As we roll into another month of continued social isolation amidst the pandemic, our mental health continues to be challenged as we are unable to leave our homes for some much needed entertainment, though the entertainment industry itself is doing its best to catch up to our new reality, bringing us more content to look forward to in the face of what appears to be a never-ending situation. With many finding themselves with more free time than usual, now seems like a perfect time to throw back to some of the best K-Dramas to capture our attention and remind us of a brighter time that will hopefully soon return to us. 

My ID is Gangnam Beauty

Remember a time when college students actually went to campus for class? It may be a nice reminder of normal days to check out this college romance drama from 2018. Starring everyone’s favorite ASTRO heartthrob Cha Eunwoo and Im Soohyang, My ID is Gangnam Beauty dives into the deep-seated bias many in Korea hold toward the concept of beauty. Kang Mirae (Im Soohyang) is a college freshman who underwent plastic surgery before entering university due to intense bullying and overall struggles with her natural appearance. While she is initially accepted by the herd and called beautiful, it quickly becomes clear that she is still a subject of ridicule, this time because of her very choice to get plastic surgery and how “obvious” the results are. In contrast, natural beauty Sua (Jo Woori) is the object of everyone’s affections and treated as a queen despite her ill intentions, which become clear very quickly. Mirae faces the ridicule of her peers despite being virtuous, while Sua controls the narrative seeing as no one believes she is capable of being devious due to her sheer beauty. Do Kyungseok (Cha Eunwoo) is the only person who sees through all of the ruses and fights the stereotypes, falling in love with Mirae in the process. Even if you’ve seen this drama before, you pick up on new motifs and themes that make the storyline even more enjoyable than the first time around. Mirae and Kyungseok’s relationship is pure and warm, a perfect example of the friends-to-lovers trope that many enjoy. This slice-of-life drama is perfect if you’re pining for a realistic, yet deep story.

Strong Woman Do Bong Soon

Want a little dose of superhuman elements in your drama? 2017 romantic comedy Strong Woman Do Bong Soon starring Park Boyoung and Park Hyunsik features the story of a girl born with superhuman strength as she struggles to come to terms with her powers. A hereditary strength passed down to the women in her family, Bongsoon (Park Boyoung) finds it difficult to control her nature and often holds herself back out of fear of being called a freak or of hurting someone. With a long-lasting crush on childhood friend Gukdoo (Jisoo), Bongsoon desires to become a more delicate woman to impress him. But once she meets Ahn Minhyuk (Park Hyungsik) and takes a job as his bodyguard, her ambitions shift and she is determined to learn how to harness her power for good to help with a series of kidnappings happening within her neighborhood. This drama has a healthy dose of comedy, romance, and even thrills, and will satisfy just about any craving you have in a series, all rolled into one storyline. Add a strong female lead and a supportive male lead, and you’ve got a perfect formula!

Encounter

Is that wanderlust hitting hard these days? Unfortunately, there isn’t much that can be done about that in reality, but perhaps escaping to any of the lovely scenery in this K-Drama will help a little bit. Encounter stars big name actors Park Bogum and Song Hyekyo, with parts of the drama set in Havana, Cuba. CEO Cha Soohyun (Song Hyekyo) is in Havana finalizing plans for a new hotel as part of her chain and meets free spirit Kim Jinhyuk (Park Bogum) by chance while wandering the city. The two are irrevocably drawn to each other and spend quite a bit of time together while in Cuba, though ultimately everything comes to an end upon their return to South Korea. Soohyun is a divorcee who lives a difficult life in the spotlight, with her father a politician and having formerly been married into a very wealthy and powerful family. As a result, when Jinhyuk ends up in her circle of influence, she faces an immense amount of pressure to disregard him, despite her own feelings. This drama centers around the struggle Soohyun and Jinhyuk face as lovers with strong feelings for one another in a society where they come from very different backgrounds. In addition, Jinhyuk is younger than Soohyun, something considered more taboo now than if the circumstances were reversed. There is indeed some melodrama attached to this story, but if you’re craving an exotic setting and a resilient love story for the ages, Encounter is a perfect choice.

She Was Pretty

Park Seojoon anyone? His name is on everyone’s lips these days after his immensely popular role as the lead character in latest drama Itaewon Class. For the 2015 drama She Was Pretty, Seojoon plays Ji Sungjoon, a successful and handsome chief editor, though formerly unattractive and shy as a child. He is the stark opposite of lead female Kim Hyejin (Hwang Jungeum), his childhood friend and first love previously known for being beautiful and smart, though as an adult she’s regarded by peers as having lost her beauty, now working as a junior editor for the same fashion magazine as Sungjoon. When Sungjoon returns to Korea after living in the United States, he looks for Hyejin. Finding that she is embarrassed by the state of her life, Hyejin sends her roommate Hari (Go Joonhee) to meet Sungjoon in her place. Hari soon falls for Sungjoon while impersonating her friend, and the dynamic becomes complicated as Sungjoon slowly falls in love with the real Hyejin despite her appearance. This romantic comedy is based on a true story, and provides another light-hearted drama to watch during these difficult times.

Pinocchio

Who else is missing the lovely Lee Jongsuk? Take a trip down memory lane with this legendary actor in his lead role in the 2014 drama Pinocchio alongside Park Shinhye. Pinocchio tells the story of childhood friends Choi Dalpo and Choi Inha who both grow up to become reporters. Their individual motives for choosing this career are very different, and this unravels fully as the story unfolds. Inha suffers from pinocchio syndrome, which in this universe is characterized by the inability to lie; whenever she tells a lie, she hiccups. This presents issues as a reporter, and it becomes clear that there is a significant amount of fibbing that takes place in news reporting. Still, Inha is stubborn and insistent on pursuing 100% truthful news. Dalpo harbors a crush on Inha from their high school days, but keeps his affection under wraps as they venture into the world of corrupt news reporting together. Much like other dramas listed, their romance is very wholesome and evolves from a long-standing relationship built on mutual trust and dependence. In addition to the romance, the unraveling of major conspiracies within their industry is incredibly intriguing and very topical, even six years later. If you’d like a bit of mystery and an assortment of cliffhangers to add to your watching experience, then this is the drama for you.