#fantasy kdrama

[sunlighthroughthe-ashes]

this was such a small moment; but so sweet and full of love that it transcended the screen.

in every timeline so far; sunjae's 'abeoji' has lost his son: has seen him depressed, guilt-ridden, and finally; irretrievably, dead. he must have felt so helpless — must have cried over sunjae's cold body: begged for a second chance for his son.

fate finally gave it to him: now sunjae's 'abeoji' gets to see him lit from within with happiness; together with the love of his life — embraced and welcomed by her family. touched by the tender hand of joy.

he doesn't know it, but seeing sunjae with sol has healed him of a hurt he didn't even know he had in the first place. all sunjae's 'abeoji' knows is that his son is smiling wider than he's ever seen him; lifted into the hands of bliss by pure, pure love. so he looks on fondly; his heart swelling with pride.

he accepts with easy grace: sunjae belongs to sol. and always will.

[nix-whythisfilm]

10 Korean Fantasy Series to add to your list

Korean dramas are raging today, marking their beginning of fame in the 2010s. Today the industry caters to a global audience while also making shows for its people. Much like Korean pop culture and music idols, today the shows tackle issues deep-rooted in today’s world. Being a fantasy enthusiast, it was one of the first genres I looked for, and let me tell you, they have ingenuity. Another advantage is that most kdramas only have about 16 to 20 episodes, some even shorter.

Hotel Del Luna (2019)

With a captivating trailer and a novel concept, this series gained admirers from around the globe. Starring IU, nicknamed the nation’s sweetheart, as the main character who is the owner of a mystical hotel, this show was something that one could never come across before. While the series gives an impression of romance and comedy, there is a grim underplot with Man-wol fighting against her dark past. With a mix of modern and classic myths, this series captures the attention of any fan, no matter their genre preferences or their language biases.

With every episode tackling clients with different requirements and a fictional world beyond imagination, this show showed a perspective that felt so distinct in my self-perception. We often see ruined characters among males, but not often do we find shattered yet cheeky female characters that are fashionable and alluring. Having played feminine characters previously, IU was a well-known idol in the industry for her versatile skills. And with numerous famous actors playing cameos in this series, this show is an experience that cannot be recreated by any other.

Strong Girl Bong Soon (2017)

A cute and romantic show with a thriller subplot, it tackles an ironic protagonist. She is short, petite, and extremely cute blessed with the power of incredible strength in her that is inherited by the women in her family. But with great power comes great responsibility, which is why even with that secret, she cannot disclose it to anyone. Being unemployed and trying to figure out her place in the world, our protagonist meets a CEO who wants to hire her as a discreet employee. Anyone into kdramas knows the CEO and commoner romance, but this one stands out for being the cutest one.

A show that I purely pursued being an admirer of the actor’s skills, this show was unexpected with twists and turns uncommon to the genre. Something that surprised me after finishing the show was that the actor was an admirer of the actress who played the protagonist, Park Bo Young. A sweet show with friendships, humour, infatuations, and family tropes, it is guaranteed to leave the audience feeling good and wondering if they could be a part of it too.

Bride of Habaek (2017)

A show that is purely based on Korean-Chinese mythology, this show involves Gods coming down to earth in tales like the olden days. Gods and demigods are often rumoured to be in our realm for punishments, joy, and in search of something, and this show involves a story exactly like that. Quite similar to the history of Greek Deities, these gods here are shown to be all-powerful and yet make poor choices like any human being. This series is about Habaek, the god of water, coming to earth to find a powerful stone to help his accession to the throne.

In all honesty, I had neither heard of this kdrama nor was I intrigued at the beginning. It is old school, not using interesting plotlines and cliches to grab the audience. It does have an appreciable overall storyline and introspective concepts that quirk our minds. The romance attempted in the show is discreet, along with any other obvious archetype. All in all, I found it a muted series which is worth a watch once. It is riveting to fans of indigenous mythology.

Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016)

Infamous for the writer’s work, this show was a massive hit in Korea and outreached internationally. While the show is a romance with comedy, it has a tragic underplot based on high fantasy and Korean beliefs of life after death. This show addresses tropes of rebirth and curses in life. Commonly known as the second character syndrome, this show offers two significant romance tropes interlaced with immense history and twisted fates. Also known for the bromance between the two supernatural characters, the goblin and the grim reaper, it gives the audience moments that feel silly but also something to enjoy.

