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4 Marvelous K-Dramas to watch out for on Netflix this May

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Now that we’re entering the final stretch with our favourite gang of misfits and suave consigliere in Vincenzo on Netflix, it’s time to start planning your K-drama viewing schedule for May!

From stories about the seemingly perfect lives of the uber-wealthy, to touching lessons learned through trauma cleaners, you’ll be enamored. Take a look at what’s coming up!

Mine

Mine
Image courtesy of Netflix.

Look forward to a dazzling, intriguing look at the dramatic and glamorous lives of the super rich on May 8.

Mine focuses on two strong women who are daughter-in-laws married into a conglomerate family. Breaking free from society’s expectations and restrictions, the women seek to reclaim what is theirs.

Screenwriter Baek Mi-kyoung of Strong Girl Bong-soon and The Lady in Dignity, and Director Lee Na-jeong of Love Alarm S1 and Fight for My Way are the creative forces behind Mine. Furthermore, the series is led by powerhouse actresses Lee Bo-young and Kim Seo-hyung.

Mad for Each Other

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Image courtesy of Netflix.

Do you have a weak spot for romance? Then Mad for Each Other will be right up your alley. Noh Hwi-oh (Jung Woo) and Lee Min-kyung (Oh Yeon-seo) each have their own painful stories when they first meet. The two of them are dealing with difficult matters like anger management issues and intense anxiety. As they get to know and understand each other, they begin to heal and fall in love.

Directed by Lee Tae-kon of the Hello, My Twenties! series, you’ll also be able to see Lee Soo-hyun from Part-Time Idol and Kim Nam-hee from Sweet Home.

Mad For Each Other will begin on Netflix this May 10.

Move to Heaven

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Image courtesy of Netflix.

Move to Heaven tells the story of Cho Sang-gu (Lee Je-hoon) and Han Geu-ru (Tang Jun-sang) who work together as trauma cleaners. Geu-ru, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, shows his new guardian Sang-gu how to respectfully clean and organize the possessions of those who have passed away. This way they assist the deceased with their final move and convey messages left behind by the deceased. The heartwarming series about life and death will also feature special cameos from actors including Ji Jin-hee and Lee Jae-wook. You’ll be able to watch the entire K-drama on May 14.

Racket Boys

Racket Boys
Image courtesy of Netflix.

If you love heartfelt stories about youth, Racket Boys is a series you won’t want to miss out on. 16 boys and girls team up and pursue their dreams of becoming badminton superstars. It’s a diverse bunch with a baseball player, an attention seeker, a fashion king, an excessive talker, and more.

Led by their trustworthy coaches, the students strive to achieve their goals. There’s a lot of rising young talent to look out for with actors like Tang Jun-sang, Son Sang-yeon, Choi Hyun-wook, Kim Kang-hoon, Lee Jae-in, and Lee Ji-won. The inspiring tale of the badminton players’ sweat and tears will be coming soon in May.

Which May K-drama are you most excited for? Don’t forget to watch them all, only on Netflix!

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KajoPicks: 10 K-dramas based on real-life historical figures of the Joseon era

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The Joseon dynasty was the last dynasty of Korea which lasted for about five centuries.

It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 until it was replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897.

The dynasty started after the fall of 500-year-old Goryeo dynasty. Yi was a Goryeo soldier who slowly rose through the ranks until he initiated a coup d’etat against King U of Goryeo.

He later killed King U and his son, who were then replaced by another royal – King Gongyang of Goryeo – on the throne.

Gongyang’s reign only lasted for three years. In 1392, Yi dethroned King Gongyang and exiled him.

Then Yi Seonggye put himself on the throne, using the name Taejo.

At first, Taejo wanted to continue to use the name Goryeo for his country and simply change the royal line of descent to his own.

However, his royal court convinced him to give a new name to the dynasty to signify a change in the country.

After much deliberation, Taejo declared the new kingdom as Joseon. It was a tribute to the ancient Korean state of Gojoseon.

With a dynasty that spanned over five centuries, Joseon was rich with historical figures.

Hence, it is no surprise that the Korean entertainment industry has taken much inspirations for their dramas from this period in history.

While some of these Korean historical dramas (or better known as saeguk) have taken more entertaining and fun approaches to retell the history of Joseon, other dramas tried to give justice to the original stories.

Fun or serious, these saeguk dramas are still entertaining to watch. So here are 10 K-dramas based on real-life historical figures of Joseon dynasty:

1.Warrior Baek Dong-soo (2011)

Baek Dong-soo (1743-1816) was a swordsman and martial artist.

He became a folk hero when his group protected King Jeongjo from numerous assassination attempts.

His story inspired Lee Jae-heon’s manhwa entitled “Honorable Baek Dong-soo”.

This comic was later adapted into Korean television series Warrior Baek Dong-soo.

In this drama, Dong-soo is played by Ji Chang-wook. He started as a carefree swordsman who later became a member of the royal guard.

The plot is set against the political struggles between different factions including those led by King Jeonjo, by the Qing ambassador to Joseon, by the Japanese swordsman and by the assassin’s guild.

Overall, the series showcases intense political intrigue with a tale of how a best friend can turn into an arch-nemesis.

Warrior Baek Dong-soo was a hit when it aired and Ji won the received a ‘New Star Award’ at the SBS Drama Awards for his role.

2.Dae Jang Geum (2003)

Today, Dae Jang Geum (2003) is still holds the honour of bein one of the tenth highest rated Korean dramas of all time.

Directed by Lee Byung-hoon who is known for his historical dramas, the series was later exported to 91 countries.

Based on the life of Lady Jang-geum, it tells the story of an orphaned kitchen cook who went to become the first royal female physician.

According to history, King Jungjong was so impressed with Jang-geum’s medical knowledge that he trusted her with the health of the royal family.

Jang-geum eventually became the third highest-ranking officer in the royal. Additionally, she was granted the use ‘Dae’ before her first name which means ‘great’ in Korean.

She was that impressive for a woman during her time (sometimes during 16th century) that some historians believed that she was just a fictional character.

However, we bet our money the historians who did not believe her existence are men.

Nonetheless, the series was praised for its highlights on Korean royal cuisines, traditional medicine and culture.

3.The King’s Doctor (2012)

Here is another saeguk drama directed by Lee Byung-hoon.

This time, it is based on the real-life historical figure Baek Gwang-hyeon (1625-1697).

He was just a low-class veterinarian specialised in treating horses.

Thanks to his knowledge and hardwork, Gwang-hyeon worked his way up to become the royal physician who is in charge of the king’s health.

The series marks actor Cho Seung-woo’s television debut, playing the role of Gwang-yeon.

Before this, Gwang-hyeon was know for his works in film and theatre.

4.Painter of the Wind (2008)

Shin Yun-bok (1758-1813) was a Korean painter of the Joseon dynasty. His paintings were considered erotic.

One of his paintings called ‘Scenery on Dano Day’ depicts a group of women entertainers bathing in a stream and two young monks spying on them in the background.

In a historical fiction novel by Korean author Lee Jung-myung, the story explores the possibility of Shin Yun-bok actually being a woman.

Yun-bok disguises herself as a boy to search for her father’s murderer.

She then meets Kim Hong-do, another real-life historical figure, who guides her into becoming a great artist.

The drama Painter of the Wind is based on Lee Jung-myung’s novel and the role of Yun-bok is portrayed by Moon Geun-young.

5.Goddess of Fire (2013)

Speaking of Moon Geun-young, she plays the role of Yoo Jung in Goddess of Fire (2013).

Her character is based on real-life historical figure Baek Pa-sun during the 16th century.

Pa-sun was renowned as the first female potter and porcelain artist in the Joseon Dynasty.

Her talent was so famous that she was among the Korean artisans captured and forcibly taken to Japan during the Japanese invasion in 1592.

In the drama, Jung falls in love with Prince Gwanghae.

She eventually needs to choose between love or her country.

Watch the trailer here.

6.Six Flying Dragons (2015)

six flying dragons joseon drama

The main characters of this historical drama are a mixture of real-life historical figures and fictional characters.

Among the six dragons, Lee Bang-won (Yoo Ah-in), Jeong Do-jeon (Kim Myung-min) and Lee Seong-gye (Cheon Ho-jin) are real-life historical figures.

Meanwhile, Boon Yi (Shin Se-kyun), Ddang-sae (Byun Yo-han) and Moo-hyul (Yoon Gyun-sang) are all fictional characters.

It follows the story of Lee Bang-won who helped his father King Taejo to establish the Joseon Dynasty.

He later became the third king of the Joseon dynasty known as King Taejong.

7.Jeong Do-jeon (2014)

25813 jeong do jeon

Another popular real-life historical figure during the Joseon Dynasty is Jeong Do-jeon (1342-1398).

He is known as one of the most powerful politicians and a close ally of King Taejo.

In this period drama, the story follows how Do-jeon help in founding the Joseon dynasty and the hardship he faced in the process.

Critics praised Jeong Do-jeon (2014) as one of the most ‘authentic and realistic’ Korean historical dramas in the new millennium.

So this drama is definitely worth your time to watch especially if you love history.

8.Saimdang, Memories of Colours (2017)

14 years after her successful portrayal of Jang Geum in Dae Jang Geum (2003), Lee Young-ae returns to small screen in Saimdang, Memories of Colours (2017).

