Step into the captivating world of July’s K-drama, ‘Boys Over Flowers.’ We will delve into a tangled web of romance, friendship, and personal growth in this iconic drama. Breaking Down The Cultural Knowledge If you have been following our K-Drama series, feel free to skip this section to get straight into the drama. When you watch a K-drama while living in Korea or planning to live in Korea, you may want to go deeper than just the show. In order to fully understand the context of entertainment and the world around you, plan on looking at not only experiencing the movie plot, but also at learning about the actors, music, and cultural conversation. Let’s dig into July’s K-drama, “Boys Over Flowers.” About “Boys Over Flowers” “Boys Over Flowers” is a popular Korean drama based on the Japanese manga Yoko Kamio. It originally aired from January 5 to March 31, 2009, on the Korean broadcasting network KBS2. This is the story of a strong-willed, lower-middle-class girl named Geum Jan-di. She receives a scholarship to a prestigious high school attended by mostly wealthy students. In this high school, she encounters the F4, a group of boys who bully and control the student body. However, Jan-di stands up against them and ultimately finds herself in a complicated love triangle with two members of the F4. Ultimately, this drama unfolds with a mix of romance, drama, and comedy. Therefore, viewers are provided an entertaining and emotional journey through the lives of the F4 and Geum Jan-di. About the Drama’s Success “Boys Over Flowers” consistently achieved high ratings throughout its run. The show often exceeded 30% viewership in South Korea. This drama captivated audiences with its entertaining storyline, captivating characters, and romantic elements. In addition, the series gained widespread popularity beyond South Korea, particularly in Asian countries. Cast members from this drama also found immense popularity from their roles in this drama. Even years after its initial release, “Boys Over Flowers” continues to have a large fan base worldwide. Also, this drama is a gateway show for many new viewers exploring Korean dramas. In 2009, the drama was nominated for and won many awards from the Baeksang Arts Awards, Asian Television Awards, Seoul International Drama Awards, KBS Drama Awards, and several others. About the Drama’s Themes “Boys Over Flowers” explores several themes throughout its storyline. Some of the more prominent themes are economic inequality, bullying, love and friendship, personal growth, and second chances. These themes contribute to the emotional depth of “Boys Over Flowers” with thought-provoking reflections on societal issues, personal relationships, and self-discovery. The main theme of “Boys Over Flowers” revolves around how the power of love can exceed social barriers. The focus of how love can bridge the gap between different economic classes, challenge societal norms, and encourage personal growth in individuals. Therefore, the theme of love is interwoven with other themes such as socioeconomic divide, friendship, and self-discovery. Altogether, these themes create a compelling narrative capturing the hearts of the viewers. The Music of “Boys Over Flowers” Whenever a new, popular K-drama hits the screen you hear the music everywhere. Take the time to become familiar with the tracklist and maybe even memorize one for the norae-bang. In addition, this will make you an absolute superstar at social gatherings. Below is a YouTube video with the Original Soundtrack from “Boys Over Flowers” Additionally, being able to sing the chorus when you hear the songs in the streets or be able to casually say to a new friend, “Oh, isn’t this the theme song for Boys Over Flowers?” creates a wonderful feeling of connectedness to the world around you. Behind-The-Scenes Footage Of “Boys Over Flowers” After watching the K-drama and becoming familiar with the songs, it’s time to learn more about the cast. Watching the cast in behind-the-scenes footage or interviews can help you recognize the actors and actresses in new dramas or advertisements nationwide. Therefore, knowing about the cast enables you to create a language for understanding the visual world around you. Also, it is fun to watch behind-the-scenes footage and interviews where you can see glimpses of the creation of the drama and the interactions of the actors/actresses on set. The Food Of “Boys Over Flowers” “Boys Over Flowers” incorporates a mix of Korean street food, traditional dishes, and popular favorites. Some of the more notable food items featured were jjajangmyeon, ramyeon, bibimbap, fried chicken, barbecue, and tteokbokki. Check out our series A Year to Learn Korean Cooking if you want to recreate the dishes you see on the screen at home. You may find some great tips to help you learn more about Korean foods. 2023 K-Drama 101 Recommendations You can find more popular K-Drama recommendations on the K-Drama 101 recommendations list for 2023. Each month in 2023, we will dig into each of our K-Drama recommendations to give you in-depth information about the series. 2023 K-Drama Reviews Did you like this drama review? Catch up on the other South of Seoul Dramas reviewed and recommend in 2023. Additional Drama Related Blogs If you find yourself falling in love with dramas like so many before you, you may also enjoy these other South of Seoul Blogs: Lanae Rivers-Woods, MAITLanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master’s of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert. Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities. Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea. Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea. When she isn’t in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains. www.southofseoul.net

