The Time We Were Not in Love (2015) User Reviews

A good drama for Ha Ji Won fans to see what she's really like

[from-nsj4 · 7/10 · 31 January 2019]

As a side note, the two main stars of this drama are not correctly displayed in the cast information. It stars Ha Ji Won and Lee Jin wook, who are shown far down in the cast list.

While this drama is predictable and slow, it's a good one for Ha Ji Won fans because her character in this drama is probably the closest of any to her real personality. In great dramas like Empress Ki or Secret Garden, she does a superb job playing impressive, tough women. In this drama, she's not only beautiful, but her personality sparkles and she is super cute. If you want a great drama, look elsewhere, but if you want to spend time with a fictional version of the real Ha Ji Won, this is a way to do it. This drama is just a vehicle for her to shine on the screen.

The series had a good thing going but......

[rajeshrsigningin · 6/10 · 7 April 2020]

The series was good for a couple of episodes. For the sake of getting the leads together they wasted the potential it had. Ha jiwon is an exceptional actress but this series didn't take advantage of that. So many coy scenes and useless flirting. The lead guy character was a waste. He was rather obsessed than romantic. 1)Yoon Kyun-sang character should have been the one who got together with Ha jiwon considering the scenes where she confessed her unfazed love and passion for him to 'won'. She was also happy to flaunt her relationship infront of 'Choi won' on the plane and else where. She was doing fine infront of won talking about Yoon Kyun-sang character. 2) 'Choi won' was too obsessed with 'oh ha na' . He should have been given a break from that obsession. He was friends with 'oh ha na' for 17 years and never wavered for a confession. But when she was seen happy with Yoon Kyun-sang character suddenly he wants to confess his feelings? barf!!! Of all the characters i hate 'Choi won' the most. He tried to win over someone's GF. He knew how passionate 'oh ha na' was with Yoon Kyun-sang character and was absolutely humiliated on the flight (Come on bro, have a backbone will ya!). He could have learnt that its better to be together with someone who loves you than you love them. Would have worked out with 'lee so-eun'. 3)'Oh ha na' is the only character I can say I wanted to see. But she was coy all the time. She should have been written much better. Her character would have been much better if she stayed with Yoon Kyun-sang character. She did hurt 'Choi won' unintentionally many times (flight scene is too cruel for them to get together) but that's life. 4)Choo Soo-hyun's character was never used to its potential. She was just wasted away due to poor writing.

Series could have been much better if they did the story and script much better.

Good Story, Great Ending, ex fiance was annoying but that was minor

[leahcubed · 9/10 · 22 February 2022]

9/10 is my rating. This is a 2015 South Korean romantic drama with 16, 60 minute episodes

At 34 years old, Oh Ha-na (Ha Ji-won) and Choi Won (Lee Jin-wook) have been best friends for 17 years. They have supported each other through a variety of failed relationships and are always there for each other through life's joys and sorrows. Choi Won has harbored a secret love for Ha-na for all this time, but every time he is on the verge of confessing his feelings, something happens. Ha-na was almost married to Cha Seo-hoo (Yoon Kyun-sang) but when he failed to show up to their engagement party, Choi wan was there to pick up the pieces. Years later Seo-hoo shows back up realizing he made a huge mistake and determined to win Ha-na back. Will Choi Won finally have the courage to tell Ha-na his true feelings and will Ha-na ever see him as more than a friend?

I enjoyed nearly everything about this drama. The Choi Won character was adorable. He was always there and generally nice to the lead character. The ending was happy and there were no long separations. Spoiler alert ** The only thing I did not like was when her ex fiance returned and she decided to get back with him after he had left her at the alter. He had no really good reason for leaving her and then not contacting her to tell her what had happened for three years. I did not even find him a compelling character despite having done that as he seemed to have anger issues and was very controlling of her. Her reigniting her romance with her ex fiance lasted through several episodes and that was my least favorite part of the series. I liked how spunky and capable Ha-na was and that was another reason I did not like it when she got back with her ex fiance because it did not fit her otherwise take no prisoners character. It did end with her 17 year friendship with Choi Won developing into the cutest romance and we even got to see not only their marriage but a little bit after. I loved her parents. They were always supportive even whens he was making lame brain decisions like getting back with her ex fiance. Her friends and family were not his fans, despite the fact that he was rich and attractive, and I thought she should have listened to them more. She did become a different type of person when she was with him and tended to shut out her friends. In real life that is a warning if someone does not get along with people you care about and tries to keep you all to themselves. That is one of the stereotypical signs of an abuser. All in all this was a very good, heartwarming story of two friends turned lovers. I could have just done without the whole ex fiance "romance" as he was a very unlikable character. I would have liked second guy to have been the younger guy from the beginning that, it turned out, was only leading her on to secure a permanent job in the company. I found it admirable though that she was able to separate that personal affront from his otherwise being a very capable employee. It showed her true character. I recommend this one to those that like the friend to lover trope and just romances in general. It does not have a lot of plot complexity but that is part of its appeal when I am looking for something more on the light side.

Wasted the talent of Ha Jiwon

[tchrjudith · 1/10 · 16 July 2016]

This is quite a disappointment for me since Ha Jiwon is such a talented actress. I blame the script that no talented actor can save. There was no real tension and the flashbacks were just there to make the structure of the plot avoid taking a linear progression. For me, a linear storytelling technique is acceptable as long as the story is captivating. Scriptwriters need not do the non-linear technique all the time just to appeal to the modern-day sophisticated viewers. A story has to be compelling to hold the audience, whether it is told in a linear style or a non-linear style. I feel sorry for Ha Jiwon for starring in this boring series. Such a departure from her Empress Ki series.

Too long, repetitive and boring

[phd_travel · 2/10 · 7 March 2024]

Only fans of Ha Ji Won or Lee Jin Wook could sit through this overly long show. The two leads of the show look good together. They were both at their prime for rom Coms and wear their fashions well.

This story could have been told in 6 episodes. They are best friends since school days. And live next door to each other. She is a shoe company exec and he is a steward. BTW in Korea a flight attendant is regarded as a more prestigious a profession than it is in the West. Her secondary romantic interests are more interesting than the main romance. Kim Myung Soo L is intriguing as a young intern and Yoon Kyun Sang as a rather strange pianist. More excitement with their characters. The main romance is so dull they really are like old friends.

There are so many unnecessary repetitive scenes. This would have been OK as s short series. Too bad they needed to fill 16 eps. Their main obstacles are indecision. There is no parental opposition, quite the contrary. And her other paramours were too young and too unattractive.