Chicago Typewriter ~ The Typewriter is Mightier Than the Gun

“Chicago Typewriter” is a 2017 Korean drama, 16 episodes, categorized as Historical period fiction, Mystery, Action, Fantasy or Supernatural, Romance, and Comedy. Streaming free with ads on Tubi TV.

 

There is no time travel, although it is set in two different time periods ~ during the Japanese colonial period and the 21st-century modern-day South Korea. The storyline goes back and forth by way of a reincarnation mystery.

• Memorable Quote: “The pen is mightier than the sword, so the typewriter is mightier than the gun.”

SUMMARY: A bestselling author, a devoted fan, and a ghostwriter discover they are reincarnated resistance fighters from 1930s Korea. As supernatural visions reveal their tragic past, they must confront old betrayals to heal in the present.

♦ The Japanese Occupation (1910–1945)

In “Chicago Typewriter”, the past-life timeline of the three main characters takes place during the 35 years of the Japanese occupation of Joseon, when:

• Korean language was banned
• Korean newspapers were shut down
• Writers, artists, and activists were imprisoned or executed
• Resistance groups operated in secret
• Surveillance was constant
• Censorship was absolute

The Japanese even renamed the country to “Chōsen” (朝鮮).

Why the Typewriter Matters

In the 1930s, writing wasn’t just art. It was rebellion. Joseon writers used:

• underground newspapers
• coded stories
• banned poetry
• secret printing presses

…to resist cultural erasure.

The typewriter is the weapon the characters wielded when guns weren’t enough.

The Heroic Trio: Fictional Characters, Real History

Each character’s past-life role mirrors the real sacrifices of thousands from the independence movement.

1. Han Se-Joo → Seo Hwi-Young

Han Se-Joo is a perfectionist, guarded, and often isolated. He’s a bestselling writer who’s currently suffering from a serious case of writer’s block. It doesn’t help that a stalker broke into his house and almost killed him.

• PAST LIFE: Seo Hwi-Young embodies the student activist leaders of the resistance era — the ones who organized underground meetings, spread banned literature, and were often the first targeted by colonial authorities.

2. Jeon Seol → Ryu Soo-Hyun

Jeon Seol is a self-employed veterinarian and part-time delivery worker. Personality-wise, she is empathetic, impulsive, and driven by a strong moral compass. She is, or rather was, also a loyal fan of the bestselling writer. But she became an anti-fan when Han Se-Joo falsely accused her of being the stalker’s accomplice.

• PAST LIFE: Ryu Soo-Hyun reflects the female independence fighters whose contributions were frequently erased from official history. Her character honors the women who carried weapons, intelligence, and messages while risking everything.

3. Yoo Jin-Oh → Shin Yul

Yoo Jin-Oh suddenly appears as a mysterious ghostwriter.

• PAST LIFE: Shin Yul represents the intellectual resistance — writers, printers, and thinkers who used language as their weapon, preserving Joseon identity when open rebellion became impossible.

Why the Past Feels More Alive Than the Present

The reincarnation theme in “Chicago Typewriter” isn’t just fantasy — it’s commentary.

Korea’s modern identity is deeply shaped by:

• generational trauma
• cultural memory
• the fight to preserve their language and art
• the cost of freedom.

The characters don’t just remember their past lives; they remember their nation’s past wounds. Their flashbacks are echoes of real history.

Main Characters:

• Han Se-Joo / Seo Hwi-Young (played by Yoo Ah-In, “The Match”, “Six Flying Dragons“, “Hellbound”, “Seoul Vibe”, “Burning”, “GoodBye Earth”, “Sungkyunkwan Scandal”)
• Jeon Seol / Ryu Soo-Hyun (played by Lim Soo-Jung, “Jeon Woo-Chi: The Taoist Wizard”, “Mad Concrete Dreams”, “Search: WWW”, “Low Life”)
• Yoo Jin-Oh / Shin Yul (played by Ko Kyoung-Pyo, “Undercover Miss Hong”, “Decision to Leave”, “Seoul Vibe”, “Connect”, “Frankly Speaking”, “Love in Contract”, “Coin Locker Girl‘)

Where to Watch: Tubi TV

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 8.2 out of 10 stars
• My Drama List: 8.6 out of 10 stars
• Viki viewers rated this series 9.7 out of 10 stars

My personal rating is the same as the Viki viewers.

The obvious takeaway from “Chicago Typewriter” is that words outlast the forces that try to silence them. Words can be very defiant. Memory is resistance, too! Instead of repeating familiar reincarnation tropes and love stories that should have been, but now can be, the historical setting is an intense backdrop. The K-drama becomes a reminder of a nation determined to protect its identity despite attempts to erase it. It honors real people who once wielded language like a weapon. You could say the series unfolds like a love letter to those who believed that words and stories could change the world.  I’M A BELIEVER!

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Chicago Typewriter (2017) ~ How a Korean Drama Rewrote Korea’s Fight for Freedom. | Geeks, Vocal.Media

Flash Review: Chicago Typewriter. | The Fangirl Verdict

Chicago Typewriter.. Was so Good. | R/KDRAMA. | Reddit (“It’s not a mushy, fluffy rom-com, but a beautifully written, filmed, and executed drama with a deep and meaningful message.”)

TRAILER/TEASER:

Drama, Korean. “Chicago Typewriter Korean Drama Trailer.” YouTube, 29 Mar. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zFJ4upYAfk.

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