The South of Seoul K-drama for January is a big one. “Crash Landing on You” was all South Korea could talk about when it first aired. It remains a much beloved show that those living or moving to South Korea should watch at least once. Let’s dig into this K-drama and use it to expand your social knowledge.
Breaking Down The Cultural Knowledge
When you watch a K-drama when living in Korea or plan to live in Korea, you may want to go deeper than just the show. In order to fully understand the context of entertainment and the world around you, plan on looking not only experiencing the movie plot, but also at the actors, music, and cultural conversation.
In order to make it easier to maximize watching K-Dramas for cultural knowledge, I will provide you with some quick links each month related to the South of Seoul recommended K-Drama watch list. If you catch up on all these details you will become a K-pop culture master in no time.
Let’s start with January’s K-drama Crash landing on you.
About “Crash Landing on You”
“Crash Landing on You” is a South Korean television drama that premiered on tvN in December 2019. The drama tells the story of a South Korean heiress named Yoon Se-ri,. She accidentally crash lands in North Korea while paragliding. Yoon Se-ri is rescued by a North Korean army officer named Ri Jeong-hyeok. He hides her and helps her return to South Korea. As they spend time together, Se-ri and Jeong-hyeok develop feelings for each other. However, there are many challenges and dangers they face due to their different backgrounds and the political situation.
About the Dramas Success
The drama was written by Park Ji-eun and directed by Lee Jeong-hyo. It stars Hyun Bin as Ri Jeong-hyeok and Son Ye-jin as Yoon Se-ri. “Crash Landing on You” was a commercial and critical success. The drama had high viewership ratings and positive reviews for its acting, storytelling, and cinematography. The drama also gained a large international following. This included a particularly large following across Asia. Crashing Landing on You won several awards at the 2020 Baeksang Arts Awards, including Best Drama, Best Director, and Best Actress for Son Ye-jin.
About the Drama’s Themes
“Crash Landing on You” explores themes of love, family, loyalty, and overcoming obstacles. The romance between Se-ri and Jeong-hyeok is at the heart of the drama, and their relationship is tested by the challenges. The drama also examines the impact of the political situation between North and South Korea on the lives of ordinary people, and the ways in which individuals can overcome their differences and work towards peace and understanding.
Overall, “Crash Landing on You” is a heartwarming and thrilling drama that explores the power of love and the importance of understanding and acceptance. Its engaging characters and the captivating story will leave viewers rooting for Se-ri and Jeong-hyeok and their journey toward happiness.
The Music
Whenever a new, popular K-drama hits the screen you hear the music everywhere. Take the time to become familiar with the tracklist and maybe even memorize one for the nori-bang. This will make you an absolute superstar at social gatherings. The following YouTube video provides English translations and Romanization so that you can learn the songs for “Crash Landing on You.”
Additionally, being able to sing the chorus when you hear the songs in the streets or be able to casually say to a new friend, “Oh, isn’t this the theme song for Crash Landing on You?” creates a wonderful feeling of connectedness to the world around you.
Learn About The Cast
After watching the K-drama and becoming familiar with the songs, it’s time to also become familiar with the cast. You will see these actors and actresses in advertisements across the country or in new dramas. Knowing about the cast helps you create a language for understanding the visual world around you.
The Food of “Crash Landing on You”
While watching “Crash Landing on You,” you may notice many scenes involving Korean food and wonder what the dishes are. Specifically, in this drama, you will see Korean-style bbq, pancakes, fried chicken, ramyun, and more. For a more in-depth look at the dishes represented in this K-drama, check out this blog by Korean Bapsang.
Catch Up on Show Related Gossip
Now that you have watched the show, listened to the music, and learned about the actors it’s time to learn the tea. For example, “Crashing Landing on You” occurred partially in North Korea but what do North Koreans think about the show? The video below provides one perspective. You might want to search out even more.
Additionally, with “Crash Landing on You” the leads actually ended up getting married! You can find all kinds of videos that deal with this aspect of the massive phenomenon that was “Crash Landing on You.” Learn more about their relationship below.
In 2022, the couple also announced they would be having a baby.
2023 K-Drama 101 Recommendations
You can find more popular K-Drama recommendations on the K-Drama 101 recommendations list for 2023. In the blog article we recommend a K-drama for every month of the year.
Lanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master’s of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert.
Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities.
Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea.
Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea.
When she isn’t in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains.
