I am something of a later adapter (or is that adopter? But both work, I think!), which may be why I have only recently discovered K-Dramas — that’s South Korean-made, small-screen series, for those who are even later to the party than me. 😀

And being in the lull between manuscript delivery and the edit phase, means I have more time currently to pursue this new interest — huzza for lulls.

My ‘discovery’ (personal discovery, that is, since they’ve been around for quite a while) began with a review list that praised The Extraordinary Attorney Woo, about the fledgling career of a young attorney (Woo Young-woo) on the autism spectrum. Without knowing anything about the South Korean legal system, I suspect many of the cases are largely “fantasy law” (I stand to be corrected on this, but it’s pretty standard for most legal dramas I’ve viewed), but the series’ charm lies in its characters, its humour, and its depiction of the challenges faced by those with autism striving to navigate careers and workplaces that (generally) don’t accommodate them.

Bon Appetit, Your Majesty

Not long afterward, another review list pointed me to Bon Appetit Your Majesty, about a Michelin chef transported back through time to a (troubled) period in the Joseon era of Korean history — where she encounters a young king who is also a gourmet. Although initially a little resistant, the show’s mix of political machinations in the Joseon court and the starring role of haute cuisine in the story, soon had me hooked.

The Flower Crew

Sufficiently so that I was ready to try the (also recommended via various lists) The Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency soon thereafter. At first I was inclined to be dismissive, thinking it was just a vehicle for an historical variant on a “boy band” fable, but I ended being very impressed by the way the show writers handled so many diverse characters and their back stories, as well as the central love story’s  proverbially rocky path amid even more rocky political plotting, and pulled it all together at the end. Plus all the characters were really interesting, and some of the secondary relationships, e.g. between fathers and their children, and also siblings, as well as bonds of friendship, were both engaging and absorbing.

Empress Ki

Currently, I have embarked upon Empress Ki, an historical drama that runs to a mighty 51 episodes! On current viewing, it’s clearly a sprawling epic, which follows the rise of a young Korean woman, Kang (aka Ki Seung-nyang), from tribute slave and street “thug” (bandit/criminal) to Empress of China during the Yuan (Mongolian) era of imperial rule. The core of the dramatic tension, amidst court plots and border wars, lies in the romantic triangle between Yang and her competing suitors: Wang Yu, the deposed King of Goryeo (the Korean kingdom that preceded Joseon historically) and the young (and currently feckless) Emperor Toghon Temur. There is probably a tad too much romantic triangle for my tastes currently (although some of it is pretty funny, too), but Kang is a fantastic character, and the political and fighting sequences can be really tense. I’m only one quarter of the way through, so it’s early days, but on current form I’m pretty sure I’m going to enjoy the whole.

It may be worth mentioning as well that so far everything I’ve watched has had subtitles rather than being dubbed. On the basis of my experience to date, I would definitely stick with the subtitles even if a dubbed version was available, simply because I garner so much more of the story nuance from the Korean intonation and cadence, marrying it with expression and action, even though I don’t speak the language.

Also worth mentioning is that there are so many K-dramas available currently, that I should be able to indulge my new enthusiasm for some time to come. 😀

(c) Helen Lowe, 2026