This new teaser for Kim Nam-gil’s (Shark) upcoming comedy time-slip drama Live Up to Your Name is hilarious. He stars as Heo Im, a genius acupuncturist from ye olden Joseon times who somehow meets a modern surgeon, played by Kim Ah-joong (Wanted), who is a firm believer in 21st-century medicine. The drama is about the hijinks that follow these two top-notch physicians and the clashes that happen because of their completely different medical philosophies and personalities.
Kim Nam-gil’s character is based on a real historical figure, Heo Im, who was a contemporary of the better known Joseon medical man Heo Jun. However, this is a highly fictionalized fantasy version of events, including time travel and secret double lives. Heo Im is a doctor of oriental medicine never allowed to rise in rank because of his low birth status.
Jaded by the world, he preaches common sense and status quo by day, but because of his god-gifted talent with needles, he’s allowed to become the king’s personal aide by night, amassing a small fortune for his treatments. By some strange circumstance, he travels through time 400 years later to present-day Seoul, where he encounters a new world.
I’m just super glad that Kim Nam-gil is back in dramaland, and he doesn’t disappoint in this second teaser. Charismatically, he slowly opens his eyes in a dramatic fashion, and we see he’s on the rooftop of a palatial building. He throws out his arms and announces to the sky: “I, Heo Im, will return to protect Your Majesty’s health.” Dramatic wind and music underscore the moment. Then suddenly his expression changes to one of futile helplessness and tears, and he starts bawling, “I want to go baaaack!”
The screen zooms out, and we see two present-day security guards looking confused and calling the authorities to report that there’s a crazy man on the roof of an old historical monument. Kim Nam-gil’s bowing and flapping can be seen from an Emergency Room television that’s set to the news channel, with the underlying caption that says, “Cultural monument trespasser arrested.”
The anchor’s voice in the background says that the culprit is currently insisting that he’s a Joseon citizen. Then we finally catch a glimpse of Kim Ah-joong as she glances up at the screen, sniggering at the preposterous news story. Her voiceover closes out the teaser saying: “Miraculous and talented him and her. Live Up to Your Name.”
New tvN time-travel Saturday-Sunday drama Live Up to Your Name begins on August 12 after Forest of Secrets.