In this series, Young-ae portrays real-life historical figure Shin Saimdang (1504-1551).

She was a popular artist, writer, calligraphist and poet.

The plot follows a Korean university art history lecturer Seo Ji-yoon also played by Lee Young-ae who discovers a long lost diary.

Through the diary, Ji-yoon uncovers the extraordinary life of Shin Saimdang and a mysterious ancient painting.

Saimdang’s birth home, Ojukheon is well-preserved to this day.

Watch the trailer here:

9.Queen for Seven Days (2017)

This historical drama follows the real-life story of a queen who only held the title for seven days. She has been known as the shortest time a person to have reigned as a queen in Korean history.

Queen Dangyeong (1487-1557) was the first queen consort of King Jungjong, the eleventh Joseon King.

In September 1506, she became Queen consort of Joseon only for seven days.

She was disposed and expelled from the palace because her own father led a coup against her husband.

The disposed queen continued to live in exile until she died childless in 1557.

In the fictional version of Queen Dangyeong, the king and queen still long for each other even after she was dethroned and abandoned.

Overall, the drama focuses on the struggle of a woman who was unwillingly thrown into the political royal court in the 16th century.

Watch the trailer here:

10.The Crowned Clown (2019)

Prince Gwanghae (1575-1641) was the fifteenth king of the Joseon dynasty. He is perhaps one of the most famous historical figures with fifteen appearances in films and television series.

Even though he is one of only two deposed kings who were not restored and given a temple name, Prince Gwanghae is now considered one of the wiser kings in Korean history.

Unfortunately during his reign, the king was a victim of conflicts between political factions.

The Crowned Clown (2019) is based on stories of many assassination attempts carried out to kill Gwanghae during his reign.

To avoid assassination, Gwanghae or better known as King Lee Hun (Yeo Jin-goo) hired a clown named Ha Sun (Yeo Jin-goo) who looks identical to the king.

While impersonating the king, the clown later proved himself that he is a wise king on his own merits.

The drama is a remake of the 2012 film Masquerade.

Watch the trailer here:

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KajoPicks: 15 South Korean high school dramas you need to watch

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Feel like indulging in some teen dramas? Here are 15 South Korean high school dramas to watch:

1.School 2013 (2012)

We cannot talk about Korean high school dramas without putting KBS’s School anthology series on the list.

So far, seven School drama series have premiered since 1999.

The series has been noted for launching the careers of many rookie actors who have become household names in the Korean entertainment industry today.

For instance, School 2013 (2012) was the launching point for actors Lee Jong-suk and Kim Woo-bin.

This edition was set at Seungri High School, apparently one of the worst-ranking schools out of the178 high schools in Seoul based on its academic scores.

The drama depicts the real-life issues faced by Korean high school students like bullying, school violence, mental health, suicides and private tutoring.

Watch the trailer here.

2.Who Are You: School 2015 (2015)

Here is another of our favourites from the School series, Who Are You: School 2015. We love it mainly because of Kim So-hyun’s impressive performance playing two different characters in the drama.

She plays the roles of Go Eun-byul and Lee Eun-bi, identical twins who were separated as children.

Eun-bi lives in an orphanage while her sister was adopted.

After intense bullying by her classmates, Eun-bi tries to commit suicide. Eun-byul coincidentally is there and rescues her sister.

She decides to switch places with her twin after she realises that Eun-bi has lost her memory. Eun-byul reasons that with this, Eun-bi can start a new life unknowingly as her twin.

Trouble starts when Eun-bi’s bully transfer to the same school and recognises her.

You can watch the drama on KBS World Youtube Channel.

Watch the trailer here.

3.Dream High (2011)

Imagine Disney’s High School Musical as a Korean drama series and almost all the leads are played by K-pop singers.

Starring miss A’s Bae Suzy, 2PM’s Ok Taecyeon, T-ara’s Ham Eun-jung, 2PM’s Jang Woo-young and IU, the drama was a hit when it was first broadcast.

The only non-Kpop idol among the cast is Kim So-hyun, who trained for three months for his role in the drama.

It follows of the story of six students of Kirin High School who dream of becoming K-pop idols.

Besides showcasing the difficult training and competition in making K-pop singers, the drama also highlights the dark side of Korean entertainment like sexual harassment.

The drama marks the acting debuts of Suzy and IU who later continued to take lead acting roles in Korean dramas.

Watch the teaser here.

4.Reply 1997 (2012)

Do you want a glimpse of Korean high school in the 1990s? Reply 1997 (2012) centers on six friends who lived in Busan.

The storyline goes back and forth between their past as 18-year-old high school students in 1997 and their present time as 33-year-olds at their high school reunion dinner in 2012.

The drama is praised for being well-researched since it was able to recreate the South Korea in the late 90s with accuracy.

Reply 1997 stars Jung Eun-ji, Seo In-guk, Hoya, Shin So-yul, Eun Ji-won and Lee Si-eon.

Since the drama is set in Busan, most of the cast members are from the region who can speak in the local Gyeongsang dialect.

The drama was a hit among South Koreans with the last episode recording the highest ratings at the time for a Korean cable drama.

5.The Heirs (2013)

While Reply 1997 offers viewers some realism, this Korean high school drama is the exact opposite.

Written by Kim Eun-sook, The Heirs (2013) is set in a high school which caters only to the rich and privileged.

It is a classic Cinderella story where rich boy Kim Tan (Lee Min-ho) falls in love with his housekeeper’s daughter Cha Eun-sang (Park Shin-hye).

Plus, a series set among the rich is not complete without some chaebol (Korean conglomerate) drama.

From family squabbles over inheritance to embezzlement charges, The Heirs (2013) is definitely a higher level of teen drama.

Watch the trailer here.

6.Class of Lies (2019)

How about watching a Korean high school with a dose of mystery?

Class of Lies (2019) follows the story of Gi Moo-hyeok (Yoon Kyun-sang) who goes undercover as a substitute teacher Gi Kang-jae after his lawyer’s license is suspended.

In order to regain his license, he is determined to solve the murder case of a female student which made him lose his license in the first place.

As Moo-hyeok continues to dig deeper into the case while undercover, he uncovers a secret society of privileged students that controls the students and also the teachers.

The secret club is called Veritas Club that aims to falsify awards and student records so that the members can enter prestigious universities. Perhaps Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin have heard of this club before?

Anyway, the drama is aired on OCN channel which is widely known for their thriller and mystery series selection.

Watch the trailer here.

7.Sassy Go Go (2015)

Kang Yeon-doo (Jung Eun-ji) is the leader of street dance club ‘Real King’. The members are students who come together because of their poor academic performance with Yeon-doo herself positioned at 196th out of the 200 students at her school.

Meanwhile, Kim Yeol (Lee Won-keun) is the highest ranking student and the president of Baek Ho, an elite club composed of students from the top fifth percentile in school. He is known for his intelligence and arrogance.

When the Real King and Baek Ho clubs are forced to create a cheerleading squad, both groups put aside their differences to work together.

Meanwhile, Kim Yeol slowly falls for Yeon-do despite their contrasting personalities and preferences.

Watch the trailer here.

8.Moments of 18 (2019)

Do you remember when you were 18 years old?

Choi Joon-woo (Ong Seong-wu) is forced to transfer to Cheonbong High School for a violation he did not commit.

As transfer student, he becomes a subject of ridicule and prejudice from his new classmates.

One of his classmates, Yoo Soo-bin (Kim Hyang-gi) is the top student of the class. She has a helicopter mother who dictates her every move.

Moments of 18 tells the story of teenagers discovering themselves while going through their daily lives as high school students.

Watch the trailer here.

9.Best Mistake (2019)

If you want to watch Korean high school drama but do not have the time, this is the series for you. Each episode only runs for 8 minutes.

Kim Yeon-do (Lee Eun-jae) wants to get rid of a boy who just won’t leave her alone.

In desperation, she posts a random photo of another boy claiming that he is her boyfriend.

Later, she finds out that the boy in the photo is Ji Hyun-ho (Kang Yoo), one of her classmates.

Nonetheless, her posting creates some buzz in the school.

It has simple storyline circling around high school romance and friendship.

Watch the trailer here.

10.Hi! School: Love On (2014)

This Korean high school drama stars Kim Sae-ron, Nam Woo-hyun and Lee Sung-yeol.

It is teen romance fantasy series about an angel who accidentally becomes human after unintentionally saving a male student in danger.

Since then, the angel whose name is Lee Seul-bi slowly learns how to be a human while studying in a high school.

You can watch this drama on KBS World TV on Youtube.

11.Extraordinary You (2019)

Speaking of high school fantasy drama, here is another one for you.

Extraordinary You (2019) is based on the webtoon “July Found by Chance” which was first published in January 2018.

Can you imagine finding out that the world you live in is a comic?

One day, Eun Dan-oh (Kim Hye-yoon) finds out that she is just an extra character in a Korean comic.

She realises that all of her actions are predetermined by the comic artist and she is destined to die because of her lifelong heart condition.

So, Dan-oh decides to fight back against the comic artist and write her own destiny.

Sooner or later, some of her classmates start to realise that the reality they live in is in fact inside a comic book.

