Crash Landing on You was recommended to me by three people with vastly different tastes, and that immediately gave me the impression that this is a really good show. (Well, that and the perfect Rotten Tomatoes score.) The show follows Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin), a South Korean businesswoman who, while paragliding, gets caught up in a tornado and crash-lands in North Korea. When Ri Jeong-hyeok (Hyun Bin), captain of the Korean People's Army, finds her, he decides to protect her and help her return home.
First off, I was immediately sold on the chemistry between Jeong-hyeok and Se-ri. I love how they went from having such an awkward first encounter to being so smitten with each other, and none of it felt artificial or rushed. I really enjoyed seeing their feelings develop over time, even as they navigated intense scrutiny, harsh economic realities and the tension between their home countries. But guys, this swoon-worthy romance isn't the only factor that makes the show bingeable.
Back in South Korea, drama abounds as a Succession-esque scenario unfolds. Now that Se-ri is unable to succeed her father and take over his empire, her half-siblings are more than eager to take her place, and this only creates more tension and chaos. It's so intriguing to see how the dysfunctional family attempts to move on without her, even as they scramble to maintain their image.
This show has romance, humor, mystery, action and everything in between, but I think what makes it so appealing is its universal themes, from dealing with cultural divides to having a strained relationship with family.
PureWow Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
