Hi guys, and welcome to a new Something Different Sunday!

On previous SD Sundays I’ve talked about Kpop and Death Note. Today, I’d like to discuss something I’ve also recently fallen in love with, and that is Korean dramas or Kdramas! Since I discovered Kdramas earlier this year, I’ve already gone through a few and I figured, why not talk about them in some more depth? So read on for Kdramas!

My Kdrama story

My Kdrama obsession all started with Death Note. Wait, isn’t that an anime, not a kdrama? Well yes. Yes, it is. But hear me out. My Death Note obsession led me to search out any Death Note related content I could find, from the anime to the manga to the movies to… the musical. Death Note has a musical, one that runs in Japan and one that runs in… that’s right, South-Korea! And the actor/singer who played my favorite character in that musical has had a long-standing Kpop career. Which is what got me into Kpop. And once I was into Kpop, it was only a verrrryyy small step into Kdrama. My fellow Kpoppers were loving and recommending Kdramas left and right and I was just super tempted to give it a try myself. So I took the smallest step possible and started with the Kdrama You’re Beautiful, which is set in a (fictional) Kpop world. And thus my descent into Kdrama obsession began!

Reasons I love Kdramas

For me personally, I love the format of a Kdrama. They only have one season, with 16-20 episodes of about an hour each (those I’ve watched anyway). Which is for me, the closest to a book I can get. Movies are usually too short for me to really get invested in the characters, relationships or plotlines. Tv shows on the other hand, usually run way too long which makes me lose interest after 2-3 seasons. But Kdramas are PERFECT for me. They run long enough for me to really get invested in the characters and plot, but they also tell a clear and concise story which wraps up neatly by the end of the season.

The storylines are also super fun and original. Sure, they have quite a lot of tropes, but I think they’re always mixed in such a new and creative way.It’s super hard to describe a Kdrama with just a few sentences, because there’s so much going on. But I’ll give it a try with my mini reviews below!

Kdramas I’ve seen: Mini Reviews

You’re Beautiful

What it’s about in a nutshell:

You’re Beautiful is about a nun-in-training who helps out her twin brother when he’s in trouble by pretending to be him and joining a popular kpop boy band. In doing so, she hopes to find her long-lost mother.

What I thought:

GENIUS, if you ask me. I absolutely adored this drama and am already itching to watch it again. It’s funny and sweet and well, it made me fall in love with Kdrama, so what more could I want? My only nitpick would be that I would have loved a little more focus on the boys and their friendship. Other than that, this was gold.

Recommended if you love:

• The world of Kpop
• Crossdressing girls pretending to be boys
• Enemies-to-lovers

CITY HUNTER

What it’s about in a nutshell:

This was a very action-filled kdrama in which a young man is out for revenge on the corrupt politicians who are responsible for the death of his father. So he becomes a city hunter to expose their corruption and get them to pay for their crimes.

What I thought:

This was my first kdrama featuring Lee Min Ho, who has immediately become my favorite kdrama actor. I adored this series as well. For me, it was a perfect balance of action and romance and I loved the characters and all the plot-twists. My only nitpick would be that the ending was a little rushed.

Recommended if you love:

• Revenge plots (including cool spoon-fighting action scenes, just saying)
• Complicated family dynamics
• Badass female bodyguard love interests

You Who Came From The Stars

What it’s about in a nutshell:

This one’s about a 400-year old alien who lives on earth pretending to be a regular human. But just three months before he’s supposed to return to his planet, he meets and falls in love with a popular actress. He then not only becomes her manager, but he also get caught up in a murder mystery.

What I thought:

The chemistry between the two leads was amazing. I got so invested in their relationship, it’s crazy. Also, a 400-year old alien with superpowers using them to stop time and delete his drunk texts to his crush? Seriously, where do they come up with these genius ideas? Only nitpick is that the ending was a bit confusing for me and I would have liked some more clarification on some things.

Recommended if you love:

• Grumpy yet sensitive aliens with cool powers and big libraries
• Lots of sassy banter
• Murder mysteries on cruise ships

Personal taste

What it’s about in a nutshell:

In Personal Taste, a man pretends to be gay so he can move in with a woman who could help him win an important work-related project, but of course ends up falling for her.

What I thought:

The premise is a little weird, but I ended up loving it anyway. It’s funny and cute and the chemistry between the two leads was on point. I loved the message of being yourself and the side plot with the architecture business. Also, did I mention I’m in love with Lee Min Ho?

Recommended if you love:

• Roommates falling in love
• Enemies-to-BFFs-to-lovers
• Architecture and furniture building

Legend of the Blue Sea

What it’s about in a nutshell:

In this gorgeous drama, the love story between a Joseon-era mermaid and a town official repeats itself in modern times, when a mermaid falls in love with a con artist.

What I thought:

I absolutely loved this drama. It’s a close contender with Goblin for my favorite so far. The story was super captivating and intriguing and the chemistry between the two leads was again amazing. It has funny and sincere mermaids, charming con-artists and cute hackers. Also, Lee Min Ho (again) <3

Recommended if you love:

• Mermaids falling in love with a human
• Con artists and hackers as squad goals
• Love throughout time

Goblin

What it’s about in a nutshell:

This is the story of Kim Shin, a 939-year old immortal Goblin and protector of souls. He is searching for his bride, who is the only one who can end his immortality and give him peace. During his search he also ends up rooming with the Grim Reaper, who has no memory of who he used to be.

What I thought:

This may be my favorite drama I’ve seen so far, though I must admit the first episode had me super confused and the age difference between the two leads put me off just a bit at first. But I quickly got over that, because these characters feel so real and well-rounded, it is surprisingly funny and the bromance is just THE BEST. This series had me both laughing and sobbing, so be warned. Also, that soundtrack <3

Recommended if you love:

• Goblins, Grim Reapers and a ton of ghosts
• Glorious bromance
• Going through every emotion possible over the span of one episode

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon

What it’s about in a nutshell:

Do Bong-Soon is a young woman born with superhuman strength, which is passed on through the women in her family. Though she tries to keep this hidden, a young rich CEO witnesses her strength one day and promptly hires her as his bodyguard. Around the same time, a series of kidnappings take place in the area where Do Bong-Soon lives, and she is determined to catch the culprit.

What I thought:

This is definitely a much lighter, fluffier drama which is filled with a lot of humor, even though it’s balanced with a creepy kidnapper plot.  I greatly enjoyed this one and appreciated how it tackled typical gender roles and expectations. Also, Do Bong-Soon’s dream is to become a video game developer, which is just so cool.

Recommended if you love:

• Normal people with supernatural powers
• Slapstick comedy type humor
• Serial kidnapper plots

Are you a fan of Kdramas? If so, which are your favorites? If not, did this post make you in any way interested in any of these?