What happen when Dan-oh goes against the comic artist? Will she able to change her reality and not die?

Overall, Extraordinary You is a fun and amusing drama suitable for lighthearted entertainment.

Watch the trailer here.

12.Love Alarm (2019)

Love Alarm (2019) made headlines for being the first Korean series confirmed for pick-up by Netflix.

It follows the story of a technology that enables users to discover love through an application that notifies whether someone within the range of a 10-meter radius has romantic feelings from for them.

With this kind of app, it is bound to be downloaded by teenagers.

So what happens when a group of high schoolers get carried away with the app?

Watch the trailer here.

13.A-Teen (2018)

In the recent years, Korean web dramas began to gain its popularity among viewers due to its short running time per episode.

One episode could last between eight minutes to half an hour, which is different from the usual Korean dramas which take about an hour.

PlayList Global is known to be one of the famous production companies for web dramas and viewers can easily watch their series on YouTube.

One of the series is A-Teen (2018) starring Shin Ye-eun, Lee Na-eun, Shin Seung-ho, Kim Dong-hee, Kim Su-hyun and Ryu Ui-hyun.

It follows the story of six students and how they deal with their high school years.

Watch the trailer here.

14.True Beauty (2020)

Korean high school drama

This Korean high school drama made a lot buzz when it came out especially because of the ‘Second Lead Drama’ phenomenon.

It is a term coined by K-drama fans when the second male lead character is more suitable with the female lead character compared to main male character.

In True Beauty (2020), both Lee Su-ho (Cha Eun-woo) and Han Seo-jun (Hwang In-youp) fall for Lim Ju-kyung (Moon Ga-young).

Ju-kyung has been constantly discriminated by her family and bullied by her peers due to being perceived as ugly.

Before she transfers to her new school, Ju-kyung masters the art of make up and transforms her look completely.

There in her new school, she is regarded as ‘goddess’ by her new classmates.

The drama is based on the Line Webtoon of the same name by Yaongyi.

Watch the trailer here.

15.A Love So Beautiful (2020)

This series is a Korean remake of a Chinese drama of the same name, which is based on a novel To Our Pure Little Beauty by Zhao Qianqian.

It centers around Sin Sol-i (So Joo-yeon), a cheerful girl who studies at Chun Ji High School.

She has a crush on her classmate and neighbour Cha Heon (Kim Yo-han).

While she repeatedly confesses her love to Cha Heon, he never expresses his feelings in return. The plot follows Sol-i and Cha Heon with their friends as they go through high school and eventually adulthood.

Watch the trailer here.

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10 hardworking female leads from K-dramas who will inspire you

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Are you looking for some motivation to work? While some Korean dramas offer an escape from reality by telling stories of how a rich, handsome man comes and sweeps the girl of her feet, others give viewers a glimpse of reality in which the female leads work hard on their own. These damsels in distress do not need any rescuing because they pick themselves up no matter what.

If you are looking for Monday motivation, here are ten hardworking female leads from K-dramas to inspire you in a day’s work:

1.She Was Pretty (2015)

Kim Hye-jin (Hwang Jung-eum) is an intern in the administration section before being transferred to be a junior writer at a fashion magazine.

Here is the problem, Hye-jin knows nothing about fashion or writing. Nonetheless, she starts from the bottom and is willing to learn to do her job properly.

She slowly learns the ropes of fashion writing with the help of her colleagues.

Hye-jin grew up rich but after her family’s publishing company went bankrupt, her family lost their fortune.

Hence, she works hard to help her family’s financial situation. After saving a lot of money for her family, Hye-jin then focuses to achieve her own dream as a children’s book author.

This hardworking female lead shows that it is okay to postpone your dream for the sake of your family.

Realistically, most people are like Hye-jin who has to put food on their table first before they can even think about their own ambition.

But once you’ve reached your financial goal or are financially secured, it’s never too late to pursue your own dreams.

Watch the trailer here.

2.Fight My Way (2017)

Due to its realistic storyline and great performance, this drama was popular when it first aired.

The hardworking female lead in this drama is Choi Ae-ra (Kim Ji-won), a department store employee who dreams of becoming an announcer.

Together with her friends Ko Dong-man (Park Seo-jeon), Kim Joo-man (Ahn Jae-hong) and Baek Seol-hee (Song Ha-yoon), the gang faces the ups and downs of quarter-life crisis.

Fight for My Way is far from your usual glamorous K-drama as it is relatable and has true-to-life background stories.

The most relatable quote in the drama is when Ae-ra vents out her frustration in episode eight: “Even though we woke up earlier than others, even though we went to bed later than others, we never had time. We lived harder than anyone, but our resumes that doesn’t show anything pretends to reflect who I am. I’m angry, I’m frustrated.”

This line could not get any more relatable than this for those who are struggling to find a place in the society.

Overall, the plot highlights the competitive working environment among young adults today and the high unemployment rate in South Korea.

Watch the trailer here.

3.Doctors (2016)

Is there any hope for a delinquent to become a successful doctor? Apparently in this Korean medical drama, there is hope after all.

The hardworking female lead of Doctors (2016) Yoo Hye-jung (Park Shin-hye) works her way up to become a neurosurgeon.

She might have a juvenile record but it doesn’t stop Hye-jung to turn her life around.

Sometimes, you only need that one person to believe in you.

For Hye-jung, the people who trust her are her teacher Hong Ji-hong (Kim Rae-won) and her grandmother.

Watch the trailer here.

4.Search: WWW (2019)

Search: WWW (2019) features not one but three hardworking female characters.

It is a story of three women in their late 30s, Bae Ta-mi, Cha Hyeon and Song Ga-kyeong who work in top two competitive web portal companies.

The drama is considered a breath of fresh air as it highlights professional women striving for success as the main plot.

Meanwhile, the male characters in Search: WWW are the subplots of the story just like most female characters in other dramas.

These hardworking female characters are unapologetic when it comes to their careers as well as their love lives.

Watch the trailer here.

Hardworking female k drama

5.Be Melodramatic (2019)

This romantic comedy tells the story of three best friends Lim Jin-joo, Lee Eun-jung and Hwang Han-joo.

They are all in their 30s, each having her own struggles in love and career.

Lim Jin-joo (Chun Woo-hee) is a drama screenwriter who just got out from a long term relationship. She has unique personality who sometimes talks to a luxurious purse.

Meanwhile, Lee Eun-jung (Jeon Yeo-been) is a documentary director who runs her own one-woman company. After the death of her boyfriend, she suffers from PTSD and often imagines and talks with him.

The last member of the trio is Hwang Han-joo (Han Ji-eun) who works as the head of a marketing team for a drama production company. At home, she is a single mother who struggles to balance her work while raising a kid.

All three hardworking female characters having real-life struggles is something that some of us could relate to.

Watch the trailer here.

6.What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018)

If you have been working hard for nine years under a difficult boss and you finally paid off your family’s debt, you have definitely earned a break.

For Kim Mi-so (Park Min-young), she does not even bat an eye when she turns in her resignation letter after all that hard work.

Her life as a secretary for the past nine years has revolved around her work and her boss. She even carries around a men’s handkerchief and lighter in her handbag just in case her boss needs it.

When Mi-so’s boss Lee Young-joon (Park Seo-joon) asks the reason for her resignation her answer might resonate with some viewers.

“I need to go find my life now. A life as not as someone’s secretary nor as a breadwinner, but life just as myself.”

Watch the trailer here.

7.Second 20s (2015)

Ha No-ra (Choi Ji-woo)’s dream to become a dancer was interrupted when she unexpectedly became pregnant at 19.

She then had to quit school and get married. For the next 20 years, No-ra spent her life being a housewife and mother.

At the age of 38, she finds herself on the brink of divorce. To make matter worse, No-ra is diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and given a six-month prognosis.

No-ra decides to go back to college again to the horror of her own son Kim Min-soo and his girlfriend Oh Hye-mi who becomes her new classmate.

Unbeknownst to No-ra, her estranged husband accepts a new job at the same university.

Well, do not wait until being diagnosed with cancer for you to achieve your dream like No-ra.

As cliched as it might sound, time and tide wait for no man.

8.Strongest Deliveryman (2017)

Have you heard of the term “Hell Joseon, Hell Chosun or Hell Korea?” It is a satirical South Korean term used to criticise the socioeconomic situation in the country.

The phrase is often used when complaining about unemployment among youths and the inability to escape from poverty despite being overworked.

In Strongest Deliveryman (2017), the hardworking female lead Lee Dan-ah (Chae Soo-bin) is doing everything she could to make money and escape from ‘Hell Joseon’.

She has no time for romance so she turns down all advances from men while working as a delivery woman.

However, Dan-ah did find love in the story in veteran deliveryman Choi Kang-soo (Go Kyung-pyo).

Equally hardworking as Dan-ah, Kang-soo eventually works his way up to become the CEO of his own delivery app company.

Watch the trailer here.

9.Start-Up (2020)

Speaking of opening up a company, here is a story of a woman who dreams to become a prolific entrepreneur.

Seo Dal-mi (Bae Suzy) is bright and ambitious ans wants to be Korea’s Steve Jobs. In order to do that, she takes a wide range of part-time jobs.

