K-Drama School

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Lost (2021, JTBC) which stars Jeon Do-yeon and Ryu Jun-yeol. The show dwells on themes of existential loneliness, hitting rock bottom, and seeking a way to love freely. The show is directed by Hur Jin-ho and written by Kim Ji-hye. Grace discusses the culture of South Korean host bars that cater to women with money and stand-in services where sex workers and...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show The Good Bad Mother (2023, JTBC). Grace’s screen addiction is starting to improve while her tolerance for other people’s dramas is reducing, and she’s wondering aloud (again) how this might impact her podcasting in the future. Grace finally understands the significance of positive affirmations. Grace analyzes The Good Bad Mother and Ra Mi-ran’s character wh...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Chocolate (2019, JTBC). The show is written by Lee Kyung-hee who also wrote Sang-doo! Let’s Go to School and I’m Sorry, I Love You. Chocolate is Lee Kyung-hee’s second collaboration with director Lee Hyung-min who directed I’m Sorry, I Love You . Grace mentions her impression of the second male lead actor Teo Yoo, and his performance in the new film Past Li...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Black Knight (2023, Netflix) based on a webtoon by cartoonist Lee Yoon-kyoon, adapted for TV and directed by Cho Ui-seok—a former assistant director to Oscar winner Bong Joon-ho in his film Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000). Black Knight raises awareness around the plight of working-class laborers like delivery workers and environmental issues like air polluti...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Birthcare Center (2020, tvN) written by Kim Ji-soo. The show satirizes new parents’ anxiety over being the best parent ever, and putting all their money into proving it so, when really, it’s unknowable. Grace analyzes the show’s exploration of maternal guilt over wanting to be a working mom, and how women exhaust themselves by comparing their lives to other...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Queenmaker (2023, Netflix) written by Moon Ji-young. Queenmaker takes inspiration from Korean Air’s Cho family scandals related to staff abuse. Kim Hee-ae’s role as Do-hee is an exploration of how a person who tolerated and participated in corruption turns her life around through vengeance. Kim Hee-ae’s K-drama queendom also plays a meta role in crowning ve...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Mr Queen (2020-2021, tvN) based on a Chinese web series called Go Princess Go . The show is written by Park Gye-ok and Choi Ah-il. Grace compares Mr Queen to Jewel in the Palace ; whereas more classic hallyu K-dramas like Jewel in the Palace utilizes Korean food as a vehicle to promote wellness, healing and medicinal properties, Mr Queen appropriates aspect...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Divorce Attorney Shin (2023, JTBC) based on a webtoon by Kang Tae-kyung written by screenwriter Yoo Young-a. Grace praises the show’s writing and for exploring a public female figure’s experience as a victim of a digital sex crime. Grace also mentions how the people around her are starting to snap out of the matrix of their lives and entering a phase of sel...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Jirisan (2021, tvN) written by Kim Eun-hee starring Ju Ji-hoon and Jun Ji-hyun. Grace appreciates the chemistry between the two stars as well as Kim Eun-hee’s accomplished way of non-linear storytelling. Grace does question, however, the show’s expectation of disabled characters to reach a cure in the end, and without any explanation as to how they got ther...

[Spoiler Alert] This is the first ever K-Drama School podcast live recording at Anchorage, Alaska with the B4UDie Comedy Festival at E Street Theater. Grace’s first comedian guest is Leah Mansfield (@leahmansfield on Instagram) who always brings friendly wit and joy to her comedy. Grace and Leah have a round of flashcard questions based on The Glory (2023, Netflix). Grace’s second comedian guest i...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Beef (Netflix, 2023) created by Lee Sung Jin starring Steve Yeun and Ali Wong. While Beef is a Netflix production made in Hollywood, Grace sees a lot of Korean influence on the show like how Danny tries to kill himself using hibachi grills similar to the way Koreans use charcoal briquettes, having a billionaire character, and the jang-nam (eldest Korean son...