Sceptical as a romance nonfan, this show was a lot. The story was a little heavy for a casual watch, yet it kept me intrigued to watch till the last minute. The friendships were the highlight compared to the romantic journey of the protagonist, as I found it a little cliche and inane. It was endearing to watch the characters evolve through the show, tackling issues well above their daily dose of mundane. The action scenes and CGI are pretty convincing to not look ridiculous, all in all, the show is a good watch. Please do check out the main track of the show, it is a moving song by one of my favourite artists.

Sweet Home (2020)

Based on a post-apocalyptic webtoon of the same name, this show focuses on several characters surviving the apocalypse in their apartment building. While all the characters are human beings struggling with their humanity to stay the same as others are turning into monsters, the show focuses on the protagonist struggling with the same. Having lost his family in tragic accidents and having lived through high school through a traumatic experience, Hyun Soo is suicidal and finds himself trapped in a conundrum when the apocalypse breaks out.

It was a shock for me, having started the show with no idea of its genre or how visual it was. The show has plenty of violence, a theme broadly like zombies and monsters that are beyond mundane imagination. But the characters all grow on us despite their imperfections and make us root for them despite any circumstance they are thrown in. The show is appealing to youngsters and adults, showcasing concepts comprehensible to everyone. Revealing anything more would be spoiling the show, so do check it out despite any dubiety. But do look out for scenes that could be triggering to sensitive people with plenty of scenes where he talks of suicide and death.

Legend of the Blue Sea (2016)

Constructed on the myths of mermaids, this show places a romantic interest in the mermaid. The show starts with the protagonist making his way into the world as a conman when he accidentally rescues a mermaid, and she decides to follow him and adapt to this world, with more to their history and more to come her way in the self-centred human world. From learning about fashion from a homeless woman to meeting forgotten family members, this show charms anyone who comes it’s way. The simple humour displayed beyond languages is the essence of the story and the love beyond any language.

A sceptic of romance series by Lee Minho, this show was a surprising comfort where the characters were not toxic and actually found a family in each other. This show has concepts of soulmates and reincarnation that could be appealing, with modern twists and antagonists that cannot be predicted. The series really questions our perception of what we as human beings look like to other possible beings and how amidst all our human gifts, we all found ways to cheat each other and compete endlessly.

Korean Odyssey (2017)

A show with an antique narration style, this show takes us back to the 2000s for its approach towards fantasy and myths. Having built on the myths of the monkey king and other demigods this show involves other deities and ghosts living on earth. Quite unusual to this genre, this series is one of the few that is a mix of all possible genres and none at all. It has tropes that are not cliche, some friendships rare in today’s world, and people in love who are not desperate to burn the world over each other. Another thing this show focuses on is the grey characters with nearly no character black or white. The show reflects upon their individual actions and past experiences and how they would introspect and try better each time.

The show has a protagonist who has seen ghosts all her life, and it starts with her making a deal with a mysterious man. And ingeniously, the girl grows up to be a real estate agent, who buys haunted houses and sells them to potential clients. Much like any person with a mental health illness or a physical disability, it was opportune for her to take advantage of her situation. While I was not fond of the show midway for its slow pace, the overall story is not as bad as the initial episodes indicate. The show is a good watch with many fantastical tropes and diverse characters.

Tale of the Nine-Tailed (2020)

A popular show in the industry for its cliches and various scenes of CGI elements, romance and brilliant antagonists. Another show with prophecies, kitsunes, and other beings of fantasy, it is a show where they are all crafty and struggling with some version of reality. A kitsune searching for his reincarnated lover works with grim reapers through the years and ends up finding a girl who is exactly like his lover but with no recollection of her past life. But then, at the same time, his brother is here to stir things up. An ancient being is resurfacing now, and with so much to lose and not much to gain from the world, Lee Yeon must do everything he can to get to the bottom of his reality.

