K-Dramas | When they focus on friendships

Completed: February 2024

Review: With this drama, I discovered a newfound love for female-centered dramas. This one dives into the lives and friendship of three fantastic women in their early 30s. The countless references to classic dramas were a delightful and the narrative that gave us a behind-the-scenes insights into drama production, from casting to sponsorship, added an intriguing layer to the drama which kept me interested until the end. 

Completed: February 2024

Review: This drama had such a fun and touching story, but it wasn't as heartbreaking as I was expecting it to be. I loved how the time travel concept was introduced, it wasn't the typical near-death experience and it was well-executed, delving into life dilemmas. The way they incorporated sign language was also beautifully done. The ending, even though satisfying, left me with a desire for more present-day scenes. 

Completed: May 2024

Review: An unlikely group of three women and a teenage boy gets together to get revenge on the men that abused, lied and mistreated them. What makes this story stand out is that for once in a kdrama, women won't stay quiet for appearances and they joined forces to bring down the bastards that abused them. And even though the plot is centered around getting revenge, it's well blended with amazing comedic moments and beautiful friendship between the leads. Surprisingly, the OST is almost non-existence, instead it relies a lot on instrumentals to amplify the scenes, they even added an instrumental of the "Bella Ciao".

—  Recommended by Sian

Completed: October 2023

Review: This drama shows a realistic view of dating in today's society through the eyes of three young couples, while they face realistic problems in their professional lives and the housing crisis. It feels so relatable, because these young adults are part of the 1988 generations, the first generation in Korea where they were promised a good future, but society failed them and they can hardly afford a decent life. It's relatable because years later, we can still see young adults facing the same struggles, like not being able to afford to buy a house, get married, raise a kid and even simple dating expenses. While I don't agree with some of the characters decisions, I respect them and their own story, after all this is their first life and this life already screwed them enough.

Completed: March 2024

Review: This drama perfectly captured the essence of friendships and love in your adult life. The story resonated with me as it depicted four friends who maintained their bond from teens to adulthood, making me reflect on those close friendships that I built when I was young and I have kept for the past 20 years, because like them we really have been through a lot and at times we are really in different stages of life. The romance between the leads was also heartwarming, it showed a relationship built on trust and respect which I loved to see. What I didn’t like, was how some character arcs were lacking, like the storyline of the FL sister or the storyline of each mother. 

—  Recommended by Sian