Recycled content alert: I am going to repost a thread about K-dramas that I originally made in December 2024.
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Doona was the first title I watched. I figured I was already a K-Pop fan, so this seemed like a logical place to start. This 8-episode series tells the story of a former K-Pop idol Lee Doona (played by idol turned actress Bae Suzy) who is recovering from a breakdown suffered at the apparent peak of her career.
2/X
#kdrama
Normy college student Won Joon moves into her apartment complex, and after some hilarious false steps, they start hanging out. It turns out I'm a sucker for romance. The story is beautifully told, and the cast is excellent. Five stars.
3/X
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Normy college student Won Joon moves into her apartment complex, and after some hilarious false steps, they start hanging out. It turns out I'm a sucker for romance. The story is beautifully told, and the cast is excellent. Five stars.
3/X
#kdramaMy next series was another Bae Suzy vehicle, titled Start Up. This tells the story of two sisters, who are separated through the divorce of their parents. Dal-mi, played by Suzy, stays with her Dad, a warm but struggling tech entrepreneur. Dal-mi eventually is raised by her grandma with a heart of gold who runs a corn dog stand. The two sisters meet again as rivals at a hackathon/start-up incubator called Sandbox.
4/X
#kdrama
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My next series was another Bae Suzy vehicle, titled Start Up. This tells the story of two sisters, who are separated through the divorce of their parents. Dal-mi, played by Suzy, stays with her Dad, a warm but struggling tech entrepreneur. Dal-mi eventually is raised by her grandma with a heart of gold who runs a corn dog stand. The two sisters meet again as rivals at a hackathon/start-up incubator called Sandbox.
4/X
#kdramaThe plot takes many twists and turns as the two sisters compete in the hi-tech startup environment. As a tech person, I appreciated the realistic portrayal of technology and business. There is a touching romance, involving mistaken identity, with two suitors for Dal-mi's heart. Who will win? The story, characters, and intricate plot details were well handled. Five stars.
5/X
#kdrama -
The plot takes many twists and turns as the two sisters compete in the hi-tech startup environment. As a tech person, I appreciated the realistic portrayal of technology and business. There is a touching romance, involving mistaken identity, with two suitors for Dal-mi's heart. Who will win? The story, characters, and intricate plot details were well handled. Five stars.
5/X
#kdramaNeeding to branch out from Bae Suzy, my third K-Drama was Hometown Cha cha cha. This was a pretty straight up romance, in which big city dentist Hye-jin finds herself opening a practice in a quaint seaside village called Gongjin. She meets a charming but annoying handyman character Du-sik who keeps popping up.
6/X
#kdrama
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Needing to branch out from Bae Suzy, my third K-Drama was Hometown Cha cha cha. This was a pretty straight up romance, in which big city dentist Hye-jin finds herself opening a practice in a quaint seaside village called Gongjin. She meets a charming but annoying handyman character Du-sik who keeps popping up.
6/X
#kdramaIn a way the real star here is the village of Gongjin, and a cast of colorful and charming local characters - the restaurant owners, shop keepers, the cop, and the three adorable old women who work cleaning squid at the docks, and always bring cauldrons of delicious food to every local gathering. The plot takes many interesting turns, and we discover Du-sik's dark secret, which threatens the budding relationship. Five stars.
7/X
#kdrama -
In a way the real star here is the village of Gongjin, and a cast of colorful and charming local characters - the restaurant owners, shop keepers, the cop, and the three adorable old women who work cleaning squid at the docks, and always bring cauldrons of delicious food to every local gathering. The plot takes many interesting turns, and we discover Du-sik's dark secret, which threatens the budding relationship. Five stars.
7/X
#kdramaMy fourth K-drama was a switch to action/thriller genre, though we're back to Bae Suzy. She plays a somewhat indifferent NIS (National Intelligence Service) agent Go Hae-ri stationed in Morocco. She becomes entangled with martial artist and former stuntman Cha Dal-Geon, whose nephew was killed in the crash of a Korean jetliner under mysterious circumstances.
8/X
#kdrama
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My fourth K-drama was a switch to action/thriller genre, though we're back to Bae Suzy. She plays a somewhat indifferent NIS (National Intelligence Service) agent Go Hae-ri stationed in Morocco. She becomes entangled with martial artist and former stuntman Cha Dal-Geon, whose nephew was killed in the crash of a Korean jetliner under mysterious circumstances.
8/X
#kdramaWhat ensues is a nonstop action movie with intense chases and fight scenes. There is a crazy web of intrigue that keeps you guessing until the end, and a rich cast of characters running the gamut from courageous patriots, greedy politicians and supervillain level bad guys. Some great character arcs as Hae-ri and Dal-Geon eventually fall in love. Five stars.
