Asian Dramas For Everyone
You get a drama rec, you get a drama rec, YOU get a drama rec!!!
But seriously, y'all. If you're looking for some quality shows to watch but you've run out of options on Netflix, I highly recommend that you dive into the world of Asian dramas (with subtitles, if required). So far I've tried Taiwanese, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Thai shows, and I've enjoyed almost all of them. My personal tastes lean towards rom-coms with the occasional mystery or science fiction series, but there are a plethora of options for any and every taste: time travel, historical fiction, horror, courtroom drama, etc.
Admittedly, I've only watched twenty and a half series so far, so I'm far from being an expert. But in the interest of self expression (is that phrase condescending or what lol) I have made up a list of recommendationss based on what American shows I think are similar to provide a sort of guide for you. Feel free to let me know what you liked//didn't like, what recommendations you have.
All of mine can be found on Netflix.
IF YOU LIKE: The Good Place, To All the Boys I've Loved Before
TRY: Accidentally in Love OR Romance is a Bonus Book
Accidentally in Love is a Chinese drama with 1 season comprising 30 episodes. It is clearly a romantic comedy, and is equal parts funny, sweet, and lovely. The basic plot is as follows: Chen Qing Qing is a rich, accomplished, ambitious, and tenacious young girl who flees from an arranged marriage and secretly enrolls in the same college where her deceased parents studied, hoping to find out more about them. She disguises herself as a stereotypical "ugly girl" in an effort to hide her true identity and blend in with her classmates. (Personally, I thought Qing Qing looked ADORABLE as her "ugly self" and do not see what anyone would think otherwise.) Due to a series of misunderstandings and quintessential "rom com" events, she enters a rivalry with her seat partner Si Tu Feng, who also happens to be a famous pop star. As their relationship morphs from hate to friendship to love, other events and characters cause trouble in their lives.
CAN I JUST RANT FOR A MINUTE: I love both of the main characters so much. Qing Qing is super strong, tough, and independent, but she's also so hilarious and always tries to help others, even if she causes trouble during the attempt. Si Tu Feng is such a lovable, dork (though slightly arrogant) and I so appreciate his lack of toxic masculinity. They are also the best example of enemies-to-friends-to-lovers I’ve seen on any drama so far.
Romance is a Bonus Book is a South Korean series with 1 season comprising 16 episodes. The story shows the progression of the relationship between longtime friends Cha Eun-ho, a senior editor at a book publishing company, and Kang Dan-i, a mother in her late thirties who is homeless and jobless after a divorce. As Dan-i gains confidence as a single mother re-entering the workforce and rebuilds her life, her relationship with Eun-ho begins to change. One major advantage of this well-acted rom com is its comedic, dynamic supporting cast, an area in which many dramas are weak. Its female characters in particular are extremely well-developed, each with her own goals, ambitions, successes, and regrets.
IF YOU LIKE: Law & Order, The Good Fight, Good Girls
TRY: Hyena
This is a South Korean drama, with 1 season comprising 16 episodes. The main plot deals with two competitive lawyers--one a second son from an upperclass and influential family, one a lone wolf clawing her way out of poverty and a mysterious past--as they work to defend the richest and most politically corrupt members of South Korean society. While none of the characters have what you could call a strong moral compass, Hyena does a good job of painting the corrupt system in which they live, enticing you to root for them anyway. Additionally, the actors do a fantastic job of imbuing comedy into their characters' plot lines despite the show's dark subject matter. The female lead, Geum Ja, is one of the most complicated and believably written female leads I've seen in a drama yet, and her chemistry with the male lead is undeniable.
TW for violence, attempted sexual assault
IF YOU LIKE: Santa Clarita Diet, Charmed, Wynonna Earp
TRY: Bring It On, Ghost!
