The brand new Netflix actuality sequence My Korean Boyfriend units up an fascinating state of affairs, the place 5 girls from Brazil journey to South Korea to pursue relationships with Korean males they’ve been relationship on-line. As well as, one of many girls was born in South Korea and is making an attempt to piece collectively her heritage whereas looking for love.
Opening Shot: Seoul cityscapes are proven, then we see 5 girls on a bridge making a want, and listen to them in voice over speaking about discovering love.
The Gist: In My Korean Boyfriend, 5 girls from Brazil spend a month in Seoul dwelling collectively and making an attempt to kind out relationships with Korean males which can be in varied phases. Camila Kim, Katy Dias, Luanny Very important, Mariana Tollendal and Morena Monaco all arrive in Seoul searching for various things from their relationships.
Camila, for example, left Seoul together with her household when she was 3, and he or she’s returned to piece collectively her heritage and household historical past, and maybe discover love alongside the best way. The remaining have come right here seeking to pursue already established relationships that both began on-line or have continued on-line after assembly in individual. All 5 girls are followers of romantic Ok-dramas, which fuels their attraction to those males, however varied cultural variations — particularly relating to relationship and relationships — are arduous to disregard.
Luanny arrives not even certain that her boyfriend, Si Received, is even going to point out up; there have been false begins and occasions he’s requested for cash since they began relationship. Once they lastly meet up, she asks him critical questions on his investments and the truth that his household may frown upon her already having a daughter.
Katy had an opportunity encounter with Jack on a prepare to Busan some months prior, and he or she involves Seoul with their relationship undefined; their first assembly, the place he takes her to take a look at some cherry blossoms, is awkward. Morena and Su-woong are the furthest alongside, however she’s frightened that she’s not making impression on his household. And Mariana is assembly Danny face-to-face for the primary time after relationship on-line for a number of months.
What Exhibits Will It Remind You Of? My Korean Boyfriend seems like 90 Day Fiancé: The Different Manner with a Ok-drama soundtrack.
Our Take: Two issues about My Korean Boyfriend fascinate us. Firstly, the ladies touring to South Korea might have some baggage, however all of them appear to have their stuff collectively and don’t carry this Ok-drama fantasy of theirs to obsessive levels. It’s arduous to inform, although, as a result of we don’t get a lot in the best way of backstories for any of them besides Camile.
The second factor that fascinates us is how huge the relationship hole is between the 2 nations is. Brazil is a really open society relating to relationship and intercourse, and Korea is way much less so. However evidently the 4 girls who have already got individuals to satisfy in Seoul try to bridge that hole, slightly than hoping that their extra conservative boyfriends loosen up.
All the relationships are handled with an affordable quantity of respect by the producers, not leaning on sensationalistic moments. Generally it’s even candy, like when Si Received provides Luanny a field that appears prefer it may need a hoop in it, however as an alternative has earbuds in them, to allow them to communicate of their native languages and have their telephones translate.
One factor we should always point out is that the present has two bonus episodes that has Brazilian celebrities reacting in actual time to the common episodes.
Efficiency Value Watching: We preferred Katy for a few causes. She appears practical about her budding relationship with Jack, and her English is the perfect out of the 5 girls, permitting her to be actually expressive with him.
Intercourse And Pores and skin: It’s all fairly chaste within the first episode.
Parting Shot: Marianna stands in entrance of an extended stairwell in a dramatic shot, ready to see if Danny comes down these stairs to satisfy her for the primary time.
Sleeper Star: We’re fascinated with Camila’s story, and the truth that she’s going to attempt to determine her origins and date in Seoul on the identical time.
Most Pilot-y Line: Sure, the present delves into loads of romantic Ok-drama cliches, from the stroll via a park filled with cherry blossoms to the Ok-pop soundtrack. However what does fear us barely is that if the ladies are fetishizing having Korean boyfriends, or if their Korean boyfriends are fetishizing having Latin American girlfriends.
Our Name: STREAM IT. My Korean Boyfriend is respectful sufficient of each the ladies coming to Seoul for love and the targets of that love that it must be enjoyable to see if these relationships will develop or falter. We additionally hope to listen to extra backstory about all of the contributors because the present goes alongside.
Joel Keller (@joelkeller) writes about meals, leisure, parenting and tech, however he doesn’t child himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared within the New York Occasions, Slate, Salon, RollingStone.com, VanityFair.com, Quick Firm and elsewhere.
