Have you ever had a day where you were bored out of your mind with nothing new to explore on Youtube and no friends to hang out with? Well I will tell you that I’ve had one too many of those days. I remember I was having one of those days in high-school and had no idea what to do with myself. And then I saw some Korean stuff on Netflix. In high-school, I thought Kpop was so cool and fun, and I guess now a majority of the world believes me with how big it’s gotten. However, there’s a whole world of Korean culture that isn’t Kpop. Let me take you into the world of KDramas. Or Korean Dramas.
KDramas are basically shows that last about sixteen or more episodes and usually don’t have more than one season. Almost like some animes out there. Episodes are about an hour in most cases and have a huge variety of themes and very attractive people with perfect skin. A lot of these shows consist of romance, cheesy scenes, and fun comedic elements. However, there are some KDramas that are a good mix of those and more serious tones. If you watch a KDrama that has all that, you know it’s a good one. Here’s a few I’d recommend you watch to ease yourself into it.
Boys Over Flowers
This KDrama was the starting point for the boom of KDramas in the 2000s. IMDB even gave it an 8.2/10 surprisingly. It’s a very cliche Cinderella story about a girl who is dirt poor who ends up going to a prestige high-school because she saved a student’s life. There she meets four, rich pretty boys who all have very intriguing personalities. Basically, the show just follows this girl’s life and her relationship with these boys. It’s very fun loving and was actually the first KDrama that got me started. I’d say if you’re really bored, just binge this on Netflix for a day.
It’s Okay That’s Love
So you’ve watched the cheesiness of Boys Over Flowers already, and you want to move on. Maybe the cheesiness was too much for you. Thankfully, It’s Okay, That’s Love is a good few steps away from cheesiness. It’s playful, cute, and extremely deep. Rather than just following a love story, it also digs deep into mental illness and strained relationships. Also, if you’re already into Kpop, famous band EXO member Do Kyungsoo stars in this one and he’s just as good an actor as he is a singer. In addition, if you want a tear jerker that will touch your heart, this might be the one for you.
Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
Ok. If you’ve made it this far, congrats. Hope you’re at least enjoying the KDrama ride. This next one is a bit interesting. If anything this is the more fun loving out of all of these. It combines a good mix of drama, suspense, comedy, and romance all in one. It follows the life of a woman who is born with supernatural strength trying to balance her normal life and the secret “heroine” life she has because of her power. It sounds strange. I thought it did, too. But once I watched it, I was in love. It’s all really heartwarming in this one, but every episode ending leaves you on a cliffhanger making you want more. Definitely give this one a go.
Descendants of the Sun
Lastly, we have Descendants of the Sun. This KDrama was probably the most watched and highly rated drama of 2016. It features on screen and off screen couple Song Jong Ki (male lead) and Song Hye Kyo (female lead). It’s definitely one of the more dramatic but real ones out of the four dramas. It’s up there with It’s Okay, That’s Love. This drama tells the relationship of a doctor and a soldier in a natural disaster zone filled with gang wars, poverty, and disease. It tends to get pretty serious with some events since it does deal with the responsibility of doctors to save lives and that of soldiers who take them. It’s a pretty deep KDrama that has a balance of that drama and seriousness with the romance that does take place.
If you actually got to the end of this, congratulations again for getting through this long one. If you actually watched one or more of these KDramas, I really hope you enjoyed yourself. Lastly, if you haven’t watched any or don’t think you’d like them, I’d say give at least one that I listed a try and if you aren’t interested after the first episode, no harm done. At least you tried. That’s all that matters, right? Anyways, for more on everything from KDrama’s to cool Halloween costumes, stay tuned for more here on HerCampus. Thanks for reading!