Intensity, that’s the underlying thread that ties together all the best Korean dramas of 2023. Whether it was an allegory of how society turns its back on those most in need or a revenge-driven journey of terrible people getting their just deserts, this year, 10 powerful K-dramas turned the mirror on ourselves and made us reflect on the dark, unspoken fringes of human nature.

• READ MORE: The 20 best TV shows of 2023
  

Yet, it’s not all doom and gloom. Even in shows with the most morally questionable protagonists – looking at you, Mask Girl – they take the time to slow things down with tender moments of respite, showing how joy and love can be found in the strangest of places. Join NME as we recap the 10 best Korean dramas of 2023, and their impact on a fantastic year of television.

Puah ZiWei, Commissioning Editor (K-pop)

Words by: Daniel Anderson, Carmen Chin, Rhian Daly, Sara Delgado, Hidzir Junaini, Tani I. Raj

10. Crash Course in Romance

Season: limited series

Crash Course in Romance does exactly what it says on the tin but with an extra twist: a fully fledged romance story with a murder-mystery sub-plot. With the acting chops of Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Kyung-ho – both of whom have the ability to imbue any character they portray with life – Crash Course in Romance is a masterfully executed romcom sure to make you giggle and kick your feet, all while interweaving the murder well enough to have you on the edge of your seat too. The series balances the warm and fuzzy with the eerie and gory with mastery – there is no doubt that this K-drama has something for everyone to enjoy. CC

Biggest fans: Huge romance buffs who are still waiting for their Y/N moment.

9. A Time Called You

Season: limited series

A remake of the Taiwanese series Someday Or One Day, K-drama A Time Called You took us on a rollercoaster journey across decades as the lives of modern-day Han Jun-hee (Jeon Yeo-been) and ’90s schoolgirl Kwon Min-ju become entangled. When we meet Jun-hee, she’s mourning her fiancé, Koo Yeon-jun (Ahn Hyo-seop), who’s been presumed dead following a plane crash a year prior.

• READ MORE: ‘A Time Called You’ review: a body swapping, time loopy romance

Soon, though, she begins to receive strange packages – a photo of two people resembling the couple, and a Walkman with a cassette of Seo Ji-won’s ‘Gather My Tears’. As Jun-hee travels back in time, things get complicated, deadly and incredibly heart-breaking, marking this out as one of 2023’s biggest tearjerkers. RD

Biggest fan: The hopeless romantic who can’t let go of past loves.

8. Celebrity

Season: limited series

While we won’t fault K-dramas for playing things up, we’re all perhaps too intimate with influencer culture to really be shocked at how certain events in the show played out. Outrageous, scandalous, scintillating and even disturbing at times, Celebrity worked because it spoke to the basic instinct in all of us – the same one that, at times, ignores all common sense for wealth and status.

• READ MORE: ‘Celebrity’ review: a scathing Instagram story about the vapidity of influencer culture

As audiences, it stretched us to emotional extremes – celebrating Seo Ah-ri’s rise to fame and thriving on schadenfreude when it came to her enemies. We were appalled, disgusted and perhaps even a little bit curious about our own selves – after all, would fame have driven us down the same path? TR

Biggest fan: People who prefer scandal for dinner with a side of shock value.

7. Doona!

Season: limited series

There’s not a shortage of romance when it comes to K-dramas, but the way Doona! tackles the tried-and-true trope is not for the faint of heart. Based on the Naver webtoon of the same name and starring Bae Suzy as former K-pop idol Doona and Yang Se-jong as her fated neighbour Lee Won-jun, the show portrays love in the most carnal sense of the word.

• READ MORE: ‘Doona!’ review: an emotionally visceral, refreshingly grounded love story

Though Bae and Yang’s fiery chemistry undeniably takes centre stage, the show also poignantly depicts the trials and tribulations idols and celebs alike face while balancing their stage personas and private relationships. SD

Biggest fan: Those who need an extra dose of steaminess and reality in their K-dramas.

6. Revenant

Season: limited series

Following the death of her father, Gu San-yeong’s (Kim Tae-ri) body becomes host to an evil spirit – something she didn’t believe at first, but is slowly convinced of by more and more supernatural, murderous occurrences. Coloured with shades of The Ring and The Host, on the surface, Revenant is just another scare-filled spooky series.

• READ MORE: ‘Revenant’ review – a thrilling, immersive horror K-drama

But, if you dare to look beneath, you’ll find critiques of wealth inequality, child abuse and more. As San-yeong assessed early on in the series, it laid bare the truth that “humans are more terrifying than ghosts”. RD

Biggest fan: The horror junkie always searching for new scares.

5. Daily Dose of Sunshine

Season: one

Daily Dose of Sunshine is director Lee Jae-kyu’s olive branch to South Korean society, which has an infamous history of its struggles with understanding and accepting the realities of mental illness. Armed with the emotive and nuanced performance of lead actress Park Bo-young, this K-drama is an informative, heartfelt and layered story set in a psychiatric ward.

• READ MORE: ‘Daily Dose of Sunshine’ review: an earnest, destigmatising portrayal of mental health

Nurse Jung Da-eun learns to adapt to the less physical treatments of the patients under her care and faces the odds as someone who has been in her patients’ shoes herself. Daily Dose of Sunshine is one of the most poignant, worthwhile K-dramas released this year – the tears you shed after each episode is proof. CC

Biggest fan: If you need a reminder that there’s good in the world after all.

4. The Good Bad Mother

Season: limited series

If there were a ranking of K-dramas that should come with a side of tissues, The Good Bad Mother would take the top spot. What starts as the story of an estranged, strict mother and her son, who’s forced to return home after a tragic accident leaves him with the mind of a child, soon turns into a more complex web of intertwined fates and ploys.

• READ MORE: ‘The Good Bad Mother’ review: authentic and unapologetically raw

The show features stellar performances by veteran actress Ra Mi-ran and breakout star Lee Do-hyun as mother-son duo Young-soon and Kang-ho that will crash and mend your heart multiple times throughout its run. SD

Biggest fan: Plot-twist lovers looking for an emotional rollercoaster.

3. Moving

Season: one

Based on Kang Full’s webtoon of the same name, Moving intricately weaves a soulful web of family drama, espionage and superpowers across three decades. The series, featuring clever flight sequences and monstrous strength, remains grounded through its impressive ensemble cast, while tenderly exploring the bountifulness of love and the sacrificial consequences that come with it.

• READ MORE: Zo In-sung on ‘Moving’: “All that drives me is that I wanted to do it”

Every performer excels, but the heartwarming love stories between the adorkable pair of Bong-seok (Lee Jung-ha) and Hui-soo (Go Youn-jung) mirroring that of the composed Mi-hyun (Han Hyo-joo) and Doo Sik (Zo In-sung) was resplendently inimitable. DA

Biggest fan: The jaded Marvel Cinematic Universe enthusiast experiencing superhero fatigue, in need of a comforting, character-driven pick-me-up.

2. Mask Girl

Season: limited series

From its opening scenes, it was obvious Mask Girl was going to give us a commentary on beauty standards, but it quickly turned into so much more. Office worker Kim Mo-mi dreamed of being on stage all her life but, cruelly, society deemed her too “ugly” for a place in the spotlight. Instead, she turned to livestreaming – with a rose pink mask covering her face – and found a legion of adoring fans.

• READ MORE: ‘Mask Girl’ review: a captivating tale of murder and vengeance

But when one became a little too obsessed, things took a dark turn and the show dove into themes of misogyny, sexual and domestic violence, and more via sharp character studies and a three-act story that was gripping – if extreme – to the last moment. RD

Biggest fan: The extremely online person who’s on top of everything, from current trends to true crime horror stories.

1. The Glory

Season: one, part two

Not since Park Chan-wook’s acclaimed Vengeance Trilogy has a South Korean revenge narrative been so satisfying, or deeply disturbing. Brutally bullied when she was in high school, Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) has been planning her retribution for the better part of two decades. In part one, we witnessed the trauma and consequences of her psychological and physical scars, as she laid her Machiavellian groundwork. In part two, her schemes bear fruit in twisted fashion when she ruins her perpetrators’ lives in cunningly sadistic ways.

While seeing these privileged bullies finally get their just desserts did taste sweet, Dong-eun’s methods often cross the line in uncomfortable ways, forcing the audience to grapple with the moral justification of her elaborate reprisals. There’s nothing subtle about The Glory – everything from its shock-filled plotting to its irredeemable villains are heightened. But it’s that maximalism that makes this show the most gripping K-drama of 2023. HJ

Biggest fan: Anyone who thought Edmond Dantès didn’t go quite far enough in The Count of Monte Cristo.

The post The 10 best Korean dramas of 2023 appeared first on NME.

Japan has a rich history of manga and anime works considered masterpieces. One of the more underrated among those is Yu Yu Hakusho, which debuted in manga form in 1991 and in anime a year later. This cult classic by Yoshihiro Togashi tells the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a delinquent teenager who dies but is resurrected on the condition that he serves as a Spirit Detective, an agent of the spirit world that hunts renegade demons who threaten peace on Earth.

