A K-Drama Skeptic’s Quarantine K-Drama Watch List By Nathan Ng (G9)
I
was never really a big fan of Korean Dramas or “K-Dramas” for short. I would watch some dramas here and there but I never found myself hooked, turning to Hollywood blockbusters or Filipino teleseryes instead. However, if the grueling 10 months (and counting) of lockdown has taught me anything, it’s to give new hobbies a chance. In my boredom, I tried new video games, learned some recipes, read more books than I could count, and when all avenues had been exhausted, I decided to give K-Dramas just one more chance (big mistake!).
when, ominously, all hell breaks loose as neighbors suddenly transform into monsters, fueled by their hidden desires. As anarchy consumes the building, Hyun-soo meets other residents whom she must team up with to survive this new monster-filled world. Inspired by the webtoon of the same name, this drama is filled with action, suspense, and most importantly, monsters.
To me, the creatures of Sweet Home are what set the series apart from any other post-apocalyptic drama. The monsters are terrifyingly creative, varying in size, As you can probably tell from the title appearance, strength, ability, weaknesses, of this article, I found myself pleasantly and much more. One mistake could spell surprised with the entertainment the difference between life and death for K-Dramas provided me over the our survivors, adding to the tension and lockdown. Well, that would probably suspense that fill each scene. be an understatement. I had a great time (binge) watching them because of Aside from the monsters, the strong the great storytelling, and I’m willing writing allowed me to connect and to bet you will, too. Although I didn’t empathize with the characters on an enjoy them before because I found the emotional level. Such an example is with storytelling repetitive, giving K-Dramas the character Lee Eun-Hyuk. Eun-Hyuk another chance has definitely been one of is a leader that is ready to do whatever it my 2020 highlights. takes for the group to survive. During life and death situations, you have to be With that, below is a list of some of the prepared as a leader to do whatever it takes K-Dramas I enjoyed these past few months, for the survival of the group, even when it along with reasons I think you’ll enjoy means making unpopular choices. Some them too — whether you’re a K-Drama call him cold, but I say he’s just being newbie or a long-time veteran. Be warned, realistic. In desperate circumstances, he is however — you will be hooked! willing to fight for the group, sometimes even sacrificing his own ideals if it means ensuring the survival of his members. Sweet Home Starting off the list is the Netflix Korean horror series, “Sweet Home”. This If you like a survival-themed, monsterK-drama shows that you are never truly filled, action-horror series driven by safe from danger. The story follows a strong character development, give young high school student named Cha “Sweet Home” a try. Hyun-soo who moves to a new apartment
Itaewon Class Next on the list is the famous “Itaewon Class.” The story revolves around a kindhearted and well-meaning boy named Park Sae-ro-yi who dreams of becoming a police officer. Park’s father works for a mega food corporation named “Jangga”, but this job comes to an abrupt end when Park saves a classmate from a bully by the name of Jang Geun Won, whose father is revealed to be the CEO of Jangga. With the influence of Geun Won’s father, Park is expelled from school, and his dad is fired from the company. Adding to our protagonist’s woes, Park’s dad dies of a road accident, leaving Park an orphan who is then sent to prison on charges of assault on Geun Won. This makes Park swear revenge on Jangga through his dad’s dream of starting a business to rival the mega corporation. This K-drama, inspired by its webtoon counterpart, is nothing short of an emotional roller coaster ride. Though I’ve always gravitated towards action-oriented shows, I found Itaewon Class to be still entertaining. This drama shows the power of genuine motivation and passion, but also highlights its pitfalls. When a deep desire for revenge is used to fuel one’s actions and consumes one’s mind, it can get all too easy to forget one’s own identity and principles. Saeroyi is a complex character -- a damaged soul with a good heart and iron will -- and he makes this series all the more emotionally inspiring. I constantly ask myself whether or not I actually want to see him succeed! There are many more lessons and themes to learn from this series, but I will leave those to you to explore.
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