TV & WEB
Shogun (2024 series)
Year Released: Hulu, 2024
Starring: Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Anna Sawai, Cosmo Jarvis
This 2024 adaptation of the classic 1975 novel is a masterpiece. Running for 10 episodes, Shogun takes the 1980 miniseries and modernizes it. Cosmo Jarvis stars as John Blackthorne, who becomes stranded in Japan in the late 1500s and learns to survive as the prisoner/consultant of Lord Torinaga, played by tour de force Hiroyuki Sanada who also executive produces. He encounters and becomes the consort of Lady Mariko, the delectable Anna Sawai, and the pawn of Yabushige, played perfectly by the wonderful Tadanobu Asano. Shogun features quite a few familiar favorite faces and is a fun romp through Japanese history as a nod to navigator William Adams' travels and dealings with the Tokugawa shogunate. We're eagerly anticipating the announced second and third seasons.
Year Released: Hulu, 2024
Starring: Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Anna Sawai, Cosmo Jarvis
This 2024 adaptation of the classic 1975 novel is a masterpiece. Running for 10 episodes, Shogun takes the 1980 miniseries and modernizes it. Cosmo Jarvis stars as John Blackthorne, who becomes stranded in Japan in the late 1500s and learns to survive as the prisoner/consultant of Lord Torinaga, played by tour de force Hiroyuki Sanada who also executive produces. He encounters and becomes the consort of Lady Mariko, the delectable Anna Sawai, and the pawn of Yabushige, played perfectly by the wonderful Tadanobu Asano. Shogun features quite a few familiar favorite faces and is a fun romp through Japanese history as a nod to navigator William Adams' travels and dealings with the Tokugawa shogunate. We're eagerly anticipating the announced second and third seasons.
The Heirs/The Inheritors
Year Released: Netflix, 2013
Starring: Lee Min-ho, Park Shin-hye, Kim Woo-bin and Kim Ji-won
The Heirs has some issues but it's kind of fun, trashy and striking with in-your-face visuals that still kind of hold up 12 years later. Lee Min-ho leads an all-star cast as Kim Tan, an illegitimate chaebol heir who strives to get his brother Kim Won to love him and find something worth living for. By chance, Kim Tan meets Cha Eun-sang (Park Shin-hye) and figures out they are improbably in each other's orbit without having realized it for years. Their journey and struggle to become a couple is a long winding one, but you'll stay for the intrigue and the fashion and probably the secondary lead in Choi Young-do (Kim Woo-bin), who manages to take a one-dimensional villain and shine him into a diamond. Be on the lookout for Kim Ji-won who stars here as heiress Yoo Rachel and later shines in Queen of Tears.
Year Released: Netflix, 2013
Starring: Lee Min-ho, Park Shin-hye, Kim Woo-bin and Kim Ji-won
The Heirs has some issues but it's kind of fun, trashy and striking with in-your-face visuals that still kind of hold up 12 years later. Lee Min-ho leads an all-star cast as Kim Tan, an illegitimate chaebol heir who strives to get his brother Kim Won to love him and find something worth living for. By chance, Kim Tan meets Cha Eun-sang (Park Shin-hye) and figures out they are improbably in each other's orbit without having realized it for years. Their journey and struggle to become a couple is a long winding one, but you'll stay for the intrigue and the fashion and probably the secondary lead in Choi Young-do (Kim Woo-bin), who manages to take a one-dimensional villain and shine him into a diamond. Be on the lookout for Kim Ji-won who stars here as heiress Yoo Rachel and later shines in Queen of Tears.
House of Ninjas
Year released: Netflix, 2024
Starring: Kento Kaku, Yôsuke Eguchi, Tae Kimura
This Netflix series tells the story of the Tawaras, a typical family living in modern-day Japan with a twist: They are a family of ninjas who are descendants of legendary ninja and samurai Hattori Hanzo. Six years ago, the eldest child was killed on a rescue mission, forcing the family to leave their lives as ninjas. However, a new crisis arises, forcing the Tawaras back to the secretive life they left behind.