The drama sets in South Korea’s fictional Silicon Valley called Sandbox. It follows the story of Dal-mi and other aspiring entrepreneurs as they struggle to take their business off the ground.

Watch the trailer here.

10.Romance is a Bonus Book (2019)

One of the most hardworking female leads in K-dramaland is none other than Kang Dan-i (Lee Na-young).

After her husband cheats on her, she is left to take care of her daughter.

Not an easy task since Dan-i quit her job before her marriage and now no one wants to hire her.

She then gets a job at a publishing company as a temporary task support team member.

Despite the scepticism Dan-i faced from her superiors and colleagues being a former ‘housewife’, she proves them wrong by performing well in her job.

Watch the trailer here.

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#KajoPicks: 10 South Korean fantasy-crime dramas you need to watch

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Your usual crime drama would be more thrilling if it has a dose of fantasy in it. So here are ten South Korean fantasy-crime dramas you need to watch:

1. Signal (2016)

Kicking off this list is a Korean fantasy crime drama which is inspired by real-life criminal cases in South Korea.

Signal is a police procedural fantasy series starring Lee Je-hoon, Kim Hye-soo and Cho Jin-woong.

It follows the story of criminal profiler Park Hae-young who picks up a mysterious walkie-talkie in 2015. The device allows him to communicate with Detective Lee Jae-han who is actually in 1989.

This unusual communication allows Hae-young and Jae-han not only solve crimes but prevent them from ever taking place.

The series was a hit when it premiered thanks to its storyline and performances.

Today, it remains as one of the highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television history.

Watch the trailer here.

2. Tunnel (2017)

Inspired by the infamous Hwaseong serial killer, this Korean fantasy-crime drama was a hit in China.

It follows the story of Park Gwang-ho who is a successful detective in 1986. His life turns upside down when he chases a suspect of a serial homicide case through a tunnel.

Gwang-ho finds himself time-travels 30 years into the future in 2016 where the serial killer is still killing.

In the present time, Gwang-ho need to work with his new partner Kim Seon-jae (Yoon Hyun-min) in order to catch the killer.

Watch the trailer here.

3. Cheo Yong (2014)

What better way to solve crimes other than with the help from ghosts?

Yoon Cheo-yong (Oh Ji-ho) is a police detective who can see and communicate with ghosts. When his family and partner are killed in a tragic accident, he lets his career go downhill. From an elite detective in the violent crimes unit, Cheo-yong become a lowly district cop over the next seven years.

One day, a ghost of a high school girl named Han Na-young (Jun Hyo-seong) keeps on haunting Cheo-yong. After much annoyance from Na-young, Cheo-yong begins to talk to the dead and people around him again.

With the help of his new partner Ha Sun-woo (Oh Ji-eun) and Na-young, he delves into solving criminal cases that no one can solve.

Of course, he is able to do that using his ability to communicate with ghosts.

4. Sketch (2018)

This Korean fantasy-crime drama follows a small-scale secret group under the National Police Agency called Nabi Project Team.

The group is named after the Arabic word ‘Nabi’ meaning prophet because there is one ‘prophet’ in the team.

Yoo Shi-hyun (Lee Sun-bin) is a detective who has the psychic ability to sketch out drawings of what will happen three days in the future.

When Detective Kang Dong-soo’s (Rain) fiancee is killed mysteriously, he works with Shi-hyun to catch the killer.

Apparently, their task is not easy since the culprit is a member of Republic Of Korea Army Special Warfare Command named Kim Do-jin (Lee Dong-gun).

Just like Dong-soo, Do-jin is driven by revenge, avenging for the death of his wife.

Watch the trailer here.

5. Abyss (2019)

If you died unjustly, it is a natural thing to do to find your cause of death once you are reincarnated.

Go Se-yeon is a beautiful prosecution lawyer and her friend Cha Min is an unattractive but rich chaebol.

One day, they both died in separate incidents and get reincarnated into bodies which reflect their souls.

Se-yeon takes on a plainer appearance compared to her previous life while Cha Min becomes very handsome and attractive.

The duo start to find out the reason behind their reincarnations and Se-yeon’s cause of death.

Watch the trailer here.

6. He is Psychometric (2019)

Have you ever doubted the acting abilities of K-pop idols? There are two K-pop idols starring in this Korean fantasy-crime drama and they really proved that they can act.

Park Jin-young is member of GOT7 and Kim Da-som was a former K-pop singer from the group Sistar.

Jin-young plays the role of Lee Ahn who acquires the power of psychometry after losing his parents in a fire.

He is able to read a person or an object’s past through physical contact. Lee Ahn is determined to use his ability to catch criminal.

Those who believed in his ability are his foster guardian/prosecutor Kang Sung-mo (Kim Kwon) and friend/detective Eun Ji-soo played by Da-som.

Like many of the dramas on this list, it has light-hearted and easygoing beginning before the story takes more on a serious tone.

So you might catch yourself laughing in the first few episodes before those laughter turn into tears later in the series.

Watch the trailer here.

7. Train (2020)

How far would you go to solve a crime? For detective Seo Do-won (Yoon Shi-yoon), he is willing to move between two parallel universes.

In universe ‘A’, Do-won is a hardworking detective who always get the job done. Everything changes when the woman he loves becomes a victim of a serial killer.

In pursue of the killer, he is now moving between universe ‘A’ and universe ‘B’.

The problem is in universe ‘B’, Do-won is a corrupted senior police inspector.

However, his deceased love is very much alive in this universe. Do-won is now on a mission to track down her killer in one universe while protecting her in another.

8. Memorist (2020)

Based on the webtoon of the same name by Jae Hoo, the Korean fantasy-crime dram stars Yoo Seung-ho, Lee Se-young and Jo Sung-ho.

When Dong Baek (Yoo Seung-ho) was a high school student, he suddenly gained a power to read a person’s memory by touching that person.

Fast forward to his adulthood, Dong Baek is now a police detective. He uses his power to catch criminals and solve cases.

He then encounters a series of mysterious murders. This time, he needs to team up with criminal profiler Han Sun-mi (Lee Se-young) to catch the serial killer.

Watch the trailer here.

9. The Game: Towards Zero (2020)

Korean fantasy crime drama

What would you do if you can foresee someone’s death?

Kim Tae-pyeong (Ok Taec-yeon) can foresee anyone’s death by looking into their eyes.

One day, a girl is kidnapped and it is suspected that the notorious Midnight Killer is behind it.

While Tae-pyeong helps with the police investigation, he comes across Detective Joon-young (Lee Yeon-hee).

Unlike others, she is the first person that he cannot foresee their death and there must be a reason behind it.

While they figuring it out, Tae-pyeong and Joon-young work together to catch the Midnight Killer.

Watch the trailer here.

10. Times (2021)

Here is another drama by OCN which is the channel to watch thriller, mystery Korean series.

This Korean fantasy-crime drama has a huge similarity with Signal (2016).

Instead of walkie-talkies, the two main characters from two different times can contact each other through phone calls.

Lee Jin-woo (Lee Seo-jin) and Seo Jung-in (Lee Joo-young) are both dedicated reporters. Jin-woo lives in 2015 and Jung-in in 2020.

One day, they realised they can call each other through phone. Using this special connection, they try to prevent the death of South Korea President Seo Ki-tae (Kim Young-chul), who happens to be Jung-in’s father.

Watch the trailer here.

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KajoPicks: 5 South Korean dramas for bookworms to watch

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Calling all bookworms out there! If you love reading and K-dramas, here are five South Korean dramas about books for you to watch:

1.Romance is a Bonus Book (2019)

If you want to take a glimpse behind the Korean publishing industry, this is the K-drama for you.

This ‘noona’ romance drama follows the story of a 37-year-old divorced woman starting over with a new job at a publisher.

Kang Dan-i (Lee Na-young) is a former advertising copywriter. After her divorce, she has a hard time starting her career over due to a long break she took to focus on her marriage.

Dan-i later joins a publishing company as a temporary task team member. The publishing company’s editor-in-chief Cha Eun-ho (Lee Jong-suk) happens to be a long time friend of Dan-i who harbours romantic feelings towards her.

Besides giving the audience a glimpse of the work behind publishing a book, the series highlights the problems faced by ‘gyeongdanyeo’.

‘Gyeondanyeo’ is a Korean acronym for women who left their careers to get married or have children.

According to Korea Joong Ang Daily, these women who have difficulty getting rehired in South Korea experienced the same challenges as Dan-i.

Besides that, when they do get hired, gyeondanyeo tend to get paid lower than their previous earnings.

This series marks Lee Na-young’s return to small screen after nine years and Lee Jong-suk’s last drama before his military enlistment.

Watch the trailer here.

2.Because This is My First Life (2017)

Speaking of discrimination in South Korea, here is another drama which highlights the social issues faced by Korean women.

Assistant screenwriter Yoon Ji-ho (Jung So-min), is constantly under pressure to appease her family while pursuing her dream of becoming a successful writer.

She grows up getting sidelined by her patriarchal father who favours Ji-ho’s brother – Yoon Ji-suk – over her.

Due to this, Ji-ho ends up losing her apartment to her brother despite being the one paying for the deposit and maintenance.

She ends up being a housemate with IT employee and socially awkward Nam Se-hee (Lee Min-ki).

