Finally, I'm slowly catching up on the most anticipated Korean dramas of this year and wow I'm already blown away by what's on offer! This is just a small list but there is so many more I can't wait to watch, I can definitely understand the hype for these series and not one has really disappointed me yet, I'm honestly impressed with the production of these series as they're so high quality compared to the K-Dramas of old it's no wonder they're getting more international recognition. Anyway here's just a few for you to check out this month and they'll definitely be more coming soon...
킹덤
10 days have passed since the King collapsed from a mysterious illness and rumours are spreading about his death so Crown Prince Lee Chang who has been forbidden from seeing his own father during is illness decides to secretly investigate and finds that things are indeed not what they seem and this may not be a normal illness his father has; After finding out the truth about this illness he soon becomes the kingdom's only hope against this strange plague that is bringing the dead back to life. I saw an advert for this while I was on the train and it caught my eye so much that just had to watch it and wow, it's AMAZING! It's you're not a fan of Zombies or horror then I would stay clear of this one but if you are a fan then you have to check this out at it's one of the best zombie series I've seen in a long time, the cinematography, the storyline, the setting, everything is just so well presented. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a period drama with zombies before, unless you count Game of Thrones (which maybe explains why I loved it so much), so this was kinda a unique experience for me. Aside from the zombie storyline I found the royal family plot line really interesting to and it took a shall we say "interesting" turn at the end. Speaking of the ending .... I can't believe they left it like that, what a cliffhanger, it really left me wanting more! Thankfully season 2 is already in production but it can not come quick enough.
Yoo Jin Woo is the CEO of an investment company in search of the mysterious inventor of an innovative augmented-reality video game. He takes a business trip to Granada, Spain to find the inventor and finds himself staying at an old hostel run by Jung Hee-Joo, who turns out to be the sister of the creator of the game, but he is missing. Together they find themselves drawn into a series of strange and unexpected events as the border between the real world and the AR world begin to blur. This was another series I happened to see the advert for on the train that caught my eye, I'll admit at first seeing the posters I thought it was just another typical romance story but seeing the gaming and fantasy elements in the trailer really appealed to me so much so I had to give it a watch. I really enjoyed this drama and the mysteries within it as Yoo Jin Woo progressed throughout the game searching for the creator and how this affected his real world life, there was some real heartbreaking moments towards the end of the series to. Despite the posters the romance was actually a very small part of the drama it was more focused n Yoo Jin Woo's mission finding the creator and releasing both creator and himself from the game, but Jung Hee-Joo was a very sweet character and I enjoyed her part in the drama both real world and gaming world. Definitely give it a watch it was such an interesting storyline and the gaming elements were done so well, it makes me wonder when we will see this level of technology and whether it will be a good or bad thing...
너도 인간이니
Oh Laura, a renowned scientist is forced to part ways with her young son, Nam Shin and exiled abroad by her father-in-law, a rich CEO and to help cope with her loss she secretly builds AI robots in the image of her son. Decades later when Nam Shin is a grown man she unexpectedly sees him moments before an accident forces him into a coma. Oh Laura decides to protect her sons position as heir by sending the AI Robot of Nam Shin to Seoul to take his place and fulfil his duties while she waits for her real son to wake from his accident. I'm a big fan of these AI dramas and the question of what really makes us human and the future of technology. I loved how this drama started off as an AI learning from humans to in the end humans learning from him, I also loved the underlying message of how you shouldn't have to pretend to be anyone else and just accept yourself. We're so used to seeing robots and technology portrayed as scary and threatening and wanting to rule over humanity so it was refreshing to see a drama where the opposite is true and human motives were put into question.
SKY 캐슬
Sky Castle revolves around the lives of 4 housewives living in a luxurious residential area called Sky Castle in suburban Seoul, as they try to make their husbands more successful and raise their children like princes and princesses. This drama cane highly recommended by so many and has become one of Korea's most popular dramas and after watching it I can understand why with the societal issues it deals with being a popular topic for debate in Korea. Personally it didn't grab me, I'm not really a fan of this Desperate Housewives genre and prefer some sort of supernatural or fantasy elements in my drama as it's all a bit too real and depressing for me otherwise but I do think it took on the subject of ambition and competition quite well because although as it states explicitly at the start of every episode it's a work of fiction there is definitely some reality in the show with the housewives stopping at nothing to get their children into prestigious universities and onto successful careers, but at what cost? I found the final quarter of the series to be very dramatic and emotionally charged and it became a bit of a struggle to get through at times as it was so heavy but overall it is a really well made series that delivers a strong message.
진심이 닿다
Popular actress Oh Yoon-Seo, known for her beauty but terrible acting skills is involved in a scandal that damages her career, leaving her jobless for two years. A famous screenwriter approaches her for a major role in an upcoming drama on the condition that she gains experience working at a law firm as a secretary for a few months. She is assigned as secretary to a lawyer named Kwon Jung-Rok, who is known for his cold demeanour and although he's not happy about the situation, he has to accept.
As you may know
Goblin is one of my all time favourite K-Dramas so seeing these two reunited on screen together was very much anticipated as I adore their chemistry so much. These were very different roles for them compared to Goblin but their chemistry was just as strong and I really love the development of their characters together, their relationship was so sweet and every scene of the two of them together was just a joy to watch, I really hope they get more roles together in the future. I also enjoyed the romance of the side-characters to and found it very sweet, over all it's a very sweet drama and I'd definitely recommend it to my fellow Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na fans.
What have you been watching lately?
Love & Roses
Cate
xoxo
