“Soft” psychological thriller/university melodrama

A brilliant, arrogant student with crazy-low empathy skills manipulates things around him to suit his whims. He has zero patience for suffering fools and never directly goes after anyone, but…he’s always the one pulling strings, and it usually ends badly for whoever crosses him. Like, sometimes “badly” on a scary level.

A fellow student who notices his manipulations jumps to conclusions about him and calls him out on something, making her the next target of his machinations. Although after he observes her a while (while tormenting her), he realizes she’s actually a fun and fascinating person, he decides he likes her (instead of viewing her as human trash or disposable pawns like he seems to see everyone else), and he starts to pursue her…which then follows that he starts manipulating things in and around her life, as well. Always for her own good, of course. Always to help or support her. Regardless of who else it might hurt.

There are difficult family relationships, societal expectations’ commentary, etc., and not many super-healthy relationships, but the show always keeps you wanting to watch more. Psychological suspense, but I liked that it wasn’t a VERY tense psych thriller, just mildly tense. The happy ending is there, but only just barely—you have to watch carefully in the last few seconds to catch it.

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Sometimes slow but always sweet

Fantasy romance/melodrama: A classic since its release in 2016, and it remains one of the most popular K-dramas of recent years. A 900-year-old immortal goblin meets his “bride,” who is the poor, unlucky, abused-by-her-family young woman—a high school senior—fated to end his painful existence. (You have to just NOT think about the age difference.) While the idea of finally dying delights the goblin, things get complicated when the two leads...maybe don't want to be separated? This is essentially “Cinderella” in a more tragic and complicated form.

The scenes filmed in Canada are gorgeous. Fantastic second lead couple and fun supporting characters all around. The goblin’s developing bromance with a Grim Reaper who is accidentally house-sharing with him is worth watching this alone—if handsomeness were currency, the two male leads could buy a country with their collective looks.

Lovely quote: “When you’re coming home on a rainy night, what is it that becomes your umbrella? A voice that answers when you call. A memory of seeing the same thing at the same time. The first time you matched someone’s pace. Does someone come to mind? Yes, it’s that person. First love.”

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Goofy, sweet office romance

The defining office rom-com of modern K-drama: The world’s most perfect secretary (she is who I want to be when I grow up) works for the world’s most perfect boss (who is work- and self-absorbed to the point of not really noticing anyone else). The drama starts when, after 10 years of dedicated service, Secretary Kim suddenly announces her resignation. The boss is shocked. He immediately decides that he must figure out why she is leaving and somehow stop her. Why would she leave the perfect boss? What could have caused this so out-of-the-blue? More importantly, how can he convince her not to go? Which leaves us asking the more important question: Why can’t he let her go so easily? Well…the answer may be more personal than he wants to admit. (hint-hint, wink-wink) A traumatic childhood backstory involving a psychotic kidnapper and suicide is thrown in for the tension of it all, and there’s also a cute CEO’s brother/famous author/love rival to round out this classic series. Quote of the show: [a post-it note reminder on the female lead’s desk] “Think coolly (cool head); feel warmly (warm heart); run like your feet are on fire.”

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Everything you want in an action-romance

Action/rom-com: A pretty doctor and a dreamy Special Forces dude meet through a series of misunderstandings. They quickly fall for each other, but then break up just as quickly when they realize their worldviews are incompatible. They end up in a fictional foreign country (filmed in gorgeous Greece), where they survive a series of attacks, kidnappings, building collapses, and plague, among other disasters. In the middle of all this, they somehow work out their issues and fall head-over-heels for each other. The humor and banter make every interaction between the main leads and secondary characters a sheer delight to watch. There are gratuitous “absolutely built men running without shirts” scenes, with female characters appreciating them appropriately. Some fun, intense action scenes. Defining doctor quote: “All life has dignity, and no value nor ideology is more important.”

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