I’ve never made it a habit to recommend shows, usually because I’m a few years behind, but I’ve decided to change this for a couple of reasons. First off, I’d like someone to fangrrl with over things I love. Second, I know people (especially my American readers) are looking for something a little more diverse than white-washed Hollywood TV.
My first Worth A Watch show is the Korean Drama (Kdrama) I just finished binging called CHIEF KIM. It’s available for free on Drama Fever and worth the whole 20 hours it takes to get to the ending. Subtitles are included, although these aren’t as in-depth so viewers new to Korean culture may find themself at a loss to some of the cultural norms that aren’t explained. I don’t think it’s a barrier though.
What’s the story? A con man takes a job at a major corporation (TQ Group) with a plan to embezzle enough money to move to Europe, but he finds himself fighting the powerful leaders of the corporation who are already embezzling everything. It could be crook vs crook in a battle for cash but along the way the con man decides it’s more fun to save the day than fly away.
That’s it. That’s the story line. There’s hints of romance, and plenty of office politics and corruption, but really this appealed to me because I love the whole Bad-Guys-Make-The-Best-Good-Guys trope that’s played here on multiple levels. It’s awesome. It’s funny. It flips the bird to corrupt and unethical bosses in a way that will make anyone who ever worked for minimum wage cheer.
Who’s it for? If you love Robin Hood, Leverage, Hook from OUAT, or Stick It (a gymnastics movie from 2006) then you’ll probably love Chief Kim. This is a happy story at the end of the day. Set backs are overcome. Bad guys go to jail. Good guys (or at least the semi-decent human being) have happy lives. There are redemption arcs a plenty. It’ll make you laugh. It’ll make Mondays better. What more could you ask for?
What’s the culture like? For anyone unfamiliar with South Korean contemporary culture you’ll get to see the difference between the Big City and the Small City (Gusan). There’s differences in tone that your ear will adapt to (formal vs informal language) if you’re good at picking up that thing. The major differences for American viewers will be the lack of PDA between heterosexual pairs (there aren’t any official couples in Chief Kim) and the very clingy/touchy behavior of same-sex pairs. Korean culture as I understand it (feel free to comment if you have better info) allows for two men or two women to share open signs of affection – hand holding, cheek kisses, sharing a bed – without having a sexual implication. Korean censors will allow that on TV.
This is a newer kdrama and I’m not sure where the kissy faces between the two male leads fall in the sexuality spectrum for Koreans. To American eyes it looks super gay (in the cutest way) but whether it was intended to be that or not, I’m not sure. It’s adorable either way.
Bonuses? Sporty girl with a baseball bat. Maybe gay boi? A blind date that works. Undercover ladies getting away with things because of misogyny (smash the patriarchy!). Lady boss. Lady villain. High drama.
What to watch out for? Koream dramas love Nancy Drew pacing. Every single episode will start a super intense scene that will cut in the middle. You can avoid this by saving the last 5-10 minutes of an episode for the next time you watch, or by watching the first ten minutes of the next episode before turning the TV off.
Seo Yool has a tiny heart for you!