Five (5) Korean Dramas to Watch at the ‘Midnight’ Hour

Are you a Kdrama addict suffering from insomnia?  Or not.  Maybe you’re just up late and don’t feel like sleeping.  There are five (5) Korean dramas with the word “Midnight” in the title, but they are not Cinderella stories. Two (2) reviews have already been published via PopGeeks because the series was released in 2024. If interested, below are three (3) more K-dramas watch list recommendations.

 

• • (1)  PG Review: The Midnight Studio (2024):  This series is a fantasy about a photo studio that takes customers after midnight and the people who want their photographs taken have already died. People always want to know a person’s last words. Why not ask for a last photo of how you want to be remembered?

 

• (2)  PG Review: The Midnight Romance in Hagwon (2024):  This series is a romance. Lots of young students have crushes on their teachers. Perhaps they have fantasized about having a relationship with them. But not many students grow up, become a teacher, get a job where their teacher works, and fall in love with them. Why not? After all, they are both now consenting adults. 

♦ (3) Midnight (2021)

• Genre: MOVIE: Crime, (Creepy) Psychological Thriller, Action, Horror
• IMDb Rating: 6.5 out of 10 stars
• My Drama List: 8.4 out of 10 stars
• Rotten Tomatoes: 5 out of 5 stars

STORYLINE:  Psychopathic killers are already a menace to society. But if you become the target of a psychopath and you’re deaf … how on earth will the innocent victim overcome the odds?

• (NOTE: Glad this is a movie. I can’t stand the thought of a deaf person being terrorized for several episodes.)

Main Characters:

• Do-Sik (Wi Ha-Joon, “Squid Game 1 and 2”, “Bad and Crazy”, “Little Women”, “The Worst of Evil”, “Gyeongseong Creature”, “The King: Eternal Monarch”, )
• Kyung-Mi (Jin Ki-Joo, “Uncle Samsik”)

Where to watch

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Korean thriller “Midnight” weaponizes perception, creating a deceptively devious night of horror. | Elements of Madness

Midnight Film Review: A Master Class in Building Tension | Grimoire of Horror

WATCH TRAILER:

MVP Entertainment India. “Midnight Official Trailer (Korean).” YouTube Video. YouTube, April 12, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2JrakzMeiI.‌

♦ (4) Café Midnight (2020) ~ Korean Specials

• Genre: Time-and-Space Fantasy
• IMDb Rating: 3 seasons; 2 episodes each; Ratings vary by each special episode

STORYLINE:  There is a café that only opens at midnight and when the doors open, various customers enter, each with their own interesting and unusual story. Sometimes they have secrets that must be revealed. The time period may be different depending on the person’s story. One woman was left at the altar on her wedding day, only to meet her fiancé again at the café. What happened?

The moral of each episode? Timing is everything!

Main Characters:

• Nam Goong-Yoon (played by Chae Seo-Jin)
• Ahn Tae-Young (played by Lee Yi-Kyung, “Marry My Husband”, “Royal Secret Agent”)
• Café Midnight Owner (played by Shin Joo-Hwan, “Arthdal Chronicles 1 and 2”)

Where to watch: Tubi TV – S1, S2, S3

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Drama Review: Cafe Midnight Season 1 | Asiantv4u

Cafe Midnight Season 2: Hip Up! Hit Up! (2021) Reviews | MyDramaList

KDrama Review: Cafe Midnight Season 3: The curious stalker | K&J Reviews

WATCH TRAILER:

tvN Movies. “Café Midnight | TvN Movies.” YouTube Video. YouTube, February 21, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9que3T1SCc.‌

♦ (5) Midnight Runners (2017)

• Genre: MOVIE: Dark Comedy, Action
• IMDb Rating: 7.3 out of 10 stars
• My Drama List: 8.7 out of 10 stars
• Letterboxd: 3.8 out of 5 stars
• Rotten Tomatoes: 5 out of 5 stars
• Viki viewers rated this film 9.7 out of 10 stars

STORYLINE:  OK! So maybe you two guys weren’t the top star students and the best of the best at KNPU (Korean National Police University). But suppose you both witness a woman being kidnapped? Does your mediocre training kick in and you risk your life to become heroes who save the damsel in distress? After all, technically, you aren’t real cops yet. Suppose you uncover that the crime you witnessed involves more than just kidnapping. According to the training you’ve received, 7 hours is the critical time period to save someone. The clock is ticking.

• (NOTE: This is a dark comedy but some of scenes are kind of intense and scary. You won’t laugh all the way through this movie.)

Main Characters:

• Ki-Joon (played by Park Seo-Jun, “Divine Fury”)
• Hee-Yeol (played by Kang Ha-Neul, “Forgotten”, “Curtain Call”)

Where to watch

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Midnight Runners Is A Dark Story Wrapped in A Fantastic Comedy | hallyureviews

“Midnight Runners” is an Enjoyable Action Film That Addresses Human Trafficking | K-Culture with Jae-Ha Kim

Park Seo Joon: Best Korean Dramas Released 2012-2023 | PopGeeks

WATCH TRAILER:

Lotte Entertainment (International. “Midnight Runners | Official Teaser Trailer | INTL.” YouTube Video. YouTube, June 13, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJf3lqjosUo.‌