Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
In one of the most delightfully clever K-dramas of 2026, Yoo Yeon-seok portrays Shin Yi-rang, a smart attorney who no one will hire. Why? Because his now-deceased father had been accused of being a corrupt prosecutor, and no law firm wants to have their company associated with those allegations.
“As You Stood By” examines domestic abuse and how people are reluctant to help victims — most often because they are afraid of how their actions could be detrimental to their own lives (which is also a subplot in Our Unwritten Seoul).
Set in Jeju-do/제주도, “Welcome to Samdal-ri” explores the relationship between childhood best friends Yong-pil (Chang-wook) and Sam-dal (Shin Hye-sun). From the time she was a child, Sam-dal wanted to escape her small town and make a name for herself as a photographer in Seoul. The two dated for a while, with Yong-pil happy to follow her to the bit city and support her dreams.
“Her Private Life” starts off as a clever comedy about Sung Duk-Mi — a cultured art curator who also is a diehard fangirl. But it also deftly tackles child abandonment, reunification and forgiveness. The concept of what constitutes a family was a recurring theme. It was refreshing to see that relationships based on bloodlines weren’t the only ones valued and that families are sometimes borne from tragic circumstances.
Mother’s Day is just around the corner. What does that have to do with K-Dramas? Plenty. There isn’t a K-Drama around that doesn’t have a storyline or plot twist that revolves around a mother.
