My favourite KDramas of 2021
After successfully conquering some of my academic deadlines, I got back to my desk with my regular Kdrama writing today only to realise that January is going to end soon, and I still have not discussed my personal recommendations amongst the Kdramas released in 2021. So in no particular order, I will list the Kdramas I genuinely enjoyed and why. Do note, I am only listing five Kdramas that stood out in my mind, like etched in my mind and counting on my fingers immediately ones!! I will provide honourable mentions too though :D
Mr Queen- Early in 2021 this show courted much controversy because viewers complained that the drama mocked historical figures and the Chinese webtoon from which the story was adapted, the author of the webtoon had supposedly made derogatory remarks against Korea. Arguments aside, this drama made me laugh- A LOT. The trope of body swap and time travel, coupled with Shin Hae-Sun’s brilliant acting had me hooked. But hands down, the entire show was illuminated by Hae-Sun’s antics who made the most incongruous incidents (some events seem in contrast to what would have been suitable during the Joseon era) seem believable. And while many Kdramas have depicted plots of females forced to masquerade as men, Mr Queen is unique because I felt there were fleeting moments wherein the body swap confusion perhaps hinted at gender dysphoria. Specifically from episode 11 onwards when the Queen starts to develop romantic feelings for the King and there are monologues where she is talking to herself about how she is trapped in a female body but still wants to exercise her male habits and desires. I was though disappointed by the ending and felt it lay open some glaring loopholes. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the show and am currently rewatching it since it makes me smile and laugh.
Happiness- This drama took me completely by surprise. I must admit, I was a tad bit tired by the zombie metaphor to highlight the class distinctions and capitalist decay in the society. And while those themes are present in the drama, there were two refreshing takes in narrative. One, the story was imagined in a post-Covid world where quarantines and masks are the norm. So you do not see people panic immediately when the first case of the zombie virus appears. The frustration creeps in when the quarantine lockdown keeps getting extended with no vaccine or discovery of antibody in sight. I suspect many of us are able to relate to this and as viewers the drama ceases to be a fantasy horror show on zombies. Second, most mainstream films or dramas have depicted zombies as monsters who are incapable of any rational behaviour, but this drama differs. The virus causing the zombie infection gets activated intermittently, and when the virus is not triggered, the people behave normally. Happiness thus does a fantastic job in humanising the zombie trope. My favourite scene is when Yoon Sae-Bom comforts and kisses Jung Yi Hyun who at that moment is struggling to control the onset of the zombie symptoms. And ofcourse, I should add, the lead couple have the most endearing and genuine chemistry and bond between them. I absolutely loved this drama and recommend it to everyone!
Yumi’s Cells- I was attracted to this drama because of its animation and am I glad I watched it!! Yumi’s Cell is an adaptation of a popular webtoon by the same name. Essentially, as viewers, we get to see Yumi’s life through the vantage point and decision making of her cells. Over the course of the show, you get to encounter hunger, household, love, emotional, rational, detective, anxiety and naughty cells amongst others. With every major decision, the story cuts inside Yumi’s body and we see the animated cells furiously discussing their next step or decision to take. The cells are similar to our inner voices debating and arguing, and although several times they made me laugh, especially the hunger and naughty cell, most of their decision making progress felt so real. Sometimes I felt I was looking inside myself and my cells. At its crux, Yumi’s Cell is about self love and how through her various romantic relationships and friendships she is able to eventually set healthy boundaries for herself. Without revealing spoilers (since there is going to be a second season), Yumi’s journey is extremely relatable to a person living in an urban setting with friendship, work and dating woes. And if you are impatient like me and want to know her full story, you can read the webtoon!!
Taxi Driver- Ok, the ride with Taxi Driver ended before I even realised it!! Pun not intended :D No but seriously, a scenario where you can hire a taxi to take the revenge for you might seem nothing special, but you need to watch the show for an unconventional ride that is Taxi Driver. The storyline is taut with engrossing scenarios and aside from the top notch acting from the actors, what I liked about the drama was the constant underscoring of notions around justice and vengeance, to forgive or to avenge? Which is why the tone of the drama is darker and there is no romantic storyline either and some of the crime stories have been inspired from real crimes in Korea. Although the show starts off on a vigilante revenge path when legal measures fail, it concludes on the note that by letting go off vengeance is also the path of liberation. When watching the drama, look out for the 8bit video game that allows people to hire the Taxi Driver, that was my favourite bit.
Vincenzo- In general, I am not a huge fan of lawyer series, but since this drama had Song Joong-Ki, I made an exception, and at the end of the show I had a crush on Jeon Yeo-Been!! The drama is filled with excellent actors, but I had never seen any Yeo-Been’s show before and the image of her hopping across and flipping her hair is deeply etched in my mind. From her immediate change in facial expressions to the random dancing on the table, I was struck by her phenomenal acting. The last time I was taken in with an actor’s performance was when I watched Fight For My Way and I was completely swept over by the lead couple. The second actress whom I loved in Vincenzo was Kim Yeo-Jin and if the phrase ‘looks can be deceptive’ could be described be as a person, it would be her character. Aside from the two aforementioned actresses who left me impressed, Vincenzo is essentially an anti-hero story and the characters in the show are not supposed to be saints. As a viewer you slowly realise that all the characters are not supposed to be good people, and the show is littered with slapstick comedy to rogue revenge plots. Which is also why I sometimes felt the show was uneven and jumped a bit too abruptly from comedy to dark to comedy again. I was initially resentful about how the undertones of love between Joong-Ki and Yeo-Been had not been explored more fully in the show, but on the drama’s conclusion I realised that the story was never really about them. Watching Vincenzo means not only do you get to swoon over Joong-Ki, but also revel in the charades of Geumga Plaza’s residents.
Honourable mentions: She Would Never Know, Red Sleeve, The King’s Affection, Jirisan, Hellbound, Hometown Cha Cha Cha, Squid Game, Youth of May, Dali and the Cocky Prince, Mouse, Beyond Evil, DP, Secret Royal Inspector and Joy, Nevertheless