Remember when Covid-19 left us house-bound for months on end thanks to the hard lockdown imposed on Mzansi? Well, there were a few positives to come out of it, as well.
With streaming platforms offering solace during those uncertain and nerve-wracking times, K-dramas started becoming the go-to escape for binge-watchers.
Although I would hear my colleagues rave about them in meetings, I never understood the hype until recently.
Yes, I’ve joined the K-drama global fan base. Similar to those Turkish and Bollywood telenovelas, the shows cast a spell on you.
And before you know it, you’ve spent several hours watching because you need to know what happens next.
Now that I have a few shows under my belt, I am now familiar with stars like, Lee Min-Ho, Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Song Joong Ki, Lee Dong-Wook, Kim Soo-hyun, Lee Jong Suk and Park Shin Hye.
Of course, the list is extensive so I’m learning one show at a time.
At the moment, I’m watching “King the Land”. It’s about Goo Won (Lee Jun-ho), the rebellious heir of The King Group, a luxury hotel empire.
He shares a somewhat hostile relationship with his older half-sister, Goo Hwa-ran (Kim Seon-young), who is ruthlessly ambitious.
At first, Goo Won wants nothing to do with the family business, much to the disappointment of his father Goo Il-hoon (Son Byong-ho), who is the chairman of the group.
Then he has a change of heart and the two siblings wage a silent inheritance war against each other.
Meanwhile, Goo Won is still disturbed by the disappearance of his mother when he was younger. His questions go unanswered by his father and this creates a void and tension between the two.
While Goo Won deals with childhood demons, his path crosses with Cheon Sa-rang (Im Yoon-ah), who climbs the ladder at the hotel due to her personable nature and smile.
What she lacks in qualifications according to her snobbish peers who studied for several years, she makes up for with her knowledge earned in her two year qualifications at a lesser-known institute, and sunny disposition.
When their paths first cross, it isn’t in the most flattering way. But eventually, she grows on Goo Won and, vice versa.
The storytelling is so mesmerising. You can’t help but root for the characters and cheer when the bad guys get their just desserts.
The romance is handled masterfully with the setting and the music and the casting is sheer genius.
If you don’t get the fuss around K-dramas, watch this one and you will understand.
∎ “King the Land” is streaming on Netflix.