Who Cares If Subtitles Are Annoying? Korean Television Is Worth It!

When the music school losers turn out to be both talented and cool af.

More and more people are enjoying Korean television shows, even those who claim they hate to read while watching TV, because drama this good defies language and cultural barriers. Watch a few episodes and you'll understand why such incredibly entertaining small screen offerings are winning over a global audience.

As a recent convert I went into the experience completely unprepared for the gems ahead. I'm not going to attempt to break down the types of storytelling forms and the genres because this isn't my field of expertise, and there are many great websites and online communities dedicated to Korean television, including fantastic recappers who will tell you stuff like whether the story is from a Japanese manga, or the past history of the cast and writers. My advice? If you watch a K-show, read a recap after each episode.

The spirits freak me out. (Yes, I am a woose.)

What makes Korean television so great? For me it's the no-holds-barred storytelling. Dramas can also include a lot of comedy and zaniness, so you're laughing then suddenly crying. I kept thinking of Joss Whedon, who has a similar storytelling style, in that amongst all the fun and jokes are incredibly complex emotional subtexts keeping viewers enthralled.

The surprise hug from behind is a popular go-to. #cuteas

Korean shows only run for one season, meaning no filler moments; each series packs a punch from day one, so skipping an ep isn't an option. Recurring themes include redemption, character evolution, and discovery of self-worth. People in Korean dramas are forced to face who they are, and address how they interact with the world, as well as how they want to live their lives from this point. To do well in a K-drama, a character HAS to be brave.

Love is another key element, and the emotion is treated with a level of respect that in itself is fascinating. Overall Korean television has limited sexual content, relying a lot on nuance, in terms of conveying complex psyches. Characters in Korean dramas feel deeply; they don't dismiss emotional intensity, and if a person is suffering because of love, the plot takes it seriously. Narrative-wise, self-sacrifice is a common form of emotional expression. Friendship is important, and the actions of loved ones usually move parts of the narrative forward—or backward. #interferingiscaring

One piggyback, and you're on the road to OTP.

I also like how the plot can present a character who appears childish and annoying in the first few episodes, only to unravel their psyche and reveal the influence of past traumas on their current behavior. Never judge a Korean drama on the first few episodes; if you're in, go the distance.  The way the story zips from lighthearted fare to downright intense drama within an ep or two will floor you. Unlike Western shows that prefer to set a specific tone from day one, Korean television dramas often run the whole gambit. A series can feels like you're watching seven different styles of storytelling in one big hit.

Visually they're quite sophisticated, often with incredibly beautiful framing. Music plays a big part in setting the mood; don't expect subtle background sounds. 

Expect heartbreak. And tears. (And not just onscreen.)

I get annoyed when people say these are soapies because no Western soap could hope to compare to a Korean drama. Emotionally it's like comparing 2D television with 3D cinema - storytelling with a whole other dimension.

On a cultural level, there can be slightly subversive elements at work. A number of plots constantly reference status and wealth, hinting that over-valuing these may close the door to potential happiness. Choosing love over arranged marriages is big. Walking a fine line that includes respecting older family members while not allowing them to completely control your future is another common thread. 

Aside from that - Korean shows are fun! They're quirky, intense, adrenalized emotional rides that don't shy from the tough stuff. Alongside difficult personal relationships (whether familial or romantic), the PTSD and the grief, kookiness abounds, including a penchant for talking to stuffed toys, hilarious drunk scenes, and God forbid, couples clothing. 

Who needs an inner monologue when the characters regularly
talk to stuffed animals? #interestingtrope

With the single season approach, there are too many shows to choose from. I watched a few on Netflix (but keep in mind the selection differs between countries). Certain free to air channels offer Korean dramas, and in the US DramaFever is a pretty big provider. Amazon and iTunes are in on the trend, too.

Looking to dip your toe in the vast K-drama pool? Here's a breakdown of the ones I've seen so far that stuck in my mind. (No procedural or medical dramas though: turns out I don't like them in any language.) The titles can be translated differently, so they might be online under other names as well. The actor's names are sourced from web listings, so apologies for any spelling issues or incorrect usage.

Tomorrow's Cantabile

Oh, this one is sweet. I'd recommend it for teenagers as well as adults. The story focuses on difficult musical genius Cha Yoo-Jin (Joo Won), and his next door neighbor Seoul Nae-Il (Shim Eun-kyung). She's a childish kook who starts crushing on him and shamelessly follows the guy around.

