Death hovers over both of our new shows, but unlike the thriller-heavy dramas of previous weeks, the newest additions to dramasphere focus on death in terms of how it can raise questions about what it means to live fully and make unexpected emotional connections.
Doom at Your Service
Time slot: Monday & Tuesday
Broadcaster: tvN
Genre: Fantasy, rom-com
Episode count: 16
Reasons to watch: Park Bo-young and Seo In-gook is a pairing that is right out of my dreams; in fact the entire cast (supporting members include Kang Tae-oh, Lee Soo-hyuk, and Shin Do-hyun) and the PD (Kwon Young-il of My Unfamiliar Family and Search Query: WWW) are major draws for me. The story itself starts with a meet strange between our leads, and when Park Bo-young learns she has just one hundred days left to live, demigod Seo In-gook shows up on her doorstep to offer her a deal. As the clock ticks down, Seo In-gook finds himself falling for Park Bo-young as she faces life and death head-on–but his feelings threaten to upset the balance between the human and divine worlds. I’m expecting crackling chemistry and shades of quirkiness, so don’t let me down, Doom!
Move to Heaven
Time slot: Friday
Broadcaster: Netflix
Genre: Human
Episode count: 10
Reasons to watch: I’ve been looking forward to this premiere since the news first broke that Lee Je-hoon would be starring, and now it’s finally here. Lee and Tang Joon-sang play an uncle and nephew duo who are in the trauma cleaning business together (i.e. they clean the homes of those who’ve died). Rocking a mini mullet, and fresh out of prison, Lee joins the business after learning his estranged hyung has passed away. His hyung’s will has a clause that Lee can become Tang’s guardian (with all the financial benefits that would entail), if he can work with Tang for three months. Though Lee doesn’t care much for family, working together gives him a new perspective on life and family. If you’re in the mood for some uncle-nephew bonding and contemplations on the things left behind when people transition to the afterlife, this one might be for you.