BY ALEXA DUNCAN
We’ve all been social distancing for at least a week now, and during this trying time in our lives, you may have run out of Breaking Bad episodes to watch on Netflix. Have no fear, readers, this blog post is here to guide you.
In the past few years, I’ve been getting more and more into Asian dramas–and they’ve provided me with hours of laughs, gasps, and even a few tears. With the success of Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite at the Oscars, now is a great time to get to know the international television market from the comfort of your own home.
Here are a few shows I highly recommend you watch to wade into the wide (and beautifully produced) world of Asian dramas
- CRASH LANDING ON YOU (KOREAN DRAMA, ROMANCE, 2020)
Crash Landing on You is one of my favorite new dramas of the season. Following a successful businesswoman from South Korea who quite literally crash lands into North Korea, this is a show full of romance, humor, and plenty of action. While our main character, Yoon Se-Ri, tries to get back to South Korea, she falls into the capable hands of North Korean army captain, Ri Jeong-Hyeok. What follows is their turbulent romance–and quiet a few glimpses into what life really could be like in North Korea.
- VAGABOND (KOREAN DRAMA, THRILLER/ACTION, 2019)
Vagabond is a drama I’m currently in the midst of watching, and let me tell you, dear readers, I’m totally hooked. Vagabond follows professional stuntman, Cha Dal-Geon, as he travels to Morocco to find who killed his nephew and 200 others in a mysterious plane crash. What follows is an international thrill ride with a little romance thrown in there for good measure. The fight scenes alone make this drama worth a watch.
- MR. SUNSHINE (KOREAN DRAMA, 2018, HISTORICAL ROMANCE)
For all you historical fiction lovers out there, Mr. Sunshine is the show for you. Gorgeously shot and stunningly produced, Mr. Sunshine is candy for the eyes and the brain. Set in the early 1900s during the United States’ occupation of Korea (aka Joseon), Mr. Sunshine follows Korean-American solider, Eugene Choi, as he returns to the land of his birth, finding himself trapped in the middle of a conspiracy that threatens to doom the Joseon he thought he knew. Mr. Sunshine is a gorgeous show, and this paragraph can’t do it justice. To say I cried during nearly every episode would be an understatement.
- LOVE 020 (CHINESE DRAMA, 2016, CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE)
Love 020 is one of my first forays into the world of Chinese dramas and I was not disappointed. Set in contemporary China at an elite college, Love 020 combines modern-day romance with the futuristic world of a massively-multiplayer online game. Our main character, Weiwei, is both wickedly smart and very good at this online game, where she meets and falls in love with another player, Xiao Nai. Love 020 is a great show to introduce you to the China you might not see in Western media, and while it’s a longer show than some of the ones listed above, it’s totally worth it.
- ITAEWON CLASS (KOREAN DRAMA, 2020, CONTEMPORARY)
Full disclosure: I haven’t watched Itaewon Class yet. Now, if you’re not familiar with Asian dramas, then you may not care about this little tidbit. but if you are, you may be yelling at me through your computer screen/phone right now. Why? Itaewon Class is a smash hit, not just internationally, but in Korea as well. Following an ex-con and his group of friends as they struggle to make their dreams come true in Korea’s Itaewon district in Seoul. I’ll definitely be watching it soon!
While there are so many more Korean and Chinese dramas I could talk about here, I’ll spare you all for the time being. You’ve got too much TV to watch!