Korean cultural exports, such as K-Pop, K-Dramas, and K-Films, have taken center stage in the global entertainment industry. Joining this prestigious lineup are Korean webtoons, or manhwa, steadily gaining international acclaim. While Korean webtoons have enjoyed considerable popularity for quite a while now, most impressively in the last half-decade, their appeal has reached a far more diverse audience in the present Hallyu landscape, thanks to the growing adaptation of webtoons into K-Dramas. With the constant crossover of fans from one media to another, it is common for fans of either to anticipate K-Drama adaptations of their favorite webtoons. One such webtoon that has fans imagining a dream cast for a potential live-action K-Drama is the fantasy romance webtoon "I Thought My Time Was Up!". Keep reading to know more about this webtoon, and vote for your dream cast! 

Minor Spoilers Ahead!

 

"I Thought My Time Was Up!" Webtoon Introduction

A Classic Rom-Com With A Touch Of Magic Perfect For The Hopeless Romantic

"I Thought My Time Was Up!" is a fantasy romance webtoon by Essie and Hyeyong, adapted from the original web novel by Ari Choi. It started serialization on Naver Webtoon in October of 2022 and is currently ongoing, with new episodes released every Tuesday. A total of 57 (including 5 Fast Pass) episodes have been released so far, 52 of which you can read for free on Naver Webtoon in Korean. You can also read the webtoon in English here. At the time of writing, 31 chapters (+12 Fast Pass) have been officially translated, and new episodes are released every Saturday.

Note: Webtoon "I Thought My Time Was Up!" is also available in Japanese, Traditional Chinese, French, Simplified Chinese, Bahasa Indonesia, and Thai.

The webtoon "I Thought My Time Was Up!" is set in the year 732 in the fictional Harushan Empire. It tells the story of a promising young woman named Lariette Blanche, who is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Despite being born with extraordinary magical talent and a destiny that could shape an entire century, she has spent her life in the shadow of her jealous younger brother and indifferent parents, who granted her no education or support. Now, she faces an arranged marriage to an elderly but wealthy marquess, who not only objectifies her but treats her like a return on an investment. However, with only three months to live, she embarks on a journey to fulfill her bucket list and finally live life on her own terms.

This bucket list ranges from buying cake for her family maid Anne to breaking off her engagement, becoming financially independent, casually dating a handsome man, albeit only for three months, and traveling to the West. The first three are managed at once, and the possibility of the fourth comes knocking at her door when she happens upon Asrahan Kandel - a Duke of the highest status, the Empire's Sharpest Blade, the War Lord. However, the Duke bears a curse that has instilled fear throughout the nation. His curse manifests through his skin, which continually breaks and decays, and his presence is shrouded in the pervasive scent of death. What catches Lariette's eye, however, is his godly visuals - from his towering physique to his dazzling ocean eyes and even the low tone of his voice.

As Fate would have it, Asrahan is searching for a purification mage to lift his curse, and our heroine is happy to be at his service. Despite being rejected as a potential love interest at first glance, Lariette is determined to steal his heart, starting with an employer-employee contract this time around.

One of the key strengths of "I Thought My Time Was Up!" is that it skillfully utilizes its medieval backdrop to immerse readers in a world infused with magic, royalty, priests, curses, and other mystical elements, offering an expertly crafted exploration of these fantastical aspects. The writing seamlessly blends a modern sensibility with its historical setting, creating a relatable and enduring tale. Similarly, the author's unique sense of humor, though finely attuned to the universe she creates, manages to strike a delightful balance, such that it feels both of its time and surprisingly contemporary. Moreover, thanks to the way the narrative is structured, it is thoroughly enjoyable to shift between perspectives and be privy to our character's feelings in real time rather than having to wait for belated gratification.

The pacing does an excellent job of quick exposition, allowing enough time for romance to bloom gently between Lariette and Asrahan. At the same time, new plot points are steadily introduced, such as our ethereal yet mysterious second male lead, DoHa, to keep readers on their toes and stir up our protagonists' lives, unraveling new shades of their characters.

Most importantly, the very first panel of the webtoon makes the unexpected revelation that Lariette was misdiagnosed and, hence, is not dying, which leaves her accountable for the decisions she made in reckless abandon. The webtoon then recalls Lariette's journey as she fulfills her bucket list until her abrupt departure leaves Asrahan irrevocably in love and hopelessly hurt.

If the writing is the heart of the story, the art is the soul. The art style of the "I Thought My Time Was Up!" webtoon, which is a defining merit of the work, captivates with its stunning beauty, featuring striking character designs and impeccable fashion in each chapter. As a matter of fact, fans of the original web novel were overjoyed that the artist in charge of illustration, Essie, was also going to work on the webtoon.

Owing to such unique factors, the webtoon draws you into its world in no time, inviting you to explore it along with our protagonist, and before you know it, you will have spent the night binge-reading the chapters.

 

"I Thought My Time Was Up!" Webtoon Characters & K-Drama Dream Cast

At the time of writing, "I Thought My Time Was Up!" is not set for a K-Drama adaptation. However, Kpopmap is predicting that it would certainly make for a fantastic K-Drama, which many fans are hoping for, given its huge international and domestic popularity. "I Thought My Time Was Up!" is highly rated for both the Korean and English versions (9.97 and 9.71 out of 10, respectively), which proves its appeal to a global audience. It is only a matter of time before it is hopefully picked up for production.

Until then, Kpopmap has created a virtual dream cast for a K-Drama adaptation of "I Thought My Time Was Up!". We took into consideration the significant traits of each character - both physical and otherwise - to create this dream cast. You will find a poll after each character's description, where you can vote for the actor who you think would best suit the character. So, have fun with the polls, and let us know your thoughts!

