K-Dramas

The Korean film industry has mastered heart-wrenching productions—achieving the perfect balance between sweetness and tragedy and tension and fulfillment.

K-dramas will hook you in, twist the grapple, tear out your heart, and leave you sobbing on the floor as snot floods from your face and pools around you in a pitiful puddle in which you hope to drown.

If you have never given a classic Korean film a try, allow the following to guide you:

*Below lists a VERY general outline for some well-known dramas. No series is the same, so take everything with a grain of salt!

First is the “setting-up.” This is quite common among dramas and typically requires the most patience. It can take up the entire first episode, be sprinkled as flashbacks within different scenes, or a mix of both. “Setting-up” is the drama’s world-building, which gives context to the storyline and sets a strong foundation that provides important context to the plot. Commonly, it is a flashback to the protagonist’s past: a timeline nine hundred years ago during a certain dynasty, depicting the origin of a Goblin’s destiny; a high school flashback of a group of close-knit friends as they sneak away from class to watch a Taekwondo tournament; a traumatic apartment fire from over a decade ago in which many details, including the death of four murdered women, remain a mystery.

NOTE: “Setting up” may consist of slightly bizarre or confusing scenes - so newcomers should keep this in mind and not give up too early on!

Second: Secondhand Embarrassment. You will not escape the wrath of these directors’ cheek-flaming scenes. Expect noodles flying out of noses, pants ripping when least appropriate, or other scenes that I refuse to revisit here. Yet, these moments build some of the deepest connections or most memorable moments between characters, so they are totally worth it.

Plot: Amazing plots! Something really to be appreciated amongst the many K-dramas today is the writers’ attention to detail. Small phrases that two characters first say to each other? It may come back during the last few scenes. A random note that was sheepishly written a couple of episodes back? Now it’s the most valuable connection that our two protagonists have with each other. The writers really dive deep into the plot of the show, leaving very little room for plot holes or details that could have been connected.

Incredible acting: It is inarguable that K-dramas consists of some of the best actors out there. They know how to deliver scenes just perfectly, allowing the audience to feel their emotions without over- or under-doing any of the expressions. The best part is that every single cast member is so incredibly talented—they sell their roles. They make some scenes so incredibly tear-jerking, so watch out for the heart wrench.

Just like any show, each and every Korean drama is entirely different. However, there definitely is one for each to enjoy—so give it a try!

Below are some recommendations for shows with varying genres:

• He Is Psychometric: Mystery, Murder, Supernatural

• True Beauty: Romcom, Drama, Slice-of-Life

• Vincenzo: Crime, Comedy, Dark/Violence

• Crash Landing On You: Romance, Comedy, Adventure

• Goblin: Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, Drama

• My Love From Another Star: Romcom, Fantasy, Murder

• Penthouse: Suspense, Drama, Thriller, Crime, Revenge, Mystery

Get ready to fall in love with some wonderful characters!