“Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films,” said director Bong Joon-Ho in his acceptance speech after his movie Parasite won Best Foreign Language Film at the 77th Golden Globes. He was absolutely right. There’s some great films and shows out there, and it would be nice to see more recognition and appreciation of international media in the U.S. Subtitles open up whole new worlds of stories, characters, and cultures to explore, and all you have to do is read some words on a screen. Here are some of my personal favorite foreign-language TV shows:
La Casa de Papel (Money Heist)
Country: Spain
Where to Watch: Netflix
In this thriller, a criminal mastermind who goes by “The Professor” recruits a band of criminals to pull a heist that involves infiltrating the Royal Mint of Spain. Locking themselves in the bank with civilian hostages, they must flawlessly carry out The Professor’s perfectly crafted plan if they want to escape with their money and their lives. Obviously, things go awry as hidden motivations and emotional dynamics come into play. The characters are despicable and messed up in so many ways, but you can’t help rooting for them as you learn about each of their backstories and watch their humanity come to life against the backdrop of the greatest heist of all time.
(Fun fact: The shelter I got my dog from named the puppies in his litter after characters in this show, so my dog is named Denver and his siblings have the names of other characters.)
Elite
Country: Spain
Where to Watch: Netflix
As far as guilty pleasure teen dramas go, this one is elite (haha, get it?). When three working-class students enroll at an elite private high school through a scholarship, they are inevitably targeted by the rich kids who can’t bear to share the same air as people who can’t afford the school. The show switches back and forth between two timelines, converging toward the fateful night of the murder of one of the students. Beyond the partying and the extremely attractive cast, the show addresses many mature themes about life and relationships, and it makes for an enjoyable and addicting watch.
A Little Reunion
Country: China
Where to Watch: YouTube
This slice-of-life drama follows the stories of three families as their kids prepare for the National College Entrance Exam, which is a huge deal in China. This show brilliantly portrays the characters and their intertwined stories. The acting is also amazing in that the words and actions are carried out so naturally and effortlessly that the depth of the characters are brought to life. I even found myself laughing and crying right along with them. From family relationships and friendships to pressure and expectations to heavier topics like depression and suicide, this story is a simultaneously heartbreaking and heartwarming journey that is well worth the feels.
It’s Okay To Not Be Okay
Country: South Korea
Where to Watch: Netflix
Here we have Ko Moon-young, a badass children’s book writer with an antisocial personality disorder, and Moon Gang-tae, an emotionally repressed psych ward caretaker, both of whom are carrying deep emotional wounds from their past trauma and present hardships. Gang-tae is responsible for taking care of his older brother, Moon Sang-tae, who is autistic and also happens to be a huge fan of Moon-young’s stories. Together, they strive to head down a path of emotional healing as they build up their relationships with each other. Despite being a romance drama, this show places an emphasis on portraying mental illnesses in an honest way and imparts important messages about acceptance and healing. Admittedly, this show probably caused me more emotional distress than healing, especially since I was watching as it aired. I had to wait an entire week for the next episodes to come out following what would usually be a cliffhanger. However, now that all the episodes are out, you don’t have to worry about that!
The Penthouse: War in Life
Country: South Korea
Where to Watch: Viki
This is a story of just how far people will go to feed their selfish desires and emerge on top at all costs. In Hera Palace, the wealthy families living there engage in a battle of real estate and education, resorting to deceit, betrayal, and even murder to get what they want. I don’t think I’ve ever been so stressed out and on edge while watching a show before. The plot was unpredictable, with so many twists and turns that you never know where the story is going next, but that’s the thrill of it. It’s like Gossip Girl meets How to Get Away With Murder but on steroids. Also, I really appreciate that while the characters can range from “I would throttle you through the screen if I could” (I just settle for yelling profanities at them instead) to “I love you and you deserve the entire world,” they all have a wonderful complexity to them that makes none of them entirely good or evil.
Happy binging!