This is a South Korean drama, with 1 season comprising 16 episodes. This show is a science fiction/romantic comedy series, featuring two main leads: the ghost of a high school girl trained in martial arts, and a university student with the ability to see, hear, and physically fight ghosts (yes, he mainly punches them). What I enjoyed most about it was the "monster of the week" theme, as I feel the episodic structure does a better job of world-building and increasing the tension than having just one long arc relating to a specific villain or problem (although we do have that as well in this show, I felt it was handled properly in tandem with the "monsters of the week"). The gore is just scary and gross enough to justify the characters' fears without being triggering. The show was also remarkably progressive in its depiction of ghosts, trauma, and compassion.
Tw for minor gore, minor horror, minor scenes of police, and violence
IF YOU LIKE: Ouran High School Host Club, She's the Man
TRY: Bromance
This is a Taiwanese series with 1 season comprising 20 episodes. The main character is Pi Ya Nuo, who was predicted by a fortune teller to be baby boy meant for a great success and a natural-born leader. But when she is assigned female at birth, the fortune teller claims that she will not survive unless she secretly lives as a boy for the first 25 years of her life. A few months from her 26th birthday (after which she can live out her true gender identity), Ya Nuo saves local triad leader Du Zi Feng and his sister from a rival gang's attack, leading him to claim her as his "sworn brother". As Ya Nuo and Du Zi Feng fall in love (through a series of admittedly far-fetched scenarios), she strives to hide her secret until her birthday while also worrying about the repercussions.
I'm gonna be real with y'all, some parts of this series are cheesy with a capital C, which I enjoyed but I understand not everyone does. Also, I personally found the secondary leads' romance as boring as watching paint dry. That said, the romantic chemistry between the primary leads is amazing, I enjoyed the plethora of rom-com tropes included, and the show's overall message about gender identity and non-het romance was beautiful. There are actually a ton of Asian dramas with the main plot being "girl pretends to be a boy and her guy friend falls for her but he's straight", and without spoiling too much, I can confirm that this was the only version I've seen where the male lead explicitly states he would feel the same way regardless of how his love interest identifies re their gender.
IF YOU LIKE: Criminal Minds, Fringe, Cold Case
TRY: Signal
This is a South Korean drama, with 1 season comprising 16 episodes. Without giving too much away, the plot jumps between the experiences of a cold case profiler in 2015 and the experiences of a detective dealing with the same cases when they started in 1989. There is somewhat of a science fiction bent on the plot but the details of that are not really investigated. There is also a bit of a political drama aspect. If you're not really into shows with a romantic subplot, this might be a promising option for you, as it features characters who have feelings for each other but they never progress to a full on romance. Also, the female lead (Cha Soo Hyun) is a total boss lady who is written with complexity and range.
Tw for gore, violence, depictions of sexual assault, police, and self-harm.
IF YOU LIKE: Set It Up, Friends
TRY: Because This Is My First Life
Because This Is My First Life is a South Korean drama, with 1 season comprising 16 episodes. The plot focuses mainly on the introverted and logical Nam Se-hee, who offers a room to homeless writer Yoon Ji-ho. After being impressed by how compatible they are as housemates, he asks her to legally marry him in order to get his parents off his back. (I know how it sounds but it's not creepy, I promise. He literally wants a housemate to feed his cat and sort the recycling. That's all.) The show also features two other couples in different stages of romantic relationships as well: 1) Ma Sang Goo tries to woo Soo Ji, his former one night stand who is an ambitious businesswoman plagued by sexism in the workplace, and 2) Ho Rang wants to marry her boyfriend of eight years, but miscommunication prevents her and Won Seok from being on the same page about their future. Overall, this show was a masterful, feminist, and carefully drawn depiction of love & marriage in modern times. Every character was distinct and developed beautifully, and all of the relationships between the characters (friendships, coworker relationships, and familial ties as well as romantic) were realistic and relatable.
