Let’s take a look at 5 must-watched Korean dramas
Recently, Squid Game is the most attractive Korean drama in the hearts of fans with more than 111 million views after 1 month of release. The series’ success lies in the survival game for the final prize, but few people know that there are many K-dramas that have as fascinating and unique scripts as Squid Game. Here are 5 names that are worth watching.
Stranger
Stranger (2017) revolves around Hwang Si Mok (played by Cho Seung Woo), a top prosecutor who has just undergone an orthopedic surgery that makes him look like a different person in both personality and appearance.
After that, he quickly joins the appropriate authority and works with police officer Han Yeo Jin (played by Bae Doona) to investigate a case, but they are hindered by a force behind them. After the success of the first season, the series released the second part with the case at the prosecutor’s office, involving the police force.
Overall, after two seasons, the work received favorable reviews for its content and the cast’s acting skills. The New York Times even called Stranger the best Korean drama of 2017. In addition, the main actors and the film itself were nominated and won at the 54th Baeksang Arts Awards.
D.P.
D.P. revolves around military life, especially about the story of people in the military who were mistreated during their mandatory military service. In the film, Private Ahn Joon Ho (played by Jung Hae In) is under mandatory enlistment as he registered.
The story begins when Joon Ho has to witness the soldiers physically abused and humiliated by their superiors. However, Joon Ho is quite different as he is an officer who specializes in chasing deserters and has a mission to bring them back. As such, the viewers following Joon Ho can see the reasons behind the soldiers’ desertion and the critical hidden corners in the military zone.
The Penthouse: War in Life
Penthouse series must be no stranger to fans of Korean dramas. The Penthouse: War in Life depicts stories of wealthy people at the top of the social pyramid. The drama revolves around the relationships and battles for money and power between the elite.
Three seasons of the hit drama centers on upper-class families and their children. Contrary to their flashy, expensive and seemingly perfect appearance, each family hides dark secrets that gradually unfold. Penthouse begins with the death of a young girl, causing the families to suspect each other and battles to erupt.
Flower of Evil
Flower of Evil is a horror drama, centering on the character Baek Hee Sung (Lee Joon Ki). He used to have it all: a happy family with a lovely daughter and a loving wife Cha Ji Won (Moon Chae Won). However, his happy life is destroyed when Ji Won’s investigation team points out that all evidence in a case points to her husband.
Forbes once commented on Flower of Evil: “The edgy thriller Flower of Evil was perhaps named after Baudelaire’s poem La Fleurs du Mal, which touches on how monsters can hide in plain sight. Discovering you cannot trust those closest to you.” Flower of Evil puts the viewers in a dilemma between believing in the evidence in front of you or trusting your loved ones.
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay
Once nominated at the 2021 International Emmy Awards in the TV Movie/Mini-Series category, It’s Okay to Not Be Okay is considered a monument of Korean dramas to this day. The series tells the story of Moon Gang Tae (Kim Soo Hyun), the sole caretaker of his brother – who has autism, after their mother passed away.
At an event at the hospital, he encounters Ko Moon Young (Seo Ye Yi), a writer known for her children’s books, but in reality, she is a cold person with an eccentric personality.
The contrast between Gang Tae and Moon Young gives the audience a “hot and cold” romance through their heartwarming process of healing each other’s “wounds”.
The drama also had the honor to trend on Twitter on World Health Day (October 10). Prothom Alo’s writer Rumaisa M Rahman also praised It’s Okay to Not Be Okay: “It makes people realize that society should stop judging those who seem different from them.”
Above are 5 Korean dramas with one of the most unique and impressive storylines that are well worth the watch. They have all received numerous positive reviews from the audience as well as critics, so don’t hesitate to binge watch these K-dramas right away!