9/X
#kdrama -
What ensues is a nonstop action movie with intense chases and fight scenes. There is a crazy web of intrigue that keeps you guessing until the end, and a rich cast of characters running the gamut from courageous patriots, greedy politicians and supervillain level bad guys. Some great character arcs as Hae-ri and Dal-Geon eventually fall in love. Five stars.
9/X
#kdramaWanted to switch gears again, so number five was Extraordinary Attorney Woo, a sort of feel good story of a young attorney who has autism spectrum disorder. Park Eun-bin delivers an amazing performance as the title character, Woo Young-Woo. Park is not autistic, but clearly did her homework, and delivers a performance which is at once sensitive and charming.
10/X
#kdrama
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Wanted to switch gears again, so number five was Extraordinary Attorney Woo, a sort of feel good story of a young attorney who has autism spectrum disorder. Park Eun-bin delivers an amazing performance as the title character, Woo Young-Woo. Park is not autistic, but clearly did her homework, and delivers a performance which is at once sensitive and charming.
10/X
#kdramaI understand the show, which was enormously popular in Korea, helped raised awareness around autism in that country. Again, the plot, and courtroom drama is really well done. There is a blend of comedic moments, and very powerful emotional and even political commentary. Five stars.
11/X
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I understand the show, which was enormously popular in Korea, helped raised awareness around autism in that country. Again, the plot, and courtroom drama is really well done. There is a blend of comedic moments, and very powerful emotional and even political commentary. Five stars.
11/X
#kdramaBy this time, I'm almost exhausted by how good these dramas all are. There are a lot of familiar tropes and cliches, but the acting and plots are all well done and satisfying. For my next K-drama I wanted to find something dorky and mid, so I clicked on a coming-of-age romance called Twenty-five twenty-one. This follows the story of high school fencer Na Hee-do as she pursues her dreams to win Olympic gold.
12/X
#kdrama
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By this time, I'm almost exhausted by how good these dramas all are. There are a lot of familiar tropes and cliches, but the acting and plots are all well done and satisfying. For my next K-drama I wanted to find something dorky and mid, so I clicked on a coming-of-age romance called Twenty-five twenty-one. This follows the story of high school fencer Na Hee-do as she pursues her dreams to win Olympic gold.
12/X
#kdramaThis story mostly takes place from 1998 to 2009, against a backdrop of a financial crisis and IMF imposed austerity. Many of the characters are facing bankruptcy and economic uncertainty. Hee-do is such an appealing character, a terrible student, loves manga, a fierce competitor who also wears her heart on her sleeve. Her romantic counterpart is Baek Yi-Jin, four years her senion. Yi-jin is a former rich kid whose family has been shattered by bankruptcy.
13/X
#kdrama -
This story mostly takes place from 1998 to 2009, against a backdrop of a financial crisis and IMF imposed austerity. Many of the characters are facing bankruptcy and economic uncertainty. Hee-do is such an appealing character, a terrible student, loves manga, a fierce competitor who also wears her heart on her sleeve. Her romantic counterpart is Baek Yi-Jin, four years her senion. Yi-jin is a former rich kid whose family has been shattered by bankruptcy.
13/X
#kdramaAgain there are a lot of familiar tropes, but the situations and characters are beautifully handled. The feeling of Y2K Korea is beautifully portrayed, and fencing scenes are really exciting. Not mid at all. Five stars.
14/X
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Again there are a lot of familiar tropes, but the situations and characters are beautifully handled. The feeling of Y2K Korea is beautifully portrayed, and fencing scenes are really exciting. Not mid at all. Five stars.
14/X
#kdramaI don't want to over-analyze why I find K-dramas so satisfying, but I can't resist a little musing on the topic. Based on my familiarity with K-Pop, the Korean entertainment industry is a juggernaut which enjoys government subsidies, and is a source of pride for the Korean people. There is a Disney-like pursuit of perfection and attention to detail.
15/X
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I don't want to over-analyze why I find K-dramas so satisfying, but I can't resist a little musing on the topic. Based on my familiarity with K-Pop, the Korean entertainment industry is a juggernaut which enjoys government subsidies, and is a source of pride for the Korean people. There is a Disney-like pursuit of perfection and attention to detail.
15/X
#kdramaThe actors are not only astonishingly good-looking, but have clearly mastered their craft. Likewise production values are extremely high and gorgeous cinematography is the norm. The stories and writing are likewise top notch. Yes, the plots are larded with time-honored tropes - unlikely or forbidden romance, crazy coincidences, parents sacrificing for children and vice versa, overcoming adversity to achieve a dream or goal, and so on.
