Time doesn’t always pass at the same speed, as anybody who has watched a spellbinding show could tell you. Good television can make time pass in the blink of an eye. Korean dramas have recently upped their game, captivating viewers around the world. This article covers the current state of Korean dramas, which employ an array of themes and genres to alternatively get your pulse pounding or tug on your heartstrings.

What if an athlete were to use their physical prowess on the battlefield? This question has likely occurred to anybody who has watched an Olympic sharpshooter hit the bull’s-eye from a seemingly impossible distance or a staggering boxer knock their opponent down. Good Boy is a drama that examines that scenario. Korean Olympians from such categories as boxing, sport shooting, discus throwing, fencing and wrestling are recruited for a special police squad following their exploits on the field. The result is what might be called a sports-action-adventure. You’ve got to admit it’s an exhilarating premise: impeccable athletes using their sporting techniques to take down the baddies.

Yoon Dongju (Park Bogum), a gold medalist in boxing, is a crusader for justice on the police force, committed to keeping his hands clean just like the poet for whom he was named. While Dongju sometimes jumps the gun in his enthusiasm, the tenacity one would expect from a former boxer and the desire to right wrongs implicit in his name drive him to root out corruption and let the fists of justice fly. As a prizewinning boxer, Dongju pulls off thrilling scenes where he faces down dozens of enemies with his bare fists and a body trained to take a beating.

The other former athletes form a motley crew including Dongju’s crush Jin Hanna (Kim Sohyun), a gold medalist in sport shooting who maintains her signature sangfroid while taking shots at charging goons; Kim Jonghyeon (Lee Sangyi), a silver medalist in fencing who can fend off dozens of foes with a staff; and Shin Jaehong (Tae Wonseok), a bronze medalist in discus throwing who hurls a manhole cover to wreck an oncoming car. The leader of these athletic Avengers is Ko Mansik (Heo Sungtae), a bronze medalist in wrestling who displays savvy and persistence in bringing down the villains. The thrilling turn from sports to action is sold by the convincing villains — vicious drug dealers like Min Juyeong (Oh Jungse), a cartel kingpin pretending to be an ordinary customs official, and Leo (Ko Jun), who is in with the Russian mafia. These nefarious villains use their wealth and power to pull strings with the police, which makes it all the more satisfying when the Olympic Avengers start swinging and blood begins to fly. It’s certainly sweet to see good sportsmanship tackle the corruption around us. This show is eminently bingeworthy, and you’ll hardly realize that the hours are flying by.

“When you’re going through a really tough time, you find yourself gasping for air, just wishing it was all over. Do you know what makes a difference at times like that? It’s other people — they can help you breathe again.” Those lines epitomize what makes melodramas so moving. Despite the new beginnings suggested by the title, Love, Take Two opens with a suddenly severed relationship. Lee Jian (Yum Jungah) has sacrificed her happiness and everything else for the sake of her daughter Hyori (Choi Yoonji). But after getting into medical school, Hyori abruptly drops out of school and runs away. It turns out she has decided to reset her life after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. Hyori’s course correction also shakes things up for her mother Jian, who follows her daughter to the country town where an old flame happens to reside. Jian builds a house there and begins a new and completely different life — a life of miracles, with every moment feeling like a new experience. That’s when she finally learns to find true happiness in the little things.

Stories of urbanites worn out from the daily grind who move to a quiet corner of the countryside to regain their joie de vivre has become a central motif in recent Korean media. The motif can be witnessed in films like Little Forest and television series such as Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha and Welcome to Samdal-ri. Love, Take Two continues the trend, telling the story of Jian and Hyori’s move to the countryside, where they are swept up in pure puppy love. Before long, Hyori has her first experience of love with Ryu Bohyeon (Kim Minkyu), a tender, touching romance that recalls Alphonse Daudet’s short story Les Étoiles (“The Stars”). And let’s not forget the mature relationship between Jian and her first love Ryu Jeongseok (Park Haejoon), who rekindle their old flame. The twin love stories are interspersed with touching interactions with the townspeople as the characters form the kind of bonds rarely seen in the city. What begins as a melodrama evolves into something much more: a sensitive study of the human experience. It’s a series in which the characters seek to understand each other, with each one given a moment to shine.

That leaves viewers with the choice of a sports-action romp, or a tender return to everyday concerns. While the two dramas touch on distinctly different topics, they indicate that Korean viewers respond not only to cathartic release, but also to comforting stories of the heart. The desire to escape, if only for a moment, from one’s tiring routine bears a certain resemblance to traveling. While you’re onboard, these two dramas can serve as a delightful diversion that will enrich your journey. While away the hours with these immersive stories, and you’ll be at your destination before you know it. And one of those episodes may well offer special meaning for the journey ahead.

• Jung Dukhyun is a pop culture critic who sheds light on the value of popular culture through his writing, broadcasting appearances and lectures.

upGRADE You: Teachers 2

This educational reality show offers customized solutions for students struggling with their grades. A team of Korea’s top instructors provides a clear-eyed evaluation of each student’s learning challenges relating to school, home environment and individual lifestyles, creating a tailored plan that covers everything from subject-specific strategies to daily routines.

Choi Soojong’s Travel Story 2

Join the beloved actor Choi Soojong, along with Jin Taehyun and Dong Ha, as they explore the scenery of unfamiliar destinations with a warm and gentle attitude. This is a show that focuses on stories, people and the small details of daily life rather than just famous tourist spots. It will remind you of a different kind of travel, one that finds satisfaction not in grand landmarks but in small discoveries.

Friends, Season 7

The legendary sitcom is about six New York friends navigating work, love and life in the time when anything seems possible. This ever-comforting group of friends is back in Season 7 with new milestones like planning a wedding, and highlighting the natural, hilarious changes that come with getting older and developing deeper relationships.

The Food That Built America — Thanksgiving Dinner

This docudrama series tells the stories of the iconic brands and visionary people who shaped American food culture. This episode explores how favorites like turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing became staples of the American Thanksgiving table.

Waldbühne 2025

Experience the magic of a massive 2025 live concert at Berlin’s beautiful Waldbühne, a stunning outdoor amphitheater. The atmosphere of this open-air stage, set in a lush natural environment, is vividly captured on screen.

• Available content may vary depending on your flight.