5 K-Dramas To Watch To Inspire Your New Year’s Resolutions

Happy New Year, Soompiers! For a lot of us, the start of the new year means exciting beginnings, fresh starts, and new resolutions.

Avid drama watchers will know that dramas have the power to inspire, lend you a comforting shoulder, and lead you to new interests. Whether you want to finally pursue a lifelong dream, break out of your shell and try something new, or travel the world, here are five K-dramas to inspire you to take the leap this year!

“My Lovely Liar”

“My Lovely Liar” is a great one to watch if leaving your comfort zone more is one of your goals this year! The story starts with Kim Do Ha (Hwang Minhyun), a successful producer and multi-talented musician, who distances himself from the outside world and hides his identity due to a traumatic experience in the past. When Do Ha is forced to move in next to Mok Sol Hee (Kim So Hyun), a strong-willed truth-seeker with a supernatural ability to hear lies, Do Ha finds the courage to gradually break out of his shell and open up to the world again.

It’s a ton of fun to see how Do Ha changes from a mask-wearing recluse at the beginning of the show to someone who can enjoy eating out, being with friends, and performing without hiding his identity. The whodunit mystery, colorful side characters played by actors like Ha Jong Woo and actresses like Park Kyung Hye, and the interesting supernatural twist make the show all the more fun.

 

 

“At a Distance, Spring is Green”

There are so many themes and valuable lessons that you can find in “At a Distance, Spring is Green,” but growth is one of the most prominent in the show. The drama follows college students Yeo Joon (Park Ji Hoon), Nam Soo Hyun (Bae In Hyuk), Kim So Bin (Kang Min Ah), and their group of friends as they navigate college life and personal struggles outside the classroom from family to money problems.

When friendship blooms between these three students from seemingly different worlds, it takes time, effort, and compromise to understand one another. In getting to know and understand each other, the three students are able to overcome their own issues and grow as both people and friends. Even beyond the three main characters, the drama shows how every character grows in their own way. If they can do it, you can too!

 

“Navillera”

In “Navillera,” retired 70-year-old Shim Duk Chool (Park In Hwan) has had to put his dreams of being a ballet dancer on the sidelines his entire life, but the dream never left his heart. One day by chance, Duk Chool sees Lee Chae Rok (Song Kang) practicing ballet. Chae Rok is a young, talented dancer who is struggling to overcome his past and pursue his passion for ballet. Inspired by Chae Rok, Duk Chool makes the decision to finally pursue his dream of learning ballet. But it won’t be easy—Duk Chool will have to overcome the criticism of others, including his family, as well as his own physical limitations.

“Navillera” is a heartwarming story that proves it’s never too late to discover and follow your dreams, and your dream can be anything you set your mind to.

“Encounter”

If traveling isn’t already on your wish list this year, “Encounter” will definitely fill you with wanderlust. The story begins in the heart of Cuba, where street music, dancing, and colorful buildings create an electric atmosphere full of life. After working and saving for a year, Kim Jin Hyuk (Park Bo Gum) is on a solo trip in Cuba when he runs into hotel CEO Cha Soo Hyun (Song Hye Kyo), who is visiting for business. Soo Hyun has always been in the eyes of the media from a young age as the daughter of a famous politician, and her recent divorce from an unhappy arranged marriage has only made things harder for her.

As destiny would have it, the two continue running into each other, and an unlikely connection starts to take shape as they appreciate the beauty of Cuba together. When it’s time to get back to reality and return to Korea, fate brings them together once again. Despite the odds being against their relationship, they can’t forget their time in Cuba together.

From traveling abroad to enjoying the simple comforts of staying at a hotel, this drama is all about being open to the big and small adventures that can change our lives.

 

 

“Summer Strike”

“Summer Strike” tells the story of embracing something new and different, even if it wasn’t planned or what you wanted. Lee Yeo Reum (Seolhyun) plays a soft-spoken office worker who’s an outcast at work and often taken advantage of. After being hit with a sudden tragedy in her family and a breakup with the boyfriend she imagined she’d marry, Yeo Reum quits her job and moves to the quaint seaside village of Angok to start a new life.

In Angok, village life doesn’t turn out as easy as it seems, but Yeo Reum nonetheless makes an effort to find her place and make new friends. At the village library, Yeo Reum meets quiet librarian Ahn Dae Bum (Im Siwan), and a simple, slow friendship-to-romance blossoms between the two. Over time, Yeo Reum is able to let go of the life she imagined for herself, embrace the change in her life, and find the good in it.

Her positivity in the face of challenging and unexpected changes might just be the inspiration you need to embrace the new and unexpected. There’s also a murder mystery in this one, so it’s an all-around interesting watch!

 

cr: Soompi