Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
Hi everybody, and welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday!
Today’s post kind of came about through a massive detour. The original post should have been about ‘settings I want to see more of in books’. But then I got to thinking about k-dramas (because I do tend to think about k-dramas quite often) and how one of the reasons I love them so much are their settings. And as I was making the list, the settings somehow got entwined with the plots and well… my post got away from me a bit so I present to you… the k-drama settings and plots I want to see more of in books!
Granada – Memories of the Alhambra
This goes for Granada in Spain, but really any city that becomes an integral part of the plot. What I loved about Memories of the Alhambra, which is about a virtual reality game set in Granada, was the fact that the city was actually one of the main characters of the story. We explored every beautiful nook of the city, every alley, every café, even the Alhambra itself. It made me want to get on the plane and travel to Granada. And I want more books where the city setting is so vivid that it sparks my wanderlust.
A publishing company – Romance is a Bonus Book
Romance is a Bonus Book is one of my favorite k-dramas – scratch that, it’s definitely THE FAVORITE – and part of the reasons why I loved it so is the setting in a publishing company. Every single character loved books and breathed books every single day. I could watch (and read about) people reading, editing, writing or promoting books ALL DAY LONG. The bookish world has some bookish characters for sure, but I want an actual publishing company filled with bookish people and I want the publishing company to be crucial to the story.
The k-pop industry – You’re Beautiful
You’re Beautiful is the very first k-drama I watched and it’s what got me intrigued about k-pop (and we all know where that rabbit hole led me). I loved this sort of ‘inside look’ into a k-pop band. The k-pop industry is so different than other music industries in the US or Europe. And I want to see this explored in a book. I want k-pop stars, trainees, members of the management or crew as main characters. And I want it to be written in a real and respectful way that highlights both the good and the bad of this industry.
Corporate culture – What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim
Maybe my bad for reading a lot of either YA or fantasy, where the characters are either to young to work or where their work includes fighting dragons, but I miss reading about characters at work. I’m working, so I want to relate to characters who are working and their dealings with all things corporate culture. It’s one of the reasons I loved What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim, about a secretary who decides she wants to quit working for her narcissistic boss after ten years and in doing so turns his life upside down..
Prosecutors and lawyers – Suspicious Partner
I’m such a sucker for courtroom k-dramas such as Suspicious Partner or While You Were Sleeping. I love to see the hardworking lawyer or prosecutor tackle tough cases, solve crimes and get justice. Can we have more of that in books please? I’m all for a lovely romance set in the courtroom like in Suspicious Partner, or some fantasy elements included in the plot like in While You Were Sleeping where someone who sees the future and a prosecutor team up to prevent crimes.
Inside a graphic novel – W: Two Worlds
Another one for all those book-lovers out there, especially those of us who have fallen for fictional characters before (haven’t we all?). What if the line between the real world and the fictional one would blur and you got to switch between the two? That’s the premise of W: Two Worlds, where the daughter of a graphic artist suddenly finds herself inside the graphic novel and falls in love with the main character (who can blame her when he’s played by Lee Jong-Suk though?). Can we get more books where this blurring happens? It can be books, TV, movies, graphic novels or comics, there can be so many spins on this!
Mermaids – Legend of the Blue Sea
I know, I know, we do have quite a few books about mermaids out there. And yet… I’ve only read the one. None of the others have stood out enough for me to read yet. So maybe this is my bad. But still, it never hurts to have a few more mermaid books right? Preferably with a nice little spin on the classic mermaid falls for human-romance. Like in To Kill A Kingdom (the one mermaid book I read and loved, where the killer siren falls for the siren-killing pirate prince) or in the k-drama Legend of the Blue Sea, where the mermaid falls for a con artist and they turn out to have been linked together through the ages…
Immortal roommates – Goblin
I’ve seen this concept on TV, but I don’t think I’ve read about it much or at all yet and I desperately want more of this and that is the paranormal, immortal roommates, who may or may not have an enemies-to-friends thing going on. I loved this in the TV show Being Human, but I ADORED this even more in the k-drama Goblin, where an immortal goblin and a grim reaper end up living together. Sure, the story is about a fated romance which is great and all, but the real highlight is the frenemy/bromance these two immortal and powerful yet totally socially awkward beings have.
The acting world – My Love From the Star
Similar to the k-pop industry and yet still so different is the acting world. This is one that may happen a bit more regularly in the bookish world, as well as the TV world and yet I still want more. Especially if it’s similar to the wonderful My Love From The Star where a famous actress falls for her reluctant “manager” – who also happens to be an alien.