Now, Yu Yu Hakusho is finally receiving its first-ever attempt at a live-action adaption courtesy of Netflix, which is out today (December 14). It might be 30 years after its debut, but the story remains “universal”, director Sho Tsukikawa tells NME ahead of the series’ premiere in Tokyo. “Even though it’s set in Japan, fans around the world can relate to its themes of good versus evil and moments of character growth.”

The team behind Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho faced the gargantuan task of condensing four volumes of manga into a five-episode series that runs under six hours. It’s a daunting feat, especially after the stellar first season of Netflix’s One Piece earlier this year – though the Yu Yu Hakusho team didn’t feel pressured by that, says Tsukikawa. “I think the pressure stemmed more from making something that would be able to meet a global standard, not just appeasing a Japanese audience.”

This “global standard” Tsukikawa speaks of doesn’t just relate to the storytelling and action scenes, but also to visual effects. To bring Yu Yu Hakusho to life, Tsukikawa and Netflix enlisted the Hollywood-famous VFX studio Scanline. Scanline’s Ryo Sakaguchi – who has worked on Game Of Thrones, Tron: Legacy, Marvel’s Eternals and more – serves as Yu Yu Hakusho’s VFX supervisor.

Yu Yu Hakusho’s development is ground-breaking for Japan’s TV industry, Sakaguchi says, which could not previously handle the VFX of such a production. While work was done in Japan, Sakaguchi’s Hollywood team also provided support for the series.

“This was a worldwide effort and the IP is difficult, even for the standard where I work, which is North America. So I think now, technology globally has finally reached the capabilities where we’re confident that it can bring the world of Yu Yu Hakusho to life.”

And it shows. Visually, Yu Yu Hakusho is a massive achievement – not just for an anime adaptation but for what can be portrayed in TV series now. Flashy fight scenes in its first episode that elicit feverish reactions from the audience at the Japan premiere turn out to be among the tamest in the show. As the series goes on and as our heroes develop their powers, the battles – which will thrill any diehard fan – take up a bulk of the show’s five-episode runtime.

“Even though Yu Yu Hakusho is set in Japan, fans around the world can relate to its themes of good versus evil and moments of character growth” – Sho Tsukikawa

But through all the long and intense fight scenes, action still isn’t the centerpiece of Yu Yu Hakusho. Instead, its narrative is driven by convincing emotional performances from the main cast. That includes Kazuma Kuwabara (played by Shuhei Uesugi), a hotheaded troublemaker who – light spoiler alert – constantly leads his friends into fights they didn’t ask for and severe injuries they can’t manage. Over the course of the series, he sees how much pain he has caused those around him and does all he can to atone for it.

Poignant character growth was important to give an action-packed show “emotional context”, Tsukikawa explains. “We didn’t want the action scenes to be there for the sake of it,” he says.

“We wanted to have reasons for why these people were fighting with one another. We didn’t want to lose that fundamental point, which is that people fight when they get emotional, especially if you’re defending or protecting something.”

Yu Yu Hakusho does a lot within its five-episode run. Though it was originally discussed as a three-season series, it was ultimately cut down due to budgeting and production timelines, Tsukikawa tells NME.

Though the director and his team pay homage to the source material, their adaptation isn’t an identical remake. “The story pulls from different arcs in the manga and anime so the story might not be exactly what fans remember, but the characters are pretty much exactly what you’d imagine them to be like,” he says.

One such beloved character is Genkai, an elderly chi master who serves as Yusuke’s mentor – here portrayed by the legendary Meiko Kaji, who the creators knew they wanted for the role.

“She’s always been great with action, so we knew right away that we wanted her for the role of Genkai,” says Tsukikawa. Sakaguchi adds: “She has such a recognisable face. We grew up watching her, and creatively she’s so experienced and we just wanted the chance to work with her.”

Tsukikawa is such a fan of Kaji’s that he referenced two of her most iconic works for her role as Genkai: “There’s a scene in Yu Yu Hakusho in which she appears when she’s younger. My vision for that scene in particular was to draw from her performances in Lady Snowblood and Female Convict Scorpion.”

“Meiko Kaji has always been great with action, so we knew right away that we wanted her for the role of Genkai” – Sho Tsukikawa

It’s fitting that Meiko Kaji would grace this reimagining of Yu Yu Hakusho: both are veteran icons that have propelled their respective industries forward, but are now being introduced to a whole new audience and generation who might not have paid attention before.

To this end, Sakaguchi poignantly notes of Yu Yu Hakusho: “We’re fans and we feel like it was our responsibility to deliver the best version of this to other fans as well. We feel like we’ve done this.”

Yu Yu Hakusho is now streaming exclusively on Netflix 

The post ‘Yu Yu Hakusho’: inside the re-emergence of an iconic ’90s anime appeared first on NME.

It’s been another cracking year for Australian television, but not one big on belly laughs. Maybe international unrest, wars of words over the Voice to Parliament and pricey groceries seeped into the national psyche – heralding this crop of dark, introspective, but still sublime, broadcast gems.

Expect even more – hopefully cheerier – fare next year when new federal legislation kicks in that’ll force the major streamers to invest in more local content. Whatever they do, it’ll be more inspiring than the returns of Top Gear Australia, Deal Or No Deal and Gladiators on free-to-air. In the meantime, here are the best shows of the year to watch – or catch up on.

10. Ten Pound Poms

Season: One

Streaming on: Stan

A forlorn rabble of English migrants are lured to these shores in 1950 with promises of paradise, but end up squashed into a makeshift internment camp digging ditches for a living. Their pitiful existence isn’t eased by the sweary, pissed-up locals who treat them – and their Aboriginal neighbours – with contempt.

It’s an eye-opener on just how unforgiving life was for the shiploads of Europeans seeking a better life, but probably won’t be endorsed by Tourism Australia any time soon.

Biggest fans: Sadistic nostalgia nuts harking back to a time when imported Brits were fair game for a kicking.

9. Year Of

Season: One

Streaming on: Stan

An enjoyable spin-off from the (superior) 2021 Sydney high school drama Bump, also set at Jubilee High and following the troubled lives of a bunch of Year 11 kids. It’s still several cuts above most teen melodramas, however, with likable characters, believable dialogue and some authentically crafted sub-plots.

In truth, there are too many sub-plots, especially as each of them contains several sub-sub-plots. Hopefully the next series will either give them all a bit more room to breathe, or cull half the cast. Still well worth a look.

Biggest fans: Heartbreak High tragics traumatised by the long wait for season 2.

8. Class Of ‘07

Season: One

Streaming on: Prime Video

A girls’ school reunion is marred ever so slightly when an uninvited tidal wave smashes its way into the hall, cuts the whole campus off from the mainland and maroons the 28-year-olds on their own island.

Soon the bitchy banter is replaced by latrine digging, murder accusations, cannibalism and – eek – dead mobile phone batteries. Oh, and the possibility that they’re the only people left on Earth.

A strong cast and witty dialogue make this apocalyptic take on Lord of the Flies an entertaining binge with plenty to say about mateship and loyalty.

Biggest fans: Year Of tragics traumatised by the long wait for season 2.

7. Last King Of The Cross

Season: One

Streaming on: Paramount+

Ever since the first series of Underbelly, Australia’s seedy gangsters and organised crime families have been glorified to the point where some ‘identities’ have become celebrities.

This stylised biopic follows Kings Cross’ most famous inhabitant, John Ibrahim (Lincoln Younes), through his traumatic childhood to the days when he was a feared enforcer, nightclub owner and bestie of Kyle Sandilands. ‘Teflon John’, who’s never been convicted of a crime, is drawn into Sydney’s shady underworld wars by a not-so-Goodfella (Tim Roth) and much unedifying violence ensues.

Biggest fans: Anyone suffering withdrawal symptoms from the demise of Animal Kingdom or Peaky Blinders.

6. North Shore

Season: One

Streaming on: Paramount+

The latest in run of UK/Australia co-productions on Channel 10 that include Riptide, Heat and Lie To Me, this is an amiable riff on the Scandi noir thriller The Bridge, with a detective from each country thrown together in Sydney to investigate the death of a British minister’s daughter.

Game of Thrones’ John Bradley continues to mine a seam of naïve, heart-of-gold innocents as the UK representative, while Kirsty Sturgess is the more street-smart local detective.

A twisty-turny six-parter written by Cold Feet creator Mike Bullen that delivers the intrigue, red herrings and comedy in spades.

Biggest fans: Broadchurch or Deadloch aficionados and amateur sleuths.

5. Safe Home

Season: Limited

Streaming on: SBS On Demand

Australia’s family violence epidemic hasn’t had nearly enough mainstream TV exposure. The statistics remain a horrifying indictment of an ingrained culture of toxic masculinity, inadequate support and paralysing ambivalence. This skilfully scripted four-parter uses the lens of a legal centre to tell stories that are all the more painful and confronting because they’re being played out in every community every day.

