“Twinkling Watermelon” is a time-travel drama about a CODA boy who crashes into 1995 after selling his guitar at a mysterious shop. It is also a love story, a coming-of-age story, and a musical about a band called Watermelon Sugar. The tvN series, created by Jin Soo-wan and Son Jeong-hyeon, premiered on September 25, 2023, and ran for 16 episodes until November 14, 2023. It stars Ryeoun as Ha Eun-gyeol, Choi Hyun-wook as Ha Yi-chan, and Shin Eun-soo as Yoon Chung-ah.
The premise is simple. Ha Eun-gyeol is a CODA, a child of deaf adults, who lives with his deaf parents and older brother. He has a gift for music and plays guitar in a street busking show. When his father finds out, he explodes in anger and tells Eun-gyeol he is not their family interpreter and cannot live only to satisfy his expectations. Eun-gyeol quits music, sells his guitar at a strange shop, and ends up in 1995. There he meets Yi-chan, who is still a teenager and has no hearing or speech problems. Eun-gyeol joins his band, Watermelon Sugar, and tries to keep Yi-chan from the accident that will cost him his hearing.
Trailer, via Viu Singapore.
The Time Travel Loop
The time travel loop is the engine of “Twinkling Watermelon.” Eun-gyeol knows what happens to Yi-chan. He knows the accident. He knows the loss. So he spends the series trying to change it. He fails. The show makes the failure sting by showing Eun-gyeol’s growing affection for Yi-chan and the people around him, including Yoon Chung-ah and Choi Se-gyeong. He wants to save Yi-chan, but he cannot.
The loop is also a way to explore two versions of the same person. The older Eun-gyeol is settled, confident, and sure of his path. The younger Yi-chan is restless, curious, and chasing music. The show keeps switching between the two timelines, letting viewers see how the past shapes the present and how the present reshapes the past. It is a clever structure, and it pays off in the final episodes.
The Shop and the Guitar
The shop that sends Eun-gyeol back in time is also a character. It is a small, dim place that triggers the whole adventure. Selling the guitar is the trigger for the whole journey. Without that act, there is no 1995, no Yi-chan, no Watermelon Sugar.
The shop is a constant presence in the show. It is where Eun-gyeol goes when he is lost, and it is where he returns when he has failed. The show uses the shop as a symbol of the past, a place that holds memories and regrets. It is a small detail, but it grounds the larger story in something tangible.
The Band and the Music
Watermelon Sugar is the heart of the show. The band is made up of strangers Eun-gyeol meets in 1995. They are mysterious, moody, and talented. The show spends a lot of time on their rehearsals, their gigs, and their arguments. Music is not just a prop in “Twinkling Watermelon.” It is the language Eun-gyeol uses to communicate with the people around him, especially Yi-chan. He cannot explain himself in words, so he explains himself through chords and melodies.
The music is period-appropriate. The show features bands and songs that feel like they belong to 1995. The sound design is sharp, and the score is used sparingly but effectively. The music is not just background noise. It is a character in its own right, shaping the mood of every scene.
The Romance Between Eun-gyeol and Se-Kyung
The romance between Eun-gyeol and Se-Kyung is the emotional center of the show. Se-Kyung is a cello player who becomes more outgoing and bubbly with Yi-chan and his friends. She is also Eun-yoo, Se-Kyung’s daughter, who has also traveled back in time. The reveal is a surprise, and it shifts the relationship from a crush to something deeper. Eun-gyeol and Se-Kyung develop feelings for each other, and so do Chung-ah and Yi-chan.
The romance is tender and quiet. It is not about grand gestures or declarations. It is about small moments, shared glances, and the way two people move together when they are playing music. The show trusts that viewers will feel the connection without needing to spell it out. That trust pays off.
The Supporting Cast
The supporting cast gives the show its warmth. Yoon Chung-ah is reserved and lonely, and Eun-gyeol bonds with her over sign language. Her mother is mistreated by her stepmother, and Eun-gyeol helps expose the stepmother and her children for mistreating her. Eun-gyeol’s father is disappointed in his son’s dream of becoming a guitarist. Eun-gyeol’s grandfather is a presence in the background. Go Yang-hee and Im Ji-mi round out the world of 1995.