Grace is going to be in Anchorage, Alaska for the B4UDie Comedy Festival! On April 8th, she is recording a live episode of K-Drama School podcast at E Street Theater at 1PM. Please stop by! The show is free. [Spoiler Alert] Grace lost $650 because she made some booking mistakes for her trip to Alaska but she talks herself out of grief. Grace discusses a greatly underrated throwback show entitled C...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace calls season 1 of Big Bet (Disney+, 2022-2023) starring Choi Min-sik, Son Suk-ku and Lee Dong-hwi written and directed by Kang Yoon-sung “the worst K-drama” she’s ever seen in her entire life. Grace goes off about how much she hates Disney+ productions of K-dramas which hog all the good actors but put them in terrible shows made by inexperienced filmmakers who don’t have a se...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses Juvenile Justice (Netflix, 2022) starring Kim Hye-soo, Kim Mu-yeol and Lee Sung-min. Grace compares the success of Juvenile Justice to the failure of Extracurricular in that there’s a complete story arc following Judge Sim’s hero’s journey. Grace praises Kim Hye-soo’s controlled performance on this show, as well as the show’s conscious awareness in how a society’s p...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses part 2 of the show The Glory (2022, Netflix) written by hit-maker Kim Eun-sook in her second collaboration with Song Hye-kyo. Grace starts out by admitting how she cried while watching Ke Huy Quan’s and Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar acceptance speeches telling artists not to give up on their dreams. Grace questions the concept of a public apology, and questions the adults i...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Crash Course in Romance (tvN, 2023) starring Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Kyung-ho. Grace goes into actress Jeon Do-yeon’s impressive entertainment career which she’s been in since the year 1990. Grace is speaks highly of Crash Course in Romance ’s noble attempt at raising awareness around mental health, emotional well-being, childhood trauma, and overachievement...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Summer Strike (GenieTV, 2022) starring Im Si-wan and Kim Seol-hyun. She analyzes the character Bom and her moments of female outrage in light of the tragedies she faces, which are highly in contrast with how Yeo-reum handles herself. Grace also encourages you to quit your job if you hate it so much. Follow @KDramaSchool on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Vis...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Save Me (OCN, 2017) starring Seo Yea-ji, Ok Taec-yeon, Jo Sung-ha and Woo Do-hwan. Grace analyzes the show’s illustration of religious fanaticism to critique South Korean cults that take advantage of emotionally vulnerable civilians. She also examines South Korea’s conflicting viewpoint around mental illness—how patients suffering from mental disorder and t...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show The Interest of Love (JTBC, 2023) starring Yoo Yeon-seok, Moon Ga-young, Keum Sae-rok and Jung Ga-ram. Grace appreciates this “chewy” melodrama that has substance, humanity, heart, and profound breakthroughs for all the characters. Grace is discusses why she was the most heartbroken by Jung Ga-ram’s character Jung Jong-hyun. Follow @KDramaSchool on Instagra...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Curtain Call (KBS, 2022) starring Kang Ha-neul and Ha Ji-won. Grace appreciates the potential incest romance the show dangles, as well as Ha Ji-won finally playing a strong female character on TV. Grace breaks down what a classic K-drama melodrama is made of. Follow @KDramaSchool on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Visit https://www.kdramaschool.com/ to learn...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the Netflix show Somebody —a Netflix series starring Kang Hae-lim, Kim Yong-ji, Kim Soo-yeon, and Kim Young-kwang. Grace is impressed by the show’s diverse way of exploring female sexuality and agency, but questions the choice behind making the autistic character a pathological killer. Follow @KDramaSchool on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Visit https://www.kdramasc...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace welcomes in the Lunar New Year by setting new intentions, including always making an effort to humanity’s good even in light of the mass shooting in Monterey. Her thoughts are with her Asian American community in SoCal. Grace discusses the show Would You Like a Cup of Coffee? (2021, KakaoTV) written by Huh Young-man, Lee Ho-joon and No Jung-wook. Grace calls this chamber piec...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Inspector Koo (2021, JTBC) written by Sung Choi. Grace delves into the writer’s feminist logic behind conceptualizing Inspector Koo, inspired by the rage and sorrow over digital crimes, sex trafficking, and misogyny in Korea. Inspector Koo demonstrates how having empathy and understanding for the villain helps the heroine come full circle with her own inner...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show My Unfamiliar Family (2020, tvN) written by Kim Eun-jung, and the show’s creative uses of the theme “unfamiliarity” in the context of family. Grace’s returning guest is Berlin-based comedian Tobias Hauser (@hahahouser on Instagram) and they discuss how quitting drinking changes one’s social circle, boredom, Joni Mitchell, buying and selling guitars, aging,...

[Spoiler Alert] Grace discusses the show Glory (2022, Netflix) written by hit-maker Kim Eun-sook in her second collaboration with Song Hye-kyo. The Glory also features Lee Do-hyun, Lim Ji-yeon, Yeom Hye-ran, and Park Sung-hoon. Grace is impressed by Song Hye-kyo’s frightening portrayal of woman obsessed with vindication, and her sensitivity in delivering a PTSD survivor’s behaviors. Grace problema...