K-Dramas (the South Korean equivalent of novelas) have been growing in popularity for years now as a form of entertainment in the US. Pair K-dramas with C-dramas (you guessed it, Chinese) and you’ve got an entire media empire based on this type of media alone. With an estimated 18 million fans of Korean TV in the US alone, we’re not surprised people are digging it.
K-dramas such as the survival drama Squid Games have taken the world by storm, with good reason, and here are a few more that you can find currently streaming on Netflix.
Crash LandingOn You tells the story of a South Korean “chaebol'' (big industrial business controlled by family members) heiress who, because of a freak accident, ends up in North Korea. With an actual defector from North Korea on its writing team, the show is a commentary on the cruelty of life under a military dictatorship, impossible love, and how borders separate people in unimaginable ways. Crash Landing skyrocketed to fame, becoming the third highest-rated South Korean TV drama in cable television history, and has been widely celebrated for its nuanced approach to framing life in North Korea.
Geum Jan-di is living her life delivering clothes for her parents’ dry cleaning business when she saves a student’s life. This turns her world upside down when she is offered a place at one of South Korea’s most prestigious private schools in return for her act. After capturing the attention of Gu Jun-pyo (played by the famous Lee Min-ho) her life turns even crazier as she battles good grades, being working-class in a rich school, and finding love.
Where to watch: Hulu and Amazon Prime Video
Meteor Garden
Source: Hunan TV
Though not technically a K-Drama, Meteor Garden is a mainland China remake of the Boys Over Flowers story. This modern retelling is a must-watch even if you’ve viewed BOF before. If you’re a fan of the original, this version is a lot more modern with the two main characters being a lot more affectionate than their Korean counterparts. The style of all the characters is also amazing with tons of designer outfit inspo.
Where to watch: Netflix
Lovestruck In The City
Source: Netflix
An interview-format romance series showcasing the love lives of six young adults living in South Korea? Sign us up! The more informal take of talking to the people in these relationships is refreshing despite it still being a drama, and we get to know the characters on such a personal level it really keeps you enthralled in their lives!
Love Alarm
Source: Netflix
Love Alarm is seriously unique in being the first Korean series confirmed for pick-up by Netflix, and its storyline too. Based on the story of a high school girl who uses an app that can detect if someone within a 10-meter radius has feelings for them, it’s super romantic. The second season is set to premiere on March 12, 2021, so get ready to watch!
Trap Latino is a hip-hop subgenre that’s been gaining steam worldwide for the past few years. Originating in Puerto Rico during the late 2000s, this genre comes directly from southern U.S. hip-hop and rap music and is heavily influenced by reggaeton and dembow. It’s been slowly taking over the charts, with many Latina singer-songwriters taking the scene by storm.
With their unapologetic lyrics, these Latinas also lend their voices to the Latin American feminist movement, using their platforms to lift each other up any chance they get, creating new feminist anthems, constantly advocating for more women in the urban scene, and offering a fresh take on urban music, lyrics, and imagery from a woman’s perspective.
Don’t sleep on these women. Check out our first of two lists of women who should be on your trap playlist.
Her name is Noris Diaz, but she’s better known as Tokischa. Having studied fine arts and dramaturgy, Tokischa took up professional modeling at the age of sixteen before moving on to work in a call center. By the time she turned eighteen, she had turned to sex work to make ends meet.
During a photoshoot for a magazine in her hometown of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, at the age of twenty, she crossed paths with Raymi Paulus, a producer, who would eventually invite her to sign with his label.
Her lyrics are characterized by explicit expressions of sexual liberation and party culture, all set to the rhythms of trap, dembow, and reggaetón. This Afro-Dominican queen isn’t afraid to speak her mind, a trait that has often led to her being deemed, “
controversial,” something she doesn’t apologize for, even when she took heat for being a part of J Balvin’s use of Black women as dogs in the Perra video.
