I have gone rogue, y'all. Hiding out in South Korea in my mind. I watch so much K-Drama, I'm not sure if I live in New Jersey or Seoul.
If you feel like something new and you're SICK TO DEATH of what's on TV, try some sweet but insightful Korean shows that will warm your heart and make you think! I promise you; they're not Hallmark! (Not that there's anything wrong with that! 😂)
If you feel like something new and you're SICK TO DEATH of what's on TV, try some sweet but insightful Korean shows that will warm your heart and make you think! I promise you; they're not Hallmark! (Not that there's anything wrong with that! 😂)
You may think K-Dramas are just Romance...but they are soooo much more. They often touch on powerful topics like suicide, poverty, parental-children struggles. They even tackle the North Korea/South Korea divide...and give you a look into how they view the heartbreaking split of what many wish was one beautiful country.
They also love a good right-left, up-down in other ways; this universe vs that universe...modern day vs the past...etc.
One more thing I love is that female characters are often tough cookies in Korean drama. A lot of storylines are centered around women kicking ass and taking names, no matter if they're a high level executive or a single mother raising kids in really difficult circumstances.
DISCLAIMER #1: Many older trailers are not great; don't pick a show based on a trailer.
DISCLAIMER #2: Some Title Translations are not great; don't pick based on Title!
DISCLAIMER #3: ONLY watch with SUBTITLES! Don't bother watching dubbed versions. The voices are NOT the actors' voices. You won't get the cadence and sarcasm at all. Trust me.
Dubbing sucks in ANY language but the Korean language will be like music to your ears once you give it a chance. It definitely should't be avoided. (Trust me; I never thought I would love it, and now I'm trying to learn it!)
And again, when it comes to the titles? Oy. (Or aigoooo as Koreans would say!) I laughed at "Crash Landing on You" for months until I watched it and realized it's one of the best Korean shows you'll find. I'm so thankful I didn't miss this thought-provoking show.
Here are the Korean shows I've watched, in the order I watched them:
(🥰 = favorites list)
My Holo Love 🥰 (You never forget your first!)
The King - Eternal Monarch 🥰 (My all time fave. ❤️)
It's OK to Not Be OK 🥰
Crash Landing on You 🥰
Something in the Rain
Start Up
Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol
The King's Affection
What's Wrong with Secretary Kim? 🥰
Itaewon Class 🥰
Our Beloved Summer
The Silent Sea (So good but not a K-Drama; more serious)
Hometown cha-cha-cha 🥰
My Shy Boss
Reply 1988 🥰
Pachinko 🥰 (This is a book adaptation. More of an epic. Fantastic.)
Oh My Venus 🥰
Business Proposal
25 21
Romance is a Bonus Book
She Would Never Know
Her Private Life 🥰
Guardian: The Lonely and Great God
(Oh dear god this is almost as good as The King! Gong Yoo? Are you KIDDING me?! le swoon)
Little Women
Extraordinary Attorney Woo 🥰 (absolutely smitten with this one)
Love in Contract
Forecasting Love and Weather
Singles Inferno I (Reality TV. Just fun.)
Good Job
True Beauty
Singles Inferno 2 (Reality TV. Just fun.)
Mr Queen 🥰
Love to Hate You
Crash Course in Romance 🥰
So I Married the Anti-Fan
Divorce Attorney Shin
Dr Cha
Unlock My Boss
Monthly Magazine Home 🥰
See You in My 19th Year
King the Land
Destined with You
A Time Called You
Nevertheless
Behind Your Touch
A Good Day to be a Dog (fun, strange, and cute)
Castaway Diva (Solid show but a little disappointed)
Thirty But Seventeen
My Demon (🥰 absolute swoonfest)
Welcome to Sandal-ri
The Story of Mr Park's Marriage Contract
Dream (movie with Park Seo-joon; LOVED it)
Singles Inferno 3 (Reality show; best season so far, yet I wasn't happy lol)
Gyeongseong Creature (Park Seo-joon's performance is flawless)
Marry My Husband
Inheritors (called "The Heirs" in South Korea)
Dinner Mate
Queen of Tears
A Shop for Killers
Wedding impossible
More...
UPDATE: I watch so_much_KDrama that I can't keep up. But you get the picture.
I have also watched Squid Game and Parasite (film.) Didn't love either. Both are well written, acted, and directed (obvs with Parasite winning all those Oscars) as most Korean TV/films I've watched...but neither blew me away. On the other hand, typical K-Drama makes me old-fashioned happy, and doesn't give me nightmares. LOL
So if you decide to dive in, let me know what you think!
PS - Don't just take my word for it! Check out what Cosmo has to say!