What Should I Watch?

There are some things that both East and West shared in old times, especially wisdom and philosophy. An old Korean proverb says "No wealth can last more than three generations" which coincides an Western saying "Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations." And that's what may happen to Han family in the Korean drama Mine . In the last two episodes, it is obvious that none of the founder's g...

In Hitchcock's movie, The Birds , the birds do attack people. But is that what happened in the Korean drama, Mine ? Could it be the pet peacock that caused the turmoil? And the naive humans suspect each other as it happens in many other stories because humans are naturally evil being? Grant and I decided to call it the "Peacock Theory" but it has nothing to do with ornithology. With only 4 episode...

Has the Han family sinned too much? Can they ever become happy and dance, perhaps do the twist again? It may help to listen to Chubby Checker while they are playing the game of checkers with each other to achieve what they want whether it's love, power, or freedom. Or very delicious homemade Bibimbop may help them because it certainly made Grant do the twist! If you have not started yet, start wat...

Jay-Z once sang 'What more can I say?' and that's exactly what Grant and I want to say about the Korean drama Mine . If you have not started watching this well-crafted show, start the first episode now on Netflix! Each member of the Han family is getting more tangled up with each other and the issue of who the Real Mother is getting somewhat clearer as the devilish characters have difficulties hid...

Love is just a dream and you need to escape it. If you know how an elephant gets through a door, you will be able to achieve your goal. Do you need tips? Learn from some of the characters in the Korean drama, Mine . Han family's drama is headed to the climax and the three women, two sisters-in-law and the tutor, seem to have become one team now. If you have not started watching this very clever st...

This is THE special episode of What Should I Watch? We have a special guest from Korea who is an expert on Korean food and drama. In the episode 5 and 6 of the Korean drama, Mine, things are getting more interesting and the characters slowly start to show their true colors. Some characters may say "I'm doing it" or "Let's do this" but how is it related to Hyundai or Honda? Check out this episode a...

The endless mysteries continue in the 3rd and 4th episode of the Korean drama, Mine . The exquisite house, ultra-rich lifestyle, and complex relationships between the family members. Who is actually in control and who thinks he/she is in control? Peal away the layers of Mine... ( what has layers besides cakes?) And what is the tedious but important task when making Kimchi? If you want to know why...

What Should I Watch? has been running for 20 weeks! To celebrate this special episode, something new, something different will be featured for the next 8 weeks: preview and recap of a Korean drama Mine (2021). There are a lot of Korean dramas that talk about rich families but what about the ultra rich family? And how about the drama that is unofficially loosely based on the real ultra rich? Here's...

A Korean Netflix show, The Squid Game , shocked the world like Psy's Gangnam Style did 10 years ago. But what do the games mean? Why was each participant selected? And why music played with recorder? Want to understand more? In this week's episode, Grant and I decode The Squid Game with an explanation using insight from Korean culture. TV shows and Movies mentioned in this episode: Old Boy (2003)...

Hyenas are bullying Simba. They are a rough, sketch bunch. Innocent and poor Simba falls for their lie and ... Hyenas take the world! It's not exactly what happened in Lion King but it did in this Korean drama, Hyena. The frenemy lawyer duo is not the typical legal show lawyers. They're not fired up to send the bad guys away. Their morals can be conveniently altered at times to win cases and those...

Happy Seol Nahl! (Lunar New Year in Korean) New year, new goal, maybe new job or new place? My bi-weekly guest Mary is planning to get a place of her own so I had to pick this Korean drama as a precaution for her. How well do you know your neighbors? Just because someone looks like a tough guy, it doesn't mean he is bad. And because someone always dresses nice with a suit, you shouldn't assume the...

What do these have in common: North Korea, Grocery Store, Terror Attack, Celebrity Sighting? Listen to this episode of What Should I Watch? to find out and Laugh Out Loud. But the drama is not a comedy. South Korea's national assembly building is bombed one morning and pretty much all of the important politicians die including the president. According to the law, a minister on the lowest successio...