 

Lariette Blanche

Lariette Blanche is a powerful and talented witch who can wield her powers deftly, even without proper education. She grows up in a borderline abusive household, with her parents wanting to sell her off and her brother downright loathing her very existence out of jealousy. Nevertheless, she is a charming and spirited young woman, best compared with a ray of sunshine. She is optimistic, even in the face of a terrifying diagnosis, and is determined to live her life as she pleases.

When Lariette meets the sculpted and dreamy Asrahan, she is all of us at once, swooning over his otherworldly beauty. Assuming that this divine handsomeness would naturally translate to ample dating experience, she decides to date him for three months, hoping they won't get too attached.

However, Lariette's charisma, kindness, and genuine sincerity are disarming and help Asrahan lift the mental and emotional burden of his curse while she does her best to purify it physically. In other words, it is Lariette's compassion and warmth that heal Asrahan's inner wounds while her magic heals his curse.

Lariette is affectionate and shows it through all the love languages possible. From physical touch and quality time, which adorably fluster Asrahan, to words of affirmation and acts of service that encourage him to be his true self and prioritize his own needs, Lariette has a whole lot of love to give, and she doesn't hesitate to express it.

In terms of appearance, Lariette has long pink hair and purple eyes. She is 22 years old.

Before we unveil our dream cast, we had some fun with AI to envision what Lariette Blanche might look like in real life. Please note that this is purely for entertainment and does not represent Kpopmap's official interpretation of these characters, nor does it affect our dream cast. Check it out below!

What do you think of this version of Lariette Blanche? Tell us in the comments section down below!

As for our dream cast for a K-Drama adaptation of "I Thought My Time Was Up!", we think Chae SooBin, Mun KaYoung, Kim SeJeong, and Go YounJung would be incredibly well-suited for this role. Vote for your pick in the poll below! 

 

 

Asrahan Kandel

Asrahan is one of the most powerful Dukes in the Harushan Empire. He is an invincible warrior who brought victory in a war that was almost lost. However, he is called a monster and treated with contempt, fear, and disgust because of his curse. This leads Asrahan to isolate himself and hide away from people. He is perceived as a violent beast who doesn't hesitate to slay anyone who stands in his way. He radiates a dark and intimidating aura.

When Asrahan first met Lariette, and she asked him out, he was visibly taken aback at her bright and vibrant energy, especially when faced with him. Rather than being afraid, she was interested in getting to know him better and even dating him! Not being used to such an advance, he shrugged it off as a joke, but their interaction clearly affected him.

When they met again, and Lariette remained unchanged, he couldn't help but be drawn to her. Despite first holding on to her because of her powerful purification magic, he inevitably falls in love with her. She accepts him as he is and gives him the adoration and love that he hasn't felt since he was a child. It is no wonder that he would give up his life for her.

As the two spend more time together, Asrahan's endearingly playful, shy, and possessive side comes to light. In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that blushing Asrahan has fandom of its own! Over the course of the webtoon, we see that Asrahan is willing to move heaven and earth for Lariette and doesn't hold back from proving it to her. No one dares touch his Lariette.

As for Asrahan's appearance, he has the most gorgeous blue eyes, is tall, has a sharp facial structure, and is well-built. He is 27 years old.

Check out how AI envisioned a live-action version of Asrahan below!

Now, for a virtual casting of Asrahan Kandel in a K-Drama adaptation of "I Thought Time Was Up!", we think Byeon WooSeok, Jang KiYong, Hwang MinHyun, and RoWoon would be amazing choices. Vote for your pick in the poll below!

 

 

DoHa

The second male lead and one of the most popular characters in the "I Thought My Time Was Up!" webtoon is DoHa. He disguises himself as a lowly priest when he visits Duke Kandel's mansion to heal Lariette, but it is soon revealed that he is actually Reverend Mikhail Dohaverion, the High Priest of the Temple of Alteon, set to be the next Pope. He moved up the ranks faster than others because of his exceptional divine power.

When DoHa meets Lariette for the first time, she notices the scar on his forehead at once and proceeds to heal it, unwittingly revealing that she has the same amount of mana as him. After all, his scar cannot be healed by anyone with less mana than him, which means that Lariette has to be quite a powerful mage. So, he intends to seduce her and make her his exclusive healer mage.

DoHa is known to be cold and indifferent. However, his curiosity and fondness for Lariette only grow with time. As Lariette steadily yet unknowingly makes a place for herself in his heart, he comes to want her more and more. DoHa is mysterious and elusive but possessive over Lariette. He doesn't hesitate to get competitive with Asrahan, either. Needless to say, this one is going to be a hard 2nd lead syndrome for new readers.

DoHa has long white hair that is either let loose or tied up in a ponytail. He has beautiful golden eyes.

Check out how AI envisioned a live-action version of DoHa below!

We think Song Kang, Jang DongYoon, SHINee's MinHo, and Ren (Choi MinGi) would be excellent candidates for playing the otherworldly DoHa in a K-Drama adaptation of "I Thought My Time Was Up!". Vote for your pick in the poll below!

 

 

Note: The aim of the vote is for Kpopmap readers to share their opinion about their preference for the cast. It is not affecting the cast of the production team.

If you are interested in other drama adaptations of webtoon and their dream cast, you can check out our previous articles: "The Remaried Empress", "Gorae Byul - The Gyeongseong Mermaid", "There Must Be Happy Endings", "Now I'm Taking A Break From Dating", "Weak Hero Season 2", "Delusion", "Back To You", "The 26th Murder", "Time Share House", "A Compendium Of Ghosts", "Is It A Coincidence?", "Dear Actresses", and more.

What did you think of our dream cast for an imaginary K-Drama adaptation of the webtoon "I Thought My Time Was Up!"? Tell us in the comments section down below!