Korean Drama Starter Pack | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Korean Drama Starter Pack

A beginner's guide to watching K-Dramas.

Jessica Min
Jan 05, 2016
Loyola Marymount University
223
Korean Drama Starter Pack
Drama Fever

While many countries have their version of soap opera genre shows like the United Kingdom's "Skins" or North America's "All My Children," no country loves dramas quite like South Korea. Two of the most popular Korean dramas during the initial wave of worldwide Korean culture were "Coffee Prince" (커피프린스 1호점) and "Boys Over Flowers" (꽃보다 남자). Several comic books were written about the two popular series shows, and they gained a tremendous following throughout East Asia. If you're looking to get into Korean TV, I would highly recommend starting with these two shows as they give a glimpse into Korean culture.

"Coffee Prince" (커피프린스 1호점)

This Korean drama tells the story of a tomboyish girl, Eun-chan, who hides her gender in order to work at a coffee shop called "Coffee Prince." Taking over her deceased father's responsibility as the family's breadwinner, she disguises herself to get a job. She ends up falling in love with the coffee shop's owner, Choi Han-kyul, the spoiled heir to a popular food empire. Originally released in 2007, "Coffee Prince" was the start of the worldwide trend of Korean drama culture. It was extremely popular as it deals with Eun-chan and Choi Han-kyul's struggles to stay as a couple even though they are from different class backgrounds.

"Boys Over Flowers" (꽃보다 남자)

"Boys Over Flowers," or "F4," tells the story of the daughter of a dry cleaner as she deals with personal relationships at her private school for the elite of Korean society from princesses to models. Initially, her presence at school is looked down upon as she is from a lower class family. She falls in love with two members of the same friend group, which happens to be the most popular group of boys in the school, otherwise known as the F4. With generations of family money and strong reputations, these boys are supposed to be the most beautiful and desired boys in the school. "Boys Over Flowers" is extremely popular as it again deals with the struggles of class differences and discrimination.

Due to the rising popularity of Korean dramas worldwide, many are now available to stream with subtitles on video sites such as DramaFever, Viki, and even Netflix in their Korean Drama section. These are just two of hundreds of dramas that shed light on Korean private and public lives. They're addicting but great to binge watch the first week of school when the work hasn't piled up and you actually have some free time.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

AI music threatens creativity

The Soul of Sound: How AI Challenges Human Expression in Music

201383
Humans and robots face off in a rock band battle with guitars and drums, under dynamic lighting.
StableDiffusion

In an age where artificial intelligence can mimic the voice of Freddie Mercury or reimagine pop hits as synthwave ballads, a new frontier has emerged — one that blurs the line between innovation and erosion. While AI offers undeniable benefits in technical domains, its intrusion into creative arts, especially music, raises urgent questions. Not just about copyright, but about culture, education, and the very soul of artistic expression.


Keep Reading...Show less
ai generated music
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

Miami University
527380
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
music
Entertainment

Why Your Astrological Sign May Not Match Your Personality

We are all more than just one sign.

SUNY Plattsburgh
439479
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
astrology
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

UNC Greensboro
409920
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
spring
Relationships

The Importance Of Being A Good Person

An open letter to the good-hearted people.

Sacred Heart University
666473
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
good person

Trending Topics

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments