Credit: Amazon Prime Video screenshot; Viki Rakuten screenshot; Lim Hyo Seon/Netflix
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Soap fans have suffered more than their fair share of losses in recent years as one show (As the World Turns) after another (All My Children) was axed. But given that serialized dramas have thrived around the world, many of us have been seeking out programming from other countries, such as the UK dramas EastEnders orCoronation Street.
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Now, I want to introduce you to yet another genre that I’ve fallen in love with over the past few years… and I think you will too: The KDrama, or Korean Drama, which is sort of a not-so-distant cousin to the traditional soap opera. Both feature epic love stories, and both revolve around a series of tropes.
Unlike a traditional soap with its never-ending plots, KDramas typically tell a complete story in 12-20 episodes. This makes them both wildly bingeable and easy to rewatch once you’ve discovered a fave.
If you haven’t ventured into the world of KDrama yet, let me recommend a few to get you started!
Crash Landing on You
THE PLOT: A South Korean heiress is accidentally blown into North Korea while paragliding. (Hey, it happens!) There she meets a North Korean officer who helps get her home and of course, sparks fly between them. There’s also a secondary story involving another couple who capture our hearts (and may require you to keep a few tissues at hand!)
TROPE CATEGORY: Rivals to lovers.
WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL: This KDrama blew up the internet while we were all sheltering in place in 2020 and was the gateway drama for many a new fan of the genre. It didn’t hurt that the main couple Son Ye Jin and Hyun Bin, two of the biggest names in South Korean entertainment, took their romance from reel to real and are now married with a child.
WHERE TO WATCH: Netflix
King the Land
THE PLOT: A hotel heir clashes at first sight with the hotel’s top concierge at the VVIP business lounge. It doesn’t help that he hates fake smiles, and, as part of her job, she’s always smiling. Many misunderstandings, forced-to-work-together moments, and ridiculous helicopter rides ensue.
TROPE CATEGORY: Rivals to lovers.
WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL: The chemistry between the two leads, Lee Jun Ho and Im Yoon Ah, made this a top romcom of 2023.
WHERE TO WATCH: Netflix
Business Proposal
THE PLOT: The workaholic heir to a food empire must marry to appease his grandfather. When he’s set up on a blind date, the woman enlists her best friend, a food nutritionist, to pose as her and sabotage the date. Little does the best friend know, she’s about to go on a date with her boss, who, to thwart his grandfather, is planning on marrying the next woman he meets.
TROPE CATEGORY: Contract Marriage.
WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL: Wacky hijinks and a great rom-com ensue!
WHERE TO WATCH: Netflix
1% of Something
THE PLOT: What happens when a meddling grandfather requires his grandson to live with a strong-willed schoolteacher to receive his full inheritance? One of the best in the contract marriage tropes, that’s what.
TROPE CATEGORY: Contract Marriage.
WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL: This KDrama is on many fans’ best-of and annual rewatch lists.
WHERE TO WATCH: Viki
If you’re like me and you love a little fantasy with your romance (looking at you Dark Shadows and Passions fans), these are two fantastic starts:
Marry My Husband
THE PLOT: Killed after witnessing her husband and best friend having an affair, a terminally ill cancer patient wakes up ten years earlier, ready for revenge. With the help of her office manager, Kang Ji Won is clearing out the trash from her previous life.
TROPE CATEGORY: Time travel/revenge drama.
WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL: One of my favorite currently airing dramas. We’re only halfway through our 16-episode tale, and I’m deeply invested in our female lead do-over, revenge plot, and budding new romance!
WHERE TO WATCH: Amazon Prime Video
Tale of the Nine Tailed
THE PLOT: A talented TV producer chases Korean urban legends in hopes of discovering what happened to her parents many years ago. At the same time, a mythical Korean gumiho (aka Nine Tailed Fox) searches for the reincarnation of his lost love. I think you know where this is headed!
TROPE CATEGORY: Fantasy/mythology.
WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL: Great found family, a lot of laughter, and tears turn this into a must-watch. Plus, our gumiho brothers, Lee Dong Wook and Kim Bum, capture every KDrama viewer’s heart.
WHERE TO WATCH: Viki
There you have it — your mini soap fan KDrama 101 List.
If you find you want to dive more into KDramaland, check out my K3 KDrama weekly newsletter and K3 YouTube channel, where we have a LIVE hangout twice a month!
Videos: Amazon, Netflix, Viki Rakuten/YouTube
Check out the primetime couples we desperately want to see find happiness this year via the gallery below!