Aisha Dee is the new communications manager whose early naivete is brought into sharp focus as she realises that the real world doesn’t play by the rules she’s been taught. A captivating and thoroughly chilling drama.

Biggest fans: Everyone, ideally – all the better to understand one of our most pressing social crises.

4. Koala Man

Season: One

Streaming on: Disney+

At last, a decent Australian adult animation, albeit one that merrily rips the piss out of us and our sceptred isle 28 years after “Bart vs. Australia” used a flushing outback dunny and kicking prime minister to do exactly the same.

Hugh Jackman voices a hapless wannabe hero who bumbles every attempted act of do-goodery until a monster emerges from the primeval slime of, er, Dapto near Wollongong and he suddenly has to save some actual people.

• READ MORE: Koala Man and Australia’s long lineage of bumbling screen superheroes

It’s uneven, and not every attempt at larrikin satire lands, but it’s still a glorious national roast and season 2 will hopefully take the bogan bashing to a higher plane.

Biggest fans: Bingers of Rick and Morty, BoJack Horseman and Bob’s Burgers.

3. The Lost Flowers Of Alice Hart

Season: Limited

Streaming on: Prime Video

After she accidentally blows up her parents, young Alice goes to live with grouchy gran Sigourney Weaver in a luscious adaptation of Holly Ringland’s iconic novel. After a dour, slow-moving first couple of episodes, it gradually morphs into a sweeping melodrama that worms its way under your skin, largely through Weaver’s cynical, unsympathetic approach to grandparenting duties and a heartbreaking performance by Asher Keddie.

Good to see that Amazon’s local investment has resonated worldwide and become its most watched Aussie drama, gaining top three status in 42 countries.

Biggest fans: Anyone who thought The Handmaid’s Tale was a bit too cheery.

2. Bad Behaviour

Season: Limited

Streaming on: Stan

Australia gets its own (very) Mean Girls in a brutal, unforgiving adaptation of Rebecca Starford’s memoir of boarding school sadism at a year-long wilderness camp.

It’s not an easy watch, but that’s what makes it so watchable: The febrile tension never lets up so every scene is as teeth-grindingly unnerving as anything Tarantino has unleashed, with characters that make his big screen psychopaths look like dozing koalas.

Extremes of cruelty are aplenty, but ultimately they serve to show how survival comes from camaraderie and resilience. A mesmerising masterpiece in four episodes.

Biggest fans: Masochists seeking a guilty pleasure.

1. The Clearing

Season: Limited

Streaming on: Disney+

‘The Family’ was one of Australia’s most notorious cults, with its yoga guru leader and self-proclaimed reincarnation of Jesus, Anne Hamilton-Byrne, snaring followers into its compound a few kilometres east of Melbourne for two decades until a police raid in 1987 uncovered child abuse and fraud.

This cautionary tale is loosely based on the events, with Miranda Otto spellbinding as mercurial matriarch Adrienne and a muted Guy Pearce oozing a malevolent charm playing the cult’s sinister doctor.

Kidnapped young girls are casually brainwashed, tortured and given a suffocating group identity with the same peroxide-white hair and dehumanising rituals to shape them into the unquestioning ‘children’ of the increasingly deranged leader.

A creepy and gripping exposition of the life-long effects of crushing the human spirit and the dark power of manipulation.

Biggest fans: Devotees of Waco and Scientology docos and HBO’s The Idol.

The post The 10 best Australian TV shows of 2023 appeared first on NME.

From Succession’s mind-scrambling, last-minute twist to that sad-as-fuck episode of The Last Of Us, 2023 has brought some unforgettable telly moments. With the help of a slightly smaller pool than usual (thank you, writers strike) and after a lot of intense debate (shouting) in the office, we’ve whittled down our list of the year’s must-watch shows to a lean 20.

Comprising starry sci-fi epics, rude cartoons, awesome anime, gripping restaurant dramas, laugh-out-loud comedy classics and loads more, the below ranking is definitely enough to get you through the festive season. In fact, you might as well tuck in now!

Alex Flood, Interim Commissioning Editor (Entertainment)

Words: Nikita Achanta, Elizabeth Aubrey, Paul Bradshaw, Liberty Dunworth, Alex Flood, Nick Levine, James Mottram, Kevin EG Perry, Gary Ryan, Ali Shutler, Andrew Trendell, Sophie Williams

20 ‘Ahsoka’

Season: one

A fan favourite, after her appearance in Star Wars animations The Clone Wars and Rebels, alien warrior Ahsoka Tano – played by Rosario Dawson – finally got her own live-action series after being introduced in The Mandalorian.

Developed by Star Wars regular Dave Filoni, pleasingly, this female-driven, eight-episode show didn’t just rely on Ahsoka, but other characters from the Rebels series including Ahsoka’s former apprentice Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and the New Republic general Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).

The big moment of the series was seeing Ahsoka’s deceased master Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) back in the World Between Worlds, as well as flashes of the monster he became, Darth Vader. But he wasn’t the only villain on call: the blue-faced Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) made for an admirable adversary. Filled with grab-your-seat action and some beguilingly beautiful moments (the space whales!), this was one of the best Star Wars shows since early episodes of The Mandalorian.

Best episode: ‘Shadow Warrior’

Watercooler moment: The epic lightsaber duel between Ahsoka and Anakin Skywalker. JM

19 ‘Loki’

Season: two

Season two of this time-travelling superhero adventure picked up right where the first left off: with the killing of big bad He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors) by Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino), pushing Norse God Of Mischief Loki (Tom Hiddleston) into an alternate timeline where no one recognises him.

In the new episodes, we followed Loki as he teamed up with his pals at the more-fun-that-it-sounds regulatory body the TVA (Time Variance Authority) to prevent the fabric of the universe from disintegrating further. Funny, visually stunning and surprisingly akin to a buddy cop movie thanks to Loki and Mobius’ fizzing chemistry, it also had us reaching for the tissues with some of Marvel’s most moving moments yet.

Hopefully this isn’t the last time we see Tom Hiddleston don the green cape – and can the other MCU shows please take note? They could learn a thing or two from creator Michael Waldron’s impeccable writers room.

Best episode: ‘Glorious Purpose’

Watercooler moment: That heartbreaking throwback to 2011’s Thor when Loki said: “For you, for all of us”. Only this time, the words came with a sad smile. NA

18 ‘Big Mouth’

Season: seven

Nick Kroll’s animated exploration of puberty has been TV’s funniest and filthiest show since it first aired in 2017, mixing expertly written dirty jokes with surprisingly insightful analysis of what it’s like to be a teenager in the TikTok age.

This new season, however, had the gang beginning to grow up. Horny Andrew seemed determined to ditch his “perverted” ways before he enters high school, but accidentally groped an older jock’s girlfriend and immediately became an outcast. Meanwhile, little Nick got some attention from a cool girl and quickly abandoned his mates. Then there was bookish Missy, whose growing sexual urges got impossible to ignore; and rebellious Jessi, unconsciously attracted to the weed-smoking, combat-jacketed outsider group.

Sadly, Netflix has announced season eight will be the series’ last – so we won’t witness too much of what happens next. Let’s hope they go out with an, er, bang.

Best episode: ‘The International Show’

Watercooler moment: In the above episode, hormone monsters Maurice and Connie went on a semen-stained world tour, stopping off to meet masturbation-mad youngsters in South Korea, India, Kenya and more. AF

17 ‘Heartstopper’

Season: two

Alice Oseman’s queer coming-of-age series continued to be a sweet, sweet fantasy (baby), but it was a gorgeously warm and important one. The central relationship between rugby-loving Nick (Kit Connor) and self-effacing Charlie (Joe Locke) developed with the same tenderness that made season one such a delight, especially in its sensitive portrayal of Charlie’s eating disorder. But this time around, Oseman placed more focus on their wider friendship group: we saw Tao (William Gao) and Elle (Yasmin Finney) grappling with their feelings for one another and Isaac (Tobie Donovan) embracing his asexuality.

Once again, every touching moment unfolded to a pitch-perfect indie-pop soundtrack featuring Beabadoobee, Baby Queen and Gao’s band Wasia Project. At a time when trans people in particular are being used as a political football by the Tory government, Heartstopper’s empathetic and fundamentally hopeful vision of LGBTQ+ adolescence was more of a tonic than ever.

Best episode: ‘Perfect’

Watercooler moment: Nick coming out to his dad at the dinner table, and calling out his homophobic brother in the process. NL

16 ‘Only Murders In The Building’

Season: three

Season three of the much-loved whodunnit was its best offering yet: a gripping murder-mystery centred around the death of leading actor Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd) in Oliver’s (Martin Short) Broadway return

The show cleverly kept audiences guessing to the very end thanks to its meticulously plotted list of suspects – not least Glenroy’s co-star Loretta Durkin, played by the brilliant Meryl Streep. The unlikely true crime podcasting team of neighbours Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver once again sleuthed their way to the truth in a show full of humour, character and heart. But the real scene-stealers this time around were Short and Streep, whose romance side-story proved just as gripping as the main mystery itself.

