From Now On, Showtime! is a tale of urban fantasy with traditional shamanistic undertones, slapstick comedy, romantic themes and a touch of sageuk fiction. Some might even consider this primarily a rom-com but personally I feel it’s more comedic with elements of an overarching mystery, some action with a side of romance between multiple couples and a love triangle that develops in the later half of the show.

The drama explores the mysterious origins of magician Cha Cha Woong and his “supernatural stage assistants”, whilst delving into his burgeoning relationship with beat cop Go Seul Hae as they team up to unravel unsolvable crimes.

Initially thinking that the inspiration for the story is drawn from a webtoon, this drama is actually based on the original screenplay written by Ha Yoon Ah who wrote the adaptation for Mystic Pop-Up Bar. Helmed by director Lee Hyung Min (Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, My Dangerous Wife and the hugely popular Winter Sonata) while Jeong Ye Kyung serves as music director of a drama for the first time, having previously been involved in feature films.

A total of 7 songs are listed as part of the official soundtrack, as follows:

Freak Show - Jeon So-yeon
I'll Be There - Andaun
Time - Paulkyte
Eheradiya - Bae Giseong
Fallin - Kim Hee-jae
You You You - Floody
Dandelion Seed - Zitten

What I Liked

This is a wild ride that’s filled with outrageous humour, larger-than-life characters and an unbelievably convoluted yet absurd storyline that spans two lifetimes with approximately 2000 years between them. Showtime! is the kind of show where logic is absolutely not a prerequisite for watching and viewers are best advised to leave their brain cells at the door before embarking on this rather insane adventure.

Park Hae Jin as the magician Cha Cha Woong and the shaman Poong Baek in the earlier lifetime. I’ve always been a fan of his deadpan style of acting and despite delivering the usual, he injects some range here with his depiction of two vastly contrasting characters as well as blending a mixture of adorable quirkiness and endearing charm as part of his eventual evolution in the story. PHJ is quite versatile but I do believe he should participate in more comedic roles because he has a great sense of comedic timing.

My first time seeing Jin Ki Joo in a lead role, she plays the hyper-enthusiastic but naive patrol officer Go Seul Hae. Despite the rather simplistic characterization, she breathes life and a whole lot of fun into the role. Both she and PHJ are great together as crime-fighting partners and subsequently as a romantic couple. We even get to see them in a more dramatic story arc set during their previous lifetime that represents a complete juxtaposition of their present day iteration.

This show wouldn’t be complete without the hardworking “Ghost Crew” aka the secret stage helpers. Together with the spirit general Choi Gum, portrayed by the evergreen Jung Joon Ho, these band of lovable misfits are a joy to watch especially with their numerous antics and interactions.

Around the midway mark and for nearly two episodes, the plot transports viewers back to the ancient “pseudo-Samguk” era that serves up an astonishingly different production - a sageuk. The production values, design and storytelling tone would give most regular sageuk dramas a run for their money because the technical execution and stylistics are truly well on point.

Although not a major component, I do enjoy the brief depictions of horror whenever they appear on screen. It’s one aspect that enriches the supernatural-fantasy themes as well as heightens the ghoulish vibes of the production.

What Could've Been Better

The love triangle is somewhat redundant but not before drawing a bit of ire through the SML, whom I find somewhat irksome. This is the typical alpha male-cum-jock who lacks personality yet possesses a relentless zeal for upstaging others. I seriously do not like this character at all.

I also find that most, if not all, the police personnel written in this drama to be rather eccentric in one way or another. Some of them turn out to have larger roles in the overall plot development but I think as far as supporting characters are concerned, all of them are upstaged by the non-humans of the show.

Final Thoughts

All things considered, I had fun. This show being what it is, it’s hard to be overly critical of the concept and execution. Love it or hate it, it does have its place in the genre. It may not appeal to the sensible as well as those who have neither the patience nor preference for slapstick but if you’re in the mood for some nonsensical entertainment and unabashed humour, this one’s quite worth checking out.