There are just some days when the hustle and bustle of life wears you down, and all you crave is a temporary escape. A warm bowl of soup might soothe your body but for the soul, few things comfort like a good Korean drama. These heartwarming picks go beyond entertainment, shedding light on themes like love, loss, mental health, and healing. Whether they make you laugh, cry, or simply feel seen, these stories serve as a gentle reminder that you're not alone and leave you with a new outlook on life.
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When Life Gives You Tangerines
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When Life Gives You Tangerines has touched the hearts of many, regardless of gender and age, with its themes of love, loss, family and sacrifice. Recently winning a grand prize at the Blue Dragon Series Awards this year, the drama has definitely built a place in viewers’ hearts with its heartfelt storytelling and slice of life elements. Set against the backdrop of Jeju Island, the drama spans three generations of women, focusing on the life of Oh Ae-sun (played by IU in her youth and Moon So-ri in later years) and her blossoming relationship with Gwan-shik (younger self played by Park Bo-gum and older self played by Park Hae-joon).
A word-play on the popular saying "when life gives you lemons, made lemonade," the drama highlights a recurring theme of remaining hopeful in the face of adversity and making the best out of situations. Despite the series of setbacks faced by Ae-sun and Gwan-shik, including the devastating loss of their son, the couple discover resilience in their vulnerability with each other.
The importance of family is key to the narrative, spotlighting the lengths that parents will go to for their children. From Ae-sun’s mother, Jeong Gwang-rye (played by Yeom Hye-ran), a “haenyeo” (female diver) who worked herself to death to spare her daughter from hardship, to Ae-sun, who works hard so her daughter Geum-myeong (also portrayed by IU) can pursue the life she never had. The drama captures the strength of women and their determination to create a better future for their children. Fatherhood is thoughtfully explored through Gwan-shik, who embodies the quiet strength of a father who gives everything for his family without expectation.
When Life Gives You Tangerines is available for streaming on Netflix.
Our Unwritten Seoul
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From tackling adulting woes to self-doubt and the pressure of conforming to societal expectations, the struggles that the characters in Our Unwritten Seoul face mirror that of what we face in everyday life. The story follows the lives of identical twins with contrasting personalities, Yoo Mi-rae and Mi-ji (both portrayed by Park Bo-young). Mi-rae, who seemingly has her life set with a permanent job in Seoul, is a victim of workplace harassment. Mi-ji was a promising track athlete held back by a career-ending injury and now spends her days doing odd jobs and caring for her grandmother. In a turn of events, the twins swap identities and embark on a journey to rediscover their true selves and find the spark that was once lost.
The drama delivered memorable lines and scenes that became popular as daily reminders for viewers to get through the day. One dialogue, in particular, that stood out to us was what the twins’ grandmother (portrayed by Cha Mi-kyung) told a depressed Mi-ji who had been cooped up in her room: “Hiding can also be a way to survive. No matter how pathetic or messy it looks, any act you carry out to survive is an act of courage.” In the rat race to success, we tend to become the biggest critic of ourselves, focusing only on our flaws. Every step forward, no matter how small, is still progress and should be celebrated too.
Another life lesson we picked up: Mi-ji tells newly unemployed Ho-su (played by Park Jin-young of GOT7) who is feeling lost that “crocheting produces similar brainwaves as meditating.” When life feels overwhelming and has you drowning in your thoughts, crocheting serves as a powerful tool to prevent overthinking and get through the day one stitch at a time. Maybe taking up crocheting as a hobby doesn’t sound like a bad idea after all.
Our Unwritten Seoul is available for streaming on Netflix.
Heavenly Ever After
Heavenly Ever After is a profound exploration of grief, pain and regret. The fantasy-romance drama takes on the concept of the afterlife and weaves in heartwarming stories and thought-provoking themes that viewers can relate to. Veteran actress Kim Hye-ja plays Lee Hae-sook, a woman in her eighties who finally gets to reunite with her late husband in heaven. Here's where the interesting twist comes in: All the souls who end up in heaven get to choose the age they would like to appear as. Hae-sook decides to remain in her eighties, only to be stunned when her husband, Ko Nak-joon (played by Son Suk-ku) appears as his younger self in his thirties. What begins with awkwardness unfolds into a deeper narrative as they build connections with the rest of the souls in heaven.
In order to move forward, confronting and letting go of the pain that holds us back is an essential step. Through Hae-sook’s journey of facing the guilt and sorrow of losing her son, it shows that healing requires honesty and the courage to forgive not only others but ourselves. After reuniting with her son and learning to accept the events that happened to him, Hae-sook finally gets her chance at reincarnation. Underneath its whimsical exterior, Heavenly Ever After is a meaningful drama that encourages viewers to cherish the present, forgive past mistakes, and embrace the possibility of new beginnings.
Heavenly Ever After is available for streaming on Netflix.
Melo Movie
Melo Movie explores the struggles of everyday life through the lens of those in the film industry. In this case, it's cinephile Ko Gyeom (Choi Woo-sik) and aspiring director Kim Mu-bi (played by Park Bo-young) who seem to hit it off when they first meet. But soon after, Ko Gyeom disappears, with the two reuniting onlt five years later which left them no choice but to confront past wounds and unresolved issues. Lee Jun-young and Jeon So-nee round up the cast as Hong Si-jun and Son Ju-a, portraying the struggles of chasing their ambitions and feeling held back in a relationship.
The drama doesn't shy away from life's harsh realities, highlighting that it's okay to take time to process loss and grief. It explores these themes through Ko Gyeom's relationship with his Brother, Ko Jun (played by Kim Jae-wook). Since nine-years-old, Gyeom and Jun only had each other to rely on, with the eldest of the two becoming the other's guardian after their parent's death. As if this wasn't heart-wrenching enough, Gyeom loses his brother, too. On top of dealing with the loss of his only living relative, Gyeom also had to contend with the fact that his brother was plagued by mental health issues and feelings of not wanting to be alive. Part of his healing process is captured in the scene where Gyeom spends his nights in his car, unable to return to the home he once shared with his brother. Melo Movie is a heartfelt take on grief, and how it's important to give ourselves time to grieve.
Melo Movie is available for streaming on Netflix.
Daily Dose of Sunshine
Based on a webtoon by Lee Ra-ha, Daily Dose of Sunshine is an empathetic representation of mental illness. Inspired by Ra-ha’s real-life experiences as a former nurse, the drama not only dives deep into the daily struggles of psychiatric patients but also that of the healthcare workers. Park Bo-young plays Jung Da-eun, a nurse who was reassigned to the psychiatry unit from internal medicine. On her first day on the job, she is greeted with an overwhelming environment where even the tiniest mistakes can lead to dire consequences. Each patient has a different story—shedding light on different disorders such as schizophrenia, paranoia, depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Park Bo-young plays Jung Da-eun, a nurse assigned to the psychiatric department, who later sinks into depression. As she struggles coming to terms with it, Da-eun learns that accepting her illness and relying on others is not a sign of weakness. Rather, it's a vital part of healing. After all, what are family and friends for? Her journey towards recovery also highlights the importance of being kind to yourself and that it’s okay to put yourself first sometimes.
This drama reminds viewers that it’s always the darkest before the dawn. To quote Park Bo-young's acceptance speech for Best Actress at the Blue Dragon Series Awards last year: “If there is anyone who is spending a really dark and long night, I hope you don’t get too worn out, hang in there till the end so the morning can greet you.”
Daily Dose of Sunshine is available for streaming on Netflix.