The season’s shocking ending – and the death of a beloved recurring character – proved no one’s ready to hang up their deerstalker just yet though, setting up a thrilling opening to season four.

Best episode: ‘Ah, Love!’

Watercooler moment: The jaw-dropping moment Glenroy sprang back to life… only to die (again) a short time later! EA

15 ‘Attack On Titan’

Season: four (final episodes)

Dragging out an ending is an artform, and the Japanese seem to have perfected it. Not content with splitting the fourth and final season of this hit anime into two parts, producers decided to tack on an extra couple of supersized episodes this year. We’re not complaining, of course, who wouldn’t want more of mankind’s thrilling fight against the giant bloodthirsty titans?

These final adventures proved to be some of the best yet too – with young warrior Eren Yeager’s epic journey coming to an exciting and emotional close. The show’s unusual release schedule has tested even the most diehard fans’ patience, but for those who stayed the course it was well worth the wait. And who knows, we may yet be talking about another set of final, final instalments this time next year. You wouldn’t bet against it…

Best episode: ‘The Final Chapters (Part 2)’

Watercooler moment: Mikasa’s impossible choice makes for one of anime’s most breathtaking moments ever. AF

14 ‘Gen V’

Season: one

This spin-off from the brutal, brilliant world of The Boys might take place in a university for superheroes but that doesn’t mean Gen V dialed down the chaos to make it more kid-friendly. It started with a gang of teenage supes desperately trying to improve their rankings so they could land a high-profile job when they graduate but things quickly spiralled.

Throughout the series, our scrappy, complicated gang of heroes uncovered mysteries and quickly learned that The Boys’ universe was full of betrayal. Oh, and the occasional exploding of a body part. The action was smart, but never convoluted. Gory, but self-aware. There are plenty of ties to the main series, with an impressive range of cameos and a few universe-altering plot points, but Gen V’s frantic first season confidently stood as its own glorious thing. Plus, we’ll never be able to watch a Marvel movie in the same way again.

Best episode: ‘God U’

Watercooler moment: Sam (Asa Germann)’s Muppet-mangling rampage. AS

13 ‘Bargain’

Season: one

Squid Game might have shocked the world in 2021, but this year, Bargain upped the stakes even more. In a commentary on the horrors of capitalism, director Jeon Woo-sung unravelled a twisting tale that began with a school girl attempting to sell her virginity to a seedy man but quickly shifted into said creep having his organs auctioned off to the highest bidder by the girl’s trafficking ring. When an earthquake hit in the middle of the auction, it brought even more unscrupulous characters out of the woodwork to hammer home the show’s points in ever wilder ways.

Bargain excelled not just in its jaw-dropping storyline but the way it was presented on screen too. Filmed in one-take shots, it made the rubble of the hotel it was largely set in feel claustrophobically real, every dark, dingy and crumbling corner closing in on you as the characters moved through the building towards their goal.

Best episode: six

Watercooler moment: When the true intentions of Joo-young were revealed and Hyung-soo became the centre of a bidding war over his organs. RD

12 ‘Sex Education’

Season: four

The show that revolutionised the way sex is portrayed on screen was slightly less explicit in its final season, but no less warm and witty.

It began with Otis (Asa Butterfield), Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) and the gang transferring to Cavendish, a sixth form college so levelled-up it looked like a wellness retreat for tech bros. With Jean (Gillian Anderson) adapting to parenthood and Maeve (Emma Mackey) studying in the US, it felt less focused to begin with, but soon found its feet.

In fact, it remains the rare TV show that can tackle everything from a testicular cancer scare to the side effects of testosterone treatment with heart and laughs. And surely the only one with the twisted genius to show a character being wanked off to the sound of T’Pau’s ‘China In Your Hand’.

So long, Sex Education, and thanks for the memories.

Best episode: seven

Watercooler moment: Otis accidentally showing his (terrible) dick pics to the entire school. NL

11 ‘Ghosts’

Season: five

Regardless of whether you grew up with Horrible Histories or not, if you sat down to watch the cast making new mischief on this lovable BBC sitcom, you’d found a new comfort show. Kicking off in 2019, the series maintained its peak season upon season – and this year’s finale was no exception. Not only did it deliver the same tongue-in-cheek humour as was expected after four seasons, but the final chapter also saw writers unveil new sides to the series even as the characters said goodbye. From seeing the Captain (Ben Willbond) finally share his story of forbidden love, to the plot twist that none of the remaining ghosts would move into the next stage of the afterlife (or, as Mary (Katy Wix) would prefer, “get sucked off”), the last season wasn’t a traditional ending, but it definitely left us wanting more.

Best episode: ‘Carpe Diem’

Watercooler moment: Kitty (Lolly Adefope) wasn’t murdered by her jealous sister… she died because she picked up a pineapple? LD

10 ‘Jury Duty’

Season: one

There’s never been a show quite like Jury Duty before. An audacious blend of The Truman Show and The Office, this documentary-style comedy series took unsuspecting civilian Ronald Gladden and surrounded him with a cast of improv actors to form the jury in an increasingly absurd (and entirely fabricated) court case. Gladden, a solar panel contractor from San Diego, was the only one who didn’t know the case was real. Thrown into a string of bizarre scenarios, both in the jury’s hotel and the courtroom itself, he still somehow emerged victorious as a big-hearted hero. The lengths the show’s producers had to go to in order to keep up their ruse seem mind-boggling, but it’s all worth it when the result was this jaw-droppingly hilarious. The presence of Hollywood star James Marsden, meanwhile, simply acted to ramp up the ‘this-can’t-be-happening’ factor still further. Had to be seen to be believed.

Best episode: ‘The Verdict’

Watercooler moment: Marsden learns about the sexual act of ‘soaking’ – then gets involved. KEGP

9 ‘Barry’

Season: four

Of those who tuned into Barry back in 2018, intrigued by the wholly-bizarre yet wholly-original concept of an expert assassin on a quest to become an amateur actor, few could have predicted the emotional rollercoaster they were about to get swept up by.

While earlier episodes established the series as an outlandish comedy-drama, in its final chapter, Barry became a series that refused to be confined. Characters like Hank (Anthony Carrigan), initially developed as comedic relief, were effortlessly transformed into delivering the most heartbreaking scenes, while once-innocent bystanders like acting coach Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler) were led onto a darker path – finding themselves capable of the same merciless violence associated with the eponymous lead. By the jaw-dropping final episode, there were no longer any simply ‘good’ or simply ‘bad’ characters, bringing the story to its perfect conclusion.

Best episode: ‘Wow’

Watercooler moment: The heart-stopping final moments between Hank and Fuches (Stephen Root). LD

8 ‘Colin From Accounts’

Season: one

Over the spring, this compelling, lightly chaotic Australian sitcom became something of a sleeper hit. For months, Colin From Accounts was a major talking point among TV fans across social media thanks to its balance of slapstick with pathos-laden observations about growth and ambition. It was the tenderness of the show that took many by surprise: the flawed and funny Ashley and Gordon – played by real-life couple Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall – provided laughs a-plenty while also mining the challenges of a blossoming relationship.

As Ashley and Gordon navigated the day-to-day disgruntlement that accompanied their unconventional living arrangement – which included looking after an injured dog together – the show movingly illustrated how difficult it can be to let your guard down after getting hurt in previous situationships. For every spiky gag there was an emotional gut-punch – a truly moving viewing experience.

Best episode: ‘Flash’

Watercooler moment: The awkward first encounter between Ashley and Gordon, following a nudity-based car accident. If you know, you know. SW

7 ‘Top Boy’

Season: five

For 12 years, Top Boy followed the highs and lows of drug dealers Dushane (Ashley Walters) and Sully (Kane Robinson) as they built an empire in east London, with season five bringing everything to a brutal, bittersweet close. Following on from the events of the previous season, which saw Sully take his revenge on Jamie (Michael Ward) and end Dushane’s plans for retirement in the process, these episodes were all about their bruised brotherhood.

The arrival of a new gang from Ireland provided a chance for some more outlandish violence but Top Boy has always been about more than bloody confrontations. The ensemble cast allows the show to explore grief, community, gentrification and addiction with surprising tenderness, while the overarching story of season five was about breaking the cycles that have driven the story for over a decade. It was a gloriously ambitious ending to a show that’s always made big swings.

Best episode: ‘If We Are Not Monsters’’

Watercooler moment: The final few minutes of the series still has people talking, for all the right reasons. AS

6 ‘Boiling Point’

Season: one

A rollicking, high-energy spinoff of the 2021 film of the same name, Boiling Point felt as though it was rocket-fuelled by fear and paranoia. Set in Point North, a new, uber-trendy east London restaurant serving Northern-inspired dishes, the four-part series continued the story of head chef Andy (Stephen Graham) in the aftermath of his heart attack, leaving protégé Carly (Vinette Robinson) on leadership duties.

