Watercooler Pick
Itaewon Class (Itaewon Keullasseu)
- Series
- Where to Find It: Netflix
- Rating: TV-14
- Release Date: 2020
- Seasons: 1
- Episodes : 16
- Length: 59 minutes
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A young ex-con opens a street-bar in Seoul to take on the conglomerate that ruined his life, enlisting a diverse “found family” to help as come up against class barriers and their own personal demons.
As the upbeat theme plays over a bright montage of the young ensemble cast, you might think you’re in for nothing more than a bunch of crazy kids chasing their dreams. What emerges instead is a binge-worthy saga of love and revenge.
Park Seo-joon – last seen in a minor role in Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar-winning Parasite – plays Park Saeroyi, a swoon-worthy young ex-convict driven to seek revenge as he rises to the top of the Korean food industry. Saeroyi’s nemesis, the crafty old patriarch Jang Dae-hee, puts his underlings through difficult tests to find a worthy successor to the restaurant empire he isn’t quite ready to relinquish.
The last four episodes take a crazy swerve that might seem over-the-top – or perfectly melodramatic, depending on your tastes. Stick around either way.
A colorful, ultimately inspiring tale for budding entrepreneurs, restauranteurs, and empire-builders, Itaewon Class also works as a vicarious adventure through Seoul. It might just prompt you to follow a passion of your own – or stand up for what you believe.
Fellow K-drama fans, underdogs, start-up teams, or anyone looking for a new Succession drama.
You might want to follow this one with Start-Up, the Korean version. It taps the same entrepreneurial energy, with a focus on young founders navigating heartbreak, rivalry and industry giants in pursuit of their tech-business ambitions—and it balances the emotional resonance with the wit and inspiration of Itaewon Class.
- Moods: grip me
- Interests: international
Lara Kristin Herndon