Avoiding cliches to avoid the repeated tropes, this was a show that I procrastinated on for a long time before finally watching it. With Lee Dong Wook as the lead, the show was interesting to see how they played with his age to make him look ageless and very old at the same time. The interaction between the brothers was entertaining, and a mysterious presence of something more was always itching at the back of my head. An ending I absolutely did not predict threw me off, but with rumours of another season, this show has much for the audience one can imagine.

Extraordinary You (2019)

A story completely unique, this show is based on a webtoon of the same name. The series has a plot like a Wattpad book, completely enthralling but scary to write a story around. The storyline goes that the characters are all part of a story inside a book, maybe a webtoon, when one day the girl wakes up from being the character. She quickly realizes there are moments where she does things or says things she does not mean like she was made to, and then there are moments where does whatever she wants. In those moments between being the character, this school-going girl learns of the person she is and the way her world works.

It is interesting to consider the perspectives of writing a story where the characters grow their voice and try to find their place in a world beyond their control. While it isn’t something that I have wanted to experiment with as well, this show is wholesome having numerous characters growing their own personalities and finding out that maybe they are not the only people having done that in this particular book. With two trios, one for the plot and one having found each other as individual characters, this show is sure to leave any audience perplexed and sentimental.

The King – Eternal Monarch (2020)

One of the works of a renowned screenwriter, this show gained a large-scale audience who all watched it for the fictional elements and the skilled work of the significant actors in the show. The plot is stupendous having worked with so many minor details and theories of time travel and parallel dimensions. This show houses three main characters, all challenged by the changes in the story. While the narration is personified for only one of them, the show also revolves heavily around the actions and decisions of the other two. Lee Gon, the King of his country; Jeong Tae-ul, a police officer; and Jo Yeong, the King’s closest friend and the Captain of the Royal Guard.

A show with far-fetched romance and relationships that defy odds and crimes that are beyond one world, this show brought the audience a series of a lifetime. While there are points in the story that could be better presented or written differently to avoid a periodic cliche, the show is still magnificently directed. With actors giving their all and so many characters coming into the play the plot, this show gives the audience so much more than one could have predicted.

[filthy-mudeoki]

This scene from W - Two worlds 👌🏼😉

Just Oh Yeon joo shocking her husband 😅

[dramashii]

Imagine going back in time and finding out your celebrity crush knew you in highschool, was actually your neighbor at one point, and had a crush on you????

[fiftytwoeightythree]

what marry my husband taught me was that it's a f*cking scary world out there when it comes to friends and lovers and their intentions with you - and the only way out (and keeping these leeches away) is to always believe in yourself, stay strong while facing hindrances, know your worth, learn from your mistakes as you correct them and give as much to people as much you receive. then you will gain true friends, mental peace and a 6-foot tall, handsome, rich man that loves you so much he's ready to kiss even the ground you walk on. you fight, so you will win.

[clovdyuki]

"Rule number three. Never fall in love with her."

the last scene is insane !!!

this week's episode ended so... gracefully 💃🏻🕺🏻❤️‍🔥

[naksushadows]

Thinking about Cho Yeong's journey in Alchemy of Souls is a bittersweet feeling.

I like fantasy stories in general because they give me this feeling that after a long journey, nothing is the same again. But the wounds along the way are there and at some point the characters will have to deal with them.

And I like to see that although part of the audience doesn't recognize it, Yeong is a character who has been dehumanized so many times in life, and that finding someone to be her safe haven, showing her weaknesses, selfishness and anger is what makes her more human.(she was made for us girls).

She didn't stop being strong just because she chose to follow another path, a path that wasn't imposed by perversity and trauma.

Now she is free to finally live as she wants, without manipulation. The sweet girl, the assassin, the master, the servant, the lady of a traditional family, the priestess are all part of the character's totality.

