We are once more on the cusp of Valentine's Day, a holiday dedicated to flowers, love and chocolate. I originally planned to spend the day curled up in bed, reveling in junk food and and dramas, but some friends have since upset that plan. Oh well. But if you have the option yourself, here are three dramas that I think are perfect for binge-watching
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
Kim Bok Joo is a second year student at an athletic college where she's a competitive weightlifter--she's tough and hot-headed, confident and loving, and with her 'bulky' frame (let's not discuss the serious miscasting of a supermodel thing actress, ok?) she defies the typical conventions of femininity with aplomb and a serious love for food. Jung Joon Hyeong is a former classmate from elementary days who was once a frail, shy child, now transformed into a cocky top swimmer. His discovery they now share a campus is accompanied by the antics of a joyful puppy crush that's hilarious to watch...although she's just developed a crush on his older cousin, a charming, gentlemanly weight loss doctor. Meanwhile, Joon Young's ex-girlfriend, a troubled rhythmic gymnast struggling under all the pressure, tries to win him back. All kinds of things collide in this sunny coming-of-age romantic-comedy, including love, friendship, family, lifestyle choices, and lifelong dreams.
Watch this if: You want a nearly pitch-perfect first-love story, whether it's because you're going through it the first time too, or because you're nostalgic for those tingles. Go ahead, revel in the rainbows! This is not the show to let your inner cynic out. No one's going to judge you for being swept up in the cotton candy feelings! With an adorable beta lead and lovable heroine who gets to have her cake and eat it too, it's great to either cheer you up, or just add to the sunshine of your day. The warm embrace of different body types is a great self-esteem booster too.
Recommended watching environment: Gather your best friends, a groaning coffee table of your favorite fried chicken, and press play. Wear your favorite comfy sweats, just like the heroine, and get some stuffed animals to squeeze when you get too happy to hold it in any more. Download the soundtrack ahead of time, so you can take a break between episodes to have an impromptu dance party to the upbeat sounds of Kim Min Seung's "From Now On."
Marathon worthy?: Absolutely! It's low-stress for the most part, with a sweet, slow and steady development that draws you on from episode to episode.
Final word: SWAG
The Lonely Shining Goblin
Kim Shin was a famed general in the Goryeo era before he was betrayed and executed by his king, and then resurrected as a powerful goblin, doomed to immortality until he meets his 'bride.' Ji Eun Tak turns out to be that bride, a modern day high school senior struggling to keep afloat amidst the various tragedies of her life, including an abusive family and the ability to see ghosts. Toss in an amnesiac grim reaper as the goblin's reluctant roommate and his adorkable/tragic romance with Eun Tak's sexy, ennui-ridden boss Sunny, and you've got a magical tale of life, death, grief, forgiveness, love and fate.
Watch this if: You want something more in the sweeping, melancholic vein of romance. The loves between the goblin and Eun Tak/the grim reaper and Sunny are brooding (when they're not hilarious), set against a backdrop of death, reincarnation, rain, mournful music, and the swelling expanse of the sea. It moves slowly, pausing to explore every beat of the story dreamily, leading you through the past and present and future to tell a Romance (the capital is truly necessary) of epic scope. But it's also quirky and laugh-out-loud funny with its unlikely bromances and modern day magic, so if that's what you're craving, this show is also definitely the right one for you.
Recommended watching environment: A rainy day, a glass of fine wine, a box of chocolate truffles, and a cashmere throw (red of course) all enhance the viewing experience. Light some candles (blow out a few matches too, just on the off chance a handsome goblin is lurking nearby), stretch out on a chaise lounge, preferably in a conservatory littered with greenery, and prepare to lose yourself in your very own mournful fairy tale.
Marathon worthy?: The episodes are long and lazily winding, so while you can certainly marathon it, prepare yourself for a serious commitment.
Final word: Me too.
Signal
Park Hae Yeong carries a bitter, decades old grudge against the police force. Yet ironically, he himself has made a career as a successful profiler, though he doesn't respect the position or the people he works with. When a case from his past ticks back into life, he finds himself working cold case files in the squad of no-nonsense police woman Cha Soo Hyeon, whose faith and drive just might reignite his own. But it's really the discovery of a mysterious walkie-talkie that propels his heart into his new job when it connects him for a few minutes every day with a detective twenty years in the past, the gruff, upright Lee Jae Han. Together, the three work together to solve crimes both old and new, and wind up changing the past and present in unpredictable ways.
Watch this if: You're not really in the mood for a traditional romance story, and prefer chills and thrills to sighs and swoons. This show is absolutely not romance-centric--there's not a single kiss in the whole series. But that doesn't mean there aren't love stories present. There's Jae Han's doomed first love in the past, Soo Hyeon's decades long unfulfilled crush that connects then and now, and the silent sexual tension that simmers between her and Hae Yeong in the present. There's the creepy love of the serial killer for his last victim, the patient romance between the photographer and his long-lost fiancee, and the sweet but ultimately tragic first love of Hae Yeong's older brother. They're just low-key, different (sometimes outright spooky), and often quite sad, making it perfect for an unorthodox Valentine's watch.
Recommended watching environment: Turn off all the lights, draw the curtains, and curl up under your wool blankets with a bottle of whiskey so you can take a shot whenever they do. If you need food, you're going to want an omelette (trust me), so have a ready stock of eggs and cheese in the fridge. Keep your cell phone handy so you can angst-text people about what's happening. Alternatively, it's a great show to watch with your significant other, because it gives you plenty of excuses to cuddle closer...just for safety, of course...
Marathon worthy?: The thrill-a-minute nature of the show nearly demands that you keep pressing play, but you might need to take some time between each episode to decompress.
Final word: 11:23
Stuck in Love
As always, here's to all the lovers in the world, and all the love too, which makes life so very much worth living. May we never grow too cynical and bitter to celebrate it.
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