Like many writers, Ji-ho loves to read. In the drama, she always shares the content of her favourite books with her new housemate and her friends.

For bookworms, you might want to take note on the books she quotes in the drama. (Don’t worry, some of the Korean books mentioned are available in English translations.)

Watch the trailer here.

3.When the Weather is Fine(2020)

Korean drama about books

If you are a bookworm and love to write too, the main character of this drama has your dream job.

Im Eun-seob (Seo Kang-jun) ’s daily life comprises of drinking coffee in the morning, reading, writing on his blog while running a bookshop called ‘Goodnight Bookstore’ in a rural village of Gangwon Province.

The best part? He hardly has any walk-in customers and his profits come from online book sales. Basically, he has the dream job of an introvert who loves books.

On top of this, Eun-seob turns his bookstore into a book club meeting at night for the village residents to share their poems, book passages and stories.

Then, his life gets exciting for him when his former classmate and neighbour comes back to town.

Cellist Mok Hae-won (Park Min-young) quits her music teaching job in Seoul and decides to come home after getting tired of the city life.

She reconnects with her former classmates including Eun-seob. To earn some income, Hae-won takes a part-time job at Goodnight Bookstore.

Together, they start to heal from their past wounds and eventually fall in love with each other.

The drama is based on a book itself of the same name by Lee Do-woo.

Watch the trailer here.

4.Chicago Typewriter (2017)

Are you a writer having writer’s block? This is the drama for you.

On the outside, Han Se-joo (Yoo Ah-in) is a celebrity author with a large fan following.

Little do his fans know, but he is struggling from a severe writer’s block.

In the meantime, Jeon Seol (Im Soo-jung) is a veterinarian and fanatic of Se-joo. The duo is joined by Yoo Jin-oh (Go Kyung-pyo), a ghostwriter.

It seems that the three of them have nothing to do with each other at first. (PLOT TWIST) Actually, they are the reincarnations of three resistance fighters who lived during the 1930s Japanese occupation of Korea.

Se-joo in his past life fought against freedom of speech under Japanese rule as a writer and in his present life is fighting against himself to overcome his writer’s block.

For writers, this drama is inspiring as it poses the question, “Why do you write in the first place?”

Watch the trailer here.

5.Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung (2019)

Speaking of fighting for the freedom of speech, Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung follows the story of female historians in the early 19th century.

With the intent of planting spies in each chamber of the Royal Palace, four female historians including Goo Hae Ryung (Shin Se-kyung) are hired to record what is going in the palace.

Their job is to record what is going on everyday and the collection will be compiled into the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty.

However, these four historians suffer from discrimination from their colleagues.

While the characters in this drama are purely fictional, the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty is a real thing.

It is the annual records of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea which were kept from 1413 to 1865. During that time, professional historiographers were hired to collect documents and wrote daily accounts including state affairs, meteorological phenomena and among other things.

Overall, the drama emphasises on the importance of historians and history books. As what Hae-ryung said in the drama, “Even if you slash my throat, our brushes will not stop writing. If I die, another historian will take my place; if you kill that historian, another will take their place. Even if you kill every historian in this land, and take away all the paper and brushes, you won’t be able to stop us. From mouth to mouth, teacher to student, elder to child, history will be told. That is the power of truth.”

Watch the trailer here.

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#KajoPicks: 10 South Korean historical fantasy dramas you should watch

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The Korean term ‘saegeuk’ refers to historical dramas, including plays, films or television series.

Most ‘saeguk’ dramas, however, like many other period television series, are not always historically accurate.

While the characters may be inspired by real-life people, events are often romanticised or exaggerated to more spectacular effect.

More exciting reimaginings of history have seen a number of ‘saeguk’ dramas injected with a dose of fantasy.

If that is your cup of tea, here are 10 South Korean historical fantasy dramas you should watch:

1.Scholar Who Walks the Night (2015)

Kicking off the list is a Korean historical fantasy drama based on the webtoon Bameul Geotneun Sunbi by Jo Joo-hee and Han Seung-hee.

The story follows Jo Yang-sun (Lee Yoo-bi), a daughter of a noble family.

After her family falls into disgrace, she disguises herself as a man to sell books for a living.

While walking at night, Yang-sun comes across an attractive scholar. Little does she know that the handsome scholar Kim Sung-yeol (Lee Joon-gi) is actually a vampire.

The drama earned Joon-gi a ‘Top Ten Stars’ Award at the MBC Drama Awards.

Watch the trailer here.

2.Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016)

Goryeo dynasty

Based on the Chinese novel Bu Bu Jing Xin, this series is a time-travel romance drama.

During a total eclipse, Go Ha-jin (Lee Ji-eun) is somehow transported from the 21st-century to the Goryeo Dynasty.

She wakes in 941 in the body of Hae-soo, among the princes of the ruling Wang family during the reign of King Taejo. Historically, he was the founder of the Goryeo dynasty.

Ha-jin initially falls in love with the eighth Prince Wang Wook (Kang Ha-neul).

However, the rebellious fourth prince Wang So (Lee Joon-gi) slowly wins Ha-jin’s heart.

The drama circles around the politics and power struggle happening within the royal court.

Watch the trailer here.

3.The Moon Embracing the Sun (2012)

While most of the characters on this list are inspired by real life people, here is a story between a fictional king during the Joseon Dynasty and a shaman.

Adapted from the novel of the same name written by Jung Eun-gwol, the series won multiple awards including Drama of the Year.

Heo Yeon-woo (Han Ga-in) is destined to be the queen but the queen mother and the prime minister have their own plans.

Before her wedding to Crown Prince Lee Hwon (Kim Soo-hyun), Yeon-woo mysteriously dies.

The truth is she has lost her memory and becomes a shaman named Wol.

Eight years later, Wol returns to the palace and Lee Hwon is now king. Will both of them rekindle their relationship?

Watch the trailer of the drama here.

4.Faith (2012)

The king and queen of this Korean historical fantasy drama is based on real-life King Gongmin of Goryeo who married the Yuan princess, Noguk.

The Yuan dynasty (1271 to 1368) was a successor state to the Mongol Empire established by Kublai Khan.

The marriage between King Gongmin and Queen Noguk was a practice established by Kublai Khan where female members of the Yuan imperial clan were married to Goryeo princes in order to maintain Yuan hegemony on the Korean peninsula.

Unlike other arranged marriages between the two dynasties, Noguk’s marriage to Gongmin was a happy one.

In Faith (2012), King Gongmin (Ryu Deok-hwan) and Queen Noguk (Park Se-young) are attacked on their return to Goryeo. The queen ends up injured up during the attack

On the advice of his royal adviser, the king orders Captain of the Royal Guard Choi Young (Lee Min-ho) to pass through a mystical portal and find the so called heaven’s doctor.

As it turns out, the portal brings Choi Young to the future. He then kidnaps Yoo Eun-soo (Kim Hee-sun) a modern-day doctor from Seoul to treat the queen’s life.

One thing after another, Eun-soo is now stuck in the Goryeo dynasty unable to return to the present-day.

She eventually falls in love with the man who kidnapped her.

The drama marks Kim Hee-sun’s first TV appearance in five years after her marriage and childbirth.

5.Mirror of the Witch (2016)

Heo Jin (1546-1615) was a court physician during the reign of King Seonjo of the Joseon dynasty.

In this drama, Heo Jun (Yoon Si-yoon) is the illegitimate son of a slave and a rich master.

He falls in love with a forgotten, cursed princess who becomes a witch named Seo-ri (Kim Sae-ron). She is the daughter of Queen Sim.

Before she was born, Queen Shim (Jang Hee-jin) is unable to conceive so he seeks the help of a shaman.

The shaman used black magic to enable the queen to conceive. Queen Shim is finally pregnant with children but there is a price to pay; one of the twins is cursed.

After giving birth to Seo-ri and her twin brother Crown Prince Soonhwae (Yeo Hoe-hyun), the queen abandons the princess.

If you are into magic, curses and witchcraft, this Korean historical fantasy drama might be for you.

Watch the trailer here.

6.Arang and the Magistrate (2012)

According to Korean folklore, Arang was the daughter of a magistrate during the Joseon dynasty.

One day, her evil nanny schemed to have her servant – Baekga – rape her.

Arang managed to fight him off at first but Baekga stabbed her to death.

Her father, somehow believing that she had eloped and run away, resigned from his position in shame.

From then on, whenever a new magistrate took up the position, it was said that Arang’s ghost would appear before him seeking justice.

Eventually, nobody was willing to take the job out of fear.

Finally, a brave man named Yi Sang became the magistrate.

When Arang appeared before him, Yi Sang successfully avenged her and had Baekga executed for murder. Arang’s restless ghost could finally rest in peace.

Arang and the Magistrate (2012) follows this folktale, and follows Arang (Shin Min-ah) whose spirit is unable to rest until she finds out the cause of her death.

One day, she accidentally appears to a nobleman named Kim Eun-oh (Lee Joon-gi).

Conveniently for Arang, Eun-oh has the ability to see and hear ghosts. When she discovers this, Arang begs for Eun-oh’s help.

Overall, the drama was a success and became the most expensive drama to be sold to Japan by its airing channel MBC.