Year released: Netflix, 2024
Starring: Kento Kaku, Yôsuke Eguchi, Tae Kimura
This Netflix series tells the story of the Tawaras, a typical family living in modern-day Japan with a twist: They are a family of ninjas who are descendants of legendary ninja and samurai Hattori Hanzo. Six years ago, the eldest child was killed on a rescue mission, forcing the family to leave their lives as ninjas. However, a new crisis arises, forcing the Tawaras back to the secretive life they left behind.
My Name
Year released: Netflix, 2021
Starring: Han So-hee, Park Hee-soon, Kim Sang-ho
This 2021 South Korean crime thriller grew on me as a fan of crime/political series from the land of the morning calm. When her father is murdered in front of her, Yoon Ji-Woo seeks help from her father's friend Choi-Mu Jin, the head of South Korea's biggest drug ring. Joining Mu Jin's group sets Ji-Woo on an explosive trail of revenge involving the police, Mu Jin's group and another drug gang to find the truth, no matter the cost.
Year released: Netflix, 2021
Starring: Han So-hee, Park Hee-soon, Kim Sang-ho
This 2021 South Korean crime thriller grew on me as a fan of crime/political series from the land of the morning calm. When her father is murdered in front of her, Yoon Ji-Woo seeks help from her father's friend Choi-Mu Jin, the head of South Korea's biggest drug ring. Joining Mu Jin's group sets Ji-Woo on an explosive trail of revenge involving the police, Mu Jin's group and another drug gang to find the truth, no matter the cost.
Kiss Sixth Sense
Year Released: Hulu/Disney +, 2022
Starring: Yoon Kye-sang, Seo Ji-hye, and Kim Ji-seok
Kiss Sixth Sense is an interesting K-drama. It's a supernatural fantasy centered on female lead character Hong Ye-sool (Seo Ji-hye), an advertising copywriter who can see the future of a person once her lips touch any part of their person. She works for Cha Min-hoo (Yoon Kye-sang), a strict and demanding boss who strictly stays on her every move at work. By chance, Ye-sool accidentally kisses Cha Min-hoo and glimpses a future where they are a couple. How the two who seemingly don't get along actually become a couple is the draw here, and it's an interesting premise how Ye-sool received her powers. The leads are likable, the secondary leads are fun (and familiar - we've seen and enjoyed Hwang Bo-ra in What's Wrong with Secretary Kim), and the love triangle that develops adds a level of intrigue to the proceedings. Be forewarned: Fantasy, the intro theme by Suran, is an absolute banger.
Year Released: Hulu/Disney +, 2022
Starring: Yoon Kye-sang, Seo Ji-hye, and Kim Ji-seok
Kiss Sixth Sense is an interesting K-drama. It's a supernatural fantasy centered on female lead character Hong Ye-sool (Seo Ji-hye), an advertising copywriter who can see the future of a person once her lips touch any part of their person. She works for Cha Min-hoo (Yoon Kye-sang), a strict and demanding boss who strictly stays on her every move at work. By chance, Ye-sool accidentally kisses Cha Min-hoo and glimpses a future where they are a couple. How the two who seemingly don't get along actually become a couple is the draw here, and it's an interesting premise how Ye-sool received her powers. The leads are likable, the secondary leads are fun (and familiar - we've seen and enjoyed Hwang Bo-ra in What's Wrong with Secretary Kim), and the love triangle that develops adds a level of intrigue to the proceedings. Be forewarned: Fantasy, the intro theme by Suran, is an absolute banger.
