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Have you become more interested in South Korean movies and television series recently? Join the club! In recent years, more people from around the world have been enjoying shows with South Korean casts and crew. In particular, there is one title that is highly anticipated and that people have been looking forward to. We are talking about Snowdrop. Is this a show that you might like to watch? Here is a review so that you can decide.
What is Snowdrop About?
The show is set in 1987 in South Korea. If you are not familiar with the history of the country, this was a significant year. In particular, there was a lot of protesting in pursuit of democracy. The country had an authoritarian government and all of this activism would eventually lead to constitutional reforms in South Korea. Thus, the show stars a graduate student, attacked during a protest. For help, he turns to Hosoo Women’s University and a woman there agrees to help hide him. During this time, they begin to have a romantic relationship in the midst of turbulence.
However, while this show can appear like a romance, there is a lot more to it than first meets the eye. In particular, the graduate student might not be who he says he is. Namely, he is a North Korean spy.
The show is based on real memoirs and it has been developed over 12 years. In particular, the memoirs are of a man who was held as a political prisoner in North Korea. However, this has meant that the show has attracted criticism. In particular, some people have not been happy about how it demeans the movement in South Korea at the time and it is not historically accurate. Of course, the show has denied that this is what it was trying to do. Instead, they wanted to create a melodrama and show examples of what life could have been like for young men and women during that point in history.
Creating the feeling of this period is often a special challenge for filmmakers. The colours, the sets, and the sound design are approached with strict parameters. Immersing the audience straight away in this specific time and place is essential. Establishing shots of scenes play an important role in this, with many shows and films using stock footage to make the most of existing references for locations in the audience’s mind, with new details being added in post-production or in the next shot to localise the audience in this new narrative.
A show which is international at its core, with Jung Hae In’s character graduating from the University of Berlin and being from North Korea, establishes its place well, with the 80s period coming through effectively with set and costume design. It’s the quality of filmmaking that makes TV shows well-watched, regardless of the native language.
Other Popular Korean Shows
Over the past few years, a lot of Korean dramas have been available on Netflix and other platforms. This means that you have a great choice if you want to explore. In particular, there have been some shows that have been praised highly in the West and that you might want to add to your viewing list. So, let’s take a look at some of them.
One that you need to watch if you have not already is Squid Game. This is a show that is available on Netflix and you have probably heard about it already. Indeed, people were obsessed with this show and it has you right on the edge of your seat. In the first 28 days, the show was streamed by over 111 million people from around the world.
What is Squid Game about? Well, you are certainly going to know all about children’s games by the end of it. The show follows a game series that sees people who are in debt play for a huge amount of cash. The twist is that the games are deadly.
If you are more of a horror show fan, then you can watch Sweet Home. This was a movie released in 2020 and it was popular on Netflix. In particular, if you like zombie movies and shows, this is going to be one for you. The story is all about Song Kang and what happens when he moves into a rundown home after he is left with no family. Can the group he forms survive? You will have to watch and find out.
Another drama that has been popular in Korea and now around the world is Crash Landing on You. It was first released in 2019 and you may recognize some actors from Parasite. This is a story about love and how a South Korean heiress crashes while paragliding. She lands in North Korea and falls in love with a North Korean army officer.
Common threads throughout the popular South Korean shows that perform well around the world are their messages, often one in which people are victims of the social and political systems they live within. Bong Joon-Ho’s filmography serves as a strong example of this, with Parasite and Snowpiercer in particular. Squid Game follows suit, here, offering a critique of hierarchies and power structures seen around the world. Snowdrop satisfies this too, placing the North Korean-by-way-of-East-Germany spy in South Korea’s political setting during a pivotal moment in their history.
Netflix and other streaming platforms no doubt help the distribution of such shows and films. Their international standing means millions of viewers who otherwise wouldn’t have seen South Korean, French, or Brazilian offerings are now able to. Nonetheless, though, without a good story, there is no audience.