"I understand the interpretation people had, and I’m truly sorry that people felt offended. But at the same time, art is expression. It’s creating a world.”
Tokischa has gained recognition as a feminist and queer icon, largely due to her unabashed bisexuality, candid discussions about her past work as a sex worker, and bold fashion choices. She uses her platform to promote and celebrate Afro-Latine culture, while also making sure her message of self-love and in-your-face confidence resonates with her fans all over the world.
While walking the magenta carpet at Premios Lo Nuestro, where she was nominated for Artista Revelación Femenina, she expressed her admiration for all the women dominating the urbano genre, saying, “I feel like we are all winners, because we are all representing our countries, our culture, showing that women are powerful.”
The daughter of Mexican immigrants, 35-year-old Claudia Madriz became involved with music as young as 6 years old, participating in school talent shows and performing with her grandfather’s mariachi band. As a teen, Claudia started freestyling with her friends and eventually decided to go head-on into the urban music scene, releasing her first collab in 2007 and becoming an independent artist in 2018.
Another rapper/singer/songwriter, Snow is known for her rapid-fire rapping style and is influenced by artists from Missy Elliot and Aaliyah to Selena Quintanilla and Lupita D’Alessio. She is bilingual and records in both languages, has had several acting roles, has a podcast show, and has a YouTube channel. She also appeared in the video for "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)" from "The Hamilton Mixtape."
Snow has called out the blatant gender wage gap not only in the urban music scene but in all jobs, stating, “I rap better than 90% of the male rappers who are popular right now, but I get paid much less. Whether we are cooks, doctors, or maids, it doesn't matter, I want men to take into account our talent, not our gender.”
Villano Santiago Pacheco is a 27-year-old rapper, singer, and songwriter from Bayamon, Puerto Rico. She describes herself as non-binary, transfeminine, and bisexual. She’s the first transgender and non-binary artist to enter
Spotify’s Global Top 50 list with her song “BZRP Music Sessions Vol. 51,” a collaboration with popular Argentinian producer Bizarrap.
Her lyrics revolve around sexual liberation, women’s empowerment, and fighting against transphobic rhetoric. Her beats are aggressive and catchy, with a touch of reggaeton and house music here and there.
Villano interchanges male and female pronouns in her songs, plays around with gender, and always shows her authentic self, completely uninterested in fitting into boring, conventional standards, which is part of why she calls herself a “villain.”
“I don't consider myself an activist or anything like that; I just exist. My existence ends up being activism,” she has said regarding her being seen as a pioneer of the Latino LGBTQIA+ movement. Villano has been very clear about being more interested in making music that reflects her life and experiences and resonates with other queer people, rather than being embraced by cis-hetero people.
She's also said she’s not striving for people's tolerance; she demands their respect.
You might know her as "La Nena Fina" straight outta the colorful city of Medellin, Colombia. An Afro-Colombian icon, her music is a fusion of trap, hip-hop, reggaeton, and pop, with powerful vocals, catchy hooks, and socially conscious lyrics.
She was raised in a family where music was everything; her father's guitar playing, and her mother's singing inspired her to pursue her passion. Before becoming a music sensation, she ventured into modeling and acting, landing a role in the hit Colombian TV series "Sin Senos No Hay Paraíso" in 2008.
Fast forward to today, and Farina has become a bonafide star in the Latin music scene, winning countless accolades along the way, including a Latin Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 2018.
Her talent and fierce commitment to female empowerment have earned her critical acclaim and a massive fan base. Her fierce talent and commitment to championing women's empowerment have won her legions of fans. "I feel like I have a massive responsibility in the rap world, and I want to kick open doors for other ladies," she declared in a recent interview with
Notimerica.
For Your Playlist:
For far too long, the music industry has been a man's world, with Trap and Reggaeton often falling prey to misogynistic lyrics and male-dominated vocals. But there's a new wave of Latinas taking over and revolutionizing the game, creating a community where women can empower each other and inspire one another to reach new heights, and it's about time.
