2015 Korean Drama Recommendations

I'm an aspiring drama blogger but a month ago I made a conscious decision to quit watching any television. The process required an absurd amount of self-control yet it was a good time for me to focus on other more productive endeavors. Now that the deal is off, I'm on a roll by starting a very ambitious marathon to watch all the new k-dramas in 2015. 

Added a ratings widget so you can now rate your favorite dramas below. Help spread the k-drama love by turning this into a group effort. If you would like to contribute your thoughts on a certain drama, contact us with a short writeup and we can include it directly in the post below.  

For my list of best Korean dramas from 2000 to 2004, click here.
Historical K-dramas, click here.

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Young Pal

Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?

Episodes and Genre: 18, Medical

Air Date: Aug 2015 SBS

Starring:
Joo Won as Kim Tae Hyun
Kim Tae Hee as Han Yeo Jin

Synopsis:

Kim Tae Hyun is drowning in debt due to his sister's kidney dialysis and he becomes a doctor for hire to all sorts of convoluted clients. 

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She Was Pretty

Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?

Episodes and Genre: 16, Romantic Comedy

Air Date: Sep 2015 - Nov 2015 MBC

Starring:
Hwang Jung Eum as Kim Hye Jin
Park Seo Joon as Ji Sung Joon 
Go Joon Hee as Min Ha Ri 
Choi Si Won as Kim Shin Hyuk

Synopsis:
A beautiful young girl becomes an ugly duckling while her insecure bestfriend and childhood sweetheart returns from overseas as her boss.

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Oh My Venus

Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?

My Rating: Must Watch (5/5)

Episodes and Genre: 16, Romantic Comedy

Air Date: Nov 2015 KBS2 Mon & Tues 22:00

Starring:
So Ji Sub as Kim Young Ho

Shin Min Ah as Kang Joo Eun

Synopsis:

In her high school days, Kang Joo Eun was the "it" girl who had the looks, intelligence and personality to boot but her path to become a lawyer led to a lot of stress eating and she's now an overweight spinster. 

What's more is her old classmate turned rival has gone from being an outcast to a beautiful accomplished lawyer hell-bent on making Joo Eun miserable. Down in the dumps, she lucks out and meets John Kim, a world class trainer who helps in her battle to lose weight.

Comments:

The premise sounds bland because how interesting could a weight loss drama be, but it is so much more. It's a quirky rom-com and easily turning into one of my favorite k-dramas. The main characters are likable, their struggles relatable and overall, it's a drama with a lot of heart and hilarious hijinx especially when you put the 3 guys together.

Most of you are probably waiting for the next episode. I'm going against the grain when I say I'm thankful for the wait because otherwise I would be ignoring all the work I have to do and just watching non-stop. At least I found the Oh My Venus mp3 download as a quick fix. The drama is nearing the mid-way point where it's about time for sh** to hit the fan. Sure hope the it doesn't lose the cute.

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Oh My Ghost

Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: TBD

Episodes and Genre: 16, Fantasy Rom-Com
Air Date: Jul 2015 TVN
Starring:
Park Bo Young as Na Bong Sun
Jo Jung Suk as Kang Sun Woo

Synopsis:
I came across this while watching a 6 minute highlight posted by a fan. Based on my first impressions alone, it's about a ghost, a female lead who works as a waitress and her seemingly mean boss that's bound to mellow down and become the sweetest guy once he falls for the girl.

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High Society

Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?
My Rating: Pretty Good (4/5)

Episodes and Genre: 16, Romance Drama
Air Date: Jun 2015 SBS
Starring:
UEE as Jang Yoon Ha
Sung Joon as Choi Joon Ki

Synopsis:
Jang Yoon Ha comes from an elite prominent Korean family. She meets Choi Joon Ki a man so focused on attaining wealth that he will do so by dating rich women. 

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Producer

Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?

My Rating: Must Watch (5/5)

Episodes: 12
Air Date and Genre: May 2015 KBS2 Fri & Sat, Romance Comedy
Starring:
Cha Tae Hyun as Ra Joon Mo
Kim Soo Hyun as Baek Seung Chan
Gong Hyo Jin as Tak Ye Jin
IU as Cindy

Comments:
The concept draws attention in the sense that most k-drama fans would probably be interested to see what goes on behind the scenes. It is a rom-com about PDs and actors and parallel universe for the Korean entertainment industry where pop star IU pretty much plays a stereotypical version of herself. 

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Mask

Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?