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Interested in romantic fantasy dramas with a touch of comedy and an otherworldly twist, “My Love From the Star” is perfect for your next K-drama binge. This is the story of an extraterrestrial alien who arrives on Earth in 1609 during the Joseon dynasty. After living here for 400 years, he meets and falls in love with a top Korean actress. Let’s learn more about this K-drama and find out why it was so popular. Breaking Down The Cultural Knowledge If you have been following our K-Drama series, feel free to skip this section to get straight into the drama. When you watch a K-drama while living in Korea or planing to live in Korea, you may want to go deeper than just the show. In order to fully understand the context of entertainment and the world around you, plan on looking at not only experiencing the movie plot, but also at learning about the actors, music, and cultural conversation. Let’s dig into June’s K-drama, “My Love From the Star.” About “My Love From the Star” “My Love From the Star” aired on the South Korean television network SBS on December 18, 2013. This drama, also known as “You Who Came from the Stars,” is an original television series created by writer Park Ji-eun. This story revolves around Do Min-joon, the alien who lands on Earth during the Joseon Dynasty. He possesses extraordinary powers and has remained detached from human relationships during his 400 years on Earth. However, when he meets Cheon Song-yi, the famous Hallyu (Korean Wave) actress, he finds himself falling in love. The relationship faces many obstacles including Do Min-joon’s knowledge that he will have to return to his home planet. Ultimately, this drama provides a captivating storyline with romance, fantasy and comedy. About the Drama’s Success “My Love From the Star” was written by Park Ji-eun, a South Korean screenwriter and television producer. She is also known for works such as “The Producers,” “The Legend of the Blue Sea,” “You’re All Surrounded,” “Queen of Housewives,” and “Crash Landing on You.” In addition to having such a prominent writer, this k-drama features popular actors and actresses, such as Kim Soo-hyun and Jun Ji-hyun. Garnering widespread popularity in South Korea and internationally, “My Love From the Star” became a cultural phenomenon. With impressive viewership ratings and positive reviews from critics and viewers, the drama also was nominated for numerous awards. In 2014, the drama won awards from the Baeksang Arts Awards, Shanghai Television Festival Magnolia Awards, Korea Broadcasting Awards, Seoul International Drama Awards, Korea Drama Awards, and many others. About the Drama’s Themes “My Love From the Star” explores many themes throughout its storyline. Some of the most prominent themes addressed are love surpassing boundaries, destiny and fate, redemption and forgiveness, sacrifice and selflessness and valuing and living in the present moment. The main theme of this drama surrounds the idea that the power of love transcends time and space. Throughout the series, love bridges gaps between individuals regardless of species, backgrounds, circumstances or time and space. Another theme presented in the drama is that of celebrity life and the challenges it brings. Since Cheon Song-yi is a popular actress in the story, the drama touches upon the scrutiny, pressures and sacrifices that often come with fame. Also, it highlights the public image and personal struggles that celebrities often face. The Music of “My Love From the Star” Whenever a new, popular K-drama hits the screen you hear the music everywhere. Take the time to become familiar with the track list and maybe even memorize one for the norae-bang. This will make you an absolute superstar at social gatherings. Below is a YouTube video with the Original Soundtrack from “My Love From the Star.” Additionally, being able to sing the chorus when you hear the songs in the streets or be able to casually say to a new friend, “Oh, isn’t this the theme song for My Love From the Star?” creates a wonderful feeling of connectedness to the world around you. Behind-the-Scenes Footage of “My Love From the Star” After watching the K-drama and becoming familiar with the songs, it’s time to learn more about the cast. Watching the cast in behind-the-scenes footage or interviews can help you recognize the actors and actresses in new dramas or advertisements nationwide. Therefore, knowing about the cast enables you to create a language for understanding the visual world around you. Also, it is