The Korean Shows on Netflix are Killing it

My relationship with Netflix has been hit and miss — with more misses than hits. I’ve had a subscription to the provider since waaaay back in the day, when they offered DVDs through the mail (if that doesn’t date me, not much does).

The appeal of getting DVDs in the mail meant not having to go to the store to pick out a movie and then drop it off when I was done. There also weren’t any late fees, which meant I could keep a movie for as long as I wanted. 

Netflix was supposed to make it easy and convenient to watch films at home, and it did — for a while. Lack of selection and having to get the DVD to the mailbox made this option less than ideal for me. So, I cancelled my subscription.

I tried Netflix again when it focused more on streaming movies than DVDs. It was nice to have movies at the touch of a button without having to pay extra for them, but the selection was still quite lacking at this point. I didn’t watch shows as often as I could. It made it difficult to justify paying a monthly fee when I wasn’t accessing movies on a monthly basis.

Netflix Changes the Scene

Again, I cancelled my subscription and moved on with my life. Netflix continued to evolve and change. Not only did they offer movies that other people had made, but they got into the production business. They started making their own.

This really changed things. No longer was Netflix beholden to others and only allowed to show movies that studios allowed them to display. They could create their own content, which opened up new revenue streams and broadened their offerings to audiences.

This became especially beneficial during the first year of the pandemic when people were trapped inside and looking for new shows to watch. Netflix delivered during this time.

What’s nice about Netflix creating their own shows and movies is that they don’t have to abide by the rules of Hollywood. They take chances and look for stories that mainstream doesn’t find commercial.

They don’t have to worry as much about how much money the show or movie will make because they don’t rely on ticket sales. They rely on views, so if it turns out a show or movie isn’t doing well, they’ll cancel it.

The point is that they can take chances that Hollywood refuses to take. They can offer audiences something new and different.

They offer a lot of the same things that you can find on other streaming services, but that’s to be expected. Netflix still wants to make money, and having shows that they know will do that keeps them in business and gives them revenue to be more experimental.

I’m Impressed with What I Find

I had been away from Netflix for a while, so I didn’t really know what they had to offer. When I started browsing, I was impressed with what I found. Not only could I find TV shows that I had watched in my younger days, but there were also new selections to choose from.

One of the options I’ve been super impressed with is the Korean TV shows and movies Netflix has to offer. I’ve watched quite a few, and I have to say: I’m hooked.

Sweet Home

I found this series while searching for “horror” on Netflix. I knew from the moment I read the description that I wanted to watch this show.

Sweet Home follows a group of survivors who are trapped in an apartment building after monsters rise up and start killing.

Visually, it’s a bit bizarre — but in a wonderful way! Every monster is different, and instead of being computer generated (although I’m sure they are), they almost look like Claymation. They are relentless and incredibly hard to kill, so many of the same monsters keep coming back.

As you can imagine, there is an “us vs. them” theme that runs throughout the show. Monsters vs. humans. But that gets blurred. I’m not going to tell you how because that gives the show away, but know that it was done well.

Not only are the monsters weird and wonderful, but the way they humans are portrayed is phenomenal. I cried many times throughout the series because it gave me the feels.

Overall, Sweet Home was a great mix of horror and gore and humanity. I totally recommend it. There’s only one season right now, which is a total bummer. I want to know what happens…yesterday!

Kingdom

I started watching this show after it was recommended by several different people. It’s about zombies, so I wasn’t opposed to watching it.

The great thing about Kingdome is that it’s a period piece. It takes place in Korea’s medieval Joseon era, which apparently spans from 1392-1910. The show takes place in the earlier part of that era, and the lack of technology is incredibly apparent and works to create tension.

I mean, can you imagine trying to fight zombies when the only guns you own have to be reloaded after every shot? And they aren’t slow zombies — they run. I don’t care how fast you are, get into a horde and that gun ain’t helpin’ you at all.

Thankfully, most of the characters were skilled with swords, but that still puts them much too close to the snapping jaws of the undead. And the zombies don’t get tired and usually occur in far greater numbers than the survivors. You know the odds are stacked against humanity (which, of course, is the point — it’s a zombie show!).

Throughout the show, the zombies were used for many different reasons, including destroying the Japanese threat that was attempting to overtake Korean lands, and to make the population believe the King was still alive.

There were lies and intrigue throughout, and the story was incredibly interesting. There are two seasons of this show on Netflix, and both of them kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the costumes and other visuals.

Of course, as is typical of zombie shows, the question of who the real monster is always arises, and that’s no different in Kingdom. The bad guys get their come uppins in spectacular fashion, and there are enough sympathetic characters to pull you through each episode and keep you interested to find out what happens to them.

There’s also quite a bit of zombie gore, so you always remember you’re watching a zombie show.

One thing that always made me chuckle was when the zombies ran and attacked, a lot of the time they didn’t use their arms. If you watch it, see if you notice that and let me know what you think.

I also watched the special episode of Kingdom that was made: Ashin of the North. That one is about 90 minutes long, and it proposes another reason why the zombies are overtaking the land. It was good. It seems like Ashin will find her way into season 3 of Kingdom, so it will be interesting to see how those story lines come together.

