Exciting Korean TV Shows to binge-watch with you S.O.

This is the Netflix show that everyone has been talking about, which is why it would make an ideal choice for a date night. Without giving away too many spoilers, this is a satire on modern society’s obsession with game shows, but will have you leaping into each other’s arms at every twist and turn! Certainly not for the squeamish, the 456 contestants are all chasing after an unbelievable prize of 45.6 billion Korean won (equating to $39 billion!) The only trouble is when losing contestants are eliminated, they leave the Squid Game in a coffin!

This is a wonderful Korean TV show that skirts the border where romantic comedy meets drama. Named by the New York Times as one of the ‘Best International Shows of 2020,’ it concerns the unlikely relationship that develops between two seemingly opposite characters. An autistic boy, Moon Sang-tae, witnesses his mother’s murder. His younger brother Moon Gang-tae is a selfless caretaker in a psychiatric unit. The latter’s path cross with a renowned children’s writer, Ko Moon-young, who has been referred to this institution due to her apparent antisocial personality disorder. It transpires the three characters are united by overlapping pasts. What follows is an intriguing story that will have you and your significant other gripped.

This one is a contemporary option for any Korean-themed rendezvous. It’s based on a ‘webtoon’ – an animation platform popular in South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Japan. The storyline is universal. Lim Ju-kyung is a high school pupil who is the victim of bullying due to her supposed ‘ugliness.’ This even prompts her to dwell on suicidal thoughts. But the fantastical twist is that she masters an unusual technique to empower herself. Mastering the art of makeup, she transforms her appearance into someone who her peers begin referring to as a ‘goddess.’

Another great choice for your date would be this gripping gangster drama. When it was first aired, it became the ninth highest-rated show in the history of Korean cable TV. As you watch the thrilling scenes unfold, you’ll soon understand why. An eight-year-old, Park Joo-hyung is adopted by a family. The only trouble is, this is not a kindly adoptive family, they are the Cassanos, a branch of the notorious Mafia crime syndicate. As an adult, Joo-hyung is renamed ‘Vincenzo,’ becoming a trusted lawyer and counsellor for the family head, Don Fabio. When Don Fabio passes away, his biological son sees an opportunity to cement his position by getting rid of Vincenzo. Along the way, there’s a plot involving 1.5 tons of stashed gold, not to mention murderous henchmen lurking. Vincenzo’s trials and tribulations will have you on the edge of your seats!