Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
The old amnesia plot device isn’t new, but it’s something that K-Drama fans have come to love (to hate, sometimes). While it’s a trope, I must admit that many scriptwriters do an admirable job of keeping viewers guessing as to what will happen next.
I love Korean Dramas for a variety of reasons. And although I have a love-hate relationship with all the K-Drama tropes, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t waiting for them to appear every time I watch a series. Here are some of my favorites — and also some that I love to hate.
To no one’s surprise, BTS – one of the world’s most famous boy bands – won the MTV Video Music Award’s inaugural award for Best K-pop group for their song “Boy With Luv.” The septet didn’t attend the ceremony to accept their Moon Man trophy. While the new category appears to be a nod to the popularity of Korean music in mainstream U.S. pop culture, fans have been vocal that the category is suspicious at best and borderline racist.
It’s not surprising that “One Spring Night” has the same melancholy vibe as “Something in the Rain” (aka “Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food”). Besides the same leading man, the series reunites screenwriter Kim Eun and director Ahn Pan-Seok. While the storyline is different, the main thrust remains the same: The central male character is deemed as unsuitable to be with the female character, because of an unforgivable character flaw that isn’t a flaw at all.
I knew going into this series who she would end up with (and so will you, because you’re not stupid). I have no problem with that. But what I thought was a cheap cop-out was the way Do-Hyun went from being an upstanding, fun and thoughtful young man in the first season, into a suspicious and jealous boyfriend in this second season.
Written by the Hong Sisters (Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran), “My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho” tells the tale of a young man who accidentally frees a gumiho (a nine-tailed shape shifter that often takes the form of a woman). Gumihos are known to be voracious carnivores, who crave organs. Gumihos are known to be voracious carnivores, who crave organs. Gulp.
BTS’ label Big Hit recently released a press release stating that the world’s most famous boy band would take an “extended hiatus.” While the guys take a few weeks off for some well-deserved rest, they won’t be releasing as much content on social media and Vlive as fans are accustomed to. But there’s still a lot of material for fans to get caught up on (or rewatch).
Created to celebrate South Korea’s soft power, KCON has grown into the Coachella of Korean culture. Debuting in 2012 as a one-day festival in Los Angeles just months after Psy’s “Gangnam Style” became a worldwide hit, KCON attracted 12,000 curious fans. Flash forward to 2019, when one of the world’s most-famous groups is the Korean boy band BTS, Korean beauty products are all the rage, chefs are incorporating kimchi into western cooking and streaming sites including Netflix are premiering buzzworthy Korean shows such as the zombie serial “Kingdom.”
Brazilians said they wanted KOCOWA and guess what? On August 1, the streaming service officially launched in Brazil with Portuguese subtitles. Maravilhosa!
Since the beginning of time, celebrities have tried to hide their dating status. Part of it was for privacy issues. But there was also a business element. Managers wanted to make it appear as if their clients were available to fans. Certainly, this holds true for K-Pop and K-Drama stars, who are forced to spend an inordinate amount of time evading questions about their love lives.
2019 is shaping up to be Blackpink’s breakthrough year. The all-girl Korean quartet kicked off the U.S. leg of a world tour with a concert at Coachella that was livestreamed in New York’s Times Square.
Unlike some U.S. shows where the actors clearly look like they don’t want to eat the meal in front of them (I’m looking at you, “The Big Bang Theory”!), K-Dramas are full of amazing food scenes where the actors eat with gusto. They make whatever they’re eating look like it’s the most delicious thing on earth. And, not for nothing, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I always want to eat along with the characters.
BTS’ RM went a little bit country late Wednesday night with “Seoul Town Road,” his surprise collaboration with Lil Nas X. Unlike Billy Ray Cyrus – who is featured on the latter’s chart-topping “Old Town Road” remix – the Korean rapper hasn’t dabbled in country music previously. Not the American genre, anyhow.
V and Park Seo-Joon. Jungkook and Yeo Jin-Goo. EXO’s D.O. and Jo In-Sung. Which are your favorite idol/actor bromances?
What do NCT 127’s Doyoung, BTS’ Jeon Jung-Kook and “Deadpool” himself, Ryan Reynolds, all have in common? The A-Listers have all appeared on “The King of Mask Singer.”
Everyone already knows that BLACKPINK are polished performers who slay at their concerts. But the quartet also is quite at home on variety shows. Funny, smart and not afraid of making fun of themselves, Jisoo, Jennie, Rose and Lisa are sought-after guests.
Though he could’ve gotten an extension, EXO’s D.O. chose to enlist on July 1 to begin his mandatory military duty. It’s a fact of life that all able-bodied South Korean men have to serve their country in the armed forces. K-Pop idols aren’t exempt from this, no matter how famous they are.
Hallejuah! July 1st is a great day for Kim Soo-Hyun fans. The “My Love From The Star” actor will be discharged from his mandatory military duty.
Are you as sad as we are? Superstar couple Song Joong-Ki and Song Hye-Kyo have announced their plans to divorce.
BTS will be back on the big screen this summer. The Korean pop group announced today that their latest feature film, “Bring the Soul: The Movie,” will have a global release on August 7. It arrives just six and a half months after the septet’s last film release, “Love Yourself in Seoul.”