Moving along with our staff picks, we come to our second list- DRAMAS! The following dramas are what we think are the must-see shows of the year! Get yourself some popcorn and start binge-watching ASAP!
Healer
krusty95 | This drama has garnered plenty of attention and has skyrocketed Ji Chang Wook and Park Min Young’s popularity in China. It finished in February but has remained in my drama-obsessive mind as one of the best dramas for 2015 (closely followed by Wasta’s awesome pick). Healer is like the complete package for the standard action drama – epic battle scenes, a knight in shining armour that flirts with death, a tough heroine with short hair and a compelling romance story. Plus, the acting was phenomenal which is a bonus. If you haven’t fell for the leads yet, do yourselves a favour and watch this gem.
Oh My Venus
Holke | This drama is ongoing, but the majority of the show is being aired in 2015, which qualifies it, right? There are many special qualities that this show has, but there’s just something about the female lead, Shin Min Ah, who plays Kang Joo Eun, a woman who is plus-sized, but has quite the personality. Instead of being portrayed as weak and unconfident, she is self-motivated and positive. Her transformation has little to do with her weight, but plenty to do with her quality of life, which is a positive message for those who may also have a body-image issue. Kang Joo Eun’s love interest, played by So Ji Sub, is most interested in her inner health and trains her to become an improved version of herself, and not just a skinnier version. However, aside from the main love line, there are several captivating side stories that’ll keep you at the edge of your seat. I can’t wait to see how it ends!
She Was Pretty
Teru | Alright, I literally just finished it a moment ago and I may just be emotionally compromised still, but it really was a lovable little drama. It did drag at parts like so many Korean romcoms do, and more than once I found myself rooting for the wrong love interest because the main character fell a bit flat, but overall it’s such a feelgood series I can’t find any major fault with it. Aside from Siwon’s endlessly entertaining natural flair for comedy, I particularly loved that it focused on the friendship of Hyejin and Hari – the primary female characters – so much, rather than turning one of them into the stock rival bitch like so many dramas. I was also expecting it to turn into another superficial makeover show (as Hyejin is meant to be plain and unpretty AT FIRST) but was pleasantly surprised to find that wasn’t the case. Watch it and see for yourself, you might be surprised too.
I Remember You
Wasta | *cries internally because of how underrated this drama was* There are few dramas that I desperately await the next episode of every week and this was one of them. I first started watching it because it seemed to be Korea’s version of the BBC Sherlock, but it takes the genius investigator trope down a different route. This drama does rely partially on the standard amnesia plot point but uses it in a way that sets up both a disturbing and heartwarming story. A bromance that is guaranteed to make you cry and a psychotic villain you can’t help but feel sorry for, this drama was everything I wanted and more. An added bonus for any Exo-L watching was seeing D.O. showcase his acting chops as a young serial killer in a drama that features other big name actors like Jang Na Ra and Seo In Guk.
