So, you’ve finished the final season of Squid Game. How are you feeling after that intense finale? While Player 456 may have played his final game in the Front Man’s house of horrors, your journey into the world of Korean dramas, or K-dramas, doesn’t have to end there.
Whether Squid Game was your first venture into Korean screen content or you’re already a fan of other South Korean hits like Parasite and Culinary Class Wars, you’re in good company. The allure of Korean TV is undeniable, and there’s a vast array of dramas waiting to be explored.
The Secret Sauce of Korean TV
Squid Game is a part of Hallyu, or the “Korean wave” of pop culture, which includes music, screen content, literature, performing arts, and even food and cosmetics popularized on social media. But what makes Korean pop culture so captivating?
“Part of it is almost serendipity and, of course, part of it is … government support as well,” explains Jo Elfving-Hwang, director of Curtin University’s Korea Research and Engagement Center and an associate professor of Korean Studies. South Korea’s government began supporting creative industries in the late 1990s, laying the groundwork for its current cultural dominance.
Elfving-Hwang attributes the “secret sauce” of Korean TV to a blend of industry creativity and international audiences’ relatively lower awareness of Korean traditional culture compared to other Asian countries like Japan. This combination allows Korean dramas to resonate globally.
“It managed to cross borders quite well in terms of how it communicated the message of unequal societies, and how people grapple with debts and things that are quite universal these days,” she says.
Squid Game is one of Netflix’s most-watched series, and Korean TV and movies are the most-viewed non-US content on the platform, according to research by international entertainment analysis firm Ampere.
“Korea is … quite neutral ground on which people can kind of imagine their own ideas about this place called Korea. So, in a way, it’s a real place, but it’s also a fantasy land,” says Elfving-Hwang.
A Starter Kit for the K-Drama Curious
K-dramas can be deeply romantic, melodramatic, fantastical, suspenseful, and sometimes completely bonkers. If you’re K-drama curious, these recommendations will help reprogram your streaming algorithm in the right direction.
Action Thrillers
South Korea has produced many hit action thrillers like Oldboy, The Chaser, and Train to Busan. In K-drama form, these thrillers get more room to breathe, often blending genres with unexpected side stories and moments of comedy and social commentary.
A Shop for Killers
Loner orphan teen Jung Ji-an (Kim Hye-jun) becomes the target of multiple mercenary teams after her guardian’s death. Based on the novel The Killer’s Shopping Mall by Kang Ji-young, A Shop for Killers offers plenty of action to satisfy any post-Squid-Game cravings. But it’s also a coming-of-age story, as Ji-an pieces together memories of her uncle. Directed by Lee Kwon, it’s available on Disney+.
Mask Girl
A wild cautionary tale about the consequences of impossible beauty standards, Mask Girl is a gripping series with twists and turns that keep viewers hooked. Kim Mo-mi, who dreams of becoming a K-pop star, ends up living a double life as ‘Mask Girl’. The series, available on Netflix, spins into an intergenerational tale of revenge, requiring three actors to portray Mo-mi.
Rich People Problems
South Koreans have a term, chaebol, for the ultra-wealthy conglomerate families that dominate the nation’s economy. These families’ wealth and influence often inspire Korean screenwriters to weave feuding chaebol storylines into their shows.
Crash Landing on You
Yoon Se-ri, a prominent chaebol businesswoman, falls for North Korean army captain Ri Jeong-hyeok after a paragliding accident. The series, available on Netflix, combines romance and family drama, reminiscent of Succession, with its secondary storyline of sibling rivalry.
Queen of Tears
This K-drama follows the tumultuous journey of a power couple in Seoul society. Glamorous department store boss Hong Hae-in and her corporate lawyer husband Baek Hyun-woo navigate their strained marriage and chaebol family dynamics. Queen of Tears, available on Netflix, serves a feast of K-drama tropes over 16 episodes.
Eternal Love
If you’re a fan of Celine Song’s Past Lives, you might recall the Korean concept of “inyeon,” or fate. This idea of interconnectedness across lifetimes is a recurring theme in Korean TV, adding depth and resonance to many dramas.
The appeal of Korean dramas lies in their ability to blend universal themes with unique cultural elements, creating stories that resonate with audiences worldwide. As the Korean wave continues to grow, there’s no shortage of captivating content to explore beyond Squid Game.
