# 18 Again (2020)

> A middle-aged man at a low point in his marriage and career is transformed back into his 18-year-old body and gets a second chance at youth.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/83761

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 16
- Episode runtime: 70 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, comedy, fantasy
- Created by: Ha Byung-hoon
- Network: JTBC
- Cast: Lee Do-hyun, Kim Ha-neul, Yoon Sang-hyun, Roh Jeong-eui, Ryeoun, Wi Ha-jun, Kim Kang-hyun, Lee Mi-do
- TMDB rating: 8.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12846096/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: heartwarming, earnest, comedic, reflective, sincere

## What critics say

Viewers praise 18 Again as a heartwarming, funny drama that balances its comedy with serious family themes without losing its plot.

## Synopsis

18 Again (2020) is a South Korean miniseries created by Ha Byung-hoon for JTBC, a sixteen-episode 70-minute drama that blends romantic comedy, fantasy, and family drama. Lee Do-hyun plays Hong Dae-young, a middle-aged man whose marriage and career have stalled, and who finds himself transformed back into his eighteen-year-old body while Yoon Sang-hyun portrays the older version of the same man. Kim Ha-neul plays Jung Da-jung, a figure tied to his past and the romantic thread that grows around him, while Roh Jeong-eui and Ryeoun appear as his children, whose relationships with him shift as he returns to school life. The engine of the story is a grown man's attempt to make a second start, navigating high school classrooms, sports, and a fake identity while trying to repair what he lost. Each episode mixes lighthearted school antics with emotional scenes of family strain and reconciliation. The series moves in one continuing arc across its single season, with its overall shape held together by the protagonist's slow realization of what he truly wants. The tone is heartwarming, funny, and earnest, with a reflective undercurrent about regret and the value of ordinary family life. Set in contemporary South Korea, it has the charm of a Korean family drama and the comic premise of a body swap. Fans of 13 Going on 30 and Reply 1988 will find resonance in its mix of youthful romance and grown-up longing.

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