Where the film was shot in a single take, the camera swooping around the kitchen each time a new drama arose, this series possessed a more frenetic energy via rapid cuts between scene and location. It made for a tense and occasionally tough watch, as arguments played out over smashed glasses and flame-engulfed pans. What is truly remarkable about Boiling Point, however, is each and every character felt truly human, regardless of their many ego clashes. Who wouldn’t want to root for a team with big dreams?

Best episode: ‘Menu Day’

Watercooler moment: The introduction of new boy Johnny, who fails to tell the difference between beef jus and a chocolate sauce during his first shift. Honestly. SW

5 ‘Poker Face’

Season: one

What set Poker Face apart in the age of streaming was its embrace of old-school episodic storytelling. In Knives Out creator Rian Johnson’s ingenious ode to case-of-the-week dramas like Colombo, the always-enthralling Natasha Lyonne starred as human lie-detector waitress Charlie Cale, who was forced to go on the lam when her casino-owning mobster boss attempted to exploit her skill in a scam – with devastating consequences.

In each destination she stopped off in, she became embroiled in a brand-new mystery, ranging from resentful reunited heavy metal bands, feuding race-car drivers, to revenge-crazed former cult members in a retirement village – before calling (literal) “bullshit!” on the murderer’s carefully-constructed house of cards. Add in a procession of high-profile guest stars – including Ellen Barkin, Nick Nolte, and Chloë Sevigny – having the time of their lives and leaving teeth-marks on the scenery, and you had 2023’s most tremendously entertaining new show. No bullshit.

Best episode: ‘Dead Man’s Hand’.

Watercooler moment: The penultimate episode, ‘Escape From Shit Mountain’, upped the ante with a shocking twisty-turny snowbound slasher instalment boasting a chaotically evil performance from Joseph Gordon-Levitt. GR

4 ‘The Last Of Us’

Season: one

The Super Mario Bros. Movie might have made a billion dollars this year but it was The Last Of Us that really laid the curse of the video game adaptation to rest – turning a game into a TV show that was worth watching even if you’d never picked up a controller.

It might have had classic zombie movie roots but Craig Mazin’s grown-up horror didn’t feel like anything that had been seen before – focusing on the living, instead of the living dead, and borrowing the best of an already impeccable story for a smart, elegant apocalypse drama that dared to take its time.

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey were both perfectly cast (as were Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett in the show’s heart-breaking standout episode), while the mossy-green production design positively dripped off the screen. Anyone who’s played the second game knows what’s coming next, and it’s not going to be an easy watch…

Best episode: ‘Long, Long Time’

Watercooler moment: The arrival of the Bloater. Mushrooms have never looked the same since. PB

3 ‘Beef’

Season: one

Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) was a down on his luck contractor, low on cash but forever dreaming and scheming. Amy Lau (Ali Wong) seemingly had it all: a good business, beautiful daughter and a loving (but dull) husband – but life among her arty set in suburbia couldn’t drown out the voices in her head screaming that something was missing.

Miles apart socially but spiritually connected in their feeling that they’re never enough, fate Danny and Amy together in a gnarly road rage incident before Danny sought revenge – big mistake. That seemingly polite rich lady was packing a whole lotta pent-up rage, sexual repression and bloodlust. One act of retribution only fuelled the next as our two protagonists became even more unwittingly entwined in another’s lives and shady goings on.

A soundtrack of late ‘90s and early ‘00s pop-rock bangers married a masterful score by Bobby Krlic (aka The Haxan Cloak) to soundtrack 10 episodes so tense we were chomping on the remote. This was squeaky bum time TV at its very best.

Best episode: ‘Just Not All At The Same Time’

Watercooler moment: Everything that happened in the Vegas episode. How unfair is life? AT

2 ‘Succession’

Season: four

Initially surprising, Jesse Armstrong’s decision to end Succession with an enthralling fourth season ultimately proved inspired. With mogul Logan (Brian Cox) finally popping his clogs – rather poetically, in the bathroom of a “PJ” – we saw his kids scrambling to inherit his power and clout before they became too toxic to care about.

At its best, Succession managed to evoke not sympathy – come on, that would be ridiculous – but at least a pang of sadness for these awful multimillionaires. The scene where Logan told his offspring that they weren’t “serious people” was utterly devastating because it was both cruel and deserved.

Never less than rambunctious and riveting, this final season also offered a welcome reminder that the 0.1% are just as messed up as the rest of us. They just behave so much worse.

Best episode: ‘With Open Eyes’

Watercooler moment: Logan meeting his maker in just the third episode – an audacious plot twist that none of us saw coming. NL

1 ‘The Bear’

Season: two

The genius of The Bear’s second season was found in the quieter moments. No other series has since proved better at showing the shit endlessly hitting the fan, but it was the flashbacks, side-steps and breath-catching across these 10 perfect episodes that charred, sliced and tenderized harder than any of the kitchen chaos. Now preparing to reopen the business as a fine-dining restaurant, Carm’s foodie family took stock.

As each character slowly redefined themselves (Sydney finding her strengths, Richie finding his weaknesses, Marcus finding a really good-looking dessert in Copenhagen…), the show started to make us believe that things might actually work out for everyone. But this is The Bear, after all, and Jeremy Allen White is too good at trauma for Carm’s ever-simmering breakdown not to spill over into an explosive final episode that we’re still scraping off the walls. It might have been hard to stomach, but this was three Michelin-starred TV.

Best episode: ‘Fishes’

Watercooler moment: It’s not a Bear family dinner until someone throws a fork. PB

The post The 20 best TV shows of 2023 appeared first on NME.

What arguably made Netflix’s Daily Dose of Sunshine so fulfilling was that it was unafraid to confront difficult realities about mental health. It fostered a deeper understanding of the complexities of mental health and offered meaningful insight into the harsh realities of the oft misunderstood, while balancing the more delightful moments of friendship and love that give life meaning.

• READ MORE: ‘Daily Dose of Sunshine’ review: an earnest, destigmatising portrayal of mental health

From main characters who are as complex as they are lovable to considerate, graceful writing, this unorthodox medical procedural is an utterly, emotionally fulfilling story with the power to change lives. If there is any gripe to be had, it’s that Daily Dose of Sunshine left us yearning for more.

But not to fret. If it feels like missing after the finale of Daily Dose of Sunshine – and we know that feeling all too well – and we’re here to help you feel whole again with 10 more similarly uplifting, feel-good Korean dramas to bawl and laugh to.

Here are the 10 best feel-good K-dramas to add to your watchlist

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022)

Extraordinary Attorney Woo became one of 2022’s most-acclaimed Korean dramas – and for good reason. It follows a brilliant autistic woman (played by Park Eun-bin) with a penchant for the law as she navigates the not-so-simple world of adults and the legal system. The lead character is easy to love, and the series’ ability to represent autism beyond stereotypes was executed to perfection.

Cast: Park Eun-bin, Kang Tae-oh, Kang Ki-young
Episodes: 16
How to watch: Netflix

Hospital Playlist (2020)

Hospital Playlist invites viewers into the lives of five doctors whose enduring friendships form the backbone of the series, against the intense, bustling backdrop of Yulje Medical Centre. The series captures the very essence of friendship, resilience and the healing power of companionship with deep-cut moments of genuine warmth and humour within the demanding, fast paced world of healthcare.

Cast: Jo Jung-suk, Yoo Yeon-seok, Jung Kyung-ho, Kim Dae-myung, Jeon Mi-do
Episodes: 24 over two seasons
How to watch: Netflix, TVING

It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (2020)

In 2020’s It’s Okay To Not Be Okay, emotional scars are reopened when two wounded souls a selfless psychiatric caregiver and a reclusive author – cross paths. As they find solace with each other, they set themselves on a path toward healing as they face their demons. This poignant K-drama intricately explores the profound importance of mental health in both our relationships and personal growth, with poignant reflections on the human condition and the transformative power of empathy.

Cast: Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Yea-ji, Oh Jung-se, Park Gyu-young
Episodes: 18
How to watch: Netflix

Move To Heaven (2021)

Move To Heaven centres around a young man with Asperger’s syndrome and his guardian, as they run a trauma cleaning service together. As they work to organise the belongings of the deceased, they begin to discover untold stories and deep-rooted connections that completely change their understanding of life, love and relationships. The series not only carefully but radically explores themes of acceptance and empathy, but also how the briefest of encounters can result in the most significant impacts.

Cast: Lee Je-hoon, Tang Jun-sang, Hong Seung-hee
Episodes: 10
How to watch: Netflix

Our Beloved Summer (2021)

Basking in the glow of warm summers, Our Beloved Summer is a sun-kissed, coming-of-age gem that follows high school sweethearts who are reunited as adults. Choi Ung (Choi Woo-shik) and Kook Yeon-soo (Kim Da-mi) cross paths once again when a documentary they filmed in high school goes viral. Despite the bitterness of their break-up, they soon discover what it means to love, grow, feel and dream as they get to know each other all over again.

