They’re great!
I’m going to share with you some that I’ve enjoyed. You can probably see why these particular ones appealed to me – three feature an autistic character, one a humanoid robot, and one an aspiring author. Haha, yeah. But they’re all so well done, you might enjoy them also (they’re all on Netflix).
I watched some a while back so can’t remember much of the plot so I’m just going to give you a sentence or two to give the gist of what I remember and why I liked them.
The Good Doctor
The Korean – and original – version of The Good Doctor is, in my opinion far superior to the US version (which I find cringey).
The young autistic savant trying to become a surgeon seems human and relatable, and I liked the way it illustrated his relationship issues while still allowing a touching romance to develop. The underlying political tensions in the hospital were also gripping and provided a cohesive story arc across episodes.
Are You Human?
Only for those who enjoy silly robot stories! A boy is removed from his mother by a powerful grandfather, so she constructs a human-like robot in his image. An elaborate – and completely implausible – plot sees the robot standing in for the human to survive corporation power games.
I enjoyed seeing the lead actor playing two contrasting characters – and the designer clothes were pretty cool too.
Move To Heaven
This has a unique premise of a company providing cleaning services for those who have passed away.
The quiet and sensitive young man doing the cleaning finds himself under the guardianship of his scoundrel uncle. I was touched at times by the way the youngster brought closure to the relatives of the deceased each episode, while the question of whether Uncle could reform himself provided series continuity.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo
An autistic young woman with amazing memory tries to make her way as a lawyer.
This has a fun and light-hearted feel while also touching on the workplace struggles of autistics. A moment when her father explains how it felt when his daughter was unable to get a job for 6 months despite getting top grades moved me, and the way in which she was undermined by a colleague who was jealous of her skills struck a chord also.
Miraculous Brothers
I’m still watching this series but enjoying it so far. There’s a completely implausible – yet remarkably gripping – plot involving a boy travelling through time and publication of a stolen manuscript which turns out to reveal a true crime committed 27 years before.
I was particularly struck by the emotional range and complexity of the aspiring author character, and the developing friendship with the boy is also well done.
Would love to read your own thoughts on these or other Korean dramas, feel free to share in the comments.
The Wandering Mind 