TW for sexual harassment and attempted sexual assault
IF YOU LIKE: Sherlock, Castle
TRY: Lion Pride OR When the Camellia Blooms
Lion Pride is a Taiwanese drama with 1 season comprising 16 episodes. It is mainly a mystery series with a rom-com spin, focusing on two people who hold polar opposite viewpoints about teaching and life. Wang Qiang Da is an antisocial math teacher who approaches everything from a logical point of view. In contrast, Wang Qiang Wei is a friendly history teacher who acts based on emotion. As the two get closer, they realize that their histories are more intertwined than they realized--specifically regarding the murder of Qiang Wei's parents when she was a little girl. I'm gonna be honest, I figured out the mystery in the first episode and that made sitting through all the red herrings very, very boring. Despite that, the show was enjoyable to watch. The humor was entertaining, the romance was sweet and believable, and most of the supporting cast was just as magnetic and lovable as the leads.
Also it must be noted that when Yen Tsao appeared onscreen in his one shirtless scene my sister yelled out "GOOD GOD" totally unprompted, so if you must, watch for the abs.
TW for police, minor violence
When the Camellia Blooms is a South Korean series with 1 season comprising 20 episodes. It tells the story of Oh Dong-baek, a single mother who operates a bar in a small town. Yong-sik, a total himbo who drinks respect women juice for breakfast, falls for Dong-baek, but the social stigmas surrounding single mothers creates problems for them. At the same time, a notorious serial killer starts acting up again, creating new dangers in the town. This series had a beautiful love story, and the comedy and mystery aspects were well balanced. While I don't agree with every character's redemption arc (I'll be vague in the interest of not spoiling anything), I appreciated how almost every character displayed a range of good and bad qualities and written with compassion and nuance. The mystery was enticing and I had fun sussing out clues along the way. I also adored the depiction of small-town life, particularly the scenes featuring the ajumeoni (which is like the group of gossipy aunties of the town).
Tw for violence, minor sexual harassment, police
I'll let that be it for now. Let me know if I should post an overall rating for all the dramas I've watched so far or rank the male leads or something like that. :) <3
But seriously, y'all. If you're looking for some quality shows to watch but you've run out of options on Netflix, I highly recommend that you dive into the world of Asian dramas (with subtitles, if required). So far I've tried Taiwanese, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Thai shows, and I've enjoyed almost all of them. My personal tastes lean towards rom-coms with the occasional mystery or science fiction series, but there are a plethora of options for any and every taste: time travel, historical fiction, horror, courtroom drama, etc.
Admittedly, I've only watched twenty and a half series so far, so I'm far from being an expert. But in the interest of self expression (is that phrase condescending or what lol) I have made up a list of recommendationss based on what American shows I think are similar to provide a sort of guide for you. Feel free to let me know what you liked//didn't like, what recommendations you have.
All of mine can be found on Netflix.
IF YOU LIKE: The Good Place, To All the Boys I've Loved Before
TRY: Accidentally in Love OR Romance is a Bonus Book
Accidentally in Love is a Chinese drama with 1 season comprising 30 episodes. It is clearly a romantic comedy, and is equal parts funny, sweet, and lovely. The basic plot is as follows: Chen Qing Qing is a rich, accomplished, ambitious, and tenacious young girl who flees from an arranged marriage and secretly enrolls in the same college where her deceased parents studied, hoping to find out more about them. She disguises herself as a stereotypical "ugly girl" in an effort to hide her true identity and blend in with her classmates. (Personally, I thought Qing Qing looked ADORABLE as her "ugly self" and do not see what anyone would think otherwise.) Due to a series of misunderstandings and quintessential "rom com" events, she enters a rivalry with her seat partner Si Tu Feng, who also happens to be a famous pop star. As their relationship morphs from hate to friendship to love, other events and characters cause trouble in their lives.
