'Yonder' on Paramount+: 5 reality-bending Korean shows to watch before sci-fi fantasy series drops
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: Ever since the arrival of streaming platforms, language barriers in shows and movies are less of an issue thanks to subtitling and dubbing. From Netflix's 'Dark' to the recent global phenomenon 'Squid Game', audiences are experiencing a wide range of content from all over the world. And every streaming platform is expanding its library to include more diverse content.
In the new tradition, Paramount +, has been releasing several new shows from various genres, including the recently released 'Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies'. Now, it is gearing up to release the K-drama 'Yonder.' Taking place in the 2040s, 'Yonder' follows the story of a man who misses his wife, who has died of cancer. However, an unexpected twist occurs when he receives a message from his wife to visit her in 'Yonder', a place where he can meet and live with her again. 'Yonder' stars Han Ji-min as Cha Yi Hoo and Shin Ha-kyun as Kim Jae Hyun. Before 'Yonder' drops, let us take a look at some of the other reality-bending Korean shows we can watch.
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'W: Two Worlds'
What happens when your favorite fictional character, with a strong conscience, can come to life? What if you could travel into the world of the fictional character and impact the story's proceedings like it is a video game? And what if the created characters could write and bend their own stories? Interesting, right? These are the things that Oh Yeon-Joo (Han Hyo-Joo), a surgeon, experienced in her life. Yeon-Joo's father, Seong-moo (Kim Eui-sung), is an artist and the creator of the webtoon 'W.' Seong-moo became super successful with his comics, however, he feels that as the characters of his creation took over their reality, Seong-moo wants to end the storyline that he has started. On the other hand, Kang Chul (Lee Jong-Suk), a character in the comic book, falls for Yeon-Joo, and this leads to the merging of the two realities and chaos ensues afterward. Love, life, and acceptance are some of the themes of this series. 'W: Two Worlds' has a total of 16 episodes.
'The Legend of the Blue Sea'
Probably one of the staple series for almost all the K-drama fans out there, 'The Legend of the Blue Sea' brought back the love story of a mermaid and a human king. Inspired by the Joseon legend, 'The Legend of the Blue Sea' tells the story of the star-crossed lovers, Shim Cheong/Se-hwa (Jun Ji-hyun), a mermaid, and Heo Joon-jae/Kim Dam-ryeong (Lee Min-ho), a con artist. The story takes place in two different timelines, one in the Joseon era and the other in the present day. While Shim Cheong is a mermaid in both incarnations, Joon-Jae is a kind-hearted town head in the historical timeline. The series follows the love story between the leads and how fate plays a major role in their lives. With a total of 20 episodes and 1 special, 'The Legend of the Blue Sea' is one of the most popular and fan-favorite series of all time.
'My Roommate is a Gumiho'
In a world full of vampires and werewolves, meet, Shin Woo-yeo (Jang Ki-yong), a Gumiho, a creature plucked straight out of Korean folklore. As per legend, a Gumiho is a nine-tailed fox. By the time the series' premise occurs, Woo-yeo is nearing 1000 years old and waiting to get back to his home planet. He is currently using the identity of a professor. The story occurs when Lee Dam (Lee Hye-ri), a college student, accidentally swallows a bead from Woo Yeo. This creates a dangerous situation for both parties involved, as Woo Yeo needs the bead to become a complete human, and if the bead is inside a human for so long, it will cause Lee Dam to die. So to solve the situation, they both decide to live together to figure things out. With a total of 16 episodes, 'My Roommate Is a Gumiho' is a riot of a series.
'The King: Eternal Monarch'
Released in 2020, 'The King: Eternal Monarch' was one of the most anticipated series at the time of its release because of its stellar cast. It starred Lee Min-ho as Lee Gon, Kim Go-eun as Jeong Tae Eul, Woo Do-hwan as Jo Yeong, Kim Kyung-nam as Kang Shin Jae, Jung Eun-chae as Koo Seo Ryeong, and Lee Jung-jin as Lee Lim. 'The King: Eternal Monarch' follows the story of Emperor Lee Gon, as he travels through a portal to another reality, where he finds the Republic of Korea. Lee Gon has to face his half-uncle Lee Lim, who broke the barrier between the worlds by opening the door. The series has a total of 16 episodes, and though the series might test your patience at times, it is well worth watching.
'My Love from the Star'
As the name of the series suggests, the story of 'My Love from the Star' revolves between a human and an alien. During the Joseon Dynasty, Do Min-joon (Kim Soo-hyun) lands on Earth in 1609. Min-Joon is an alien who has been stuck on planet Earth for four centuries. And when the time for Min-Joon to return to his home planet arrives, he accidentally meets Cheon Song-yi (Jun Ji-hyun), an actress who has been famous since her childhood. The two lives are entwined, and unexpected twists occur. 'My Love from the Star' has a total of 21 episodes and one special.
