Essential Guide: Top 5 K-Dramas for Beginners: DO NOT MISS!
Have you recently been introduced to Korean dramas by a friend who is a die-hard K-drama fan? Wondering why there has been a hype about the Ko rean wave (Hallyu) in recent times. Wait, let’s debunk the reasons why!
Korean dramas have recently won viewers’ hearts with their interesting tales portraying interesting characters and a peculiar blend of drama, suspense, and romance, rising above cultural barriers and attracting people of various backgrounds.
If you haven’t seen any Korean dramas yet but happen to be interested in watching some, you should never miss out on ‘Flower of Evil’, ‘The King’s Affection’ and ‘Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’.
With new dramas coming out often, it’s easy for one to get flustered as where to begin. If you are also a newbie and confused, don’t worry; you are at the right place. Here is an essential guide: top 5 K-dramas for beginners.
Pinocchio
“The truth is ten times more comforting than a lie.” In times of uncertainty, it is nice to chill and watch a light-hearted and promising K-drama that is intriguing, intelligently written and highly thought-provoking. Let the K-drama ‘Pinocchio’ be on your list for all the right reasons.
You’ll definitely fall for this drama, as it drives the story pretty steadily without a moment of boredom. Can you guess what the greatest thing about this series is? I’ll tell you, it’s the story of the exploration of the world of media with a classic revenge theme and romance as the icing on the cake; it did bring up the series as a whole.
‘Pinocchio’ tells the story of a man, Ki Ha-myung (Lee Jong-suk), whose life and family were devastated by corrupt reporters and he seeks to reveal their true motives by becoming one himself. Later, he meets a girl named Choi In-ha (Park Shin-hye) who suffers from Pinocchio Syndrome, which results in hiccups whenever she tells a lie. Despite that, she wants to become a journalist.
Excitingly, the two go on a journey of self-discovery that compels them to face some uncomfortable truths. This intellectually engaging drama is a must-watch that packs unconditional love, commendable courage and selflessness.
My Liberation Notes
Your recent crush on Korean dramas will be rekindled after watching the K-drama ‘My Liberation Notes‘. This mature and empathetic K-drama keeps you wanting more, for sure. A slow-paced, meandering and slice-of-life story keeps the fire burning with abundant excitement and feelings.
The drama is a perfect whisk of conflicting emotions: curiosity and sorrow, anger and defensiveness, pain and treachery. The story conveys the struggle and challenges of three siblings in a rural village, looking to escape their humdrum, dead-end lives and meet a secretive newcomer.
In a society where they’d either expect you to be happy or unhappy and fake your actual feelings, a person at some point would wish to be liberated from all these. That’s what ‘My Liberation Notes’ is about; it addresses human emotions in their truest form.
Writer Park Hae-young told all of those through the story of three siblings, Yeom Chang-hee (Lee Min-ki), Yeom Mi-jeong (Kim Ji-won), and Yeom Ki-jeong (Lee El), and a stranger, Mr. Gu (Son Suk-ku), a mysterious drunken man who lives in Sanpo, a fictional town on the outskirts of Seoul. One incident makes the siblings ask Mr. Gu’s help in a secret involving money and hence the story takes unexpected turns.
One more realistic thing happening in the series is how different types of people deal with their seemingly ordinary daily lives. This slice-of-life Korean drama is great to watch as it pictures the emotions brought by unavoidable situations or even their seemingly ordinary daily lives.
Because This Is My First Life
Have a look at the simple yet slightly different love story, ‘Because This Is My First Life‘, a beautiful blend of unforgettable and poignant romantic moments rather than outright comedic or the ones that leave you crying.
Let us give you an inside scoop. The story is about a quirky man named Nam Se-hee (Lee Min-ki) who works at an IT start-up and Yoon Ji-ho (Jung So Min), a struggling screenwriter who works as an assistant. Both are in their early 30s and start living together as a married couple, not because they are in love but because of their own circumstances. Alongside, it also follows the relationships between two of Yoon Ji-ho’s childhood friends, making the drama a gem that is too precious to miss.
The drama talks about workplace harassment, stalking, patriarchal mindsets, societal pressures, familial discord and a lot of relationship issues in the modern society concerning marriage and dating. This incredibly refreshing K-drama manages to blend all of these into a beautiful story and convey it in a relatable and sincere way.
The best thing about this drama is how realistic, relatable, raw and ordinary the story is. You must watch this entire drama to rewind a unique spin on the contract relationship trope.
Run On
If you are looking for an ideal way to unwind, what about relaxing and chilling with the healing slice-of-life Korean drama ‘Run On’? The story of a former sprinter, Ki Seon-gyeom (Im Si-wan), meets Oh Mi-joo (Shin Se-kyung), a female movie subtitle writer and amidst a dramatic life change, she helps him find a new direction.
The story gets interesting when he follows his own pace and heart for the first time after a film translator steps into his life. They both get to know each other and gradually fall in love.
Many praised ‘Run On’ while others said it was prolonged and boring; however, the feel-good slow-paced romance has a very pleasant feel to it. Watching the female lead help him raise his emotional intelligence is inspiring. If you’re into character studies and researching psychology and how people can change, this drama is perfect for you.
The way characters in the drama help each other on their personal journeys as well as their romantic relationships is such a pleasure to watch. Search in no place, as you could watch this heart-string puller on streaming platforms. Why wait? Go grab some popcorn and enjoy it. (Cherry on top: KANG TAE-OH)
True Beauty
Beyond heart-fluttering love stories that leave butterflies in our stomachs, Korean dramas have a lot more to offer. Somehow, there’s always a life lesson that stays with us throughout the rest of our binge-watching days.
A pretty face isn’t everything, as you’ll soon learn after watching the cute and fun Korean drama ‘True Beauty‘. An interesting piece of trivia that revolves around the 16 episodes is a must-watch for a newbie like you. ‘True Beauty’ is a K-drama adaptation of the widely famous webtoon of the same name.
The drama follows a story that revolves around a high school student, Lim Ju-kyung (Moon Ga-young), who faced bullying in school because of her looks. Guess what! Things get spiced up when she becomes a goddess overnight by covering all her facial flaws with makeup. The drama spotlights the importance of inner beauty.
This drama touches on a very sensitive issue, like bullying. You will laugh a lot at all the crazy things that happen and you will feel young again.
It’s a great time to join the trend and find out what all the excitement is about. Watch on Viki Rakuten!