When a new conductor comes to their music college he creates S Orchestra, made up of the school's "losers". Soon the losers and Seoul Nae-Il decide Cha Yoo-Jin is their bestie, despite his constant grumbling, and once he has friends, everything begins to change.

When people just decide they're your best friends.

What do I love? How about the revelation Cha Yoo-Jin's aloofness and perfectionism, and Seoul Nae-Il's childishness and refusal to have serious piano lessons, are the result of PTSD? Both suffered traumatic events during childhood. The characters are forced to decide if they're brave enough to face their fears and move forward—on a lot of fronts. The show starts out so goofy I almost stopped watching, but I'm glad I didn't because it fast became a fave.

Learning to play well with others has more than one meaning here.

A classical soundtrack is obviously par for the course. Voiceovers that explain what the composer was trying to convey with the piece, sometimes outlining what was happening in the composer's life at the time, are a beautiful touch. During music scenes the show occasionally cuts to shots of the person playing in a field, a visual representation of the way music can transport the consciousness to a blissful place.

Learning by ear.

Best Scene: Seoul Nae-Il disappears after Cha Yoo-Jin's concert, and everyone thinks it's because his ex showed up. When he finds her this assumption proves completely wrong and the audience finally understands how deeply the two characters are affected, if not consumed, by the music they create.

Best Talent: Joo Won really carries the show as the lead; his simmering performance is incredible. But Kyung Pyo-Go as Yoo Il Rak deserves kudos too for his bubbly character as the electric violin rebel who appoints himself the lead's best friend. (And if you're wondering why he looks familiar, yes it is one of the guys from Flower Boys Next Door.)

Beating Again

Also know as Falling For Innocence, this wasn't what I expected. The story sees a guy receive a heart transplant and begin to change, falling for a woman who turns out to be the donor's lover.

That tension when the lifelong friend makes a play, crashes 'n burns,
and then moves to Resentment Town #niceguysyndrome 

Sounds like a rom-com, but this proved heavy with intense drama (in a good way). The lead Kang Min-ho, played by Jung Kyung-Ho, is a ruthless businessman known as The Serial Killer: he's always "killing" companies to accumulate wealth. End game? To destroy his uncle, who grabbed control of the family firm years ago. Ruining the company is paramount as he only has a month to live due to a heart condition.

Man on a mission. #revengeisamotivator

The lead here, isn't cold, he really is evil. Slick af, with a cruel sense of humor, this guy is intense. His interactions with Kim Soon-jung, played by Kim So-yeon, begin when she's the only one to stand up to him. 

This is a karma sucks kind of storyline. After an unexpected last minute heart transplant, the lead is slowly coerced by Kim Soon-jung, now his secretary, into seeing his father's factory workers as family, and reluctantly begins to care.

Everything unravels when he decides to go all in and try and save the company he was bent on destroying. As his uncle warned him, in big business the altruistic are bound to lose. On the personal front his shifting focus to Kim So-yeon is also fascinating to watch, and brilliantly done.

This recurring setting is a great metaphor 'cause this
pair have one hell of a life journey.

Best Scene: Oh, there are so many. Jung Kyung-Ho's charcter finally breaks when it looks like he'll lose the company, and admits he can't complain about the ruthless business practices of his corporate enemy because it feels like he's fighting the past version of himself - and he did so much worse to others. Another heart wrenching moment is when Kang Min-ho and Kim Soon-jung are visited by ghosts of their loved ones.

Best Talent: Kim So-yeon plays her part so well, reserved yet really just trying to survive and keep all the pieces together as life falls apart. Jung Kyung-Ho is a tour de force. His transformation is so incredible it's like he's two different actors, one at the beginning and one at the end. Whether being comedic or dramatic, he burns up the screen and is riveting to watch. I've since caught a few of his shows, and he's become my fave Korean actor. 

Personal Taste

Park Kae-in (played by Son ye-jin) crosses of paths with Jeon Jin-ho (played by Boys Over Flowers alumni Lee Min-ho) and it's the pebble that sets off an avalanche. Park Kae-in is a furniture designer living in a house built by her famous architect father. Jeon Jin-ho is a young architect who  convinces Park Kae-in to rent him a room when she ends up in dire financial straits. The building, Sanggojae, has never been opened to the public, so living there will help Jeon Jin-ho with an important upcoming contract bid.

