As I mentioned in my previous TV show post dedicated to RuPaul’s Drag Race, I probably spent more time than necessary over the last year binge watching TV shows…but with COVID lockdown after COVID lockdown, sometimes there wasn’t much to do! And during this time, I discovered a new category of show that is RIGHT UP MY ALLEY – the Korean Drama!
I knew there was a whole section of K-Drama on Netflix, but I didn’t give the time of day – until I was out of shows to watch mid-April of the first lockdown! And now I pretty much exclusively watch them due to the high level of drama, romance and unpredictability!
So, for those of you new to the K-Drama, I thought I would give you my top picks so you don’t have to scroll through Netflix trying to decide which ones to watch!
Hwarang – The Poet Warrior Youth
Hwarang was one of the first K-Dramas I watched and is a period piece with hidden identities, romance, a healthy dose of action and so many twists and turns I could hardly keep up! Starring Park Seo-joon, Go A-ra, and Park Hyung-sik, the show revolves around an elite group of young men called “Hwarang”, who are trained to protect the King. The show also features an amazing cast of supporting characters including Choi Minho from SHINee and V from BTS – so it brought together my passion for boybands and drama! While Hwarang is a bit on the cheesy side, I thought it was great and recommend it as a fun watch!
DODOSOLSOLLALASOL
I know the name is a bit weird, but it makes sense once you know the show is about a pianist named Goo Ra-ra and her mystery man, Sunwoo Joon! And it just so happens that Ra-ra is played by the talented Go A-ra who I already knew – and loved – from Hwarang! The basic plot begins with Ra-ra finding herself without any money, place to live or job, so in an attempt to start over she starts a small piano studio in a new town. This is a feel good story with a healthy dose of “will-they, won’t they” ROMANCE. But you’ll just have to watch to find out!
Record of Youth
This show centres around two wannabee models turned actors, and I was initially intrigued as I wanted to get another glimpse into the South Korean idol world. But this show had me hooked from the first episode with Park Bo-Gum as a down on his luck model/wannabe actor while his friend (played by Woo Seok Byeon) is successfully making the career jump. Add in a make-up artist that catches both of their attention, and you have one GREAT show! With their looming mandatory military service around the corner, what will they do?
Itaewon Class
Itaewon Class was a captivating story from beginning to end. The story centres around Park Sae Royi, played by the amazing Park Seo Joon, who is sent to jail at an early age which sends his life down a different path than he planned. However, his dream is to open a restaurant in Itaewon and he is determined to make it happen. Itaewon class delivers some strong social commentary mixed with comedy, action and a little bit of romance. I really couldn’t figure out how it was going to end, and found myself cheering along as things happened in almost every episode. Definitely worth a watch!
Crash Landing on You
By far my favorite K-Drama (so far) is Crash Landing on You. Starring Son Ye-Jin as a South Korean heiress swept up in a tornado while paragliding, and Hyun Bin as the North Korean special officer who hides her and tries to get her back home, the ongoing twists and the turns of this story were AMAZING. This show has something for everyone – drama, action, comedy and romance – AND a solid story above all else. I highly highly recommend watching this if you are only going to watch one K-Drama! And further proof that the story was solid – the romance in the show moved off the small screen and into real life as the two main actors began dating in 2020!
The Chatty Enthusiast 