Cast: Choi Woo-shik, Kim Da-mi, Kim Sung-cheol, Roh Jeong-eui
Episodes: 16
How to watch: Netflix, Wavve

Our Blues (2022)

As an anthology that covers various characters, relationships and situations, this star-studded series is a masterclass in dissecting the complexities that come with being alive in the 21st century, especially in Asia. Our Blues’ greatest strength is its characters; every single one feels alive, even in spite of incredible suffering, and its unapologetic rawness is what gives Our Blues so much heart.

Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Shin Min-a, Cha Seung-won, Lee Jung-eun, Uhm Jung-hwa, Han Ji-min, Kim Woo-bin
Episodes: 20
How to watch: Netflix, TVING

Reply 1988 (2015)

Nostalgia and sincerity with a stinging tinge of heartbreak may be the best way to sum up Reply 1988. It is the late ’80s, Seoul is preparing to host the Olympics and life is getting ahead of the five families who live in Ssangmun-dong. It dives deep into the dynamics of childhood friendships, the Korean coming-of-age experience and family. The fact that this K-drama is also insanely hilarious and steeped in ’80s references is just the cherry on up.

Cast: Lee Hye-ri, Ryu Jun-yeol, Go Kyung-pyo, Park Bo-gum, Lee Dong-hwi
Episodes: 20
How to watch: iQIYI, Netflix, Prime Video, Viki, VIU

Start-Up (2020)

Set in the cut-throat world of start-ups (as its title suggest), this K-drama is a layered tale of dreams, ambition and the intricate dance of love and friendship. Starring Bae Suzy and Nam Joo-hyuk, the series explores the exhilarating journey of young entrepreneurs trying to find their place in the corporate world, although – as they quickly find out – it is not one for the weak-hearted. It navigates the complexities of their professional endeavours while simultaneously uncovering the intricacies of personal growth and relationships.

Cast: Bae Suzy, Nam Joo-hyuk, Kim Seon-ho, Kang Han-na
Episodes: 16
How to watch: Netflix

Tomorrow (2022)

Tomorrow follows Choi Joon-woong (played by former SF9 member Rowoon), who is bestowed a duty of higher purpose when he saves a man from ending his own life. He is recruited to an elite team of grim reapers, tasked with stopping suicides and providing purpose to those who lack the will to live on. Tomorrow has something for everyone – action, romance, comedy – but lying underneath all of that is an important message about the power of empathy and kindness.

Cast: Kim Hee-sun, Rowoon, Lee Soo-hyuk, Yoon Ji-on
Episodes: 16
How to watch: Netflix

Yumi’s Cells (2021)

As our titular heroine Yumi fumbles her way through life – office politics, love interests and other adult things – her cells (animated representations of her feelings) take on vibrant personalities and turn the ordinary into a spectacle. Yumi’s journey of self-discovery becomes a nuanced exploration of the innate human spirit, depicting the morsels of magic and whimsy present in the everyday. It’s a celebration of the delightful, inner and outer chaos that makes both Yumi and everybody else so beautifully human.

Cast: Kim Go-eun, Ahn Bo-hyun, Park Jin-young, Lee Yu-bi, Park Ji-hyun
Episodes: 28 over two seasons
How to watch: iQIYI, Prime Video, Viki, TVING

The post 10 best light-hearted, feel-good K-dramas to watch on Netflix and more appeared first on NME.

In the 1920s, the town of Gando, located somewhere in northeast China, was no man’s land. That’s what made it so dangerous – with no laws or law enforcement, the town was consistently pillaged and stripped of its resources, residents and livelihood by a number of outside forces. From Japanese imperialists to rogue mercenary bandits, Lee Yoon (played by Kim Nam-gil) comes to their aid by rounding up an elite team of independence fighters to protect the town from further harm.

• READ MORE: ‘Song of the Bandits’ review: bandits and soldiers are no match for Kim Nam-gil
  

But Netflix’s Song of the Bandits is not as simple as that. Yoon is plagued by an incident in his past, shrouded in mystery, that took place in Gando. Yet, upon receiving an anonymous letter informing him of a man he’s tracking down, he found himself compelled to return. He is on the run from Lee Gwang-il, a major in the Imperial Japanese Empire, who hires an elite gunman to assassinate Yoon for his betrayal of the army.

Nine episodes chock full of nonstop action, nail-biting mysteries and stunning cinematography to boot, Song of the Bandits emerged as a gripping and suspenseful portrayal of a dark chapter in Joseon’s history. If you’ve finished watching all nine episodes and are itching for a similar follow-up, NME has curated five more K-dramas ranging from political action-thrillers to heart-pounding period pieces to consider for your watchlist.

Mr. Sunshine

Similarly set during the Joseon era, tvN’s 2018 romance-action stars Lee Byung-hun as its main hero, Eugene Choi, who was born into slavery. After successfully escaping to the US during the Shinmiyangyo in 1871, he enlisted into the Marine Corps. Upon returning to Joseon for a mission, he meets and falls for the granddaughter of an aristocrat, Go Ae-shin (played by Kim Tae-ri). who is also a member of a group of Korean independence fighters. Mr. Sunshine begins to pick up steam by exploring the complexities of romance across social classes and Choi’s fight for his country’s sovereignty as Japan begins its plans of colonising Joseon.

Where to watch: Netflix

Pachinko

Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Min Jin Lee, Pachinko is an award-winning, time-spanning epic that follows four generations of a Korean family, from 1915 to 1989. Told through the eyes of the family’s matriarch, Kim Sun-ja (played by Youn Yuh-jung, Kim Min-ha and Yu-na across various stages of her life), the story starts when she leaves her family living in colonial Korea for Osaka, Japan in hopes for a better life. This bittersweet tale sheds light on the mass exodus, institutional oppression against Zainichi Koreans and generational trauma as Sunja and her descendants struggle to reclaim the meaning of home.

Where to watch: Apple TV+

Chicago Typewriter

Starring Yoo Ah-in and Go Kyung-po, this 2017 period drama begins in the modern day, when celebrity writer Han Se-joo, in the midst of a particularly bad case of writer’s block, recovers an antique typewriter. As he begins to use the typewriter in an attempt to overcome his slump, he is tossed into a whirlwind of fractured visions of himself in a past life as a member of a resistance fighter team in the 1930s who sought to push back against Japanese colonial forces. Chicago Typewriter explores themes of reincarnation, destiny, and the endurance of literature and love by unravelling the relationships between its characters across two timelines.

Where to watch: Viki and Viu

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

When present day Go Ha-jin (played by IU) accidentally and mysteriously time travels back to the Goryeo Dynasty, she is thrust into the political treachery and palace conspiracies of the royal court, now with her new identity as Hae-soo. She becomes deeply entangled with the eight princes of the ruling Wang family, and has to navigate her connections and (some) romances with the princes. 2016’s Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo has since become one of the most celebrated period K-dramas, heralded for its nuanced characters, emotional storytelling and gut-wrenching plot twists set against the backdrop of ancient Korean history.

Where to watch: Prime Video and Viki

Moon Embracing The Sun

Within the confines of the royal palace during the early Joseon era, the crowned prince Lee Hwon (Kim Soo-hyun) and a shaman’s daughter Wol (Ha Ga-in) grew up as childhood best friends and sweethearts, until political conspiracies drove a wrench between their relationship. Years later, when Lee Hwon takes on the mantle as Joseon’s king and weds to a different woman, strange occurrences and deaths of mysterious circumstances plague the court, leading to widespread rumours of a curse. When the king consults a shaman to uncover the truth behind these incidents, he realises the shaman is his first love, Wol. They reconnect, confront the secrets of their past and become deeply embroiled in a knotty entanglement consisting of harsh politics, power struggles, justice and the truth behind prophecy.

Where to watch: Netflix, Viki and Viu

The post Finished ‘Song of the Bandits’? Here’s what to watch next appeared first on NME.

Everything is not as it seems in Bargain. One of 2023’s darkest Korean dramas – and the one that seems most poised to be the next Squid Game – begins with a simple, if unscrupulous transaction. High school student Joo-young (played by Jun Jong-seo) meets middle-aged man Hyung-soo (Jin Sun-kyu) in a motel room where she plans to sell him her virginity for $1000. But, as the minutes tick by, layers of lies and deception are unravelled until Hyung-soo is strapped to a board, blindfolded and gagged, while a gaggle of onlookers bid over his organs. The auction withstands fights and underhandedness, but can’t stand up against an almighty earthquake that causes the building to collapse on itself.

“All the characters in the series are rogues and villains,” director Jeon Woo-sung tells NME over Zoom from Seoul. “I wanted to make the earthquake a punishment for them and I wanted to show how they’d react to this kind of natural disaster.”

