Fav 2020-2021 K-Dramas

 1. Beyond Evil

2. Hospital Playlist

About: five friends from undergrad school who remains close & share their love for music while working at the same hospital

Did I just find my ultimate favorite kdrama ever?? I didn’t realize it at first, but the next thing I know is that I was so captivated by its slice of life story. First off, I love the way they promote human compassion through the stories of people at the hospital. Every character has their own chance of spotlight, and thus I found it easy to emphatize with everyone here. Second, I just love the way there's no villain characters to boils up the story whatsover. It just portray the lives of people at the hospital with their every struggles, and that's just so realistic. Third, the friendship between the doctors is what warms my heart the most. I enjoy each joy, each sorrow, each laughter this kdrama has to give. And without doubt, I would rewatch it again and again because the kdrama feels like a home I could return to every time 🥹🫶🏻

3. Move to Heaven

About: A young man with Asperger syndrome and his uncle work as trauma cleaners, clearing out the possessions of dead people, uncovering the stories they left behind and telling them to loved ones. 

It shouldn't be a surprise that people highly rated Move to Heaven. It is rich of social commentary and served with great performances. It makes us reflect a lot about the presented issues, life, and death. I value this k-drama for subtlety saying we should respect both the living and the dead. Through hardships, the characters experience self growth that's really satisfying and heartening to watch. You could even judge from the warm ambience in the poster, Move to Heaven is indeed one tear jerking k-drama that feels like a warm hug at the same time. 

4. Happiness

About: The spread of a new deadly virus in a city, particularly in an apartment in which the residents are treated based on their social classes.

No, I didn't think I'd be fond of this k-drama when I've had enough of the pandemic situation irl. However, I was immediately drawn to the relatable scenes wherein people behave differently during critical times. Throughout watching, it felt like I was being dragged in a stressful, crazy ride due to frustrating neighbors' behaviors and the continuous spread of virus, yet there wasn't a single moment that makes me want to quit watching. Totally, I was gripped by the faintest hope that the title "happiness" really means something for them after all. I also found it so easy to fall in love with both the refreshing strong lead woman and the righteous lead guy. They're like a combination of bad cop-good cop couple (where the woman insists on taking the role of the bad one ♡). Together they steal every scene with their performances, making them the compelling couple I never knew I needed.

5. Youth of May

About: a love story in the midst of a whirlpool of the history in May 1980

Two people from different background (the impoverished & the rich), both find each other in the worst timing and situation. Despite their unsupportive surrounding, they continue to display adorable interaction & profess their devotion to each other, making it hard not to root for them. The mellow atmosphere and the characters were what enthralled me. Displaying a glimpse of a possible sad ending right from the very first eps had only drawn my interest even more. Knowing that the context is based on the tragic history in South Korea, it magnifies the level of sympathy I have for the characters & the real life people in history.  

6. Flower of Evil

About: When Detective Cha Ji-Won marries Baek Hee-Sung, they have a daughter. While he seems like a committed family man, they are unaware that he is living in disguise.

Stories that revolve around someone who isn't capable of having emotions aren't nothing new in kdrama land. But this one, especially, is a gem. This one kept me on the edge of my seat because of how nerve wracking some of the scenes are. The suspenseful dramas, the mysteries, the romance...they're all so engaging to watch. I wasn't sure what to expect from the lead character and therefore it's exciting to see what was going to happen & to see how the characters would develop. And to be noted, I swear the cast who played the villain here gives off really scary vibes. He deserves an award for that alone

7. Do You Like Brahms?

About: a woman going through a quarter-life crisis gives up her business career to pursue her passion for music and is accepted into one of Korea's most prestigious music schools; little does she know, her heartstrings will be playing their own tune

I watched it by chance, and then I fell in love the instant I watched the first eps. The drama is just beautifully done. It has soothing music & ambience and mainly revolves around good people. It's appealing how they portrayed the different perspectives between the lead couple--one who doesn't have talent but works hard to achieve her dream, and one who has talent but wishes he didn't have it. Though the lead couple has different dreams, I can't help but rooting for them... as I've never seen a relationship so awkward yet so real and so adorable before them. 

8. Law School

About: a murder case of a prestigious law school's professor that involve other professors & the students as the suspects

 I watched because I liked to see the casts' friendship irl, but I stayed for the plot. Nothing like the ambience of the photo above, Law School is rather dark & intense. The flow of the story is confusing at first, due to continuous timeline switch with nothing to help us differentiate between each timeline. But it gets better eventually, and I gradually become so invested in the story. Every character is not without a flaw & most have their own concealed sides/history, which makes them all the more interesting. For instance, it's hard to forget the character "Yangcrates", the blunt and righteous professor who's hard on his students but always ready to help them when they're in need.

    Although the nature of the genre is to suspect each character's motives, I can't help but like when the students are collaborating in studying or solving cases. Their friendship with each other & with their reliable professors are majorly what carried the show. Their spirits and the energy they give off were so encouraging & makes me miss them so every now and then. Not to mention the platonic relationship between Sol A & Joon Hwi as a sweet addition. It makes me hoping we would get spin off drama that displays just the characters' regular lives lol 🤡

9. Yumi's Cells

About: Stories told from the perspective of the brain cells of Yumi, a 30 year old woman who experiences growth in herself, love life, and her career.

If there's one thing I highly appreciate about this k-drama is how it portrays an ordinary woman's daily life with her regular job. Nothing is more refreshing than seeing a realistic story that is easy to relate to. The story is like a fresh of breath air, presented with some chilling soundtracks. I love how this k-drama shows that things don't always happen as we expected and we have to learn to accept and keep on going. Through these situations, Yumi shows her growth throughout the drama until she eventually realize that "there's no main lead in her life but her" and I cherish that so much. Not only refreshing to watch, it was also fun to see the cute & lively animations of her cells! More or less, the cells give us insight about how our minds work, and how we are the one who are in control of our thoughts and behaviors.

10. Record of Youth

About: three young fashionistas are trying to make it big in the world of modelling

Honestly, it took a bit long for me to be completely enamored of the stories and feel what the characters feel. But as the stories developed, I began to cherish what this drama tried to show us: of how important it is to have good communication & to support each other in our family, of how everyone has different timings in life, and that everyone could have second chance in life. It's also refreshing to see the main couple here & how they interact; we could learn a lot from their communication & relationship. Overall, record of youth is one light & comforting kdrama that's perfect to watch while we need a short escape or need something to cheer us up.