I am an avid fan of Asianovelas. I remember when I was in high school, I keep this notebook which contains list of Asianovelas that I have watched from the television or DVDs. Up until now, I am still a heavy binge watcher of these dramas especially Korean Dramas.
So, for those who wants to take a break from the romantic comedy genre, I am listing here some of the intense korean dramas that I have watched.
1. Sky Castle (2018)
No. of episodes: 20 + 1 special episode
Running time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
“A satirical drama that closely looks at the materialistic desires of the upper-class parents in Korea and how they ruthlessly secure the successes of their families at the cost of destroying others’ lives. The drama revolves around the lives of housewives living in a luxurious residential area called SKY Castle in suburban Seoul, where wealthy doctors and professors live. They want their children to go to top universities so they use every way possible to get that.“
This drama was so good that I think I never skipped parts when I watched it back then. This was when I realized I wanted to take a break from the romantic-comedy plot lines. Sky Castle wasn’t the typical drama, it introduced strong female leads, didn’t focused on love lines and tackled the competitive education system. The ensemble of great actors was of big help to make this drama a success and to achieve high ratings. Even the children in the Sky Castle gave their parts justice especially Kim Hye-Yoon.
This drama consistently achieved high ratings and definitely a must-watch.
2. Penthouse: War in Life
Season 1: 21 episodes + 1 special episode (2020-2021)
Season 2: 13 episodes + 1 special episode (2021)
Season 3: To be released on June 2021
Running time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
“Penthouse tells the story of wealthy families living in Hera Palace and their children at Cheong-ah Arts School. All of them have grand ambitions and desires for their children and would do anything for them. However, their lives begin to crumble as a young mysterious girl falls to her death during a party at Hera Palace. While the Hera Palace residents try to cover up the fact that she died on the premises, they cannot help but suspect each other for the murder.“
This one is the recent talk of the town in the kdrama world. Penthouse recently concluded its season 2 last month which left fans like me wanting for more. At first, I didn’t have interest in this drama since I am not familiar with most of the actors except for Eugene and Kim Young Dae. I actually started watching this drama due to boredom and it took me just one episode to keep me hooked in. I loved how intense every episode was and each time, a plot twist happens. The adults and children of Hera Palace have done so well with the characters. The story may seem a little cliche because of the mistress plot, betrayal and bullying but they’ve kept it interesting throughout the series, at least for me. Due to the popularity of this drama, it was extended up to 3 seasons.
If you are a fan of Sky Castle and World of Married Couple dramas, or if you just wanted to keep guessing on what will happen next in every scene, I recommend this series.
3. Mr. Sunshine (2018)
No. of episodes: 24
Running time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
“Mr. Sunshine centers around the life of Lee Byung-hun who was born into slavery in Joseon but escaped to the United States after the 1871 Shinmiyangyo (U.S. expedition to Korea). He becomes a United States Marine Corps officer and returns to Joseon for a mission. While in Joseon, he meets and falls in love with an aristocrat’s granddaughter Kim Tae-ri, who is part of the Righteous Army. At the same time, he discovers a plot by the Empire of Japan to colonize Korea and soon becomes embroiled in the fight for Joseon’s sovereignty.“
This was aired almost 3 years ago and up until now, I cannot move on from this drama. I didn’t know I love saeguk (historical) dramas until I watched Mr. Sunshine. Also, unlike other saeguk dramas, Mr. Sunshine takes place before the Japanese annexation of Korea, in the late 1800s to early 1900s. The setting itself gives off this unique and interesting vibe.
What I loved about this drama is that all the actors really embodied their characters. Lee Byung Hun and Kim Tae Ri as leads, well, who cares about the age gap. Though I like the them, I rooted more for Yoo Yeon Seok‘s character until the end. I also have to mention Kim Min Jung and Byun Yo Han because they were really good in portraying their roles. I also loved the cinematography, it was definitely superior. After finishing the drama, I found myself researching on what happened in Korea during that period.
Whenever a friend asks for a recommendation, Mr. Sunshine is always first on the list. Definitely definitely a must-watch!
Honorable Mentions:
Kingdom (2019-2020)
Season 1: 6 episodes (2019)
Season 2: 6 episodes (2020)
Special episode: Kingdom: Ashin of the North
Running time: 50 minutes
Set during Korea’s Joseon Dynasty, three years after the Imjin War, the first season of Kingdom follows the story of Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) and his subordinates, who stumble across an unnatural plague that resurrects the dead amidst his investigation of a brewing political conspiracy and rumors of the King of Joseon’s death. Amidst the chaos and death that ensues, Chang meets allies who try to make a stand in the city-state of Sangju before it spreads further into the province, only to discover that the plague has already adapted. The second season picks up during Lee Chang’s struggle to save his people from the spread of the plague and his dynasty from the machinations of the powerful Haewon Cho clan who hides a sinister secret.
The Last Empress (2018)
No. of episodes: 52
Running time: 30 minutes
The Last Empress is set in a hypothetical constitutional monarchy in 2018 and follows the life of a musical actress who marries the Emperor of the Korean Empire. She searches for true love and happiness as she contends with palace life, eventually getting entangled in the murder of the emperor’s grandmother, leading to the demise of the imperial family.
Currently watching…
Vincenzo (2021)
Cast: Song Jong Ki, Jeon Yeo Been, Ok Taec Yeon
Genre: Drama, Law, Crime
Law School (2021)
Cast: Kim Myung Min, Kim Bum, Ryu Hye Young, Lee Jung Eun
Genre: Drama, Law, Crime, Mystery
That’s it! Thanks for reading! Have you watch any of these dramas? Let us know! 🙂
Wandering Thoughts 