My Rating: Pretty Good (4/5)

Episodes and Genre: 20, Romance Drama
Air Date: May 2015 SBS
Starring:
Soo Ae as Byun Ji Suk / Seo Eun Ha
Joo Ji Hoon as Choi Min Woo

Synopsis:
Between two doppelgangers, one will die. Due to a series of mishaps, Ji Sook who is constantly in debt was forced to take over wealthy Eun Ha's identity after her death. Can Ji Sook come out of this unscathed?

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Falling For Innocence

Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?

My Rating: Must-Watch (5/5)

Episodes and Genre: 16, Romantic Comedy
Air Date: Apr 2015 JTBC Fri & Sat 21:45
Starring:
Jung Kyung Ho as Kang Min Ho 
Kim So Yeon as Kim Soon Jung 
Yoon Hyun Min as Lee Joon Hee 
Jin Goo as Ma Dong Wook


Synopsis:
Kang Min Ho is a man determined to take revenge on everyone who wronged his father but he has a heart transplant that changes him into a completely different man that falls head over heels for Kim Soon Jung. 

Comments: 
I would have easily written this off as just another k-drama because the plot didn't exactly catch my attention but I am so glad that I decided to check it out and believe it or not, it was PewDiePie that got me into it and I don't normally watch his videos either. 

He recommended Beating Again on his 'Would You Kill Trump' video (starts at 3:14). It is such a sweet and heartfelt romance that's bound to make you smile. Anyone who watches this would ship the onscreen couple in real life though I hate to break it to you Jung Kyung Ho has been dating Girls Generation member Sooyoung for a few years now.   

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Blood

Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?

My Rating: Just Another Drama (3/5)

Episodes and Genre: 20, Medical / Fantasy
Air Date: Feb 2015 KBS2 Mon & Tues 22:00
Starring:
Ahn Jae Hyun as Park Ji Sang
Goo Hye Sun as Yoo Ri Ta


Synopsis:
A vampire who works in a hospital. A reference to Carlyle from Twilight?

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Hyde Jekyll Me

Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?

My Rating: Just Another Drama (3/5)

Episodes and Genre: 20, Romance Comedy
Air Date: Jan - Mar 2015 SBS Wed & Thurs 21:55
Starring:
Hyun Bin as Goo Seo Jin
Han Ji Min as Jang Ha Na

Synopsis:
A representation of Jekyll and Hyde in k-drama land where Goo Seo Jin is a man with two very different personas due to a personality disorder. He utterly confuses Jang Ha Na as she meets Seo Jin as a cold and calculating man and in the blink of an eye, turns into the sweetest guy on the planet.

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Kill Me, Heal Me

Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?

My Rating: Just Another Drama (3/5)

Episodes and Genre: 20, Medical Rom-Com
Air Date: Jan - Mar 2015 MBC Wed & Thurs 22:00
Starring:
Ji Sung as Cha Do Hyun
Hwang Jung Eum as Oh Ri Jin

Synopsis:
Again with the similarly-themed dramas, Kill Me Heal Me is about a man who suffered immense trauma and has psychologically developed 7 distinct identities.

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Healer

Is it a must-watch, pretty good, just another drama, tolerable or downright boring?

My Rating: Just Another Drama (3/5)

Episodes and Genre: 20, Action Thriller
Air Date: Dec - Feb 2015 KBS2 Mon & Tues 22:00
Starring:
Ji Chang Wook as Seo Jung Hoo
Park Min Young as Chae Young Shin

Synopsis:
Some kind of spy drama? I'll have a better idea soon.

For more, see 2016 kdramas.

Asian Celebrity Look Alikes and Some Hollywood

Below are my top celebrity look-a-like choices from Korea, Taiwan, China and all over the world where I see a resemblance or downright confusion cause I can't tell them apart! Please contribute, curious to see the list grow.

 Joo Won and Kang Dong Won

Kim Tae Hee and T-ara Jiyeon

Katy Perry and Zooey Daschanel 

Natalie Portman and Keira Knightley 

Liu Jia Ling and Na Ying 

Mike He and Roy Qiu

HK Movies: Police vs Triads

Infernal Affairs (2002) 無間道 

I was watching the live telecast of the Oscars with a group of friends back in 2007 to see whether the critically-acclaimed Departed, which was adapted from a Hong Kong movie called Infernal Affairs, would dominate the awards show as predicted. Imagine our surprise when the announcer mistakenly dubbed Infernal Affairs as a Japanese film, when it was and remains to be one of Hong Kong's finest.