CAN I JUST RANT FOR A MINUTE: I love both of the main characters so much. Qing Qing is super strong, tough, and independent, but she's also so hilarious and always tries to help others, even if she causes trouble during the attempt. Si Tu Feng is such a lovable, dork (though slightly arrogant) and I so appreciate his lack of toxic masculinity. They are also the best example of enemies-to-friends-to-lovers I’ve seen on any drama so far.
Romance is a Bonus Book is a South Korean series with 1 season comprising 16 episodes. The story shows the progression of the relationship between longtime friends Cha Eun-ho, a senior editor at a book publishing company, and Kang Dan-i, a mother in her late thirties who is homeless and jobless after a divorce. As Dan-i gains confidence as a single mother re-entering the workforce and rebuilds her life, her relationship with Eun-ho begins to change. One major advantage of this well-acted rom com is its comedic, dynamic supporting cast, an area in which many dramas are weak. Its female characters in particular are extremely well-developed, each with her own goals, ambitions, successes, and regrets.
IF YOU LIKE: Law & Order, The Good Fight, Good Girls
TRY: Hyena
This is a South Korean drama, with 1 season comprising 16 episodes. The main plot deals with two competitive lawyers--one a second son from an upperclass and influential family, one a lone wolf clawing her way out of poverty and a mysterious past--as they work to defend the richest and most politically corrupt members of South Korean society. While none of the characters have what you could call a strong moral compass, Hyena does a good job of painting the corrupt system in which they live, enticing you to root for them anyway. Additionally, the actors do a fantastic job of imbuing comedy into their characters' plot lines despite the show's dark subject matter. The female lead, Geum Ja, is one of the most complicated and believably written female leads I've seen in a drama yet, and her chemistry with the male lead is undeniable.
TW for violence, attempted sexual assault
IF YOU LIKE: Santa Clarita Diet, Charmed, Wynonna Earp
TRY: Bring It On, Ghost!
This is a South Korean drama, with 1 season comprising 16 episodes. This show is a science fiction/romantic comedy series, featuring two main leads: the ghost of a high school girl trained in martial arts, and a university student with the ability to see, hear, and physically fight ghosts (yes, he mainly punches them). What I enjoyed most about it was the "monster of the week" theme, as I feel the episodic structure does a better job of world-building and increasing the tension than having just one long arc relating to a specific villain or problem (although we do have that as well in this show, I felt it was handled properly in tandem with the "monsters of the week"). The gore is just scary and gross enough to justify the characters' fears without being triggering. The show was also remarkably progressive in its depiction of ghosts, trauma, and compassion.
Tw for minor gore, minor horror, minor scenes of police, and violence
IF YOU LIKE: Ouran High School Host Club, She's the Man
TRY: Bromance
This is a Taiwanese series with 1 season comprising 20 episodes. The main character is Pi Ya Nuo, who was predicted by a fortune teller to be baby boy meant for a great success and a natural-born leader. But when she is assigned female at birth, the fortune teller claims that she will not survive unless she secretly lives as a boy for the first 25 years of her life. A few months from her 26th birthday (after which she can live out her true gender identity), Ya Nuo saves local triad leader Du Zi Feng and his sister from a rival gang's attack, leading him to claim her as his "sworn brother". As Ya Nuo and Du Zi Feng fall in love (through a series of admittedly far-fetched scenarios), she strives to hide her secret until her birthday while also worrying about the repercussions.
I'm gonna be real with y'all, some parts of this series are cheesy with a capital C, which I enjoyed but I understand not everyone does. Also, I personally found the secondary leads' romance as boring as watching paint dry. That said, the romantic chemistry between the primary leads is amazing, I enjoyed the plethora of rom-com tropes included, and the show's overall message about gender identity and non-het romance was beautiful. There are actually a ton of Asian dramas with the main plot being "girl pretends to be a boy and her guy friend falls for her but he's straight", and without spoiling too much, I can confirm that this was the only version I've seen where the male lead explicitly states he would feel the same way regardless of how his love interest identifies re their gender.