Queen of Tears
Year Released: Netflix, 2024
Starring: Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Ji-won, Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, and Lee Joo-bin
What starts off as kind of unlikable in the beginning had GI in tears by the end credits of the final episode in Queen of Tears. Queen of Tears puts a chaebol family on display and shows the inner workings and what happens when people forget what it's like to be a family. Female lead Hong Hae-in (Kim Ji-won) is a chaebol heiress of Queens Group and her husband Baek Hyun-woo (Kim Soo-hyun) is a lawyer with Queens Group. When we first meet them, it seems they have it all but underneath the surface they can't stand each other. A lifetime of tragedies has befallen Hae-in's family and she's the latest as she receives bad news that Hyun-woo takes as an opportunity to plan his escape. But it doesn't go exactly according to plan, as life never does. Queen of Tears takes a minute to get going but once you peel back the layers of subterfuge and manipulation that takes place over the course of 30 years and suspend some disbelief, you come away with a strong drama that hooks you until the very end.
Year Released: Netflix, 2024
Starring: Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Ji-won, Park Sung-hoon, Kwak Dong-yeon, and Lee Joo-bin
What starts off as kind of unlikable in the beginning had GI in tears by the end credits of the final episode in Queen of Tears. Queen of Tears puts a chaebol family on display and shows the inner workings and what happens when people forget what it's like to be a family. Female lead Hong Hae-in (Kim Ji-won) is a chaebol heiress of Queens Group and her husband Baek Hyun-woo (Kim Soo-hyun) is a lawyer with Queens Group. When we first meet them, it seems they have it all but underneath the surface they can't stand each other. A lifetime of tragedies has befallen Hae-in's family and she's the latest as she receives bad news that Hyun-woo takes as an opportunity to plan his escape. But it doesn't go exactly according to plan, as life never does. Queen of Tears takes a minute to get going but once you peel back the layers of subterfuge and manipulation that takes place over the course of 30 years and suspend some disbelief, you come away with a strong drama that hooks you until the very end.
MyDramaList.com
My Drama List, like its anime counterpart, is a tracking site for Korean, Chinese and Japanese drama shows. It's a great way to keep track of dramas and movies, much like MAL is for anime. Even better, each show or movie in the database has a section detailing where to watch it and if you need a subscription. Adding the recommendations feature much like MAL, My Drama List is a handy resource and highly recommended.
Website: www.mydramalist.com
My Drama List, like its anime counterpart, is a tracking site for Korean, Chinese and Japanese drama shows. It's a great way to keep track of dramas and movies, much like MAL is for anime. Even better, each show or movie in the database has a section detailing where to watch it and if you need a subscription. Adding the recommendations feature much like MAL, My Drama List is a handy resource and highly recommended.
Website: www.mydramalist.com
Grand Sumo app
If you're into Sumo, the official sport of Japan, you probably want some way to watch it. For on the go, enter the Grand Sumo app, an official app from the Japan Sumo Association. It's a nicely designed English-language app that allows you to watch current and past bouts. You can also track rikishi and their rankings. For free, you can watch a match a day and with a patron subscription, you can watch unlimited matches. A warning, though: The match results are spoiled before you view the match, and there isn't much of the ceremonial and ritual parts of matches shown. If you care about that, you may want to forego the app and alternatively visit the NHK official site (website: https://www.nhk.jp/p/ts/Z8WRRJ9K96/blog/bl/p781bLebx4/) and translate it to English to view matches.
If you're into Sumo, the official sport of Japan, you probably want some way to watch it. For on the go, enter the Grand Sumo app, an official app from the Japan Sumo Association. It's a nicely designed English-language app that allows you to watch current and past bouts. You can also track rikishi and their rankings. For free, you can watch a match a day and with a patron subscription, you can watch unlimited matches. A warning, though: The match results are spoiled before you view the match, and there isn't much of the ceremonial and ritual parts of matches shown. If you care about that, you may want to forego the app and alternatively visit the NHK official site (website: https://www.nhk.jp/p/ts/Z8WRRJ9K96/blog/bl/p781bLebx4/) and translate it to English to view matches.
