No need to travel to South Korea to appreciate a good K-drama! The ‘hallyu’ or Korean wave is here to stay, along with amazing TV series that make us shamelessly laugh and cry. Grab your popcorn, prepare some tissues, and choose from our top picks for your summer staycation.
Goblin: The Lonely and Great God
Meet Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) aka Goblin, a cursed immortal in charge of protecting souls. After 900 years, he is ready to end his life – but he can only do that by marrying his fated human bride. Once Goblin encounters Ji Eun Tak (Kim Go-Eun), a poor and unlucky high school student who can see ghosts, their tragic love story begins. This will surely sweep you off your feet with its poetic lines, comedic timing, fantasy elements, and breathtaking scenery.
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gMNRGCiCzk
Follow Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sung-Kyung), an aspiring weightlifter, in this coming-of-age sports dramedy. It’s inspired by the life of Olympic gold-medalist, Jang Mi-ran. She becomes friends with the irritable Jung Joon-hyung (Nam Joo Hyuk), who later becomes her constantly annoying companion. She’s a tough cookie who sticks up for her friends and works hard for her dad’s chicken shop; later on, you’ll see her softer side when it comes to romance. If you want to laugh with tears of joy, scream with giddiness and frustration, and witness the origin of the #swagcouple, you better watch the lovable and quirky Weightlifting Fairy ASAP.
Fight For My Way
“You can’t always get what you want.”
This is the theme of this heartrending series, starring best friends Ko Dong-Man (Park Seo-joon) and Choi Ae-Ra (Kim Ji-won). Join these underdogs as they struggle to survive the harsh realities of the world. Ko Dong-Man becomes a contractual worker, while Choi Ae-Ra is a receptionist at a department store; They’re quite far from their childhood dream of becoming a star Taekwondo martial artist and famous announcer, respectively. They experience painful failures in their careers and love life again and again and again – but we’ll keep rooting for them ‘til the bitter (but hopefully happy!) end. Unlike the typical, happy-go-lucky sweet and sappy K-dramas out there, this slice-of-life series will let you feel the weight of your emotions.
Age of Youth
Five university girls, one dorm. At first, it sounds like your typical bubbly sorority rom-com, which takes place at a charming little house named “Belle Epoque”. But wait – there’s more to these girls than meets the eye. They each have a stereotype and a story to tell: Yoon Jin-Myung (Han Ye-Ri) is the overworked part-timer and unkempt student. Jung Ye-Eun (Han Seung-Yeon) is the petty girly-girl and devoted to her boyfriend. Song Ji-Won (Park Eun-Bin) is the oddball and also the liveliest of the group. Kang Yi-Na (Hwa Young) is the blunt and rich vixen. Lastly, Yoo Eun-Jae (Park Hye-Soo) is the baby; she’s too innocent and feels taken advantage of by the other girls.
Initially, they’re true to their tropes, until you glimpse some of the secrets they’re hiding. As the plot moves forward, discover a deep friendship formed through their struggles with family, romance, work, and dark mysteries. You might be surprised to see many aspects of yourself reflected in one (or all) of them.
How are you planning to spend your staycation (READ: Where to go in Korea)? Which one are you excited to binge? Let us know!