Is your New Year's resolution related to exercise? Are you doing weight training? If so, this week's Korean drama can be a big motivation. But even if you're not interested in working out, you can still enjoy this drama packed with comedy and inspiring life lessons. How do we love ourselves when we are not where or what we want ourselves to be? Loosely based on the story of female weight lifter, J...

Happy New Year! As we celebrate holidays, it is a perfect time to study the meaning of family and reflect on our own lives. In this episode, Grant and I continue our conversation about My Unfamiliar Family and dive deeper into each character as they resolve the individual and collective issues. Thanks for listening and don't forget to subscribe for another year of great podcasts about Korean TV sh...

We can't talk about holidays without mentioning the word family whether you love them or not, They could be your absolute favorite people or the people you want to spent the least amount of time with. What is this thing called Family? And why do we love them or hate them more than others? They say that you can't pick your own family so all we can do is to learn to love them...at least that's what...

Christmas is just around the corner and whether you are religious or not, it is the most wonderful time of the year. According to the bible, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and notified that she will give birth to a child. What great, happy news to hear. But not all angels are angelic and some of them only deliver death sentences. At least in this Korean show. When an Angel appears to tell you...

Ever wish you could read someone's mind? Be careful what you wish for. It's not brain surgery but things get complicated. You can't unsee what has been seen or unlearn what has been learned. And... You can't go back to who you were. Apple TV presents its first original Korean drama series Dr. Brain, featuring Lee Sun-Kyun from Parasite (2019). TV Shows and Authors mentioned in this episode: When t...

What is the relationship between the opera La Traviata, a Korean pop song from 1964, and the drama When the Camellia Blooms ? You can find out in the 10th episode of What Should I Watch? Grant and I continue our conversation from last week and talk more in depth about the greatest subject of mankind, love. Thank you for your support and I hope you keep listening until and beyond the 100th episode!...

This week's Korea drama, When the Camellia Blooms is a companion for the lonely. Because it will share your sadness but also show you what you are missing. What makes us smile? What makes us bloom like spring flowers? Rich, good looking, successful...whether you are all or one of those, it may not complete your life. Sophocles once said "One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life. That w...

The beginning is the end is the beginning. Literally. What if the Korean war never happened and the country was never divided? What if the Korean royals were never killed and the country is still a monarchy? Maybe these questions don't interest you but what if... the love of your life lives in a different dimension and if you travel to this 4th or 5th dimension, then you shorten your life? What if...

Not Your Average Priest. Angry, a little violent, but good looking. In other words, the good, the bad, and the Handsome. No, this is not about the famous trio in Sergio Leone's epic film. This is about Father Michael. He is all of these things. All for justice. He is as shrewd as James Bond and fights like Bruce Lee. Throw in a few international gang groups, a newbie cop, a jaded prosecutor (ex-in...

Unless you've gone crazy, you retire in your mid 40s with no financial plan. Unless you've gone crazy, you want to start a new career at the age of retirement. Unless you've gone crazy, you lie to your colleagues and CEO about your achievements. And unless you've gone crazy, you miss out on this awesome Korean drama. What would you do after dedicating 22 years of career and you are facing layoff?...

Have you ever wished that your therapist would actually solve your issues? Or have you ever been forced to atone for the very thing you hate? Come to the Mystic Pop-up bar where the owner/bartender is dead for 500 years She will do anything to bring justice and happiness to the world although she doesn't like humans. She and her semi-dead partners will take care of your issues but the pop-up bar w...

Henry David Thoreau's Walden meets Alphonse Daudet's The Stars. If a Korean drama could give you a hug especially when life gives you lemons, this is it. We know what it's like to feel sad and lonely, and even angry. Rest your mind in a rural country town in the winter of Korea. Sit by the stove and read some books together while these characters heal your soul.

At the peak of her career, a top news anchor's life and career start to fall apart. An old lover, rival colleagues, distant husband, and some very powerful people all want to take her down. But the problem is ... she might actually be a very bad person who deserves to fall ... or is she?