IF YOU LIKE: Criminal Minds, Fringe, Cold Case
TRY: Signal
This is a South Korean drama, with 1 season comprising 16 episodes. Without giving too much away, the plot jumps between the experiences of a cold case profiler in 2015 and the experiences of a detective dealing with the same cases when they started in 1989. There is somewhat of a science fiction bent on the plot but the details of that are not really investigated. There is also a bit of a political drama aspect. If you're not really into shows with a romantic subplot, this might be a promising option for you, as it features characters who have feelings for each other but they never progress to a full on romance. Also, the female lead (Cha Soo Hyun) is a total boss lady who is written with complexity and range.
Tw for gore, violence, depictions of sexual assault, police, and self-harm.
IF YOU LIKE: Set It Up, Friends
TRY: Because This Is My First Life
Because This Is My First Life is a South Korean drama, with 1 season comprising 16 episodes. The plot focuses mainly on the introverted and logical Nam Se-hee, who offers a room to homeless writer Yoon Ji-ho. After being impressed by how compatible they are as housemates, he asks her to legally marry him in order to get his parents off his back. (I know how it sounds but it's not creepy, I promise. He literally wants a housemate to feed his cat and sort the recycling. That's all.) The show also features two other couples in different stages of romantic relationships as well: 1) Ma Sang Goo tries to woo Soo Ji, his former one night stand who is an ambitious businesswoman plagued by sexism in the workplace, and 2) Ho Rang wants to marry her boyfriend of eight years, but miscommunication prevents her and Won Seok from being on the same page about their future. Overall, this show was a masterful, feminist, and carefully drawn depiction of love & marriage in modern times. Every character was distinct and developed beautifully, and all of the relationships between the characters (friendships, coworker relationships, and familial ties as well as romantic) were realistic and relatable.
TW for sexual harassment and attempted sexual assault
IF YOU LIKE: Sherlock, Castle
TRY: Lion Pride OR When the Camellia Blooms
Lion Pride is a Taiwanese drama with 1 season comprising 16 episodes. It is mainly a mystery series with a rom-com spin, focusing on two people who hold polar opposite viewpoints about teaching and life. Wang Qiang Da is an antisocial math teacher who approaches everything from a logical point of view. In contrast, Wang Qiang Wei is a friendly history teacher who acts based on emotion. As the two get closer, they realize that their histories are more intertwined than they realized--specifically regarding the murder of Qiang Wei's parents when she was a little girl. I'm gonna be honest, I figured out the mystery in the first episode and that made sitting through all the red herrings very, very boring. Despite that, the show was enjoyable to watch. The humor was entertaining, the romance was sweet and believable, and most of the supporting cast was just as magnetic and lovable as the leads.
Also it must be noted that when Yen Tsao appeared onscreen in his one shirtless scene my sister yelled out "GOOD GOD" totally unprompted, so if you must, watch for the abs.
TW for police, minor violence
When the Camellia Blooms is a South Korean series with 1 season comprising 20 episodes. It tells the story of Oh Dong-baek, a single mother who operates a bar in a small town. Yong-sik, a total himbo who drinks respect women juice for breakfast, falls for Dong-baek, but the social stigmas surrounding single mothers creates problems for them. At the same time, a notorious serial killer starts acting up again, creating new dangers in the town. This series had a beautiful love story, and the comedy and mystery aspects were well balanced. While I don't agree with every character's redemption arc (I'll be vague in the interest of not spoiling anything), I appreciated how almost every character displayed a range of good and bad qualities and written with compassion and nuance. The mystery was enticing and I had fun sussing out clues along the way. I also adored the depiction of small-town life, particularly the scenes featuring the ajumeoni (which is like the group of gossipy aunties of the town).
Tw for violence, minor sexual harassment, police
I'll let that be it for now. Let me know if I should post an overall rating for all the dramas I've watched so far or rank the male leads or something like that. :) <3
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