fun to watch behind-the-scenes footage and interviews where you can see glimpses of the creation of the drama and the interactions of the actors/actresses on set. The Food of “My Love From the Star” Food plays a significant role in “My Love From the Star.” When watching K-dramas, seeing the foods represented in the show is fun. This K-drama features many Korean dishes throughout its episodes. Some of the more notable food items featured were Chimaek (fried chicken and beer), jjajangmyeon, kimbap, and tteokbokki. Check out our series A Year to Learn Korean Cooking if you want to recreate the dishes you see on the screen at home. You may find some great tips to help you learn more about Korean foods. Catch Up on Show Related Gossip Now that you have watched the show, listened to the music, and learned about the actors, it’s time to learn the tea. What kind of drama developed surrounding “My Love From the Star?” The most notable scandal at the time for this K-drama was an accusation about plagiarism. The artist, Kang Kung-ok, claimed that the concept of the drama was plagiarized from her comic book Seol-hee. However, it appears that a motif from the Gwanghae Journal in the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty was inspiration for both works. The lawsuit was dropped in July of 2014 after an out-of-court settlement. 2023 K-Drama 101 Recommendations You can find more popular K-Drama recommendations on the K-Drama 101 recommendations list for 2023. Each month in 2023, we will dig into each of our K-Drama recommendations to give you in-depth information about the series. 2023 K-Drama Reviews Did you like this drama review? Catch up on the other South of Seoul Dramas reviewed and recommend in 2023. Additional Drama-Related Blogs If you find yourself falling in love with dramas like so many before you, you may also enjoy these other South of Seoul Blogs: Lanae Rivers-Woods, MAITLanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master’s of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert. Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities. Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea. Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea. When she isn’t in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains. www.southofseoul.net

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Wondering what to watch this year? Maybe try these 12 top K-drama recommendations for 2023. This year we created a watch list of Korea’s top K-dramas. The list may help you learn more about Korean culture, social asperiations, and life. Watching K-dramas to Help with Cultural Integration Settling into a new cultural becomes easier with shared cultural knowledge. Since Korean pop-culture exists separately than other countries, you have to catch up. Catching up on local pop-culture means committing to the research. One of the easiest ways to do this includes binge watching Korean dramas. Pop-culture provides an easy way to start a fun conversation and build relationships. As someone who moved to the Lower 48 without watching US TV or listing to US popular music, trust me that you need to do this. Fitting into society was painfully difficult to build friendships until I caught up on pop-culture. It turns out that many casual relationships begin with a shared understanding of current culture. When I moved to South Korea I did not make the same mistake. I paid close attention to pop culture related to my age group and it help my transition a lot. In 2023, I thought it would be fun to create a pop-culture starter guide that the South of Seoul community can follow along with over the year. Some people might start this journey once they arrive in South Korea, while others might choose to begin this journey in the months before their relocation. South of Seoul K-Drama Recommendations In response to this goal, in 2023 I will lead an Arts & Entertainment Initiative including K-drama recommendations for those just getting into the genre. The recommendations in this post include the top dramas in recent years. Consider them a K-drama primer that will quickly take you down the rabbit hole. Once you complete this list, we encourage you to dig deeper into the K-drama history and find more dramas to watch from the past as well as current dramas. Watching K-Dramas with English Subs Interestingly, since you may need English subtitles for your K-dramas you may run into streaming issues in South Korea. A variety of websites popular with K-drama fans can’t actually stream in South Korea without the help of a VPN. While living in Korea, we recommend the following online sites for K-Dramas while living in South Korea: With some creativity like a great VPN, you may find other options for watching K-dramas with English subs on free sites. Keep in mind, not all VPNs work and sometimes they quit working for a while when sites find new ways to detect them. Since many of the options may not be entirely legal, we will leave these alternative choices up to you. Although we figure most folks know what K-dramas are these days, not everyone does. Some people may not so let’s dig deeper into the K-drama genre as we start