“All the characters are rogues and villains”
Writer-director Jeon Woo-sung

Bargain is an expansion of the 2015 short film of the same name, which was directed by Lee Chung-hyun and won awards at South Korea’s Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival and Busan International Short Film Festival (among others) in 2016. Jeon was also involved in that more concise piece, helping Lee construct what would become the foundations of this new series. “When we were developing the film, we never thought we could make it into a longer series,” he smiles. “We thought it was complete as it was.” It wasn’t until a studio approached Jeon to build on what he and Lee had created that he first considered there might be more to say.

The studio was right – Bargain is a thrilling watch that thrusts you into an unpredictable and unmissable tale of desperation, morality and the darkest side of humanity. Earlier this year, it became the first Korean drama to win something at the annual Canneseries festival and, as it arrives on global screens, seems destined for even more acclaim yet.

That response isn’t one Jeon was necessarily expecting prior to it airing in Korea last year. “Before it was released, I thought there would be both haters and lovers of this series – I thought maybe 40 per cent of the audience would love it,” he laughs. At first, it seemed like he might be right – ahead of its premiere at the Busan International Film Festival, he received “a lot of [negative] opinions and comments” about the show. After viewers had been immersed in its darkness, though, things changed dramatically. Here, Jeon takes us into the twisted world of Bargain.

Bargain is full of complex baddies

When you first tune in, you’ll notice there’s not a single character you’re really rooting for in Bargain. Everyone is a villain – lying, cheating and tricking their way through immoral activities, seemingly just so they can get ahead in life. With the groundwork done by the short film version of the story, Jeon says that’s how he had to start things off – but it wasn’t how he wanted to leave things.

“I wanted to make [the characters] resonate with the audience more while still being villains,” he says. That decision was behind adding a third main character to the plot, with Keuk-ryul – a man desperately trying to buy a kidney to save his sick father – joining Joo-young and Hyung-soo in their fight to escape the ruined motel after the earthquake. “Some people might think that he’s not as bad as the others because he actually had to get an organ for his father but, still, he is a villain as well.”

The director’s vision for Hyung-soo also saw his story change from the short film, in which he has a slightly different fate. “In this longer version, I actually wanted to make him look cute so that the audience would love him and bear with him until the end,” he laughs. “I put some background story for Joo-young in as well to help the audience understand her better. I wanted to make these villains more interesting and for the audience to feel a little bit compassionate towards them as well.”

The motel building is a symbol of capitalism

Bargain is centred around the action in a motel building in Gapyeong, a small town an hour outside of Seoul. It’s where Joo-young and Hyung-soo meet for their grim transaction, where a gathering of people battle to spend hundreds of thousands for illegally harvested organs and where, crucially, everyone gets trapped when the earthquake hits. The motel isn’t just a motel, though, but a symbol of the system that runs our world.

“The building is a metaphor for capitalism,” Jeon explains. “To be more specific, I actually wanted to use it as a metaphor of the so-called ‘evil’ capitalism in Korean society. There’s the patriarchy and other factors [affecting] Korea.”

That the director had already been given the concept of the motel collapsing by the studio that approached him to develop Bargain into a series lent itself well to the allegory. “It was already decided that the building would be destroyed, so I thought I [could use that to reflect] that, overall, capitalism is [also] on the verge.”

Reminded of Squid Game? There’s a reason for that

In 2021, Squid Game accelerated the already rapidly growing interest in K-dramas around the world with its dystopian, blood-soaked take on traditional Korean children’s games, killing off down-on-their-luck contestants vying for a life-changing jackpot. While Bargain’s concept is very different – you certainly won’t find any gigantic dolls in this series – it does bear some similarities. Think the vicious way in which the characters show little regard for the lives around them, the gore at the heart of the show and, of course, shared critiques on our capitalist world.

Put those comparisons to Jeon and he will chuckle. “It’s really interesting for me to see people talking about Squid Game and comparing it to Bargain,” he says. “I actually didn’t think of it while we were developing this series.”

That might be the case, but he doesn’t deny that the similarities are there – an occurrence he thinks has come about thanks to some common concerns in the minds of those in the Korean film and TV industry right now. “I think all Korean filmmakers are thinking about capitalism and how, in Korean society, no one actually backs you up and you have to survive by yourself,” he says. “I think that’s the perspective all the filmmakers have in their minds and that’s why there’s that similarity. And, of course, we had to put this story and this perspective into an entertaining genre, which was tough to do.”

It was inspired by films like Birdman and 1917

One of the many unique things about Bargain is the way it was filmed – in one continuous shot. That technique makes all the gripping action feel even more claustrophobic and alive, not giving the viewers or the characters a moment’s escape from the crumbling rubble of the motel. The decision to use that approach came from Jeon, who had seen award-winning Hollywood blockbusters 1917 and Birdman.

“1917 was filmed outside so it was pretty dynamic and it was really hard for me to [match] up to that,” he laments. As for Birdman, he notes that the short film’s director Lee Chung-hyun was also inspired by the “pioneering film” and describes the new series as being “somewhere between” the two movies.

Although the style of filming adds to the darkness of the drama, Jeon found ways to counter-balance that bleakness – namely by injecting shots of “black humour” into the script throughout. “I thought the audience might feel uneasy watching this [story] because toppled-down buildings are so dark and there are so many small and confined spaces,” he explains. “That’s why I decided to put some black humour in and I was confident that it wouldn’t disturb the whole storyline, but make our audience feel refreshed.”

Season two could be on the way

It’s only in the last few years that K-dramas have started to run across multiple seasons, previously being limited to just one-off series. Bargain could be the next programme out of Korea to get a second instalment – although nothing is definite just yet.

“If you finish watching the show, you’ll see there are some [clues] that implie the possibility of a second season,” Jeon smiles. “I’m currently talking with producers [about things like] if we develop a second season, how are we going to make it? We haven’t decided anything yet, but we are talking about many things.”

While the director notes this current lack of resolution makes it hard for him to share any concrete news on what to expect from any further episodes, he does divulge one of his hopes for the storyline in the future. “I personally think that in the second season, our characters would go outside [of the motel] and the series would [become] more dynamic,” he says.

Getting Bargain to the point of being a binge-watchable first season that leaves you wanting more of its ruthless drama wasn’t always easy for Jeon, especially compared to his experience working on the short film. “It’s really important for us to put cliffhangers in every part of the series in order to hook people in,” he acknowledges. “It was challenging for me to put narrative arcs in each part, but I tried my best.”

‘Bargain’ is available to stream on Paramount+ from October 5

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When we first meet Han Jun-hee (played by Jeon Yeo-been) in A Time Called You, she’s grieving her boyfriend Gu Yeon-jun (Ahn Hyo-seop), who is presumed dead after disappearing in a plane crash a year earlier. But quickly, things become far more complex – and intriguing – when Jun-hee starts inadvertently travelling back in time to 1998, finding herself in the body of teenager Kwon Min-ju (who looks exactly like her) and befriending classmate Nam Si-heon (who looks exactly like Yeon-jun).

• READ MORE: ‘A Time Called You’ review: a body swapping, time loopy romance

What follows is a looping web of romance, mystery, crime and a breaking away from the rules of time and metaphysics as we know them. Following each strand over 12 episodes, A Time Called You becomes an engaging, bittersweet drama that keeps you guessing for each twist – whether big or small – that it takes.

Finished watching the whole series and wondering what to invest your time in next? From time-travelling romances, to supernatural crime-solvers, to shows with alien activity, here’s five more K-dramas to queue up.

Signal

This 2016 fantasy-thriller K-drama took inspiration from both the 2000 film Frequency and a host of real-life crimes in Korea, including the Hwaseong serial murders committed by Lee Chun-jae. The series follows criminal profiler Park Hae-young (played by Taxi Driver’s Lee Je-hoon), who solves cases via a walkie-talkie unbounded by normal rules of time. Signal won multiple awards after it premiered and remains a gripping watch whether you’re viewing for the first time or revisiting it.

Where to watch: Stream it on Netflix, Prime Video or iQIYI

Go Back Couple

In this 2017 K-drama – sometimes known as Couple On The Backtrack – married couple Choi Ban-do (Son Ho-jun) and Ma Jin-joo (Jang Na-ra) are struggling to rediscover the happiness they once felt together. Just as they’re about to reach their limit and get a divorce, they wake up as 20-year-old students in college and get the chance for a do-over, changing their futures with each new choice they make.

Where to watch: Stream it on Netflix, Viki, Viu or iQIYI

See You In My 19th Life

Imagine being able to remember each of your past lives as you move into the next. That’s a skill that Ban Ji-eum (Shin Hye-sun) has as she experiences 1,000 years of reincarnation over 18 different existences in See You in My 19th Life. Until her 18th go-around, she keeps her many pasts as just that but, when her latest life gets cut short in an accident, she decides to find her old childhood sweetheart in their new bodies.