7.The Night Watchman’s Journal (2014)

This story follows the adventure of Prince Rin (Jung Il-woo), the legitimate heir to the throne. Chaos ensues in the palace after the king, his father, kills the queen while under a spell, and subsequently commits suicide.

When he gains the ability to see ghosts, Rin becomes one of the Night Watchmen. It is a group of soldiers, at the time of his father, in charge of fighting monsters and spirits.

In the meantime, Do-ha (Ko Sung-hee) is a shaman who is imbued with supernatural energy from Mount Baekdu. This gives her the power to communicate with nature.

Rin and Do-ha along with Kang Moo-seok, a swordsman who does not believe in the supernatural and Jo Sang-heon, the former captain of the Night Watchmen are now facing evil spirits while searching the truth behind the deaths of Rin’s parents.

While chasing ghosts and helping people, Rin learn how to become the people’s prince.

Watch the trailer here.

8.Gu Family Book (2013)

Here is a Korean historical fantasy drama with some martial art action for you to watch.

It follows the story of Choi Kang-chi (Lee Seung-gi), a half-man, a half-gumiho who longs to become fully human.

In order to do that, he needs to find a centuries-old book that contains the secret to becoming human.

While searching for the book, Kang-chi falls in love with Dam Yeo-wool (Bae Suzy). She is a skillful archer who works as a martial arts instructor at her father’s school.

The drama served as a breakout for actor Choi Jin-hyuk who later went on landing lead roles in dramas such as Emergency Couple (2014), Tunnel (2017), The Last Empress (2018) and Rugal (2020).

Watch the trailer here.

9.Kingdom (2019)

Korean historical fantasy drama e1619760519411

Now, how about a Korean historical fantasy drama with endless supply of zombies chasing the main characters?

Kingdom (2019) is set three years after the Japanese invasions of Korea during Joseon period.

There are two seasons so far. The first season follows the story of Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) who investigates the spread of a mysterious plague. As it turns out, the suspicious plague is also a plot to threaten Lee Chang as the current heir to the throne.

Then the second season continues with Lee Chang trying to save his people from the spread of the plague which is now able to withstand colder temperatures.

The much anticipated special episode, Kingdom: Ashin of the North is set for release in 2021. It will focus on the supporting character Ashin which is played by Jun Ji-hyun.

The drama is straightforward horror, suspense and thriller story so there is no cheesy romance or melodrama scenes here.

Watch the trailer here.

10.Mr Queen (2020)

Jang Bong-hwan (Choi Jin-hyuk) is a normal guy who works as a chef at the Blue House (Korean version of the White House).

However, one day he finds himself in the body of Queen Cheorin (Shin Hye-sung).

According to history, Queen Cheorin (1837-1978) was a Queen consort of Korea married to Cheoljong of Joseon.

In the drama King Cheoljong (Kim Jung-hyun) is a puppet king used by Queen Dowager Sunwon (Bae Jong-ok).

Mr Queen (2020) is based on the original Chinese web drama Go Princess Go. To date, the series is the seventh highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history.

Watch the trailer here.

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#KajoPicks: 10 South Korean action-thriller movies you should watch

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Here are just 10 of our favourite South Korean action-thriller movies:

Korean action thriller movie

1.The Chaser (2008)

Inspired by a real-life serial killer, this Korean action-thriller is a must on our list. Yoo Young-chul is a South Korean serial killer, sex offender and self-confessed cannibal.

He admitted to having killed 20 people, mostly prostitutes and wealthy old men.

In this movie, actor Ha Jung-woo is particular impressive in his role as psychopath killer Je Yeong-min who is loosely based on Young-chul.

The story circles around a disgraced police Eom Joong-ho (Kim Yoon-seok) who became a pimp. He notices his girls keep on disappearing. After some time, he realises that all of the missing girls shared the same last customer. And that customer is Yeong-min.

This fictional character and the real life killer Young-chul have a couple things in common.

For instance, they both target prostitutes. Secondly, they both use a hammer as the main murder weapon.

In Young-chul’s case, it was the pimps who started to feel suspicious when their girls failed to show up. And they all connected the disappearances to the same phone number. They then notified the police which eventually led to the capture of Young-chul.

In terms of action, the movie offers a handful of hitting, smashing, kicking and various other forms of physical assault while the thriller part, basically a cat and mouse game between Joong-ho and Yeong-min.

Overall, The Chaser (2008) was a successful movie, becoming the third most popular film in South Korea in 2008.

Watch the trailer here.

2.The Yellow Sea (2010)

Speaking of The Chaser (2008), the film is directed by Na Hong-jin.

As the director of The Yellow Sea (2010), Noh reunites with his two lead actors in The Chaser, Ha Jung-woo and Kim Yoon-seok.

However this time, their roles are reversed. In The Yellow Sea, Jung-woo plays the protagonist while Yoon-seok plays the antagonist.

It revolves around a cab driver who agrees to carry out a hit in exchange for getting his debts paid.

After the hit goes wrong, he is chased by both the police and the gangster who assigned him the job.

Watch the trailer here.

3.The Suspect (2013)

KajoMag listed this as one of our favourite Korean movies about North Korean espionage.

Ji Dong-chul (Gong Yoo) is the best field agent in North Korea. Suddenly, he is abandoned during a mission. Additionally, he finds out that his wife and daughter murdered.

Hunted and on the run, torn between grief and vengeance, he takes a job as a night driver for the CEO of a powerful corporation.

After one bad thingafter another, the CEO is brutally assassinated and Dong-chul is the main suspect.

Now, he is on the run again. Accused of murder and wanted for treason, Dong-chul begins to hunt for the truth.

Won Shin-yun, the director of The Suspect (2013) is a former stuntman before making his directorial debut through The Wig (2005). Hence, you can expect him pushing his actors through all kinds of stunts especially Gong Yoo in this movie.

Watch the trailer here.

4.The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019)

What happens when a crime boss is targeted by a serial killer?

The most logical thing to do is to turn to the police. Even a gangster wants to stay alive right?

The story follows the gangster Jang Dong-soo (Ma Dong-seok) who barely survives a violent attack by an elusive serial killer.

He then forms an unlikely partnership with local detective Jung Tae-seok (Kim Moo-yul) to catch the sadistic killer known as ‘K’.

The movie reportedly based on real events from a decade ago. However, there is no clear mention which part of this story is true.

In 2019, Sylvester Stallone announced that he would be producing the remake of The Gangster, the Cop, The Devil. Will Ma Dong-seok be reprising his role?

Watch the trailer here.

5.A Hard Day (2014)

Are you having a bad day? We bet your day is not as bad as the one the main character of this movie is having.

A Hard Day (2014) follows the story of corrupt cop Detective Ko Gun-su (Lee Sun-kyun). In the middle of his mother’s funeral, Gun-su is told that his squad is being investigated by internal affairs for bribery.

He decides to walk out in the middle of the funeral. Later, Gun-su crashes into a homeless man who wanders onto the road, killing him.

Instead of reporting it, he hides the body in his trunk. Then, Gun-su returns to his mother’s funeral and does the ‘unthinkable’. He seals the body inside his mother’s coffin.

Little that he knows, somebody is watching and using that to blackmail him.

6.Broken (2014)

This Korean action-thriller film is a classic tale of revenge. It revolves around a father who becomes a fugitive while he hunts down his daughter’s rapists and killers.

Lee Sang-hyeon (Jung Jae-young) lives a quite life with his 15-year-old daughter Su-jin. His world turns upside down her after dead body is found in an abandoned bathhouse with evidence of sexual assault.

Since the investigation into his daughter’s case is not progressing as fast as he wants, he decides to take charge.

After receiving an anonymous text with information about the case, he goes to the address that was given to him.

There, he finds a man laughing as he watches a video of Su-jin’s rape.

In a fit of rage, Sang-hyeon accidentally kills the man and finds there is a second accomplice.

Now, the police is hunting him and Sang-hyeon is hunting the second accomplice.

Watch the trailer here.

7.The Target (2010)

In movies – whether they are produced in Korea or Hollywood – retired professional killers tend to be depicted like bears going into hibernation. Disturb them when they hibernate and you will be running for your life.

The Target follows ex-mercenary killer Yeo-hoon (Rye Seung-ryong) who is now leading a normal life.

That normalcy ends when he is framed for the death of a prominent CEO. Yeo-hoon manages to escape but winds up in a hospital.

After a doctor at the hospital whose name is Tae-joon (Lee Jin-wook) decides to help him, Tae-joon’s pregnant wife is kidnapped.

Now, the two men are on the hunt to rescue her and find out who is responsible behind the fiasco.

Watch the trailer here.

8.Midnight FM (2010)

This is the South Korean action-thriller film which earned actress Soo Ae her Best Actress award at the 31st Blue Dragon Film Awards for her performance.

She plays the role of Ko Sun-young, a popular television announcer and midnight DJ.

Sun-young decides to resign from her jobs and moved to the United States after her daughter Eun-soo requires heart surgery there.

On her last day of work, her sister Ah-young babysits Eun-soo at Sun-young apartment.

While she is on air, Sun-young receives a call from Han Dong-soo who claims to be her fan.

As it turns out, Dong-soo after hearing about Sun-young’s retirement, holds her family hostage and threaten her to use her final broadcast for his own agenda.

