Since 2021, I’ve been steadily getting into the vast
world of Korean Dramas, mostly through what’s available on Netflix. It’s a whole new territory to explore and I
wont lie, I can see the appeal. There’s
a very Anime esque style to a lot of these shows that makes them very vibrant
and injects a new level of life into them.
Also the casts are usually filled with very talented, up to the task (and very attractive) actors
who look like theyre having the time of their lives on set. I haven’t dug super deep into this new rabbit
hole but after this last weekend, I have now seen enough where I can do a
proper Top 5 about what I have seen. So,
changing things up a bit, these are the Top 5 K Dramas I’ve Watched.
So I’ll be honest, I’ve never finished this one but I
needed five titles for this list, so here we are.
Backstreet Rookie looked very promising with
a cute female lead who is a total ass kicker trying to succeed as at a beloved
local Convenience Store in order to impress her long time crush, aka the
overworked Manager in desperate need of backup.
Where Backstreet Rookie fails is in how repetitive it quickly becomes.
Saet-Byul is very likeable but no matter how
hard she tries, she is unable to win the heart of Dae-Hyun because he is a
character incapable of growth or change.
Every episode repeats the same tired plot and character beats that it
just becomes boring.
This isn’t the only
romantic K Drama on this list but it’s the only one I truly could not care less
about.
Saet-Byul deserves better.
#4-All of Us are Dead
After The Walking Dead revitalized and ran the Zombie
genre into the ground, the South Korean Zombie epic Train to Busan breathed new
life into it again.
All of Us are Dead
even references that flick when a Zombie outbreak ravages a local high school
before spilling out into the rest of the city.
While the expanded city storylines are good, it’s the plight of the
central High School kids where this show is its strongest.
The action scenes are intense and top notch
and aren’t afraid to bump off cast members in increasingly heartbreaking ways.
But the show is more successful with the
human drama unfolding amongst the dwindling survivors who are doing everything they
can to keep themselves alive, sometimes even at the cost of their fellow students.
This can be a hard watch at times but man is
it exciting and scary as heck.
#3-My Name
This one was heavily promoted by Netflix, so much so I couldn’t
boot it up without seeing an ad for it, so I figured, “What the hell?”.
The story follows Yoon Ji-Woo, a young girl
who joins forces with a powerful gang in order to infiltrate the Police and
find the cop who killed her father, who also happens to be a close friend of
said gangs charismatic leader.
After a
time, the premise begins to lean into more familiar territory seen in TV Series
like Alias and films like The Departed.
What makes My Name stand out and rise above some of its story cliches
are the fun and exciting action sequences and an award worthy central performance
by Han So-hee as Ji-woo.
Also, the theme
song freaking slaps and I love it when it comes on throughout the episode.
Familiar as it can be, My Name is hard to
look away from and has some great build up to a pretty kick ass conclusion.
#2-Love to Hate You
This is the most recent one I took a chance on and man,
getting through it was so much fun.
It’s
a bit rough in the beginning with a very awkward clash of the sexes.
But once Mi-ran and Kang-ho start interacting
with one another, the chemistry between Kim Ok-vin and Teo Voo lights up the
screen.
Love to Hate You has something
for everyone beyond the central romance.
You’ve got top notch comedy from not just the two leads but their
equally lovable best friends and Mi-ran penchant for kicking the crap out of
anyone she deems a dirt bag makes me think that given her lawyer degree, she’s
basically a South Korean She Hulk minus the transformation.
Unlike Backstreet Rookie, there’s continual
growth in Mi-ran and Kang-ho’s romance, to the point where no matter what
challenge comes at them next, you want these two to find love at last.
Also helps that Love to Hate You is ten
perfectly paced episodes long and can be digested in an all day binge or a casual
watch over a couple of days (which is how I did it).
#1-Business Proposal
This is one I never expected to enjoy but dammit, it’s
still my gold standard for K Dramas as a whole.
The premise is a bit of a mouthful but it boils down to a lowly but
pretty Food Researcher ends up taking her best friends place on a blind date…only
to find out said date is with the handsome and newly appointed CEO of her
company.
Like Love to Hate You, the success
of Business Proposal lies with its core four cast members and their instant
group chemistry (Love to Hate You had four fun leads too but Business Proposal has
theirs interacting together on a more frequent basis).
Also the show has a very Anime feel to it
with its visual style, fitting since this is based on a Korean Webtoon
Comic.
Every episode builds on the
previous and you’re left wondering how long Ha-ri can keep her big secret from
Tae-moo.
In the end, this is one Rom Com
everyone can get behind and one that no one wants to see end, even if it ends
the way you want it to.
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