Be it Korean food, K-pop, or K-dramas, Korean trends have taken the world by storm. With the quintessential elements of creativity, simplicity, relatability, and fun – Korean series, movies, and audiobooks will either lighten up your mood or keep you hooked till the very end. With Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) around the corner, it would only be fitting to engage in a binge session of these Korean titles along with a bowl of ramyeon of course. This is why we’ve put together the most sought-after Korean titles from Audible, Netflix, Disney + Hotstar, and Prime Video to inspire, engage, and entertain you to the core.
I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki
Platform: Audible
Tteokbokki, or simmered rice cake, is a Korean dish often seen in K-dramas and widely enjoyed by cinephiles across the world. Discover how this unique dish takes center stage in this part memoir and part self-help book. This audiobook is based on the life of a successful young woman working as a social media director at a publishing house who is struggling to navigate through depression, social awkwardness, and work exhaustion. As a result, she decides to visit a psychiatrist and spends over a 12-week period disentangling bad behavior loops, knee-jerk reactions, and harmful cycles of self-abuse. Wondering what Tteokbokki has to do with all of this? Tune into Audible to understand why! A must-listen for those entangled in similar labyrinths of life, this audiobook will surely encompass valuable life lessons and a boost of inspiration all of us need.
Platform: Audible
Wonder what it feels like to be trapped in a country ruled by a fierce dictator, with no hope and nowhere to go? Well, this was the life of the North Korean human rights activist and TED speaker Yeonmi Park who fled the oppressive communist state when she was 13 years old. The concept of freedom was too far-fetched for her, the most comforting thing she could think of was to survive her reality. She knew that if she and her family stayed behind they would die – from starvation, a disease, or even execution. Witness the harrowing tale of the woman’s escape with the assistance of China’s underworld and her rise as she became an exemplary human rights activist by the time she turned 21.
Platform: Audible
This collection showcases fictional stories of heroes, tricksters, and supernatural creatures, and unfolds the deep cultural roots and traditions of the Korean people. Get yourself an immersive experience of powerful storytelling to illuminate the human experience with multi-cultural depth and important life lessons. Korean folklore is known for its philosophical elements incorporating beliefs from Confucianism (ancient Chinese Philosophy) and Korean mythological figures, making it a great listen for children and adults.
Platform: Netflix
A Time Called You is the story of a young woman Jun-hee who mourns the death of her boyfriend. Unable to cope with the loss, she goes back in time to 1998 but is perplexed as she wakes up in a different body of an 18-year-old Min-ju. As she navigates this new reality, she meets Si-heon, who bears an uncanny resemblance to her deceased boyfriend. To make this more intriguing, the series also has a love triangle, a complex time travel curveball, and lots of suspense. Difficult to sum up the plot in words, one has to watch this drama on Netflix to find out how her life unfolds as she time-travels her way to 1998 and back.
Platform: Prime Video
Seven years after the roundup in Vietnam, Detective Ma Seok-do joins a new squad to investigate a murder case which leads them to an illegal drug Hiper. He starts to dig deeper and discovers an unknown gang of thugs involved in supplying the drug. This troublesome case leading to a drug war is important to him as it is his first case after seven years following a roundup in Vietnam. Perfectly balancing the dichotomy of good and evil, the storytelling in this Prime Video movie is brilliant and adventurous. An ideal pick for a movie night, grab your popcorn, and enjoy this critically acclaimed crime drama with friends and family.
Platform: Disney + Hotstar
A revenge drama that takes an unexpected turn, Call it Love is the perfect watch for a weekend. The female lead Woojoo decides to take revenge for all the injustices she has suffered when her family unexpectedly becomes homeless. But her plans change when her enemy Dongjin turns out to be a thoroughly lovable, lonely, and gentle soul. After her father’s death, Woo-Joo is kicked out of her home by the woman her father dated. She decides to take revenge on that woman only to stumble upon her son Han Dong-Jin and falls in love with him. An unexpected and humorous turn of events makes the series a promising watch for rom-com lovers.
Platform: Prime Video
Heartbeat is a humorous light-hearted romance centered around the love story of a 100-year-old vampire on the cusp of fulfilling his wish to become a human and a mesmerizing woman who does not fear him. The series showcases relatable characters in blossoming romance, hoping that their love will transform the reality of the male lead’s vampire-bound life. If you’re one of those who enjoys situational satire with a romantic element, then this is the OTT series for you.