16/X
#kdrama -
The actors are not only astonishingly good-looking, but have clearly mastered their craft. Likewise production values are extremely high and gorgeous cinematography is the norm. The stories and writing are likewise top notch. Yes, the plots are larded with time-honored tropes - unlikely or forbidden romance, crazy coincidences, parents sacrificing for children and vice versa, overcoming adversity to achieve a dream or goal, and so on.
16/X
#kdramaBut there's a reason these tropes are so time-honored. They reinforce our moral and emotional frameworks, and therefore are extremely satisfying. As portrayed in these dramas, Korean society is more repressed and hierarchical than what I'm used to in America. These social mores and customs introduce a kind of friction, i.e. romance unfolds at a very slow pace, which paradoxically makes for good television.
17/X
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But there's a reason these tropes are so time-honored. They reinforce our moral and emotional frameworks, and therefore are extremely satisfying. As portrayed in these dramas, Korean society is more repressed and hierarchical than what I'm used to in America. These social mores and customs introduce a kind of friction, i.e. romance unfolds at a very slow pace, which paradoxically makes for good television.
17/X
#kdramaCharacters often hold on to shame around money or family problems to an exaggerated extent, which again makes for good television. I appreciate the way that the plot unfolds in a more leisurely way than in American tv, which gives me emotional whiplash by the way it bombards me with terrifying or cringey situations rapid-fire. Anyway, that's the end of my TED talk. Let me know if I convinced you to drink the K-Drama Koolaid.
18/X
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Characters often hold on to shame around money or family problems to an exaggerated extent, which again makes for good television. I appreciate the way that the plot unfolds in a more leisurely way than in American tv, which gives me emotional whiplash by the way it bombards me with terrifying or cringey situations rapid-fire. Anyway, that's the end of my TED talk. Let me know if I convinced you to drink the K-Drama Koolaid.
18/X
#kdramaMy next title was another attempt to pick a show that was cheesy and dumb. I literally picked the first title Netflix recommended, Backstreet Rookie. The show, which is based on a web comic, revolves around Saet-byul, a beautiful yet troubled teen in a working class Seoul neighborhood. Her father was a martial arts master, whose untimely death left Saet-byul to raise her unruly younger sister Eun-byul.
19/X
#kdrama
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My next title was another attempt to pick a show that was cheesy and dumb. I literally picked the first title Netflix recommended, Backstreet Rookie. The show, which is based on a web comic, revolves around Saet-byul, a beautiful yet troubled teen in a working class Seoul neighborhood. Her father was a martial arts master, whose untimely death left Saet-byul to raise her unruly younger sister Eun-byul.
19/X
#kdramaHer love interest is Dae-hyun, the cute and good-hearted operator of a convenience store. Dae-hyun is currently dating Yeon-ju, whose family owns a marjority stake in the entire convenience store chain. Yeon-ju loves Dae-hyun, but she is conflicted because of their differing social class. Yeon-ju's mother disapproves of the match, and she sets in motion a number of plots to sabotage their relationship.
20/X
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Her love interest is Dae-hyun, the cute and good-hearted operator of a convenience store. Dae-hyun is currently dating Yeon-ju, whose family owns a marjority stake in the entire convenience store chain. Yeon-ju loves Dae-hyun, but she is conflicted because of their differing social class. Yeon-ju's mother disapproves of the match, and she sets in motion a number of plots to sabotage their relationship.
20/X
#kdramaWhen the dazzling Saet-byul comes to work at the convenience store it sets off a series of unhinged and hilarious events. This comedy is indeed cheesy and soapy, but of course I got totally involved. I really enjoyed the exploration of class, and how the working class characters inevitably come across as much more genuine and likeable than the upper class ones.
21/X
#kdrama -
When the dazzling Saet-byul comes to work at the convenience store it sets off a series of unhinged and hilarious events. This comedy is indeed cheesy and soapy, but of course I got totally involved. I really enjoyed the exploration of class, and how the working class characters inevitably come across as much more genuine and likeable than the upper class ones.
21/X
#kdramaPredictably the convenience store is a nexus for a cadre of kookie and lovable characters and side stories. We see Eun-byul go behind her older sister's back to secretly debut as part of the K-pop group "Fancy Girls," causing numerous complications. And we see Saet-byul utilize the martial arts skills learned as a child to deliciously trounce legions of girl gangs, bullies, and delinquents trying to rip off Dae-hyun's store. A dorky and satisfying romp. Five stars.
22/X
#kdrama
