled, which some find tiring on a binge.
My Roommate Is a Gumiho2021
Korean fantasy-romance where a human woman and a magical creature form an unlikely bond. Playful and warm without sacrificing genuine stakes, and the leads have an easy rapport that sells the connection fast.
But More comedic than *About Time*; the stakes feel lighter. If you want melodrama and metaphysical dread, this trades those for screwball charm.
Crash Landing on You2019
The gold standard of modern Korean romance. A woman from the South crashes into North Korea and falls for a military officer. Impeccable chemistry, genuinely funny, and emotionally satisfying in ways that feel earned.
But It's ubiquitous—everyone's seen it. The premise is deliberately light rather than metaphysically charged. If you want something less watched, look elsewhere.
Tale of the Nine Tailed2020
Korean supernatural romance about a nine-tailed fox and a human woman across different timelines. Visual spectacle, elaborate mythology, and a love story that spans centuries. Ambitious in scope.
But The mythology becomes convoluted as it expands. Pacing sags in the middle. Some viewers find the plot mechanics harder to follow than the emotional through-line.
