There’s nothing like the dog days of summer to keep me indoors, in a cool air-conditioned room with my dramas. Our latest premieres come from a variety of genres, and it looks like they’ll be interesting enough to keep us entertained till autumn.
Watcher
Time slot: Saturday & Sunday
Broadcaster: OCN
Genre: Psychological thriller
Episode count: 16 episodes
Reasons to watch: Tragedy can make for strange bedfellows, and that’s probably the simplest way to explain how three people from different fields of law enforcement can end up on one team. Han Seok-kyu, Kim Hyun-joo, and Seo Kang-joon star as a team of investigators who target corruption in the police force and the prosecutor’s office. A tragic event upends our protagonists’ lives and it seems that official corruption may have been behind the event. Though our leads may not have much in common–or even like each other–they’re willing to fight to unearth the facts and speak truth to power. I’m enjoying this year’s trend of social critique in dramas and considering that this is an OCN show, I’m expecting a dark and gritty narrative.
Level Up
Time slot: Wednesday & Thursday
Broadcaster: MBN
Genre: Workplace rom-com
Episode count: 12 episodes
Reasons to watch: Rom-coms set in the workplace aren’t unusual, but it is pretty uncommon to see a rom-com set at a gaming company. Han Bo-reum stars as said gaming company’s founder and CEO. She’s skilled at all things gaming-related, but she might not have the best business mind as the drama’s premise centers on her trying to save her company. That’s where leading man Sung Hoon comes in, as he specializes in rescuing failing companies. So the two have a common goal but their personalities are so different–he’s cool and collected, while she’s hotheaded and passionate–that they constantly bicker while trying to do their respective jobs. If you’re into gaming culture and rom-coms, this could be perfect slice of fun for you.
Hotel del Luna
Time slot: Saturday & Sunday
Broadcaster: tvN
Genre: Fantasy, romance, horror
Episode count: 16 episodes
Reasons to watch: I’m awaiting the latest Hong sisters’ drama with a mix of anticipation (IU! Yeo Jin-gu!) and dread, because it’s been a long while since the Hong sisters turned out a solid show. IU plays the owner the Hotel del Luna, which prides itself on offering the best service possible. The top class hotel is unique in that it serves a select clientele–the undead. If you’re a ghost, you can be a guest. You may think that any employee there would need a spine of steel, but IU ends up hiring the biggest of scaredy cats as her hotel manager: book smart Harvard grad, Yeo Jin-gu. If he can manage his fear of ghosts, he may have a long career–and romance–ahead of him. Reservations aside, the concept is intriguing enough and though the Hong sisters are stars in dramaland, that quirky concept and lead pairing are the main draws for me.