‘Moving' and beyond: how K-dramas make superpowers hit harder
The Bok family has gone from atypical to all too typical as they slowly begin losing the superpowers that once set them apart: crippling depression has robbed Bok Gwi-ju (Jang Ki-yong) of his ability to travel back in time; insomnia has clouded Bok Man-heum's (Go Doo-shim) visions of the future; and low self-esteem has quite literally grounded Bok Dong-hee (Claudia Kim), who once had the power to fly. Meanwhile, Gwi-ju's teen daughter Bok I-na (Park So-yi) has yet to manifest any special abilities.
Enter mysterious and charming Do Da-hae (Chun Woo-hee), who seems to have arrived just in time to save the day. But her timing is dubious and her motives unclear. Is she really who she says she is? And does she truly have the Bok family's best interest at heart? 'The Uncanny Counter' Seasons 1 and 2
Counters are humans granted supernatural powers by spirits in the afterlife, tasked with hunting down vengeful spirits that have escaped to the human world to prey on the living. The first season of this superhero K-drama follows So Mun's (Jo Byeong-kyu) journey as the newest—and most powerful—Counter. Still learning the ropes, he struggles to find his place within the team and master his powers. Fortunately, Counters Ga Mo-tak (Yoo Jun-sang), Kim Sejong (Do Ha-na) and Chu Mae-ok (Yeom Hye-ran) welcome him like family, for the most part, and train him well, helping him unleash his full potential.
Season 2 introduces Na Jeok-bong (Yoo In-soo), a brand-new recruit, and even more formidable foes. The stakes are higher and the sacrifices are greater. But the Counters continue to lean on one another to protect the living—and each other.
See also: 9 fan-favourite K-drama opening credits you wouldn't want to skip 'Behind Your Touch'
Bong Ye-bun's (Han Ji-min) superpowers are unique, if a little absurd. When she touches the rear end of animals and people, she sees into their past. Her powers may have led to awkward misunderstandings and embarrassing encounters, but as the town vet, her special ability has proved useful in helping diagnose and treat her patients. Her unusual gift also draws her into an unlikely partnership with detective Moon Jang-yeol (Lee Min-ki), as they work together to solve petty crimes—and catch a serial killer preying on the town's young women. 'He Is Psychometric'
It may not be a traditional superhero K-drama, but He Is Psychometric features a protagonist with special powers: Lee Ahn (Park Jinyoung) has the ability to read the memories of people and objects through touch. Burdened by a traumatic past and still learning to control his gift, he crosses paths with Yoon Jae-in (Shin Ye-eun), a sharp-witted aspiring police officer with secrets of her own. Together, they form an unlikely partnership, using his psychometry and her intuition to solve crimes and uncover the truth behind their shared past. 'Strong Girl Bong-soon' and 'Strong Girl Nam-soon'
The Strong Girl franchise consists of the original Strong Girl Bong-soon and its spinoff, Strong Girl Nam-soon —two superhero K-dramas centred on women endowed with extraordinary strength, a power passed down through the matriarchal line. In Bong-soon , the titular heroine struggles with her desire to lead an ordinary life and is initially reluctant to embrace her powers. Over time, however, she learns to harness her strength and step into her identity. Nam-soon, by contrast, is bright and unreserved about her abilities. Lost in Mongolia as a child and returning to South Korea as an adult, she uses her gift freely in her quest to reunite with her long-lost family. 'Cashero'
Above Lee Jun-ho returns in the upcoming 'Cashero'. (Photo: Netflix)
In this upcoming superhero K-drama, set to premiere on Netflix later this year, Lee Jun-ho stars as Kang Sang-woong, a humble civil servant whose super strength depends on how much money he has. He's joined by Bang Eun-mi (Kim Hyang-gi), whose telekinetic powers are fuelled by her calorie intake, and Byeon Ho-in (Kim Byung-chul), a lawyer whose abilities are activated by alcohol. Together, they must protect the world from a villainous organisation hunting down people who, like them, possess superpowers. 'The WONDERfools'
Above Park Eun-bin and Cha Eun-woo team up in the upcoming 'The Wonderfools'. (Photo: IMDb)
Reportedly inspired by the legendary Stan Lee's superhero stories, the upcoming The WONDERfools might just be the closest a K-drama has come to capturing that classic Hollywood superhero spirit. Park Eun-bin stars as Eun Chae-ni, who, along with her neighbours Son Kyeong-hoon (Choi Dae-hoon) and Kang Ro-bin (Im Sung-jae), suddenly develops superpowers. Cha Eun-woo plays a mysterious civil servant who joins forces with the unlikely trio to investigate a series of disappearances in their city and take on the sinister Ha Won-do (Son Hyun-joo).
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