I love this character in all her entirety ♡

[lastofthe20thcenturygirls]

sun-jae is able to remember things because he's so much in love with sol that even time and space can't erase it. sol erased his love to save his life but his love was simply too strong to disappear from existence. it doesn't have to have a scientific explanation on why he can suddenly remember it. the genre isn't sci-fi time travel. same with hal-meoni maybe there's an explanation maybe because of dementia memories work differently for her

[bitchsleep]

NO GAIN, NO LOVE (2024) - Episode 4

[kateknowsdramas]

Eunseom and Tanya Reunion

Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun Ep 3

[save-the-data]

Love for Love's Sake | S01E08

Korean Drama - 2024, 8 episodes

Episodes | Gaga | Viki | YouTube | iQIYI | WeTV | Tencent | Catalogue

[sunlighthroughthe-ashes]

i'm back to fixate on this moment, again.

look at how sunjae's expression completely transforms once he realizes that sol DOES love him as much, (if not more than) he loves her. that he's not just a problem to be rid of, for her; not an uncomfortable experience, or a traumatic memory.

he's wonderstruck at this epiphany — you can see his whole face soften, his mouth tighten as he chokes back tears, his eyes sweeten (and sober) into dark honey. the only girl he's ever loved actually loves him BACK: has gone against fate to try and save him.

what is death in the face of such commitment?

i marvel at the spare beauty of this confession: it's not ornate, or flowery, or overly elaborate. it simply is — just like sunjae. just like his love for sol.

"please keep liking me," he says. "if i die saving you, that's fine with me." such plain, earnest sentences — yet staggering in their immensity. this is the simple, sweeping grace of sunjae's confession — it doesn't need to be dressed in pretty words. all it needs is to exist.

this is what sunjae means: live with me, love with me, and dying will be worth it. it will have been a privilege to die because of you — my last moments will have been in service of my love. all my time was yours anyway.

this, followed by the gentlest of all kisses, to seal their unspoken promise. a kiss they will both remember — because their universes finally align.

because they belong to each other.

[febeyonce]

“Do you know what I hate the most? When it’s raining. I’ve been in the pool all day so it’s annoying and I hated it when it rains. But then it rained on the first day I saw you. I liked it that day. How can I like something I’ve hated all my life? I thought it was just that day but no, I still don’t hate it until now. I don’t think I’ll ever hate it from now…the rain and you. Sol-ah, I liked you a lot.”

- Ryu Sunjae

Ryu Sunjae confessing his feelings towards Imsol

- Lovely Runner -

[dangermousie]

I finished the first ep of Mental Illness the Sageuk (aka Love Song for Illusion) and adored every moment of it. As someone who read and loved the webtoon, this is a very loose adaptation (to me, the sageuk the webtoon actually feels closest to in vibe is actually 2022's gorgeous Bloody Heart - the ML of that one is very much like the main personality and drivers of webtoon Sajo Hyun) but I expected it and the narrative stands just fine on its own feet with the same main premise and little nods (like the bookshop meeting.) I don't know if other people who loved the webtoon will like this drama but I do.

One of things I found very interesting is that while both in the webtoon and drama, the fact that Hyun has split personalities is a result of a horrific trauma tied in large part to the extermination of FL's clan, the feeling is different - because of drama's somewhat different set up in both Hyun's father being alive and Hyun's main personality not being like that one of the webtoon, what it really feels like (and I honestly love it) is that Akhee is everything his father and society value in aristocratic men, what they want him to be and he is not - Hyun loves sewing, he is terrible at archery, he hates the hunt because it's killing for no reason, he is shy.

In a Victorian novel, they'd refer to him as womanish. Akhee is the opposite - he is in your face, he revels in the hunt and is great at is, and he is, let's face it, kinda a psychopath.

There is a reason Daddy digs him.

I mean, contrast how he is when he's Hyun with Kyera:

And how he is as Akhee:

Akhee is a shield for Hyun though, and really a part of him though. Hyun uses becoming Akhee as an escape - he hates the thought of going to the hunt, for example, and a part of him is relieved at the thought of Akhee taking over so he won't see the blood or humiliate himself. And Hyun himself is not all shyness and sweetness. His scene with his wife, the Crown Princess, draws blood.

He clearly created Akhee as a self-defense mechanism because his actual self is so not liked/needed by anyone and that is why I think we see him so startled-drawn to Kyera's comments in the shop.

But of course, the thing is Akhee part of him also feels insecure. His displeased shock when Kyera says she prefers the him from the shop is genuine.

[danielle-b]

ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･ﾟ 𝑮𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝑮𝒐𝒅 ﾟ⁠.⁠*⁠･ﾟ

쓸쓸하고 찬란하神 – 도깨비

[clovdyuki]

he definitely feels "feelings" when he's with her 🥹