9.Cold Eyes (2013)

This Korean action-thriller film is a remake of 2007 Hong Kong film Eye in the Sky.

It follows a group of detectives from the surveillance team of a special crime unit who work together to take down a bank robbing organisation.

It stars Sol Kyung-gu, Jung Woo-sung, Han Hyo-joo, Jin Kyung and Lee Jun-ho.

One of the best parts of this film is the cameo of Hong Kong actor Simon Yam, the original cast of Eye in the Sky.

Watch the trailer here.

10.No Mercy (2019)

How about a Korean action-thriller starring a woman?

Former professional boxer/actress Lee Si-young is the perfect cast for In-ae. She is a female bodyguard who went to jail after stabbing out the eye of a politician.

(Don’t feel bad for the politician; he raped In-ae’s sister Eun-hye.)

While In-ae is in jail, Eun-hye is bullied at school and frequently raped.

Even after In-ae is released, Eun-hye does not tell her of what happened.

Then one day, Eun-hye is abducted by a group of human traffickers. When the police refuse to do anything, In-ae goes on a one woman hunt to rescue her sister.

Watch the trailer here.

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KajoPicks: 10 South Korean campus romance dramas to watch

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If you are looking for South Korean campus romance dramas to watch, here are KajoMag’s suggestions:

1.My ID is Gangnam Beauty (2018)

Campus romance drama

The time you spend on your tertiary education is also the perfect time to discover more about yourself. And this drama offers a lot of lessons on self-discovery and staying true to oneself.

Based on the webtoon of the same name published in 2016 by Naver Webtoon, it centers around Kang Mi-rae (Im Soo-hyang) who grew up with low self-esteem due to be being bullied for being ‘ugly’.

Before she enters university, she decides to undergo plastic surgery to become ‘beautiful’.

However, her campus life turns complicated when some people find out about her surgery and ridicule her as a ‘plastic surgery monster’.

In the same time, Mi-rae begins to build her self-esteem when she befriends her former schoolmate Do Kyung-seok (Cha Eun-woo).

Romance starts to unfold between the two as Kyung-seok proves to Mi-rae that he doesn’t care about looks since he knew how she looked like before her plastic surgery.

The ‘villain’ of this Korean campus romance drama is Hyun Soo-ah (Joo Woo-ri). She masks her own insecurity by using her beauty and innocent persona to manipulate others into liking her.

Overall, My ID is Gangnam Beauty (2018) is entertaining to watch with realistic conflicts and no exaggerating plots.

Well, except for Eun-woo whose look is unrealistically handsome (and it is his natural look btw).

Watch the trailer here.

2.Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (2016)

Inspired by the life of Olympic gold-medalist Jang Mi-ran, this Korean campus romance drama is set in a sport college.

Kim Bok-joo (Lee Sung-kyung) is a naturally gifted weightlifter whose father was also a former weightlifter.

She develops a crush on her friend Jung Joon-hyung’s (Nam Joo-hyuk) older brother, Jung Jae-yi (Lee Jae-young).

Joon-hyung, who is a competitive swimmer and Bok-joo are both childhood friend from they were in elementary schools.

They enjoy teasing each other and he eventually falls in love with her.

Generally, the drama focuses on the ups and downs of young athletes in achieving their dreams while finding love along the way.

Watch the trailer here.

3.What’s Up (2011)

This drama circles around a Korean campus romance going around in a university musical department.

Jae-Hun (Lim Ju-hwan) is a high school dropout who roams the streets at night with his two best friends.

After some struggles, he decides to go to university to study acting.

In the meantime, Park Tae-yii (Kim Ji-won) comes to Seoul to take an audition for entry into in the university.

She lives in the countryside with her grandfather, and inherited her musical talents from her father.

The third main character is Ha Do-sung (Daesung) who is the famous rock star Hades who presents himself by hiding his identity through a mask.

Due to his secret family background, Do-sung can’t reveal his real identity. So, he tries to live quietly without drawing attention to himself and joins the university.

Fourthly, Kim Byeong-gun (Jo Jung-suk) is the odd one out in his family of businessmen. He wishes to pursue a career in musicals, despite his fear of performing in front of others.

Meanwhile, Eun Chae-young (Jang Hee-jin) is the experienced actress who wants to prove that she has talent and not just a pretty face.

Finally, Oh Doo-ri (Lim Ju-eun), is an talented actress who prefers to spend her time playing first-person shooting computer games than rehearsing.

This group of young adults end up together in Haneul Arts University’s musical department.

Together, they learn what does it need to be successful in the musical world.

4.Love Story in Harvard (2004)

By the title of this drama, you can guess the campus romance takes place at Harvard University.

The first half of the drama set in the Ivy League university following the relationship between a law student Kim Hyun-woo (Kim Rae-won) and a medical student Lee Soo-in (Kim Tae-hee).

Things get complicated when Hyun-woo’s coursemate Alex Hong (Lee Jung-jin) also falls for Soo-in.

Hyun-woo and Soo-in eventually starts dating but their romance was short-lived.

Soo-in leaves Hyun-woo to work in South America and never contact him again.

Then the second part of the drama sets in Seoul when everyone graduated and living their own lives.

An unexpected circumstance brought all three together again and just like what happened in college, the trio involves in another round of love triangle.

5.Love Rain (2012)

Korean campus romance drama 2

If you are into mellow, cinematic love stories, this is definitely the Korean campus romance drama for you.

Set in the ’70s and in the present day, it has Jang Keun-suk and Im Yoon-ah playing dual roles.

When Seo In-ha (Jang Keun-suk) and Kim Yoon-hee (Im Yoon-ah) first meet during their university students in the ’70s, they fall in love almost immediately.

However, life hits hard on them and circumstances brought them down different roads.

Fast forward to 2012, old In-ha (Jung Jin-young) is now unhappily married to Baek Hye-jung, one of Yoon-hee’s former best friends.

Fate brings the couple back together and they decide to make up for lost time.

But wait, since this is a Korean drama we are talking about, things can never be as easy as that.

In-ha’s son Seo-joon (Jang Keun-suk) meets Yoon-hee’s daughter Ha-na (Im Yoon-ah) by chance.

Despite arguing so much at first, the two gradually fall in love.

What happens to the young couple when their parents announce that they are getting married?

6.Age of Youth (2016)

Remember during your university days when you get to live under one roof with people from different backgrounds? This Korean campus romance drama will remind you of those days.

Also known as Hello, My Twenties!, this drama stars Han Ye-ri, Han Seung-yeon, Park Eun-bi, Ryu Hwa-young, Park Hye-su, Ji Woo and Choi Ara.

The story follows five girls who live together in a sharehouse called ‘Belle Epoque’ while studying in a university.

First we have Yoon Jin-myung, a business major who carries a complicated family problem on her shoulders.

Then Jung Ye-eun, a religious culinary art major and Song Ji-won, the supernatural believer who majors in journalism.

To add in the diversity in this group, we have Kang Yi-na, the sugar baby who has eyes for expensive things and Yoon Eun-jae who is the typical girl from the countryside.

Typically, it is a slice-of-life drama focusing on the struggles of college students nowadays.

Watch the trailer here.

7.Go Back Couple (2017)

If you had a chance to go back to the time when you are studying in university, what would you change?

For divorced couple Choi Ban-do and Ma Jin-joo (Jang Na-ra) who first met on campus, they vow not to fall in love with each other again.

Putting aside the fantasy aspect of the drama with all the time-travelling going on, Go Back Couple (2017) offers a handful of real-life lessons.

Some people might have a clear idea on what they going to do with the career, but the reality is not everyone can get their dream job. In fact, an architecture graduate might end up working as an insurance agent or a medical sales representative.

The drama shows that is okay as long as you are happy and living a fulfilling life.

When going back to the past, both Ban-do and Jin-joo have the opportunity to make good on their biggest regrets like appreciating the people around them.

Watch the trailer here

8.Naeil’s Cantabile (2014)

Adapted from the Japanese manga Nodame Cantabile by Tomoko Ninomiya, this drama sets in a music school.

It stars Joo Won and Shim Eun-kyung with Park Bo-gum, Go Kyung-pyo and Baek Yoon-sik.

The story follows of Cha Yoo-jin, a third year music student who majors in piano and dreams of being a world renowned conductor.

While he is undeniably talented in music, Yoo-jin’s fear of flying has become a hurdle in achieving his dream.

What happens when Yoo-jin meets a fellow genius pianist who is a free spirit and a bit of an odd character?

Watching this drama now would definitely give a sense of blast from the past, because two of South Korea’s leading actors today, Park Bo-gum and Go Kyung-pyo, are just playing supporting roles in this drama.

9.Reply 1994 (2013)

This second installment of the Reply series is set in 1994, and circles around six university students.

They come from different provinces of South Korea and live together at a boarding house in Seoul.

If you are familiar with the Reply series, this drama follows a nonlinear story-telling where it shifts between the past in 1994 and the present in 2013.

It keeps the viewers guessing which male character will be the husband of Sung Na-jung (Go Ara).

Imagine the American series How I Met Your Mother set among college students in the ’90s South Korea.

Speaking of the ’90s, the drama also depicts the historical events as well as pop culture that took place from 1994 and the years that follow.

