Like any show, sometimes a storyline needs to progress much farther than the limitations of a couple of days or hours, hence the use of time jumping. Not to be confused with time travel, time jumping is when the storyline of a show skips ahead or back to the past to show the progression of a storyline or character.
In K-dramas, this may at times be effective, but it can also be annoying to some fans, as they don't get to see the nitty-gritty of what happened during the "in-between" time. Some might even think it's a ploy to get the show closer to its end. When it comes to K-dramas, time jumps may occur after a severe event or even a break-up, leading viewers to the bigger question of "what will happen now?"
A Love So Beautiful (7.2)
The Korean version of this Chinese drama released on Netflix in 2020 and it proved to be a heartwarming teen romance. The majority of the show takes place while the main characters are in school. The series goes jumps time so that fans see them start every new year up until their graduation.
The characters then embark on their adult lives, but some complications arise, of course. A huge time jump occurs from around 2010 to 2019. Two of the original characters are now married and one went on to become an elite swimmer. At the same time, the main couple has broken up and they meet by chance at the hospital.
Love Alarm (7.4)
Love Alarm quickly gained recognition when it debuted on Netflix and fans were surprised to see the time jump that occured midway in the series. After a tragic motorcycle accident that involved the main characters, Jo-jo (Kim So-Hyun) puts on the Love Alarm shield to break up with Sun-ho (Song Kang).
In episode five, the time jumps to four years later. Jo-jo is now out of school and working a different job. It's also revealed that Sun-ho somewhat moved on and started dating a celebrity, but their old flame flickers again when they remeet.
Save Me (8)
If you're looking for a great thriller involving a cult, Save Me is a must-watch. The time jump in this K-drama happens early on, but it's needed, as it helps really develop the storyline for the rest of the series. A family moves to a new town and is welcomed by a strange and overly friendly church.
After a tragic event, the family gets more involved with the church and in episode four, there's a time jump of four years to 2017. Some of the main characters have gone on with their lives, one has spent his days in prison, and the other is desperately looking for a way out of the controlling cult before it's too late.
True Beauty (8.1)
The somewhat Cinderella story in True Beauty has a significant time jump that's seen in its original webtoon. When Su-ho (Cha Eun-woo) learns that his father fell ill in the states, he is forced to leave Korea. Later on, it also forces him to break-up with Ju-Kyung (Moon Ga-young).
This leads to a time jump of roughly one to two years. Ju-Kyung is now an adult and works as a makeup assistant to a female idol. She's still hurt over her past love with Sun-ho. After his father starts to recover, Sun-ho makes his return to Korea, hoping to woo his ex back into his life, but one certain character still hasn't admitted his feelings.
Tell Me What You Saw (8.1)
In some cases, time jumps are often seen in crime dramas. This occurs in Tell Me What You Saw within the very first scene of the episode, cementing the story of the badass female lead.
The series first shows a younger version of the main female character leaving school and walking along with a classmate as it's raining, Across the street, she sees her mother, who cannot speak, gesturing for her to take a yellow umbrella. Embarrassed by her mother, she blanks her. This leads to an emotional scene when her mother is then killed right before her in a hit-and-run accident. Then, the time jumps from 2000 to the present day in 2020.
Itaewon Class (8.2)
Itaewon Class had a much-needed time jump to establish the main storyline for its main character. The first episode chronicles Sae-Ro-Yi's (Park Seo-Joon) downfall while in school. The second shows him being sentenced to prison and then there is a small two-year time jump to when he is finally released.
Next, there is a seven-year time jump when he goes off to work in deep-sea fishing and he returns to open his bar-restaurant. In episode 13, there's one final time jump to years later in 2002. Sae-Ro-Yi has become successful and he took his business to the next level. Finally.
Come And Hug Me (8.4)
The time jumps in this K-drama play well into the storyline seeing as it revolves around childhood sweethearts who reunite years later. This isn't a normal love story, though, as the time jump occurs because Na-moo's (Jang Ki-Yong) father murders his first love's parents.
Years later, he's now a rookie detective who wants to make good on his father's sins. Meanwhile, his first love is now known under a different name and is an actor. But will their past love-filled memories be able to shine brighter than the tragic event that separated them?
Goblin (8.6)
Goblin is a fan-favorite drama that is the definition of time jumping in a k-drama, mainly because it surrounds the character of Goblin (Gong Yoo), who is doomed to live an immortal life seeing his loved ones pass on. But he soon meets Eun-Tak (Kim Go-Eun), who changes his outlook on life and even prompts him to fall in love.
The thing is, he meets her when she's 19-years-old and in school. He takes her under his wing to help her pass her exams and go to university. The story shifts as the time jumps to her growing older. Audiences see her go through a couple of hairstyles along the way.
Mr. Sunshine (8.8)
When it comes to riveting period dramas that also gained worldwide recognition, Mr. Sunshine hits the top of the list. It had an engaging love triangle, a sad and emotional end, and a well-known Korean-American actor. In the first episode, there are small time jumps that help show Eugene's (Lee Byung-hun) life growing up in America.
The story moves from the past and then shifts gears to the present day. The most impactful time jump is in the final episode when Eugen manages to save everyone, even Ae-shin (Kim Tae-Ri). The last scene jumps to two years in the future, with Ae-shin training a new generation of soldiers in a liberated Korea.
Reply 1988 (9.1)
It's no surprise that Reply 1988 has the highest rating on this list and it also includes time jumps. Seeing as the drama takes place in 1988, it made sense to see what happens to the characters in the future. It also helped link the storyline to the sequel installment.
Episode 19 fast forwards to 2016, but not entirely. It only serves as a marker to talk about the past. But the scenes that show the past also time jump to show the evolution of Choi Taek (Park Bo-gum) and Deok-Seon's (Lee Hye-Ri) relationship. It then time jumps again to them in the present, married and doing an interview in their home.