DryedMangoez recaps, reviews and commentary of Korean drama series.
One of the best and most unexpected surprises of 2021 has to be KBS’ Sell Your Haunted House (대박부동산/Daebak Real Estate). Jang Nara will leave you in awe as an exorcist who rids wayward spirits from real estate properties to help prospective sellers. The quirky logline, however, does not do justice in describing this thrilling, emotional, thought-provoking and fun series.
The eight episode series My Name (마이 네임) is Netflix’s latest Korean drama production trying to upend the typical conventions of local television. The cinematic thriller is powered by Han So Hee’s bold performance and just pure, unadulterated heart-pounding pulp. Something you definitely don’t see on Korean television. Even if the series is filled with all-too-familiar themes and scenarios, My Name is still a gripping and fast-paced adrenaline rush.
KBS’ Police University (경찰수업) is a fun, poignant look at the lives of those in law enforcement and the youth who are hoping to follow in their footsteps. Everything from the varied definitions of justice to familiar coming of age dilemmas, Police University tackles very real world ideas in a lighthearted, but sincere way. And with its strong, charming cast, the series makes for an enjoyable and exciting watch.
Simply put, SBS’ Racket Boys (라켓소년단) is one of the best of the year. A thoroughly feel-good and heartwarming series that doesn’t shy away from difficult topics and dark themes. With the help of one of the best ensemble casts assembled in a drama in a long while, an eclectic and diverse group of characters of all ages come to life to depict life with all its joys and hardships, ups and downs. Fiercely relatable, proudly down to earth, emotionally affecting, absolute fun; Racket Boys is an unexpected, but outstanding treat.
Netflix has been on a roll ever since they began pouring money into Korean drama production. And its latest is another refreshingly bold entry. Squid Game (오징어 게임) is a flashy (and bloody) series that takes on familiar themes and sets them against the backdrop of a jarring and unsettling game of life and death. Though the series is not short on talent and style (and blood), the series misses an opportunity to go a bit deeper and truly allow it to be something more profoundly affecting.
It is the final judgment for the former residents of Hera Palace as they try to move forward after years of torture and suffering.
Mental health and the lack of support or resources for anyone who needs help as well as the scourge of bullying and school violence continues to plague South Korea. And that has offered plenty of opportunity for such topics to be portrayed in many a television drama; whether in a coming of age high school drama or a psychological crime thriller. But dealing with those themes with the backdrop of Korea’s compulsory military service is rare, especially on TV. That’s one of the many reasons Netflix’s original series D.P. (디피) is so striking and intriguing.
You will have no problem understanding the meaning of the title Nevertheless (알고있지만/I Know But) as you watch this 10-episode JTBC adaptation of a webtoon by the same title. You might even find yourself following up every statement made by the characters of the series with a “nevertheless…” or “but…” throughout the equally ethereal and exhausting series.
It can get frustrating to see a series with all the necessary pieces for success fail to come together. One such example is tvN’s 2017 Korean remake of popular, long running American series Criminal Minds (크리미널 마인드). Despite its stellar cast, the series is unable to give the characters they play much depth. And that in turn makes the cases of the week feel more procedural than they should be. It’s that failure of connecting the characters with the audience, a common trait of Korean dramas, that ultimately keeps the series from rising above the sea of television crime thrillers.
The 2019 KBS drama Perfume (퍼퓸) is as hilarious as it is heartfelt. A fun and emotional journey of finding oneself and learning how to embrace who you are. An excellent performance from Ha Jae Suk leads a solid cast and brings to life a meaningful story with plenty of warmth and humor.