Romy Sommer

I've been absent for a while - a combination of real life interruptions, as well as too much K-drama binge-watching.  Back in September, Netflix announced that a whopping number of K-dramas (at least 15, by my count) would soon be leaving their platform so, for about six weeks, I burned the midnight oil to catch as many of them as I could before they were gone. If you'd told me before that it was possible to get burned out on K-dramas, I wouldn't have believed you, but I did need a recovery period after watching so many shows in so short a time! (However, it was clearly either a marketing stunt, or so many viewers did what I did and the numbers rose significantly enough that Netflix renegotiated with the distributors, as none of them ended up leaving the platform!) Now that I've recovered from my binge, I'll start sharing new reviews, but for today I thought I'd share a list of my 5-star K-dramas. These are the shows I regularly dip back into, the ones I never w...

Record of Youth is a charming coming of age story that looks at the darker sides of family, wealth and social position, and fame - all intertwined with a sweet love story.

The Trunk is a dark, slow-burn psychological drama with an art house feel.  It's sophisticated, stylised, and very character-driven.

The Legend of the Blue Sea is a fun romance featuring a mermaid and a con artist, loosely based on an ancient Korean legend.

Destined With You is a cute and quirky light-hearted contemporary romance with a magical twist.

Hometown Cha Cha Cha feels like a warm, healing hug. While there's a central romance, the best thing about this show is the very relatable community that surrounds the leads.

Something in the Rain  felt like two different stories to me. The first half is a classic slow burn romance, while the second half is a rather nihilistic commentary on the oppression of women in Korean society.