Reply 1994 (2013) is one of the highest rated Korean dramas in cable television history, so you have to watch it to understand the buzz around it.

10.Love Playlist (2017)

Still want a dose of Korean campus romance dramas, but don’t have the time? Here is the series for you.

Love Playlist is a South Korean web series that spanned over four seasons from March 9, 2017 to August 8, 2019.

One episode is about 15-25 minutes, hence it is a perfect drama to watch for a quick break.

Moreover, you can watch it for free on Youtube.

The story revolves around a group of college students as they fall in love and break up while trying to get a degree.

Watch the trailer here.

Do not forget to check out our recommendation of Chinese campus dramas and coming-of-age dramas to watch!

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#KajoPicks: 10 South Korean legal dramas you must watch

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If you enjoy a few doses of courtroom dramas, here are 10 Korean legal series for you to check out:

1.While You Were Sleeping (2017)

This South Korean legal drama has a dose of fantasy in it.

Hong-joo (Bae Suzy) lives with her single mother and helps her run a pork restaurant.

She looks like any other woman of her age working as a reporter, but Hong-Joo is haunted by seeing the future deaths of others in her dreams.

However, she does not know when the deaths will happen. She tries to stop her dreams from becoming reality.

Things took a different turn when Hong-joo dreams about the death of her own mother. Can she prevent it from happening?

Meanwhile, Jae-chan (Lee Jong-suk) is a rookie prosecutor. Jae-chan and his younger brother move to new house and they become neighbours with Hong-joo.

One thing leads to another, Jae-chan and police officer Han Woo-tak (Jung Hae-in) together with Hong-joo all have the ability to see the future through their dreams.

Putting aside the trio fantasy adventure, the drama also highlights the corruption and office politics which goes behind a prosecution office.

Watch the trailer here.

2.I Can Hear Your Voice (2013)

When Jang Hye-sung (Lee Bo-young) was in high school, she testified as a witness and her statement caused the murderer of Park Soo-ha’s father to be convicted and imprisoned.

Ten years later, she becomes an apathetic public defender who does her job only for the salary.

In the meantime, Soo-ha (Lee Jong-suk) gains the supernatural ability to read people’s minds by looking at their eyes after witnessing the murder of his father.

After meeting Hye-sung during the trial of his father’s murder, he develops a crush on her.

However, when he meets her again after ten years, Soo-ha finds her completely different from what he has expected.

Things turn deadly when the murderer is released from jail and now is holding grudges on both Hye-sung and Soo-ha for getting him convicted of murder.

In a previous article, we picked this drama one of our favourite ‘noona’ romance. The chemistry between Lee Jong-suk and Park Bo-young in this drama is undeniably compatible.

Originally set for 16 episodes, due to its successful ratings, the series was extended by two more episodes.

3.The Good Wife (2016)

By the title, you can tell that this is a Korean legal drama based on the famous American series The Good Wife starring Julianna Margulies.

The Korean remake of the drama has only 16 episodes and stars Jeon Do-yeon. The drama marked Do-yeon’s first comeback to the small screen after 11 years.

Her last role on television was in the famous 2005 Lovers In Prague.

Do-yeon’s return as it turned out worth the buzz as her performance as Kim Hye-kyung was impressive.

She plays the role of a housewife who is forced to return to her job as a lawyer after her husband is put behind bars.

There are differences between The Good Wife and its original plot in the American series. For example, the sex scandal scene has been shortened to accommodate the storyline into 16 episodes.

While the American series, Margulies’s character Alicia Florrick, works with her tech-savvy son to discover the truth together, the Korean version, Hye-kyung does not involve her children in the criminal cases.

If you enjoy the drama and scandal in the American The Good Wife, this Korean legal drama is definitely worth watching.

4.Suits (2018)

Here is another Korean legal drama based on an American television series.

It follows the story of a distinguished lawyer Choi Kang-seok who recruits a young man Go Yeon-woo. Yeon-woo has a retentive memory but not a law degree.

Kang-seok (Jang Dong-gun) is the equivalent of Harvey Spector in the American version while Yeon-woo (Park Hyung-sik) is the equivalent of Michael Ross.

The Korean equivalent of Jessica Pearson is Kang Ha-yeon (Jin Hee-kyung). Before Megan Markle became the Duchess of Sussex, she was known for her character Rachel Zone in Suits.

Her equivalent character is Kim Ji-na (Ko Sung-hee), a paralegal who is perfect in what she does.

Watch the trailer here.

5.Lawless Lawyer (2018)

Who doesn’t love a bad boy lawyer?

Lawless Lawyer (2018) is set in the fictional city of Kisung which is known to be lawless and corrupt.

The plot follows Bong Sang-pil, a former gangster who has a career change to become a lawyer. On top of using his skill and knowledge as a lawyer, he uses his fists and old gang connection to win a case.

Meanwhile, Ha Hae-yi is an idealist lawyer full of integrity but ends up being temporarily disbarred after after attacking a corrupt judge.

The villain of this story is Cha Moon-sook. She appears to be a caring, noble judge but it is all just a facade. Little the public knows, she orders murder to be carried out, conducts rigged trials and run a corrupt charity.

While fighting against Moon-sook, Sang-pil and Hae-yi falls in love with each other.

The drama is a commercial hit and became one of the most highly rated Korean dramas in cable television history.

It stars Lee Joon-gi, Seo Yea-ji, Lee Hye-young and Choi Min-soo.

Watch the trailer here.

6.Innocent Defendant (2017)

You are the top prosecutor at your office, then one day you wake up and find yourself on death row. What would you do?

Park Jung-woo (Ji Sung) is a prosecutor of the violent crimes investigative division who never loses a case. One day, he finds himself in a prison without any memory of what happen.

His hope lies in Seo Eun-hye (Kwon Yu-ri), a public defender who always lose her court case every single time.

Uhm Ki-joon plays the antagonist, a psychotic killer who kills his own twin brother.

The drama was a hit, all thanks to its plot and impressive performance by Ji Sung.

Watch the trailer here.

7.Ms Hammurabi (2018)

How about a Korean legal drama that was written by a real-life judge?

Ms Hammurabi is written by Moon Yoo-seok, the chief judge of Seoul Eastern District Court who also wrote the book version of this story.

It stars Go Ara, Kim Myung- soo and Sung Dong-il.

The drama circles around the life of judges and the various disputes that they have to settle.

While Moon is known for his novels, Ms. Hammurabi is his first script writing work.

Due to its new perspective on the role of a judge and its real-life depiction of people daily struggles, the series was well-received by Korean viewers.

Watch the trailer here.

8.Witch At Court (2017)

Ma Yi-deum (Jung Ryeo-won) is the ace prosecutor who walks a fine line between legal and illegal investigation.

Using personal attacks, evidence fabrication and inciting perjury, she goes all the way to win her case.

In the same time, she is hot-tempered. One day, she is assigned to the special task force for child sex crimes against women and children.

Joining her on the team is Yeo Jin-wook (Yoon Hyun-min), he is a newbie prosecutor who graduated from law school at the top of his class.

He does not like how Yi-deum carries her job. However after he learns about her painful past, Jin-wook comes forward to protect her.

Thanks to the chemistry of the two main leads, Ryeo-won and Hyun-min won the Best Couple Award in the 31st KBS Drama Awards.

Watch the trailer here.

9.Suspicious Partner (2017)

The Korean drama industry has a gift of throwing in an almost random serial killer in the middle of a seemingly normal storyline.

Suspicious Partner (2017) follows the story of prosecutor Noh Ji-wook (Ji Chang-wook) and prosecutor trainee Eun Bong-hee (Nam Ji-hyun).

Like most main characters in a K-drama world, Ji-wook has a tragic past in which his parents died in a fire.

Then the tragic past somehow get entangles with his present when he finds out. After love starts to blossom between Ji-wook and Bong-hee, Ji-wook learns that it was Bong-hee’s father who set the fire causing his parents’ death.

When the drama was aired, it was famous among the 20-49 demographic. So if you fall into this age group, you might enjoy this drama.

10.Diary of a Prosecutor (2019)

While Ms Hammurabi is written by a real judge, Diary of Prosecutor is based on the essay written by a real-life prosecutor Kim Woong.

Set in the fictional city of Jinyoung, it explores the competitiveness and over-working lives of prosecutors.

Lee Sung-jae plays the role of Jo Min-ho, the Chief of Jinyoung District Prosecutor’s Office Criminal Unit 2.

Unhappy that his team always comes in second when comes to work performance, he brings in a prosecutor from the city, Seoul with hope that it will raise his team’s results.

The prosecutor from Seoul is Cha Myung-joo (Jung Ryeo-won). Her working style is straight forward without spending any extra time on cases, hence her colleagues think she is to careless in her work.

However, the person that Myung-joo unhappy the most in the group is Lee Sun-kyun (Lee Sun-woong).

He was Myung-joo’s senior back in university but entered the prosecution one year later than her. The duo often fight in disagreement when comes to work.

The actual filming scene of the drama took place in a small city of Tongyeong with a population of 139, 869.

There, more than 150 members of the cast and crew actually stay during the five months of filming.

Watch the trailer for this Korean legal drama here.

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