Korean collegiate romances to stream
It’s spring: the season of new beginnings. You look out the window in the morning and the sky is at its bluest, with its fluffiest clouds on show. Cherry blossoms sway in the light breeze and you grab a cardigan as the sun sheds its rays on the freshly mowed campus lawns.
Alas, campus life is so romantic, but we find ourselves in the midst of midterms during this beautiful season. But don’t worry, there is a way to idealize the perfect campus experience without stressing about the stacking assignments. There’s a way to find growth and kindle self-appreciation during these moments of burnout: K-dramas.
“My ID is Gangnam Beauty”
Want the full experience of Korean campus life? Adapted from a WEBTOON, this drama portrays the fluttering freshman experience. It also reflects the suffocating obsession and societal expectations over appearance. Society belittles a little girl by calling her ugly, disgusting, a troll. The little girl, Mi-rae, lives in shameful self-doubt and self-deprecation over her appearance and undergoes full plastic surgery before going to college with the determination to start fresh.
In college, Mi-rae is a shining star, the prettiest girl in the room. But this drama reveals the bittersweet reality of college life, where rumors fly and opinions heap — especially about appearance. It also depicts Mi-rae’s growth to slowly accept herself and disregard the voice of others. Of course, there is a romantic relationship involved with Do Kyung-seok, who rescues Mi-rae from uncomfortable confrontations and clears her clouded judgment of others and her obsession with a perfect complexion. The scenic campus shots are enough to move your heart by depicting spring at its finest.
“Cheese in the Trap”
Another one adapted from a WEBTOON, this drama highlights the ups and downs of a realistic college life. Hong Seol grinds through the competitive battlefield of grades and scholarships, fending off classmates who prey on her assignments. Then Yoo Jung appears. Hong Seol senses a hostile standoffish vibe behind the perfect mask who’s always in the center of attention with perfect grades and a perfect personality. Subconsciously drawn to him, Hong Seol engages in the romantic struggles of dating Yoo Jung, a complex character who slowly heals from his past trauma through their relationship. The tender series reflects the growth and learning of two characters who grew up with an impoverished sense of trust in others.
“Weightlifting Fairy, Kim Bok-Joo”
This one is quite different. As you may have guessed from the title, Kim Bok-Joo is a collegiate weightlifter. While other college girls starve to fit into miniskirts and apply glittery layers of makeup to go clubbing, Kim Bok-Joo eats platters of chicken and stacks up on protein to gain muscle and lift weights.
Suddenly, she has a crush for the first time. Kim Bok-Joo wants to switch her training pants for a dress, she wants to pin a cute hair clip and be a “regular” college girl. The consensus of the drama is Kim Bok-Joo learning to appreciate herself as her longtime friendship with a swim athlete progresses into a romantic relationship. It’s not your regular romance drama, though, with Kim Bok-Joo throwing uppercuts all the while — it’s a comedic drama about healing and young love.
“Nevertheless”
Also adapted from a WEBTOON, this show gained high appraise for its accurate visual casting of the two leads. Yoo Na-Bi is an art student studying sculpture when she meets the enticing Park Jae-Eon. He bears a butterfly tattoo on the back of his neck and Na-Bi, which means butterfly in Korean, feels a strong attraction to his mysterious aura of confidence. Park Jae-Eon is not the ideal boyfriend; nevertheless, Na-Bi finds herself in the midst of his easy neglect and dark nonchalance. You’ll probably be ranting at Park Jae-Eon’s trashy behavior, but the strong analogies between the difficult sculpting process and an unsteady relationship depict the perfect reality of many college campus relationships.
“Age of Youth”
A series of events centered around five very different girls from five very different backgrounds unfold in a sharehouse named Belle Epoque. Sharing the daily tragedies of their 20s, these girls go through the common yet heartfelt struggles over relationships, dieting culture, part-time jobs and embracing their official step into the world as adults. While it may appear to be a simple youth drama on college girls, once you’re done with season one, you’ll be enticed to continue onto season two. The conversations and pouring emotions unveil a deeper story behind these five ordinary girls who aren’t so ordinary after all. Tears will be shed as you empathize with the small concerns and bigger tragedies these girls share in their growth project that is their 20s.
“Reply 1994”
Let’s go back a bit. Way back to 1994 Korea. Hard to relate? Look into the lives of Generation X college students who gaped at mobile phones and cheered at pixelated television screens. If you’re tired of the rapid industrialization of NFTs and cryptocurrencies, this is a show to watch for the vintage vibes of college life where students gather on lawns to read books and buy magazines to collect paper tokens. It is ideal to go back in time to the millennials when things are going too fast in 2022.