College and roommates – My First First Love
I’m currently watching My First First Love and I’m already loving it, partly because the setting is one I sorely miss in books, and that is college. And I’m not talking about any of the NA books out there which are admittedly set in college but focus more on romance and sex than about the actual college-experience. I want to see characters experience college, make new friends, worry about grades, money and career plans. I want to see something that feels relatable to my college days. Also, bonus points if the characters end up reluctant roommates like in My First First Love – because I love stories about friendship and roommates, if that wasn’t obvious yet 😉
I haven’t seen a single K-Drama, but I know lots of people are loving them right now! I see it on Twitter or websites often. I do own a book or two about the pop culture; one I read and thought was cute, and I think the other one I own is by Maurene Good! Now I just need to read it. 🙂
Oh yes, the book by Maureen Goo is on my TBR too! I’m so curious to read it.
I’ve never seen a K-drama but they sound fun! I love the idea of a city like Granada being explored like that, and the graphic novel becoming an actual setting is a cool idea too.
And there’s always room for mermaids! 🙂
Haha there’s definitely always room for mermaids 🙂
I have no idea about K-drama but Goblin and W: Two Worlds sound right up my alley. Especially Goblin okay. I love me some reapers. 😀
Reapers are so fascinating to read about/watch!
I’m a big fan of K-dramas. I loved “You’re beautiful”. The cast, the settings, the plot, the inner dealings of the K-pop industry – everything was wonderfully portrayed.
You’re Beautiful was sooo good indeed. I’m happy it was my first k-drama, it inspired me to check out both more dramas and k-pop 🙂
I love your response to this week’s prompt. Good job with it.
Thanks 🙂
I would love to see more mermaids and I have been meaning to try to listen to some K-Pop. I have been hearing tons about BTS from other bookstagrammers.
Ahh I must admit I’m a huge BTS fan myself 🙂 Definitely recommend checking out some of their videos on Youtube!
Fun list! The publishing industry sounds like a good setting and so does the idea of the lines between a story and reality blurring. Very intriguing! I also like the immortal roommates idea! I watched the US version of Being Human and loved it! Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
Being Human was so much fun, it made me wonder why there weren’t more immortal roommates plots out there 🙂
I’ve never been a K-drama. At least not yet! But I know I can come to your blog if I ever need inspiration of what to watch!
Haha yeah I’m here and happy to help with recs if you ever decide to start watching a k-drama 😉
Great list! I finished watching the first season of Kingdom over the weekend and now I want to watch more from South Korea. Goblin, W: Two Worlds, Legend of the Blue Sea and Romance is a Bonus Book are all k-dramas I want to check out now. 😀
I need to watch Kingdom! Oooh, those are all some of my fave k-dramas, so I definitely recommend each one 😉
I feel very enlightened by this post! I haven’t watched a K-Drama yet. I need to!
I hope you’ll enjoy k-dramas when you decide to check them out! I’m always here to help if you need any recommendations 😉
I have admittedly only have seen a couple of k-dramas that were based on fantasy (like the mermaid one which I now am curious about) but this post makes me want to branch out a little. I need to get more into these!
There is such a huge variety of k-dramas, I hope you’ll find the one you want 🙂
Ooh a publishing company would be a fun setting. I love anything bookish!
Yes, me too! Just seeing characters love books makes me happy 🙂
Love your take on this week’s TTT! I also would love to see more of the entertainment industry, both idols and actors – in the kdramas! I also would love to see more of cops and lawyers. I recently watched Prison Playbook and enjoyed it immensely. ?
Thanks! The entertainment industry is just so intriguing, would love to see more of it. Will have to check out Prison Playbook!
Thanks! Ah I’ll need to check out Prison Playbook!
I’ve never seen a K drama but they always sound so good. The publishing house one really jumped out at me. Great list!
They’re definitely super fun and addictive 🙂 I think the publishing house one is the perfect k-drama for book lovers!
Is this the perfect twist on this week’s topic? Yes. Yes, it is. I definitely want absolutely all of these settings in my books, but especially the publishing companies like in Romance is a Bonus Book. How is that not more of a thing in the actual publishing industry? Also, thanks for the reminder that I really, really need to watch Goblin.
Yes it’s sooo weird how there are no books out there with a publishing company setting? At least not that I’ve discovered yet 🙂 We have a lot of bookish characters but no publishing companies… And ah yes, definitely watch Goblin! I must admit it took me an episode or two to get into it, but then I fell in love and it’s definitely one of my all-time favorites (it may even have been number one before Romance Is A Bonus Book 😉 )
These look like fun! Especially inside the publishing industry and inside the world of K-Pop.
Yeah, I’d love to read more about those settings for sure!