Yeo-reum, the 28-year-old protagonist of the 2022 K-Drama “Summer Strike,” decides to take a break from her toxic workplace and her equally toxic boyfriend and boards a bus to nowhere. As she sticks her head out of the window, she inhales the scent from a canopy of cherry blossom trees and squeals in delight when she spots the sea. “From this moment on, I’m not doing anything. I’m going on a strike from life,” she declares.
Have you ever wanted to quit your job and move to the countryside? Sometimes, just be rid of worrying about where your career is heading, how non-existent your love life is, and escape the burnout and stress that seems to be all-consuming?
Korean dramas, in the last few years, seem to have perfected a genre dedicated specifically to this yearning — healing dramas. These shows center on protagonists desperately in need of a break from everything. Years ago, we found solace in Julia Roberts’ travel escapades in “Eat Pray Love.” In her quest for a life of more meaning and significance, we traveled with her to Italy, India, and Bali, as she nourished her mind, body, and soul. Closer to home, driven by a yearning for freedom and some fresh air, three women of a household take off on an impromptu road trip in the Tamil web series “Sweet Kaaram Coffee.”
In “Summer Strike,” however, escape is just a short bus ride away. Yeo-reum keeps it simple and wholesome — she picks a small town to settle in primarily because it has a charming library. What better way to nourish the heart and soul than through books, and a potential romance with a sweet librarian?
In the currently airing “Love Next Door,” a weary, visibly exhausted Seok-ryu tells her glowering mother, who is angry about her quitting her job, that she is looking forward to turning off her alarm and sleeping in. To escape the chaos and stress of her daily life at a big tech company abroad, she goes back home to the familiarity of her overbearing parents and a slow, peaceful life.
. We follow her through the next few days as she creates an unemployment schedule, lazes around, devours comic books, hangs out with childhood friends, and makes herself delicious green onion pancakes.
Are decisions to take a break away from the chaos of reality easy? No, especially when your achievements, unfortunately, are the only source of pride and joy for your parents. This is the chief frustration for our female protagonist in “Doctor Slump,” whose mother refuses to acknowledge her depression, burnout, and dire need for a break.
Thankfully, these shows move on fast enough, and there is something truly heartwarming about watching the subsequent healing journeys unfold on screen — often in places far removed from the cities we inhabit, and through days that are starkly different from the lives we lead. In “Hometown Cha Cha Cha,” our protagonist relocates to a quaint seaside village after a massive career failure. Although we don’t see much of his personal journey on screen, we observe the place, its people, and its charms envelop the woman he loves.
Escapist shows have become a beloved part of binge-watching in recent years. While these shows might seem aspirational, and even somewhat idealistic in today’s world, the scent of cherry blossoms and a spray of seawater, even onscreen, is refreshing enough and makes for a great healing experience within an episode.
From the scent of blossoming trees to peaceful seaside villages, these healing dramas transport us away from the hustle and bustle of city life. They remind us of the importance of taking a mental break, seeking peace, and reconnecting with oneself, illustrating that sometimes, a strike from life might just be the break we didn’t know we needed.
Produced by The Hindu cinema team, this fortnightly column brings you recommendations for films and shows that align with your mood, theme, or pop culture interests. Whether you are a fan of world cinema or Indian cinema, there is always something refreshing waiting to be discovered.