She assumes he's gay, and instead of correcting her, he lets the lie stand. Expect fun tropes like interfering best friends, constant misunderstandings, and competing love interests, not to mention a makeover element as much about internal transformation as external.

Aw, these two. #roomies

I love the attention to design and detail. Personal Taste is beautifully filmed, especially the gallery scenes. Most of all I love the reveal partway through, that the kindest, smartest character is gay. When one of the lying, cheating characters starts defaming homosexuals, the script calls out this hypocrisy. Honoring love is a dominant theme in many Korean dramas, and the way this series reiterates love is precious and should always be respected, regardless of gender, is awesome.

The location itself becomes part of the story.

We get to watch our two leads try to disentangle themselves from the lies they've woven, and deal with the fallout from childhood traumas that have negatively impacted their lives. The show is a lot of fun, but you do feel for the leads, who make a right mess of everything.

 Number 1 not-yet boyfriend ever. #winning

Best Scene: When Jeon Jin-ho rubs Park Kae-in's belly while she's horribly sick with her period, and sings her a nursery rhyme, the sweetness factor is off the charts. Choosing to deliver updates on Park Kae-in's emotional state in the form of metaphorical weather forecast voiceovers is a nice touch.

Best Talent: While both leads are great, I really enjoyed Ryu Seung-ryong's portrayal of the sweet, sad gallery director Choi Do-bin (the best of the bunch frankly). Seeing Jo Eun-ji in the ensemble cast was a pleasant surprise—she was in Beating Again, and has a vibrant onscreen energy.

Master's Sun

This series is so much fun. Gong Hyo-jin plays Tae Gong-shil, who wakes up from a coma to discovers she can see ghosts. The series begins after the character's life has completely unraveled, partly because the ghosts hardly allow her to sleep. She does their bidding; delivering messages to loved ones while existing in a perpetual state of exhaustion and fear.

Possession is a bitch.

One night she hitches a ride with businessman Joo Joong-won (played by So Ji-sub) and discovers the ghosts are forced to dissipate when he touches her. Unfortunately he's not much for kindheartedness and has no interest in helping out our heroine. Realizing the haven he offers is a miracle she can't pass up, Tae Gong-shil gets a cleaning job at his mall. 

For this pair car accidents are haunting in more
than one way...

This mixed bag of comedy and drama is so entertaining. They really go for gold, with twins, conniving rivals, closure-for-spirits, sun metaphors, and undercover stings. The ghosts are scary at first, but like the characters you begin to get used to them.

So Ji-sub is fabulous as the businessman who tries to maintain a rigid front, and put up a valiant struggle against love. His dialogue is so unexpected, but you get his skewed logic as he tries to place a monetary interpretation on his interactions with Tae Gong-shil.

To say this guy has control issues would be understatement.

I think Gong Hyo-jin is one of the best female leads I've seen. This is the story of her journey from a frightened, disempowered victim, to an empowered survivor who comes to terms with her experience of the world. 

Best Scene: When Tae Gong-shil gets drunk spirits possess her. Joo Joong-won can banish them with a touch, but it's not long before another moves in, making her inebriated nights a trial for Joo Joong-Won. Hilarious, since Tae Gong-shil isn't immune to animal spirits either...

Best Talent: The leads here are brilliant together; both performances are so nuanced. So Ji-sub plays dramatic intensity and fantastic comedic timing with equal pizazz, while Gong Hyo-jin takes the audience on her emotional journey in such a beautiful way.

Not Forgetting The Fashion...

The styling in Korean TV shows is topnotch (and shares my love of sunglasses). Out of the shows listed above, I've awarded Best Dressed Gal to Kim Yoo-ri as Tae Yi-ryung in Master's Sun. Her character is a model/celebrity, and her fashion is beautifully chosen. Generally black or white, in sleek cuts. 

Best Dressed Guy award goes to Lee Min-ho as Jeon Jin-ho in Personal Taste. His styling is beautiful in this series. Hats off to whoever was behind the constant stream of stunning ensembles.

...And The Food!

In some cases there are more loving close-ups of food than there are of certain faces. And unlike U.S. TV shows, where food is a part of the set dressing and characters chew on a quarter of a teaspoonful for entire meal scenes, in Korean dramas people love to eat and the characters chow down with zeal.

Eat up!

After a while you'll get hungry, and a sandwich won't cut it because everyone onscreen is eating noodles! I grab these, available from most supermarkets. #yummmm

#committedtothefullexperience