Reporting back with another Feel Good list of Korean dramas!
I don't know how about you, but I haven't been reading much in the last two years. I don't really know what it is but if you are in a long reading slump speckled with an excellent book here and there, you've probably ended up watching more TV or listening to books and podcasts, right? Right?!!! 😁
Having a bit of a hangover after watching Goblin? Never fear, newest Netflix hit comes to the rescue. The screenwriter from Goblin and my favourite goblin's bride Kim Go-eun are here, joined by one of the most famous Korean male actors Lee Min Ho.
This an excellent medical drama, warm hearted and touching. A genius doctor collects oddball surgeons for his extremely busy small town hospital while fighting corporate greed. This was such a successful drama, that it just released it's second season, which is freaking rare in kdramas. Lovable and charismatic characters, and it'll make you feel good.
I just finished it the other day, and I have to say, it was really gripping because it portrays a young guy struggling with multiple personality disorder and and an eccentric psychiatrist working closely with him. There are all the usual tropes. Rich boy, poor girl romance, check! Tragic past, check! Drama interspersed with comedy moments, check! The best thing about this drama is Ji Sung playing 7 different characters. He was awesome!
This Taiwanese romantic comedy gets a honorary mention because it's so bloody delightful. The main character is a romance novel editor in a small publishing house and she is sick and tired of editing books about overbearing CEOs. Guess what, she has a secret crush on a CEO next door and when he falls into coma due to nefarious reasons, she goes down with him into the world of the novel she is editing!
I'm sure you've figured out I haven't stopped bingeing on Asian dramas since probably 2018. Yes, that's when my blogging took a dive too. It's perfect escapism, and the feeling I get out of it is the same wirlwind of of emotions I had in my teens discovering historical romance genre.
So, if you need a bit of the same cozy, comforting feeling without reading, here are my recs to you for the next somewhat less festive month than what we've used to with lockdowns, restrictions and all.
Ready? Steady.. Go!
1. THE KING: ETERNAL MONARCH
So, this is a romance, action drama and fantasy across parallel world's, and the twist isn't revealed until the very end. Just like Goblin, it's bittersweet and magical with an excellent soundtrack.
Synopsis
Lee Gon (Lee Min Ho) is the third Corean emperor of his generation. His citizens regard him as the perfect leader. But behind this flawless appearance, hides a deep wound. When he was eight years old, his father was murdered before his eyes following a coup. Today, instead of respecting his filial duty, he prefers to escape the palace to attend university conferences. During one of his escapades, he sees himself propelled into a parallel world into Republic of Korea where he meets Jeong Tae Eul (Kim Go-eun), an inspector with whom he teams up with to defeat the criminals but also close the door between their two worlds.
Watch all 16 episodes on Netflix.
2. DON'T DARE TO DREAM
This is also known as Jealousy Incarnate. Pure romantic comedy, full of silliness and it totally laughs at itself. There are at least three love triangles and so much over the top drama! And yet, it's warm and light-hearted. Mostly, because the main actress Gong Hyo Jin always plays really warm characters and I'm drawn to her acting, but also because the chemistry between her and the sulky, arrogant protagonist is off the charts. But wait, there is bromance too! The twist of the story? He develops breast cancer and his ego takes a massive dive. While the girl who had a massive crush on him in the past is falling for his best friend and helping him to get through the treatment, so he falls hard for her while at his most vulnerable. The OST is delicious. Look at this for a teaser and watch with English captions otherwise you'll miss what's being said during the song.
Synopsis
Lee Hwa Shin is a handsome anchor with notable journalistic talent, a well-to-do family and commendable education. He is also as fierce a competitor as one will find in the world of reporting, and goes after stories relentlessly.
But as luck would have it, he also comes across another fierce competitor -- meteorologist Pyo Na Ri. Pyo Na Ri doesn’t have the shining resume of her anchor counterpart, went to a third-rate college and only has a temporary contract with the station. Although her dorky exterior hides an inner fire, Na Ri has worked extremely hard to get where she is, even doing odd jobs like lifting boxes. Both anchor and meteorologist now see each other as rivals in their race to becoming the station’s most valued employee.
But what happens when the two rivals start to fall in love? The drama may be too much, even for a broadcasting station.
Watch all 24 episodes on Netflix.
3. MOON LOVERS: SCARLET HEART RYEO
I've mentioned this one couple of years ago but I only watched it all the way through (binged on it, really) recently. Historical drama, check! Time travel, check! A borderline psychopath antihero, check! Settle down for Beauty and The Beast trope, peeps. And yet, both IU and Lee Joon Gi have amazing chemistry together. I am yet to watch the Chinese original, but this was despite a couple of unnecessary slow episodes excellent series!
And watch this if you need more persuasion.
Synopsis
When a total eclipse of the sun takes place, Go Ha Jin is transported back in time to the start of the Goryeo Dynasty of Korea during King Taejo's rule. She wakes up in the body of 16-year-old Hae Soo and finds herself in the house of 8th Prince Wang Wook, who is married to her cousin. She soon befriends several of the princes and meets the ostracized 4th Prince, Wang So. Although she knows she should not get involved in palace intrigues over the succession to the throne, she inadvertently becomes a pawn in the struggle, as several of the Princes fall in love with her.
I think, Ondramanice has it. It's not currently on Netflix or Viki.
4. Dr. ROMANTIC
Synopsis
Kim Sa Bu was once a famous surgeon at the peak of his career at a major hospital. But he suddenly gives it all up one day to live in seclusion and work as a neighborhood doctor in a small town. He now goes by “Teacher Kim” and refers to himself as the “Romantic Doctor”. Meanwhile, Kang Dong Joo became a doctor to make something of himself after growing up poor, and he seeks out VIP patients to achieve the success that he desperately wants. Yoon Seo Jung is a passionate young surgeon who is haunted by a mistake from her past and tries to get over it. When Dong Joo and Seo Jung meet the quirky Teacher Kim, their lives and careers will never be the same again.
Watch both seasons on Netflix.
5. KILL ME, HEAL ME
Synopsis
A traumatic childhood experience leaves Cha Do Hyeon, suffering from memory loss and dissociation. The latter has resulted in the creation of seven distinct personalities. Wanting to regain control over his life, he asks Oh Ri Jin, a first-year psychiatric resident, to help him, but she eventually falls in love with one of his personalities. Ri Jin’s twin brother, Oh Ri On, a famous mystery novelist, investigates Do Hyeon and his family.
Watch it on Netflix.
6. LOST ROMANCE
So. Many. Tropes.
And the heroine uses them all to get out of the book she is in. As a reader I was ecstatic. It's bad and cringy, and she cringes with us but plays along and falls for it too. Expect great chemistry and much eye candy, tons of playfulness plus some good soundtrack. It's cheesy and at the same time great. There are sketches from some great kdramas sneaked in as cameos. Don't thank me, you've been warned.
Synopsis
Zheng Xiao En works as an editor of romance novels at a publishing company, and secretly dreams about falling in love with a CEO. When she isn’t working, she spends her days daydreaming about He Tian Xing, the handsome chief executive of the company that occupies the building opposite her company’s offices.
One day, Zheng Xiao En magically finds herself transported into the pages of a romance novel – and comes face-to-face with her crush He Tian Xing. However, she soon discovers that in this fictional universe, his name is Si Tu Ao Ran – and his personality is very different. She hopes to use all the tips and tricks she has learned from the romance novels she has edited to help snare his heart. But she soon discovers that in this fictional world, she isn’t the heroic female lead – and instead is an evil side character!
Can she flip the story on its head – and end up with the man of her dreams?
Watch it on Viki
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