“Uncle” (엉클)
“Uncle” is a sweet, if at times silly, series about a family that struggles to stay together. This K-drama essentially is about how familial love may be rooted in genetics. But there’s work to be done to truly be a family.
Tag: 3 stars
“Juvenile Justice” (소년 심판)
There has been much debate in South Korea about how to punish and rehabilitate underage criminals. “Juvenile Justice” deals with these issues in a taut manner, using the law to mete out judicial revenge.
“The Hymn of Death” (사의 찬미)
“The Hymn of Death” is a bittersweet three-hour mini-series that tells the real-life story of Yum Sim-Deok — Joseon’s first soprano — and Kim Yoo-Jin, a renowned writer and playwright. Set during the period when Korea was under Japanese rule, the tragic story is familiar to many Koreans.
“Silenced” (도가니)
Based on Gong Ji-young’s 2009 novel, “Silenced” is a brutal look at the systematic torture of children at a facility for the hearing impaired. Though Gong’s book is fictional, the stories she tells are based on the decades of real-life abuse that handicapped students endured at the Gwangju Inhwa School for the Deaf.
“The Way Home” (집으로)
“The Way Home” is a bittersweet film about a young Seoul boy who is forced to spend the summer with his grandmother, who lives in the countryside. It’s not a quaint rural area that rich folks like to vacation in. Rather, it’s a small village where the bus comes on a irregular schedule and an angry cow chases little children.
“Melancholia” (멜랑꼴리아)
“Melancholia” is a nuanced series that depicts how a math teacher (Im Soo-jung) encourages her morose student (Lee Do-hyun) to live up to the potential he had as a child genius.
11 K-Dramas With Strong Women Characters & Empowering Storylines
Lately, there have been some compelling K-dramas where the female lead is more than just an object of desire. Rather, she is the capable one who is an integral part of the plot. Here are 11 K-dramas from recent years that exemplify female empowerment.
11 Best K-Dramas of 2021
Narrowing down the best-of list to just 11 K-dramas was painstaking. But these shows from 2021 are must-sees that you will want to add to your watch list. Below, dive into the best K-dramas of 2021.
“Tune in for Love” (유열의 음악앨범)
Set in the 1990s, “Tune in for Love” is a beautiful slice-of-life film focused on a young couple who meet as teenagers, lose touch, and reunite on and off throughout their twenties.
“Mystic Pop-up Bar” (쌍갑포차)
Hwang Jung-Eum is one of my absolute favorite actresses. I love everything about her, especially the forthright way she delivers her dialogue. Her chemistry with both leading men is on point and viewers can see the family-like dynamics shared by the trio. Choi Won-Young and Yook Sun-Jae are superb actors whose subtle (and overt) mannerisms speak to viewers without them having to utter a word.