Either after watching one K-Drama, or after watching a few, you begin to realize that whatever was initially promised to the viewers is only a slice of what each show presents. In other words, that love-triangle plot, as it is embedded in the romantic genre, is also a show that falls under the supernatural drama, for example. Below, we are recommending the top 5 K-Dramas that mix different genres so perfectly that you can’t miss them. These dramas with a fusion of genres are worthy of your time.
1. “Goblin” - Romantic fantasy
“Goblin” is often tagged as the first show newcomers to K-Drama should watch. It not only focuses on a tragic love story, but it does so by focusing on a tragic love story with two key complications: the male lead, Kim Shin (played by Gong Yoo) is not human and there is an age gap between himself and Ji EunTak (played by Kim GoEun). In addition to a tragic and complicated love story, you can find yourself immersed in issues of death and different types of love, such as male friendships, female friendships, and the form of love that kicks in only in superhero movies: self-sacrifice for the sake of many.
2. “A Korean Odyssey” - Romantic fantasy, Folklore
“A Korean Odyssey” is similar to “Goblin” insofar as the key romantic relationship, between Son OhGong (played by Lee SeungGi) and Jin SeonMi (played by Oh YeonSeo) is tragic and complicated because the former character is a powerful immortal Sage. In this show, issues of death, life, different bonds and magic and folklore come into play to support the claim that a love-based K-Drama has no core foundation, but multitudes.
3. “Mad for Each Other” - Romantic comedy
This show involves another one of Oh YeonSeo’s fantastic performances. Rather than being fueled by folklore or magic, this drama’s love-story is fueled by anger, anxiety in a world filled with negative and harmful people and the fear of bonding with others. Other things you can expect in the series include No WhiOh’s (played by Jung Woo) detective work and mysteries and mental health issues.
4. “Yumi’s Cells” - Romance
“Yumi’s Cells” focuses on YuMi’s (played by Kim GoEun) ordinary working life. I think this show, of all of the ones listed in this article, is the most ground-breaking in genre studies. Specifically, I am intrigued by the show’s adaptation of a webcomic by Lee DongGun (2015-2020) and the inclusion of YuMi’s emotional and other cells (love, hunger, fashion, rationality, etc.) as animated characters. Yes, the show follows a romantic relationship between YuMi and Koo Woong (played by Ahn BoHyun), but it also follows YuMi’s struggle to find herself in her workplace and it provides K-Drama creators with a new medium through which they can creatively express ideas. Not only does this show fuse themes of love and self-discovery, but it also fuses creative mediums to provide us with a unique viewing experience.
5. “Coffee Prince” - Romantic comedy
“Coffee Prince” was released back in 2007, but, in 2021, people are still enjoying it on repeat and newly recruited K-Drama fans are discovering it for the first time. Choi HanGyul (played by Gong Yoo) falls in love with what he thinks is a man, Ko EunChan (played by Yoon EunHye). Yes, it is another complicated love story, but in having Ko EunChan cross-dress and pass as a man, the drama brings to light issues of same-sex romantic relationships and what it means to discover who you are in a world that seems to unfold in ways that estrange you. Like all of the above female leads, EunChan is self-sufficient and hardworking. So, in addition to learning more about the different forms that love unfolds in K-Dramas, you continue to learn about issues of masculinity and femininity in South Korean culture.
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