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Live Up to Your Name is the latest K-Drama I watched and liked. It started so well that I binge-watched it, something I haven’t done in a long time.
Here’s my review of Live Up to Your Name for those who are trying to decide whether to take the plunge or not with this drama.
About
Live Up to Your Name (also known as Deserving of the Name and Live Up to Your Name, Dr. Heo) is a fantasy-romance K-Drama released in 2017. The fantasy part refers to the time-travel element in the drama.
Live Up to Your Name Cast
The main cast are Heo Im and Choi Yeon Kyung played by Kim Nam Gil and Kim Ah Joong, respectively.
Kim Nam Gil’s other dramas include The Fiery Priest (2019), Queen Seon Duk (2009), and My Lovely Sam Soon (2005), while you can see Kim Ah Joong in Grid (2022) and Wanted (2016).
Heo Im is a real person in the Joseon period. He was an accomplished medical scientist during the reign of King Seonjo and quite prolific for his huge contribution to the development of acupuncture. Most of the events that took place in this drama might be fictional, though.
Other well-known support characters you might be familiar with are Yoo Min Kyu (Mr. Queen), and Moon Ga Young (True Beauty).
How many episodes of Live Up to Your Name are there?
Live Up to Your Name has 16 hour-long episodes.
What is the plot of Live Up to Your Name?
Heo Im was a doctor during the Joseon Dynasty of Korea in the 17th century. He was talented and well-skilled as a doctor, but since he was born a commoner, he didn’t rise in the ranks or get promoted to higher positions. He was relegated to treating the poor when he preferred to work in the palace.
At some point, the king sent for Im to treat his (king’s) illness that his royal doctors couldn’t cure. This made Im hopeful that it might finally be his chance to get recognized and land a better position. While he was about to treat the king, however, something unexpected happened to him that made him unsuccessful. The king got mad and ordered Im captured and imprisoned. While trying to escape, Im was shot with arrows. He was supposed to die but instead found himself waking up in a different period, the 21st century.
Meanwhile, Choi Yeon Kyung is a highly skilled heart surgeon in modern-day Korea. She was dedicated to her work and lived with her grandfather, with whom she didn’t share a good relationship.
When Im time-traveled to the present, she met Yeon Kyung. Their paths kept crossing. Im wanted Yeon Kyung’s help, but the latter was at first apprehensive about this strange man who looked, sounded, and acted strangely. Little did she know that she would soon embark on a mind-blowing adventure with this fellow.
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Review
Live Up to Your Name is not perfect, by any means, but it’s a good drama, nonetheless. Here are the things I like and dislike about this drama.
Plot
The plot started strong, but I feel that it fell flat in the end. There was so much promise in the beginning as to where the story was going, but then it didn’t arrive at the level of amazing I was expecting. It kind of fizzled out in the middle and failed to pick back up in the end.
Pacing
The pacing was great in the early episodes. The arrangement of the scenes made sense and there was a good build-up of the story arc that you would be excited to keep watching.
Unfortunately, the middle part dragged and never returned to its earlier great momentum.
Fantasy
The time-travel element in the story was engaging; there were twists on this subject that surprised and delighted me.
The Joseon setting was just like any other Korean historical drama, but the medical aspect introduced in this one kept my interest.
Romance
The romance between Im and Yeon Kyung was good. Like most romance arcs in K-Dramas, it took time to develop, somewhat of a slow burn. The two shared great chemistry, so they were nice to watch.
Characters
Heo Im was an interesting character as he was talented, kind, and strong, yet vulnerable. The same characteristics could be said of Choi Yeon Kyung.
The other side characters were okay, but they weren’t given much screen time, so there wasn’t much to like or dislike about them.
Does Live Up to Your Name have a happy ending?
The ending was kind of a happy one, but it wasn’t satisfactory because it was not definite. I guess it’s one of those endings that are open to anyone’s interpretation. Which I didn’t like because I want endings that are clear and certain.
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Acting
The main leads, for me, are the highlights of the show. They gave the drama depth. Their acting was good, both of them were believable in their roles, and they delivered what was expected of them.
Kim Nam Gil played his funny, smart, and humble character well. Kim Ah Joong as the talented and formidable Choi Yeon Kyung was great for the role, too. Both are a few of those who fit their characters suitably.
Cinematography
The cinematography was good, your standard Korean kind which means it was… well, good. Nothing extraordinary, but still made the drama a nice watch.
Music
The music was okay. There weren’t many songs, but what few were there enhanced the drama–highlighting happy and sad scenes. Nothing was that memorable to me.
Medical Aspect
The medical aspect of the drama was interesting. They presented acupuncture in a fascinating way that I was interested to know more about. It’s also one of the best things in this drama.
Conclusion: Is it worth watching Live Up to Your Name?
In conclusion, Live Up to Your Name was an entertaining time-travel show. It was exciting, engaging, and fun, with main actors that gave justice to their roles. It isn’t the best K-Drama out there, but it comes close and is better than most.
So if you like time-travel stories with romance and some medical aspects, then you should try Live Up to Your Name.
Don’t forget to like, share, or save this post for future reference. Happy watching!
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During my maternity leave, I actually watched this whole series on Netflix whenever I had down time. I loved it! I can’t get enough of the series. This is such a great recommendation! I can’t wait to see what else is on your list of recommended K-dramas.
You too?!:) Loved how exciting and riveting it was; one of the few that held my attention from the get-go. Thank you! Hope you find something you like among my drama posts.