The past few weeks have seen a few exciting series dropping on our favorite streaming sites and you may want to check them out.
Summer is here. Many of us for sure are planning escapades to the beach or the mountains. But if you, like me, are not the type to have fun under the sun and would much rather curl up on the couch and binge watch a series, then we have some good news.
The past few weeks have seen a few exciting series dropping on our favorite streaming sites and you may want to check them out.
To help you get through the tangle of titles, we’ve rounded up five of them here for you to consider.
Shogun, Disney+
The series, which premiered on Feb. 27, has received near universal acclaim with an impressive 99% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Based on the James Clavell novel of the same title, the historical drama follows “the collision of two ambitious men from different worlds and a mysterious woman samurai.”
The premiere episode of the 10-episode series pulled in nine million views globally. The figure is high enough to make it the number one scripted series premiere globally for Disney General Entertainment, overtaking The Kardashian Season 1, and the number one premiere of an FX series on Hulu in the U.S. beating The Bear Season 2.
I’ve watched the first two episodes and I’m enthralled, not only because I’m a Japanophile, but because the production is breathtaking, the plot compelling, and the acting superb.
I suggest watching it alongside the also currently airing Tokyo Vice season 2 and you’ll be booking a ticket to Japan in no time.
Queen of Tears, Netflix
Everybody’s favorite oppa, Kim Soo Hyun, is back with a new series and we could only be so excited.
After all, fans of one of South Korea’s highest paid actors—myself included—had to wait four years for his new project, his follow up to the pandemic hit It’s Okay to Not Be Okay.
To make this series more exciting, he stars opposite the beautiful and versatile Kim Ji Won (Descendants of the Sun, My Liberation Notes). For K-drama fans, this is a dream pairing come true.
The series premiered on TVN on March 9, and depicts the story of a married couple in a crisis and their journey toward reigniting their love. It is also available for streaming on Netflix.
The first episode looks every bit as polished and expensive as expected of a series starring two of Hallyu’s biggest stars and has the perfect blend of fun and sadness. I can’t wait for more episodes to drop so I can binge watch.
Chicken Nugget, Netflix
This is the series with the weirdest premise on this list. Based on the eponymous webtoon, the comedy-mystery is about a father who struggles to recover his daughter who turned into, yes, a chicken nugget.
Chicken Nugget premiered on March 15 on Netflix and stars a stellar cast led by Ryu Seung Ryeong (Moving), Ahn Jae Hong (Be Melodramatic), and Kim Yoo Jung (My Demon) as the titular chicken nugget.
I watched the first two episodes and I’m hooked! It’s so unlike your usual K-Drama, being a mix of sci-fi, mystery, and comedy that I don’t know what to expect. Plus, it helps that each episode is only a compact 30 to 36 minutes each.
The Brothers Sun, Netflix
Anything with Michelle Yeoh in it I’ll surely watch, and this series doesn’t disappoint.
Like Chicken Nugget, this show can be best described as a mixed bag. It’s a delightful mix of action, comedy, violence, family drama, and adrenaline-pumping thrills.
It’s also well acted, too, as expected from Yeoh but newcomer Justin Chien also stands out.
The Brothers Sun tells the story of Charles Sun, the son of the head of a Taiwanese gang who found himself at the receiving end of an assassination attempt. This led Charles to fly out to Los Angeles to protect his mother and brother, Bruce, who remains completely oblivious to the truth about his family.
Too bad Netflix didn’t renew for a second season despite excellent reviews. According to Variety, it couldn’t find a large audience. Its performance was modest by Netflix standards, with its number of weekly views staying below seven million and slipping under two million for its last two weeks in the Top 10.
But don’t let the dismal viewership discourage you from watching a great series.
The Regime, HBO Go
The series, described by The New York Times as a “satire, slapstick, comedy, and commentary,” is headlined by the ever formidable Kate Winslet. She plays Elena “Lenny” Vernham, the insecure chancellor of a crumbling fictional “Middle European” autocracy.
Unlike the other series on this list, the latest series from HBO Go has been met with lukewarm reviews. Despite this, I enjoyed watching the first two episodes, not only for Winslet’s powerhouse acting but for the story which closely resembles the current state of the world.
Be on the lookout for references to real-life despots (like our very own conjugal dictatorship) and failed states.
Fun fact: The Regime was filmed almost entirely in Vienna, with scenes in the opulent Schönbrunn Palace, the historical summer residence of the Habsburgs. It will make you want to book a ticket to Austria.
