By Jae-Ha Kim
KOCOWA
June 2, 2021
&Summer is a great time to get caught up on things you missed out on during the rest of the year. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many of us won’t be taking relaxing summer trips as we may have in previous years. But that doesn’t mean all is lost. Might I suggest that you take this time to enjoy some K-dramas? I already have our patio furniture cleaned and look forward to sitting outside with my tablet and a tall glass of iced tea. That’s the perfect way for me to revisit some shows that have a fiery concept (like summer heat, haha), but with heart.
Guyyyyyyyyyyyyssssssss! Do you know how excited I am about the third season of “The Penthouse”? It premieres in just a couple more days (June 4) and is reportedly the finale of this hit makjang K-drama. While that part makes me a little sad, summer is the perfect time to revisit the older episodes, while waiting for the new, weekly episodes. So, what’s “The Penthouse” about? Oh, a little of everything. Switched at birth, bullying, adoption, torture chambers (for real!), over-the-top Tiger Parents, cheating, lying, stealing, murder and negotiating obscene amounts of money. And that’s just in the first few episodes. (Again…for real!) At the heart of the series is three strong women who each have an Achilles heel that will either be their strength…or their downfall.
“The Secret Life of My Secretary”
A man and a woman from vastly different backgrounds who fall in love. ✅
A complicated work relationship. ✅
A disease that complicates everything. ✅
If you’re looking for a summer K-drama that is nonsensical, but also weirdly sweet, look no further than “The Secret Life of My Secretary,” which centers around a character with prosopagnosia. What’s that, you ask? It’s a rare condition that is more commonly known as face blindness. Kim Young Kwang plays the icy cold chaebol and Jin Ki Joo is his mousy and overworked secretary. It took me a while to warm up to him after he literally used her head to lean on while trying on shoes. He did redeem himself later, thank goodness.
Park Seo Joon and Kim Ji Won portray childhood best friends who grew up having a sister/brother type of relationship. He was a high school taekwondo champion poised for an Olympic gold medal. She was a confident teenager who dreamed about becoming a famous announcer on television. Their dreams didn’t come true. And like many adults, their lives are filled with a case of what ifs? Slowly, each tackles their fears about how their professional lives have turned out. And they address the repressed romantic feelings they have for each other, even though they feel they shouldn’t go there. These characters are willing to take a leap of faith, even though they realize they may ruin what they already have.
“Weightlifting Fairy, Kim Bok Joo“
This K-Drama was inspired by the real-life story of Korean Olympic gold-medalist Jang Mi Ran. Lead actress Lee Sung Kyung had to gain muscle and additional pounds for her role as a college weightlifting champion. Yes, she is amazingly strong physically and confident about her abilities. But she lacks confidence in herself as a woman, thinking that she can’t date because of her looks. For instance, she develops a crush on a handsome doctor, who runs an obesity clinic. Instead of telling him the truth, she fabricates a lie and tells him she wants to lose weight. But doing so would mean she can’t compete in her preferred weight category. Nam Joo Hyuk portrays her childhood friend, who initially just thinks of her as his fat friend. Let’s just say that as Bok Joo’s confidence builds, so does her inner (and physical) strength.
Lee Do Hyun and Go Min Si are both so good in their latest K-drama, where their romance is set against the tense backdrop of the Gwangju Uprising. The series title refers to the span of time (May 18 to May 27, 1980) when nearly a quarter million Korean citizens demonstrated against martial law. “Youth of May” has given viewers a feel for the tension of the era, while setting up the romance between Hee Tae and Myeong Hee (portrayed Do Hyun and Min Si, respectively). As he did in “Sweet Home,” Do Hyun portrays a medical student. Only this time, he’s the son of an incredibly wealthy man who wants him to marry into another rich family. Unlike Hee Tae, Myeong Hee doesn’t have the kind of family background that will open doors for her. She is a hardworking nurse who fends for herself.
So, what are you planning on watching this summer on KOCOWA? Any of my suggestions? If you have recommendations for me, please let me know. I’m always looking for good K-dramas to watch!