Again, this is another one I recommend. Not only is it an excellent addition to the zombie genre, but it does a great job of showing the struggle of humanity.

Hellbound

I had no intention of watching this show. It popped up on my recommended list because of the other shows I was watching, and after reading the description, I was like, “Yeah. Not into overly religious stuff, thanks.”

I put it off and put it off, then one weekend, I had nothing else to watch, so I gave it a try.

I have no regrets.

It has the typical good vs. evil tropes you expect to find. Hellbound focuses on people’s unquestioning faith of religious doctrine and how they use it to structure their lives or gain control over others. I expected to find that in the show, but the way it was handled was intriguing.

I’m a big fan of creature features, and the creatures they have within this show are brutal and unstoppable. We don’t know where they come from either, and that mystery keeps the show interesting and the audience wanting to find out exactly what is going on.

There’s only one season so far, and after doing some research, I’m not sure if there’s going to be a live-action season 2. I hope there is because there was a doozy of a cliffhanger. I’m not going to spoil it. You’ll have to watch it yourself.

Whether you are religious or not, there’s enough in Hellbound to have you questioning humanity and society’s rules. I’m naturally cynical, so this show reinforced a lot of my ideas about people. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to others.

More Options to Choose From

The three Korean shows I’ve listed here just scratch the surface of what’s currently available on Netflix, but they are killing it. I’ll more than likely check out the others that are offered.

Have any of you seen these shows? What did you think?

Any recommendations for what I should watch next?

What Would You Do?

A few weekends ago, my spouse was watching a show on Netflix called The Fastest Car. I didn’t catch all of the episodes, but I caught a few.

In essence, the show is about owners of supercars (Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Vipers, etc.) racing against sleeper cars. Each driver gets an introduction and tells the world about their life and their car. As you can imagine, there are a lot of hard luck stories.

While watching the show, I really wanted to hate the supercar owners. I was convinced they were going to be pompous, condescending, and self-absorbed. And some of them were. But some of the sleeper car owners weren’t perfect examples of humanity either. Both groups were human. They had their good qualities and their flaws, and that made the show interesting to watch.

There was one episode in particular (Episode 4: The King of the World) that I really wanted to dislike the supercar owner. He was a lawyer with a Lamborghini Aventador that had been painted chrome. He was eccentric and had a pretty little thing that hung out of his car while they drove around.

But as I watched the episode, I had a realization.

Sure, the guy was loud and flashy and outspoken. He was eccentric and his car could blind people if the sun hit it in just the right way. But at the same time, he knew exactly what he wanted out of life and went after his dreams. He knew it would take hard work and dedication, and he didn’t shy away from the task. Once he became a success, he used his rewards (the money) to buy the things that made him happy. In addition to his car, he had a bunch of specially made outfits that fit his personality and style. His car and his wardrobe were his art.

While listening to the guy talk, I thought about what I would do if I had the opportunity and money that he had. There’s no doubt in my mind I would do the same things he did. I would find those things that made me happy and buy them—although it probably wouldn’t be a chromed-out car, but it’s possible I would have a special paint job on my vehicle. More than likely, I would spend my money to travel the country to go to horror conventions and conferences. I guarantee you I would have specially made clothes—shoes especially. I would be just as eccentric as he is.

If I didn’t have to worry about money but had it to spend, I would definitely live my life to the fullest. I would do the things that made me happy and be the rich weirdo people look at sideways with lips pursed. I think most of us would act like that if given the chance.

If you didn’t have to worry about money but had it to spend, what would you do with it? 

Strange Occurrence…?

I watch Netflix when I work out. It gets super boring on the elliptical, and I can only listen to music for so long. Watching shows helps alleviate the boredom and makes the workout go so much faster.

Some of the shows I’ve enjoyed include Z Nation, Frontier, Tales of Halloween, and Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer.

Weird things always seem to happen to me and/or my spouse after watching certain horror movies. One time, after watching a possession film (I can’t remember which one, sorry!) an alarm woke us up at 3:33, which is supposedly the time demons are out because it’s half of 666.

Another time, after going to see a horror film at the theater (I think it was The Ring, but I’m not positive!), we came home to the door leading from the garage into our house being open. In addition, there’s also been some weird occurrences involving ghosts.

After watching a particular episode of Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer—the one about Michel Fourniret and Monique Olivier (a couple who worked together to find their victims)—I was downstairs working on my computer when my youngest told me there was someone at the door for me. I got up to see who it was, and it was an older couple who were looking for a house on 5th St.

At first, I didn’t think anything of it. They seemed lost, so I did my best to help them—which wasn’t much. We live on 4th St., so I told them they needed to go a block over, but I had no idea which house they were looking for or who the people were who lived in it.

After they left, it occurred to me that this encounter happened after watching that particular serial killer episode. My mind started turning, and I wondered if they were really looking for victims but decided not to kill me because my kids were home. Of course, I laughed this off because it was absurd, and I’ve never seen the couple again.

It amuses me that these strange occurrences happen after watching certain horror films or shows. I know there’s a reasonable and plausible explanation for all of it, but sometimes it’s fun to focus on the strangeness.