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Korean drama reviews

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Revenge will be in the air in the hotly anticipated second season of Squid Game. Photo: Netflix

Recap | Squid Game back for season 2, shows stir up alcohol controversy: 5 K-drama stories

Discover the latest in K-dramas, from news to reviews, in a look back at some of our recent coverage from the world of Korean entertainment.

Recap | Gladiator II, Love in the Big City, Cesium Fallout: our latest film reviews

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The Fiery Priest season 2: Kim Nam-gil beats up sinners in action K-drama

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Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born midseason recap – Kim Tae-ri’s musical triumph

Kim Tae-ri’s troubled stage singer outshines her rival, played by Shin Ye-eun, in stunning performances. There is the odd far-fetched moment.

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Kim Tae-ri as prodigious singer Yoon Jeong-nyeon in a still from Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born.

Review | In K-drama Mr. Plankton, Woo Do-hwan, Lee Yoo-mi take a road trip

A confusing start to this Korean series and a lack of chemistry between the leads makes Mr. Plankton on Netflix a far from riveting watch.

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A Virtuous Business midseason recap: Korean sexual mores challenged

Kim So-yeon’s rural adult-toys seller overcomes personal struggles to make inroads in conservative 1990s Korea. But what is her endgame?

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Review | The Judge from Hell: Park Shin-hye can’t save demonic K-drama

Park Shin-hye’s spirited turn as a demon who develops human feelings is failed by unconvincing characters and inconsequential twists.

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Park Shin-hye in a still from The Judge from Hell.

Review | What Comes After Love: cross-cultural K-drama is just too slow

Starring Lee Se-young and Kentaro Sakaguchi, this Korean romantic drama isn’t terrible but suffers from languid pacing and repetitive themes.

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Review | In Hellbound season 2, Yeon Sang-ho’s worthy dystopia returns

Yeon Sang-ho’s second season of Hellbound is a fun, pulpy ride that reminds us why we got excited about Korean dystopias in the first place.

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Doubt: Han Suk-kyu leads immersive murder mystery K-drama

An aloof criminal profiler finds out his daughter is involved in a case he is investigating in this immersive, psychological Korean series.

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Han Ye-ri (left) as evidence gatherer Eo-jin and Han Suk-kyu as profiler Tae-soo in a still from Doubt.

Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born – Kim Tae-ri shines in period music K-drama

Kim Tae-ri stars as talented young singer Yoon Jeong-nyeon whose mother (Moon So-ri) tries to stop her singing, in this Disney+ period drama.

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Kim Tae-ri in a still from Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born.

The Judge from Hell midseason recap: Park Shin-hye’s demonic resolve wavers

As demon Kang Bit-na, Park Shin-hye struggles to control her body and emotions in The Judge from Hell as she sends murderers’ souls to hell.

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A Virtuous Business: Kim So-yeon brings adult toys to a Korean rural town

This 1990s-set drama sees a group of women begin selling racy lingerie and adult toys door to door, shaking up their quiet rural town.

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Gangnam B-Side: Ji Chang-wook in gritty thriller K-drama on Disney+

The seedy underbelly of Seoul’s most glam neighbourhood is laid bare in this stylish thriller starring Ji Chang-wook as a pimp on the run.

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Bibi (left) as escort Jae-hee and Ji Chang-wook as pimp Gil-ho in a still from Gangnam B-Side. Photo: Disney+

Review | Love Next Door: love and food in undercooked Netflix romantic K-drama

High-flyer Baek Seok-ryu (Jung So-min) disappoints her parents by becoming a chef and falling for the boy next door in this meandering tale.

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Jung Hae-in as architect Choi Seung-hyo (left) and Jung So-min as chef Baek Seok-ryu in a still from Netflix K-drama Love Next Door.

Review | Spice Up Our Love: No Gain No Love spin-off deconstructs romantic dramas

This fantasy drama follows an erotic-novel author who turns into the lead character from one of her web stories, both played by Han Ji-hyun.

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High-school romcom K-drama Way Back Love is an instant classic

With stand-out performances and strong direction, Way Back Love is in the running to be one of the best Korean high-school romcoms ever.

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Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard: bouncy Stranger spin-off K-drama

Lee Joon-hyuk stars as prosecutor Seo Dong-jae, repeatedly looked over for promotion and given drudge work, who stumbles upon a big case.

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Lee Joon-hyuk as prosecutor Seo Dong-jae in a still from Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard. Park Sung-woong co-stars.

Hellbound season 2: Yeon Sang-ho’s demonic dystopia returns

The cult-horror thriller is back, and some of those who were dragged to hell in season 1 are starting to return, as Korean society fragments.

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Review | No Gain No Love: emotional but faltering end to K-drama romcom

There are big emotions and charming lead performances from Shin Min-a and Kim Young-dae, but No Gain No Love stumbles somewhat in its finale.

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What Comes After Love: tender cross-cultural romance K-drama

Lee Se-young plays a South Korean student who has a romance in Tokyo with Kentaro Sakaguchi’s aspiring writer. They part, then reconnect.

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Kentaro Sakaguchi (left) and Lee Se-young in a still from What Comes After Love.

Review | Gyeongseong Creature season 2: awful Netflix K-drama follow-up

Han So-hee and Park Seo-joon return in season two of Gyeongseong Creature, but Netflix’s new Korean drama series fails in many ways.

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Han So-hee (left) as seeker Yoon Chae-ok and Park Seo-jun as private investigator Jang Ho-jae in a still from the Korean drama Gyeongseong Creature season 2. Photo: Netflix

Dear Hyeri: Shin Hye-sun has her hands full in romcom K-drama

Shin plays two roles – Joo Eun-ho, who has multiple-personality disorder, and Joo Hye-ri, her alter ego – in a complex but watchable K-drama.

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The Judge from Hell: Park Shin-hye lords over court in Disney+ K-drama

Park is formidable as a judge from hell sent to Earth in the body of a slain judge on a quest to kill 10 murderers and return to Hades.

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No Gain No Love midseason recap: Shin Min-a, Kim Young-dae get closer

This office romance K-drama is heating up as the leads’ sham marriage turns into more. Can they be honest with each other and everyone else?

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Shin Min-a and Kim Young-dae as sham newlyweds Son Hae-young and Kim Ji-wook in a still from No Gain No Love. Things are getting serious between the main characters in this unusual office romance K-drama, as they find themselves at closer quarters than expected.

Love Next Door midseason recap: Jung So-min, Jung Hae-in outshone

Jung So-min and Jung Hae-in play the romantic leads in this Netflix drama, but the supporting characters’ stories are more interesting.

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Jung So-min as Baek Seok-ryu in a still from Netflix drama Love Next Door.

Review | Romance in the House: comic high jinks in family drama

A loser dad reappears, suddenly wealthy, then loses his money again. Not to worry – his daughter is dating a chaebol family’s unwitting heir.

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Review | Queen Woo Part II: Jeon Jung-seo-led period K-drama turns to action

Part I of this big-budget show was a stinker and Part II is not much better, a threadbare narrative setting up a season 2 that’s unlikely.

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Korean drama reviews
In-depth reviews of the latest and hottest South Korean television series, also known as K-dramas, on cable and streaming services.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
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