From Breakups to Breakthroughs: There’s a K-Drama to Get You Through

My first real foray into the world of K-dramas was in 2015. I was going through what seemed like a debilitating breakup and needed something, anything, to get my mind off it. I desperately needed an escape into some book or show, or movie. My ex was trilingual; somehow, every word seemed to remind me of him. So English language was out, as was German. French, too, which eliminated charming movies like Amelie and Jeu d'Enfants.

Somehow during my scrolling, I stumbled across Boys Over Flowers and, after watching the incredibly dramatic trailer, I had to watch it.

In the years after, I've found that there's always been a K-drama for any mood, any day. 

K-dramas is an umbrella term covering countless genres and shows of varying complexity. Some recent awards and critics' darlings like Moving, a beautifully layered show about reluctant teen superheroes. There's also the epic Pachinko, a vicious revenge series The Glory, and the massive hit Squid Game. However, the ones listed below are my serotonin darlings. They're the shows that have never failed to get me through dark times.

Boys Over Flowers

Boys Over Flowers is firmly labelled as a beginner K-drama for a reason. Frankly, it's not great. But there's something mesmerizing about watching a group of uber-rich high school boys fight over Geum Jan Di, a Cinderella-like character who gets a scholarship to their posh school. It's over the top in the best way; 18-year-olds with bottomless bank accounts, catty villainesses and meddling parents. Lee Min Ho's hair has a personality of its own. Most parties end in a fight, and by the time you realize how ridiculous it is, the sheer campiness has pulled you in.

I rolled my eyes at least once during every episode and loved every minute. It also helped me get over my ex. I decided I didn't want him if he didn't have curls like Lee Min Ho.

Because this is my first life: A few years ago, I - a then unemployed writer firmly in my no-more-excuses adulthood - was at rock bottom. My life mirrored the main character, Yoo Jin Ho, an unemployed writer in her no-more-excuses adulthood. Yoo Jin Ho ends up in a contract marriage with the aloof Nam Se Hee so she can pay cheap rent and he can afford to spend his money on his beloved cat. The show follows her and her two best friends as they realize it's okay not to have it all together. Watching this show gave me the catharsis I needed at that moment, and when I went through another dark period only months later, I just hunkered down on my couch and watched it all over again.

Taxi Driver

Do you ever wish all the bad guys in the world would just…disappear? Enter Kim Do Gi, a morally grey taxi driver who moonlights as a vigilante — or is it the other way around? — with his fellow badass friends. Each of them has lived through terrible experiences, which motivates them to get justice for others, no matter what it takes. There are cool explosions, undercover investigations and an abundance of fight scenes that will have you yelling 'Get 'em!' at your screen more than once.

Alchemy of Souls

The day after I moved to a new country, I was sitting in my empty apartment with no furniture besides a blow-up mattress. Alchemy of Souls was the only thing that connected me to the life I'd left behind. I'd started the show on a different continent and landed in time to watch the next episode on my bare floor. The tale follows Nokdu, a legendary female sorceress whose scary reputation belies her looks.

Through the mysterious Alchemy of Souls ritual, her soul is transplanted into Mu Deok-i, a formerly blind servant. Mu Deok-i ends up working as a maid for a young lord whose battle unit she had sworn to kill. She trains him to be a powerful sorcerer, and they fall in love. A lot of people do. But beneath the bright hanboks and the pansori Kpop covers is the very real danger that Nokdu's soul will eventually be rejected by the body she occupies. There's also the villain slowly amassing power by using this forbidden sorcery and a plethora of fabled magical items. Alchemy of Souls is, in one word, EPIC. 

It's Okay, That's Love

Who treats the doctor? That's the question It's Okay, That's Love tries to answer. Ji Hae Soo, a psychiatrist, meets Jang Jae-yeol, a suave DJ and bestselling crime writer. Sparks fly, and, through some 'coincidence', Jang Jae-yeol rents a wing in the house that Ji Hae Soo shares with her friends, Jo Dong Mi, a senior psychiatrist, and Park Soo Kwang, who struggles with Tourette's. 

But it soon becomes evident that every psychiatrist in the show is in denial about their own struggles. As Hae Soo and Jae Yeol become closer, the psychiatrists realize that Jae Yeol's writing inspiration may come from a much darker place than anyone might think. Despite the serious themes, there is enough comedy to make It's Okay, That's Love an easy watch.

For a more modern K-drama about mental health, check out It's Okay to Not Be Okay. This gothic tale is much heavier, but fans love it for its unflinching—if imperfect—portrayal of family, mental illness, and autism.

Hospital Playlist

Sometimes, you just need to feel like you're not alone. Hospital Playlist gave me that feeling.  It follows four surgeons in their late 30s and early 40s who've been best friends and band members since medical school. Chae Song Hwa screeches more than sings, but no matter. Hospital Playlist feels like a 12-episode hug. Each episode features patients with touching stories that often have satisfying conclusions. After work, our four surgeon bffs meet to eat, hang out at karaoke bars or rehearse their songs. It's a healing show about found families that are so hard to find when dealing with adulthood stress.

And, in case you need a further serotonin boost, there's also a second season, which is just as good.

화이팅! Or Hwaiting! is a Korean word with multiple meanings like 'you can do it!' or 'stay strong!' One of the hardest things about growing up is realizing that this is easier said than done. We all need an escape sometimes; perhaps one of these shows might be just what you need to pick you up.

Hwaiting!