I'm a fan of both the Departed and Infernal Affairs but the latter wins hands down if not for originality. Infernal Affairs includes Hong Kong's biggest names Andy Lau and Tony Leung as undercover agents sent by the police and the triad in a dangerous battle of wits. Having a major bias towards Tony Leung, I'd have to say his portrayal as the conflicted protagonist of the film was so believable that I was constantly at the edge of my seat.

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Hard Boiled (1992) 辣手神探

Police versus triad stories are quite commonplace in Hong Kong cinema. I see stark similarities between Infernal Affairs and Hard Boiled, another one of my favorites. Hard Boiled is a police action flick starring Chow Yun Fat and Tony Leung. I don't want to give anything else away other than to say that it was directed by renowned action filmmaker John Woo.

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The Police Story 警察故事系列

The Police Story franchise is top-billed by none other than Jackie Chan. Of the many films in this franchise, I was first introduced to the New Police Story (2004), which started out with drunkard Inspector Chan and a flashback to his tramatic encounter with a group of masked lunatics who succeed in breaking him mentally and emotionally. Years later, Inspector Chan is partnered with trusty sidekick Frank Cheng where he little by little, he learns to pick up the pieces to become a cop again.

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Emergency Unit (E.U.) and Laughing Gor 學警狙擊

Taking a step back from movies, we venture into TVB police action series Emergency Unit. The series begins with the Academy (2005) and On the First Beat (2007) about bright young individuals who aspire to become police officers. 

The 3rd sequel EU (2009) is a much more serious version where the main characters Lap Man and Pak Kiu get involved in a police effort to bring down the triads. This is also the series where the character Laughing Gor portrayed by Michael Tse became an icon, inspiring numerous movies and a TV series spin-off.

Lives of Omission (2011) provides an alternate reality for Laughing Gor devoid of the happenings in EU. While to me, it's not ideal given that everything that I have seen so far is essentially nullified, this final addition to the franchise still did well ratings-wise.

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Young and Dangerous 古惑仔

Last but not the least, Young and Dangerous is a series of movies that spun even more sequels and spin-offs. The movie revolves around Ekin Cheng as Chan Ho Nam who is a member of the triad Hung Hing. We are shown a different side of Hong Kong where triads rule the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui so I half-expected to see gangs running around with knives when I visited Hong Kong, thankfully, there were none. 

Even though the main lead are all part of the triad, we come to love these characters who are willing to fight for what they believe in.

All Kang Dong Won Movies

It was simply by chance that I came across Jeon Woochi, which prompted a movie marathon about all things Kang Dong Won (swoon).  I may be susceptible to being biased for very obvious reasons but there's no denying most of the movies below are major box office hits.

Jeon Woo Chi 2009

Jeon Woo Chi, my favorite Korean movie of all time, is about a Taoist wizard wrongfully imprisoned in a painting and finally released in modern day Korea to help retrieve the magical flute. Sounds outlandish I know but it's this quirkiness wholesomely portrayed by Kang Dong Won that really makes the movie.

Temptation of Wolves 2004 Watching this left me feeling melancholic.

Too Beautiful to Lie 2004Reminds me of romantic comedy While You Were Sleeping

Voice of a Murderer 2007 We barely see Kang Dong Won's face but this is a blockbuster movie is about a kidnap for ransom case loosely based on a true story. Watch here.

Secret Reunion 2010
Another favorite of mine that's set in a completely different genre from Jeon Woo Chi. This movie is about a touching story between Song Ji Won, a North Korean spy and Lee Han Gyu, a NIS agent as they forge an unlikely friendship.  Watch here.

Duelist 2005
Despite being a fan of historical movies, Duelist was too theatrical such that the execution of each scene will literally leave you in awe of its aesthetic appeal yet somehow lacking in substance. It's Kang Dong Won though so I ended up liking it just the same. Watch here.

Maundy Thursday 2006A man on death row who finds hope when he falls in love. Watch here.

Psychic 2010
A movie about a man driven mad by his fearsome ability to control people with his mind and the one man in this world that he cannot control. Simple plot yet quite thrilling to watch Kang Dong Won and Go Soo fight it out till the very end. Watch here.

Kundo: Age of the Rampant 2014 

My Palpitating Life 2014 
If you know where I can watch the 2014 movies, I will be so grateful T.T Last but not the least, Kang Dong Won was in a short film called the X in 2013. The trailer looks very cool but I don't have much information other than that.