Each character gets a moment to shine. The show does not rush anyone. It lets the relationships breathe. The result is a cast that feels full and lived-in.
The Production Values
“Twinkling Watermelon” looks and sounds like 1995. The sets, the clothes, the cars, the phones — everything is period-accurate. The show does not mock the decade. It honors it. The music is also period-appropriate, with bands and songs that feel like they belong to that time. The sound design is sharp, and the score is used sparingly but effectively.
The direction is steady. Son Jong-hyun directs with a calm eye, letting the story unfold without hurry. The pacing is slow at times, but the slow parts are earned. The show builds its tension gradually, and the payoff is bigger for it.
What Works
The show is strongest when it is focused on the characters and their connections. The time travel loop is a great device, but it can also be a crutch. The show leans on it too often, repeating the same beats episode after episode. The middle stretch drags in places, and some subplots feel like padding. The show also struggles with its tone. It is a drama about loss and identity, but it is also a cheerful musical about a band. The two tones do not always sit together comfortably.
But the strengths outweigh the weaknesses. The performances are strong across the board. Ryeoun brings a quiet intensity to Eun-gyeol. Choi Hyun-wook is magnetic as Yi-chan. Shin Eun-soo is a perfect foil, reserved and wounded. The chemistry between the leads is genuine. The show is also visually striking, with a color palette that shifts between warm and cold depending on the timeline. The 1995 scenes are shot with a nostalgic glow, while the present-day scenes are sharper and colder.
The Final Episodes
The finale resolves the time travel loop. Eun-gyeol fails to save Yi-chan. The accident happens, and Yi-chan loses his hearing. The show does not offer a neat fix. It offers a truth. The past cannot be changed. The characters accept that truth, and the show moves forward. It is a brave choice, and it earns the ending.
The show also ties up the romance between Eun-gyeol and Se-Kyung. Their feelings deepen, and the show gives them a quiet, earned conclusion. The romance is not the main plot, but it adds depth to the story. It is a reminder that love can survive even when the future is fixed.
The Verdict
“Twinkling Watermelon” is a thoughtful, emotional, and occasionally uneven drama. It is a show about following your dreams, even when your family does not understand. It is a show about the power of music to connect people. It is a show about the impossibility of changing the past. It is also a show about the joy of making music with strangers.
The time travel loop is the show’s biggest strength and its biggest weakness. It gives the show its structure, but it also risks repetition. The show is at its best when it slows down and focuses on the characters. The performances are strong, the production values are high, and the finale is satisfying. It is a show that respects its audience and rewards attention.
The show is not perfect. It drags in the middle. It wavers on tone. It leans on its time travel loop too heavily. But the core is solid. The characters are real. The music is infectious. The ending lands.
“Twinkling Watermelon” is a show worth watching. It is a show that will make you believe in the power of music, even when the future is fixed.
Key Facts
- Premiere: September 25, 2023
- Last Episode: November 14, 2023
- Network: tvN
- Episodes: 16
- Score: 8/10
Strengths
- Strong performances, especially from Ryeoun and Choi Hyun-wook
- Period-appropriate production values and music
- A time travel loop that gives the show its structure
- A romance that deepens gradually
- A finale that accepts the impossibility of changing the past
Weaknesses
- Middle episodes drag due to repeated beats
- Tone shifts between drama and musical
- Reliance on the time travel loop as a crutch
- Some subplots feel padded
- The show leans on its loop too heavily
Ranking the Elements
- Character development — the best element, with strong performances across the board
- Production values — the show looks and sounds like 1995
- The time travel loop — the structural device that drives the story
- The romance — a quiet, earned addition to the plot
- Pacing — the middle episodes are the weakest part of the show
The show is a solid entry in the time travel genre. It is not the most original, but it is one of the most emotionally honest. It respects its characters and its audience. It is a show that understands that sometimes the best story is the one you cannot change.
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