Popular Netflix original Our Beloved Summer (also aired on SBS) starring Kim Da Mi and Choi Woo shik that narrates the journey of two high school kids finding love, falling out of love and again finding love over a course of 10 years aired its finale on January 25th. It was soon followed by the most buzzed premiere of Twenty Five Twenty One starring audience’ favourite Kim Tae Ri and Nam Joo Hyuk , yet another coming of age drama on February 11th, again on Netflix. Makes you wonder if coming of age high school themed dramas are the hit formula of the season?
Our Beloved Summer was one of those breezy feel good coming of age stories from the Korean drama land and pretty much a weekly dose of happiness to its viewers. The show’s culmination definitely left a void in its die-hard fans and followers which is now being healed by TvN’s Twenty Five Twenty One. The show is also Kim Tae Ri’s comeback to kdrama after her super successful Mr.Sunshine (2018). Previously there was also A love so beautiful in 2020, Korean remake of the chinese drama of the same name.
One prominent takeaway is that no matter which year we are in, coming of age shows and movies will always remain a touted flavour of entertainment that would definitely find an audience. Rising popularity of shows like Boys Over Flowers, Reply series, Dream High and the furore around new shows like Our Beloved Summer and Twenty Five Twenty One reflects the same. Not to mention how feel good dramas have been a genre Korean drama land always aced. I mean who wouldn’t love a weekly dose of comfort and escapism from all the work stress and monotonous pandemic struck routine life?