Edited by Hong Hyun Jung
Translated by Kim Hoyeun
It feels like we haven’t don’t much this year due to COVID-19, but it’s already November. Soon, the Christmas season, when you feel the most lonely (if you don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend), will come around. Actually, I already feel a bit empty. To make matters worse, we didn’t have much to laugh about this year. So why don’t we binge-watch romantic comedies that make you smile for the time being? Let’s try to refresh our daily lives by watching dramas that have moments of laughter, excitement, and tears.
Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (2017)
Strong Woman Do Bong Soon puts forward a woman born with Herculean strength, breaking away from the common notion that women are weaker than men. Do Bong Soon, who lives in Dobong-dong, Dobong-gu, is the hero of the story. Despite her gift, the reality, however, is that she has been hiding her power for 27 years thanks to the thorough education of her mother, who once went belly up because of her power. 27-year-old Do Bong Soon is an honest and kind unemployed woman who has eyes for her childhood friend, In Guk Doo. One day, Bong Soon explodes her strength to save a man who was assaulted by gang members. Soon, Ahn Min Hyuk, CEO of a gaming company, who witnessed the whole exchange of Bong Soon’s superhuman strength, employs her as a bodyguard after being threatened by an unknown enemy. Working as his bodyguard, Bong Soon awakens her the power she had been suppressing and her instinct for seeking justice. In this process, she “bickers” with Min Hyuk, who shows interest in her gift, giving off a “strange yet romantic” atmosphere. The fresh and friendly chemistry between Park Bo Young and Park Hyung Sik flows pleasantly till the very end.
Kill Me, Heal Me (2015)
What heals the wounded hearts are heartfelt consolation and love. Kill Me, Heal Me depicts an unpredictable romance between a third-generation business heir who suffers from dissociative identity disorder and a bright and optimistic psychiatric resident. A wealthy businessman Cha Do Hyun has an intelligent mind and warmhearted personality, but he always skates on thin ice as some other personalities might pop out randomly. But from the very first day he arrives in Korea, he repeatedly encounters Oh Ri Jin and hires her as his secret psychiatrist, and soon light seeps into his anxious and dark inner world for the first time. From antisocial Shin Se Gi to 40-year-old man Perry Park who speaks with Jeolla dialect, a suicidal, intelligent 17-year-old boy Ah Yo Seob, an extrovert and mischievous 17-year-old girl Ahn Yo Na, a 7-year-old girl Nana and a mysterious man Mr. X, Ji Sung flawlessly portrayed a total of 7 characters. His outstanding performance was combined with Hwang Jung Eum’s passionate acting and Park Seo Joon’s deft comical performance, creating one unique rom-com.
Oh My Ghost (2015)
A lustful virgin ghost named Shin Soon Ae enters the lives of arrogant star chef Kang Sun Woo and Na Bong Sun with an extremely timid personality and low self-esteem, creating a “possessed” romance that has never been seen before. Believing that losing her virginity is the only way to “resolve her grudge” and move on to the afterlife, Soon Ae tries to seduce as many men as she can by possessing various women, and she finds the perfect vessel in Bong Sun. Determined to achieve her goal and help Bong Sun along the way, she foolhardily approaches Sun Woo. Park Bo Young lovingly plays Bong Sun, who goes back and forth between timid Bong Sun and reckless Soo Ae, while Jo Jung Suk breathes life into Sun Woo, who is seemingly arrogant but is actually gentle, completing one heart-fluttering romance. However, the drama isn’t just about sweet romance. The mystery surrounding Soon Ae’s death brings mysterious tension, leading to a heartbreaking and shocking twist.
The Beauty Inside (2018)
Top star Han Se Gye and third-generation business heir Seo Do Jae seem to live perfect lives, but in fact, they have secrets that they can never share. Han Se Gye transforms into someone else for a week every month from when she was 20 years old, while Seo Do Jae suffers from face blindness after his brain was injured in an accident. Han Se Gye is terrified that one day no one will recognize her, and Seo Do Jae thinks he can’t love anyone forever. But when Seo Do Jae recognizes Han Se Gye even when she has transformed into someone else’s face, a change hits their lonely worlds. Based on the 2015 film of the same name starring Han Hyo Joo, The Beauty Inside tells the story of two people with inner scars and pain sharing secrets with each other and mending their hearts with love. Seo Hyun Jin and Lee Min Ki worked together as thrilling, sweet and affectionate lovers, while Kim Jun Hyun, Son Sook, Kim Sung Ryung, Ra Mi Ran, Kim Min Seok, and Jeon Hye Bin made surprise appearances as Han Se Gye’s different faces.