Asian Drama Remakes from Manga

Boys Over Flowers is by far the most successful crossover from Manga to TV earning a separate posting all to itself. Yet, there are so many other Asian drama remakes based on manga that have garnered off-the-chart ratings as well.

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Devil Beside You written by Takanashi Mitsuba 
Taiwan 2005 ( 惡魔在身邊)

At a time when Taiwanese dramas created based on manga were making waves, Devil Beside You was yet another peak in the Taiwanese drama mania. It's a typical setup about a good girl who falls in love with the bad boy yet done in such a way that it captured the hearts of many and many fans madly cheered for Mike He and Rainie Yang's sizzling on-screen chemistry.

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Tomorrow written by Asunaro Hakusho
Taiwan (2002) 愛情白皮書

Tomorrow is adapted from manga yet I feel that it stands out for not being the typical boy meets girl story. Rather it has a subtle charm focusing more on each character's struggles and how they come together throughout the years.

It's been a while since I saw this yet I still remember the OST (Qi Cheng by Fan Wei Qi), such a beautiful song to match a beautiful drama. Tomorrow is Another Day. And need I say, Eddie Peng is in it.

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Itazura Na Kiss written by Tada Kaoru

About a simple girl who is lacking in many ways but has a lot of heart. After harboring a crush on the smartest and cutest boy in class, she musters the courage to confess her feelings in front of the whole school but was crushed when he didn't even bother to acknowledge her presence. Dejected, she is shocked when her family ends up having to move in with his family.

It Started With a Kiss (2005) Taiwan
They Kiss Again Pt 2 (2007) Taiwan 

Playful Kiss (2010) Korea

Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo (2013) Japan

It's been a while since I last saw this and now that I look back, I realize that objectively speaking, I really ought to dislike stories like these where the relationship is very much one-sided. The guy is smart and aloof while the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve keeps putting herself out there and getting hurt again, and again. And of course, she has a much nicer 2nd lead who constantly looks out for her but trust me, that guy never gets the girl.

Despite everything I just said, I fell for it head over heels. I was such a fan of the Taiwanese version of It Started With a Kiss (ISWAK). It can be over the top and corny in some ways but as a whole, the cast was endearing, the main leads had great chemistry and the OST amazing.

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Hana Kimi written by Hisaya Nakajo

About a girl who idolizes a star athlete from an all boy's school. Hence she decides to transfer to his school by pretending to be a boy.

Hana Kimi (2006) Taiwan

To the Beautiful You (2012) Korea

Thought it was quite interesting how girly-girl Sulli Choi was cast to play this role in Korea, awhile Ella Chen, known for her tomboyish looks got the part in the Taiwan. Either way, I think both women are capable of pulling of boyish and sultry in their own right.

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City Hunter (2011) Korea

Diverging from the manga, City Hunter is an action revenge Korean drama starring Lee Min Ho. Unfortunately for fans, it is also through this drama where he meets his current girlfriend Park Min Young.

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Tomorrow Cantabile (2014) Korea

A Korean drama about two extremely gifted musicians - a violinist and a pianist - who are polar opposites in every way.

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When Love Walked In (2012) China 

Not based on a manga but the plot sure sounds very familiar. Victoria Song portrays Shen Ya Yin, the classic Cinderella who works multiple jobs to repay her foster family. There's even a bitter stepmother, jealous stepsister and an irresponsible stepbrother to boot.

However, a twist of fate uncovers the truth that Shen Ya Yin is actually an heiress to the mass fortunes that her real grandfather owns.

Romantic Princess (2007) Taiwan

Based on the manga Four Steps to Romance, this is another Cinderella story about a long-lost heiress found by her grandfather after many years of searching. She is swept into the lifestyle of the rich and famous and along with that comes the many good looking suitors to choose from.

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Absolute Boyfriend (2012)

As I was compiling this list, just noticed that there seems to be a growing trend of dramas not only based on Japanese manga but also having actors / actresses of different nationalities.

A Taiwanese drama starring Jiro Wang and Korean actress Koo Hye Sun as the girl who is unlucky in love and inadvertently purchases an android created for the sole purpose of being the absolute boyfriend. What kind of android would it be without a six pack?

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Skip Beat (2012)

Taiwanese actress Ivy Chen and her two leading men Choi Si Won and Lee Dong Hae from Super Junior. It's an extremely good-looking cast and that's about it.

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Hayate Combat Butler (2011) Taiwan

George Hu plays the combat butler while Korean actress Park Shin Hye is the heiress that he swears to protect.

See here for a complete list of Korean dramas and more Chinese-Korean collaborations.