your recommendations. What are Korean Dramas? Korean dramas, also known as K-dramas, are television dramas produced in South Korea. They typically consist of 16-24 episodes and air on Korean television networks, such as KBS, MBC, and SBS. Korean dramas are known for their unique storytelling, engaging characters, and emotional storytelling. Many of them have gained popularity not only in South Korea but also around the world. Particularly in other parts of Asia and among fans of foreign language television dramas. Why do people love Korean Dramas? There are many reasons why people love Korean dramas and become addicted to them. One reason is that people love the story telling. K-dramas are known for their engaging storylines and well-developed characters, which often include a mix of romance, comedy, and drama. Another reason is that Korean dramas often have a strong sense of culture and place. Such information allows viewers to learn about South Korean customs and traditions. Additionally, many Korean dramas have relatable themes and messages, such as the importance of family, friendship, and following one’s dreams. Furthermore, the high production values and visually stunning cinematography of Korean dramas add to their appeal. Overall, Korean dramas offer a unique and enjoyable viewing experience that has made them popular around the world. Korea’s Most Watched Dramas Korea’s most-watched Korean dramas vary depending on the time period and the television network on which they are aired. However, for this blog post we want to focus on some popular and highly-rated Korean dramas so that you have a strong cultural catalog of common pop-cultural knowledge after your first year living in South Korea. Foundational Korean Dramas in A Year Feel free to mix and match the order of these dramas to fit your taste. We create the list based on months to create a framework to build pop-cultural knowledge over time. January “Crash Landing on You” This drama tells the story of a South Korean heiress who accidentally crash lands in North Korea and falls in love with a North Korean army officer who helps her hide and eventually returns to South Korea. February “Itaewon Class” This drama follows the story of a young man who opens a bar in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul and takes on a group of misfits as employees, who help him seek revenge against the corrupt corporation that caused his father’s death. March “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo” This historical drama is a retelling of the Chinese novel “Bu Bu Jing Xin” and follows a 21st century woman who is transported back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty and falls in love with the princes of the royal family. April “The Heirs” This drama follows a group of wealthy and privileged high school students as they navigate love, friendship, and the pressures of their families’ expectations. May “Reply 1988” This coming-of-age drama follows a group of friends who grow up together in a small neighborhood in Seoul in the late 1980s. June “My Love from the Star” This drama tells the story of an alien who has been living on Earth for 400 years and falls in love with a famous actress. July “Boys Over Flowers” This drama is a modern retelling of the classic novel “The Great Gatsby,” and follows a group of wealthy and privileged high school students who fall in love and experience personal growth. August “Hotel del Luna” This fantasy drama tells the story of a man who becomes the manager of a hotel for ghosts and a mysterious woman who is the hotel’s owner. September “The Uncanny Counter” This drama is based on a webtoon of the same name and follows a group of young people who have the ability to hunt down and capture malevolent spirits known as “demons.” These young people, known as “Counters,” work at a noodle restaurant as a front for their demon-hunting activities. October “Goblin or Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” This fantasy drama tells the story of a goblin who is trying to find a human bride to end his immortal life, and the human woman who becomes involved in his fate. November “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo” This coming-of-age drama follows the friendship and romantic relationships of a group of college athletes. December “Moonlight Drawn by Clouds” This historical drama is a fictionalized retelling of the life of King Hyomyeong and follows a young man who disguises himself as a woman to serve as the king’s eunuch and falls in love with him. Additional Drama-Related Blogs If you find yourself falling in love with dramas like so many before you, you may also enjoy these other South of Seoul Blogs: Lanae Rivers-Woods, MAITLanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master’s of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert. Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities. Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea. Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea. When she isn’t in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains. www.southofseoul.net

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