Cinema Escapist
Explore and connect the world through a cinematic lens
Review: Netflix’s “Record of Youth” Highlights Millennial Struggles in the Fashion Industry
BY Lindsay Wong
Park Bo-gum and Park So-dam star in a drama that eschews K-drama romance clichés, instead highlighting the frustrations of millennials
Interview: Yeo Yann Yann Talks “Invisible Stories,” Motherly Roles, and Singaporean Narratives
BY Richard Yu
Hot off the heels of winning Best Actress at the 2019 Golden Horse Awards for "Wet Season," Yeo Yann Yann discusses what's next.
Netflix’s “TWogether” Highlights the Legacy of English in Asia
BY Jamin Shih
Featuring Lee Seung-gi and Jasper Liu, Netflix reality show "TWogether" reveals the traces of colonial English in Southeast and South Asia.
Netflix’s “Rea(L)ove” Raunchily Reveals Japan’s Sexual and Gendered Taboos
BY Jamin Shih
Often contrasted with “Terrace House,” Netflix dating show "Rea(L)ove" highlights the gendered anxieties in contemporary Japanese dating.
Interview: “Japanology” Host Peter Barakan—Japan’s Accidental Ambassador
BY Akshay Suggula
Peter Barakan talks about bridging Japan and the world with NHK’s “Begin Japanology” and beyond.
Review: Netflix’s “Extracurricular” Is a Dark High School Drama Exploring Teen Problems
BY Jianne Soriano
Netflix original K-drama "Extracurricular" subverts traditional high school teen drama cliches by exploring issues like compensated dating.
Review: “The World of the Married” Is an Intense, Controversial Drama About Extramarital Affairs
BY Jianne Soriano
Through affairs and divorce, smash-hit K-drama “The World of the Married” explores why marriage isn’t all sunshine and butterflies.
Review: Netflix’s “The Victims’ Game” Brings Thrills and Gore But Mostly Plays It Safe
BY Anthony Kao
Crime drama “The Victims' Game” fares better than other recent Taiwanese Netflix originals, but doesn’t push storytelling boundaries.
Review: “The King: Eternal Monarch” Stars Lee Min-ho In A Ritzy Cross-Universe Fantasy
BY Jianne Soriano
Superstar actor Lee Min-ho and noted screenwriter Kim Eun-sook reunite for "The King: Eternal Monarch," a Netflix K-drama that spans parallel universes and is rife...
The 11 Best Korean Dramas on Netflix
BY The Editors
Updated for summer 2020, here are the top Korean dramas on Netflix—ranging across genres like action, romance, historical, and more.