Where to watch: Stream it on Netflix

Still 17

When Woo Seo-ri (Shin Hye-sun) wakes up from a coma, the last thing she remembers is being 17 years old. Unfortunately for her, she’s actually spent the last 13 years unconscious and is now 30 and must readjust to a very different world with very different expectations of her in her adult life. Along the way, she meets Gong Woo-jin (Yang Se-jong), a set designer who’s been carrying the guilt of causing an accident when he was 17 around with him.

Still 17 might not feature the same time travel concepts as A Time Called You, but it shares similarities in some of its other storylines. Plus, there’s the bonus appearance of Ahn Hyo-seop in what’s considered one of his breakthrough roles, playing Woo-jin’s nephew, Yoo-chan.

Where to watch: Stream it on Viki, Pluto TV or Viu

Glitch

In both A Time Called You and Glitch, Jeon Yeo-been plays characters whose boyfriends have disappeared, seemingly without a trace. In this 2022 sci-fi K-drama, though, she portrays a young woman whose past interest in aliens comes back to haunt her as she suspects extraterrestrial connections to her partner’s vanishing. Glitch pulls far less on your heartstrings but is a compelling, fun candidate to follow A Time Called You with.

Where to watch: Stream it on Netflix

The post Finished ‘A Time Called You’? Here’s what to watch next appeared first on NME.

Let’s play a game: put a pound in a jar every time a straight character appears in hit fantasy show Good Omens. How many pounds do you have by the end of season two? Probably zero, because Good Omens is super-queer – and always has been. In their 1990 fantasy novel on which Prime Video’s TV series is based, writers Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman describe protagonist Aziraphale – an angel played on screen by Michael Sheen – as “gayer than a tree full of monkeys on nitrous oxide”. And season two is really loud and proud about it.

In its first season, Good Omens followed Aziraphale and his longtime demon accomplice Crowley (David Tennant) as they tried to prevent armageddon. The climactic battle between heaven and hell brought about by the coming of the Antichrist was a comedy of errors, but ultimately they succeeded. At the start of season two, we see them living a quieter life in London’s Soho. But not for long – their lives are soon turned upside down by the arrival of amnesiac archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm). He has been cast out of heaven for disagreeing with fellow angels who want to provoke a second armageddon, and needs their protection from various ethereal and occult forces. Over the next six episodes, our dynamic duo are also kept busy playing matchmaker to their Soho gaybours Nina (Nina Sosanya) and Maggie (Maggie Service).

Michael Sheen and David Tennant have outrageous chemistry as Aziraphale and Crowley, but Good Omens‘ depiction of other characters is equally important. We’ve known since season one that the show’s angels and demons are canonically non-binary and genderqueer, and season two newbie Muriel (Quelin Sepulveda) was confirmed to use they/them pronouns by the Good Omens Twitter account. Beelzebub – played by Anna Maxwell Martin in the first season, then Shelley Conn in the second – also goes by they/them. Then there’s Ennon (Ty Tennant, David’s son), who openly flirts with Aziraphale in episode two of the new season. And when Aziraphale goes to Edinburgh in episode three, he fixes a man’s phone which has two apps on it: Twitter and gay hookup hub Grindr. We also see Mutt the magic shop owner (Jeff Alexander) out and about with his non-binary spouse (Andrew O’Neill), who wears a 19th century dress to Aziraphale’s ball in episode five.

Good Omens‘ social makeup isn’t like ours. Being queer is the norm – and homophobia doesn’t exist. It would be a stretch to say that all queer people in this fantasy world are happy, especially given the gut-wrenching season finale, but for the most part, they seem to be. While it is important to talk about queer trauma and have it represented on screen, this show doesn’t focus on it, and that’s okay, because the Good Omens universe isn’t filled with bigotry. It stands apart from past shows that have queerbaited us, like Supernatural, which teased its gay subtext for 15 seasons, then ended with a baseless love confession from Castiel to Dean. When Castiel died mere minutes later, many fans were rightly incensed.

By contrast, Good Omens doesn’t need overt coming-out scenes or direct declarations of love. Its queerness is baked in and impossible to miss when Crowley tells Aziraphale, “I’ll give you a lift, anywhere you want to go” and “we could go off together”. It’s equally front and centre when Aziraphale desperately yells “I need you!” and pleads “I thought we built [this quiet fragile existence] for ourselves”. Queer characters are just themselves and that’s the beauty of it.

It’s not just the show itself that is a breath of fresh air. So is Gaiman and the cast’s support for the entire LGBTQ+ community. Tennant rocked up to the season two premiere wearing a t-shirt supporting trans kids. Sheen has challenged the Salvation Army over its anti-LGBTQ+ reputation. Gaiman has consistently written queer characters and cast queer actors – not just in Good Omens, but in his other hit shows The Sandman and American Gods. At a time when JK Rowling continues to spew hateful comments towards the trans community, tarnishing Harry Potter’s legacy in the process, Gaiman’s allyship is heartwarming and necessary. It also feels rock-solid. Unlike Rowling, who told fans on Twitter in 2007 that she “always thought of Dumbledore as gay” despite failing to mention this in any of the Harry Potter books, he has never tried to retcon queerness into his work.

Ultimately, Good Omens season two is good. Really good. The queerness is amped up and the show is all the better for it. Should Prime Video order a third season – and it would be a mistake not to – we can expect more queerness and (hopefully!) queer joy for our protagonists. Gaiman has promised he’ll write another Good Omens novel if the show isn’t renewed, but there is a lesson to be learned either way. Namely: don’t end a beloved queer show on a cliffhanger before it’s confirmed to be returning for another season. Positive representation is more vital than ever, and there is only so much waiting fans can take.

The post ‘Good Omens’ gets queer representation right appeared first on NME.

Like a ray of sunshine through storm clouds, Netflix teen drama Heartstopper burst back onto screens earlier this month to provide some much-needed sunny optimism in a time of doomy turbulence. What cost of living crisis?

In season two, loved-up schoolboys Charlie (Joe Locke) and Nick (Kit Connor) continued their wholesome relationship – and the rest of the Truham Grammar gang got busy too. The year climaxed with (in creator Alice Oseman’s words) a “really big, bomb-drop moment” at the end-of-year prom after-party, where Charlie revealed the sad truth that he used to self-harm in order to cope with homophobic bullying. Everyone had a cry, and then a huge hug – with Charlie promising to let his boyfriend know if he ever felt that bad again.

So, where do we go from here? Read on for everything you need to know about Heartstopper season three…

Has Heartstopper season 3 been confirmed yet?

Yes! An extra two seasons were commissioned straight after the first came out

There’s plenty more where that came from. Oseman’s graphic novels comprise four published volumes so far, and the series hasn’t come close to covering everything that’s happened in them. Depending on what Netflix wants to do, Heartstopper could run for ages. Currently planned are three seasons though, the latter two of which were green-lit shortly after season one became a massive hit in April 2022.

“We were overjoyed with the global reaction to Heartstopper and can’t wait to continue the story with two more seasons,” said Oseman at the time. “Watch this space!”

Does Heartstopper season 3 have a release date?

That’s less clear…

In concrete news, we know that Euros Lyn, who directed all 16 episodes of Heartstopper season one and two, said on August 7 that he was “due to start work on [season three] soon”. Now, it’s anyone’s guess what “soon” means but there have been multiple reports from publications such as UKCastingNews that production will get underway in October.

No release date has been set by Netflix for season three, but it’s encouraging that they’re at least getting on with it. And if season two followed season one by roughly 16 months, we can probably expect more episodes at the back end of 2024, maybe early 2025.

Are all the cast returning?

Nearly, but with an important omission

Expect to see all of Charlie and Nick’s classmates in registration next season. Well, all except one face – and you probably won’t miss them anyway.

Ben (played by Sebastian Croft) was Charlie’s toxic ex during season one, convincing him to meet up and make out in secret. Eventually, Charlie plucked up the courage to do what was right and bin him off, but Ben didn’t take it well and treated him pretty badly. In season two, he apologised for manipulating and belittling Charlie. That doesn’t mean he’ll be getting a more positive story next time around though.

“Alice and I both felt strongly about him not having a redemption arc,” Croft told official Netflix publication Tudum.

What could happen in Heartstopper season 3?

Let’s look at the books, shall we?

From the four Heartstopper graphic novels so far, the show has touched on a fair few storylines. Season two introduced Charlie’s sad struggles with his eating disorder for the first time – something that forms the focus of volume four (released May 2021). So expect that to become a bigger thing in season three.

Oseman confirmed as much recently, when she told Metro that “people who’ve read volume four will have a little bit of an idea of what is coming.”

She added: “We’re going to continue to look at [mental health] in a big way and explore how that affects Nick and Charlie’s relationship, and all of the other friendships in the show.”

Nick coming out to his dad also features in volume four, but that was covered in season two as well. Then there’s Charlie and Nick’s journey towards finally saying “I love you” to each other, which was teased in the recent finale.

We’ll probably learn more about what direction the next episodes could take when volume five hit shelves on December 7. Until then, you’ll just have to keep guessing!

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