So, if you know me, you know a few very specific facts about me. One major one is that I kinda hate sitcoms and serials. Yup, there, I said it. So, when my friends spend their breaks watching and re-watching all their favorite shows like Friends, the Office, and Psych, I can sometimes feel a little left out. Unless I’ve got a really good K-drama to binge on and keep me very happily occupied.
If you’re new to the world of K-media, and K-dramas in particular, let me give you a quick rundown. The “K” in K-drama comes from Korean, so K-dramas are South Korean TV show. As the name implies, they are usually full of delicious drama, as well as handsome male leads, cute female leads, and absolutely ridiculous and enjoyable premises. And, my favorite part, most K-dramas focus on building realistic, complex, well-paced romances as well as platonic relationships. If that isn’t enough to hook you, I don’t know what will.
So, that said, here are three of my favorites that are perfect for an autumn binge!
1) Coffee Prince
Courtesy of Soompi https://goo.gl/images/9KQLFo
Coffee Prince is a classic K-drama that came out in 2007 but don’t let its age fool you, it’s still an amazing drama, and definitely a good intro to the wider world of South Korean shows. Featuring a lovably gruff Gong Yoo and an adorably tom-boyish Yoon Eun-Hye, the show is about a young woman who uses her boyish looks to get a job at Yoo’s cafe, which hires only men. The cozy world of the cafe is perfect for fall viewing.
2) Because This Is My First Life
Courtesy of K-Poppin’ Drama https://goo.gl/images/KTLFWm
Because This Is My First Life came out in 2017, so a whole decade after Coffee Prince, and it certainly deals with more modern issues. Jung So-Min is the main female lead, and she is an aspiring drama writer who has to deal with some of the common issues that women do in such industries. Meanwhile, Lee Min-ki plays opposite her as her sweet yet incredibly anal and cat-obsessed roommate/landlord. The two share a heart-breakingly real and modern romance that definitely made me cry at least once. Though that was in part thanks to the amazing soundtrack, which I argue could wring tears from a stone!
3) Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
Courtesy of DramaFever https://goo.gl/images/bxkkpy
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo, also a 2017 release, is actually my favorite K-drama of all time, and I’ll give it a more in-depth review at a later date. But, for now, I’ll just say that this drama perfectly captured the sometimes silly, always heart-wrenching feelings of falling in love for the first time. Our plucky heroine, the titular weightlifter Kim Bok-Joo, is played by the gorgeous Lee Sung-kyung, and her love interest is the irrepressible Jung Joon-Hyung, played by Nam Joo-Hyuk. They two share a relationship full of banter, mistakes, and genuine feeling, and I promise that, by the end, your cheeks will be hurting from smiling.