Stranger Things & More K-Dramas, Movies Recommended by BLACKPINK’s Lisa

Given BLACKPINK’s massive influence across the globe, anything they recommend becomes the holy grail for all BLINKs. Whether it’s their sartorial choices, skincare empties and favourite travel destinations or favourite books, K-dramas or movies – Jennie, Lisa, Jisoo and Rosé have shared their go-to picks with fans over the years. BLACKPINK’s Lisa Manobal is especially known for her love of South Korean dramas, and has shared not only her top K-drama picks but also a trail of mainstream movies and OTT shows she loves watching. From K-drama classics like Goblin and Crash Landing On You to the Netflix wonder Stranger Things and Disney’s Frozen – here are BLACKPINK’s Lisa-recommended K-dramas and movies all BLINKs can add to their watchlist.

In a previous interview with The Swoon (via Sportskeeda) Lisa and Jennie mentioned that out of all the members, they’re the ones most addicted to shows and love binge-watching dramas whenever they can.

It’s also interesting to note that both Lisa and Jennie have ventured into acting recently. Given BLACKPINK’s global domination, Hollywood has set its eyes on all four members. Lisa is all set to debut with the hit HBO series, The White Lotus Season 3. Meanwhile, Jennie was the first of the quartet to make her Hollywood debut with The Idol… alongside The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp.

So if you’re a fan of Lisa or someone simply looking to expand your watchlist for your next binge-watching session, here are the K-pop idol’s top shows and movie picks that are worth watching.

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K-dramas, shows, and movies recommended by BLACKPINK’s Lisa

1. Guardian: The Lonely and Great God

Release year: 2016
Directed by: Lee Eung-bok and Kwon Hyuk-chan
Cast: Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook, Yoo In-n
No. of episodes: 16 + 3 specials
IMDb rating: 8.6

If you’ve been following BLACKPINK, you know Lisa’s a huge fan of Gong Yoo. The K-drama heartthrob has delivered many smashing hits throughout his career, with Goblin undoubtedly being his best role to date. Guardian: The Lonely and Great God aka Goblin stars Gong Yoo in the titular role. The fantasy romance drama follows the story of a goblin named Kim Shin, who is cursed to live forever. His immortality curse can only be reversed by finding his bride, the only person who can pull out the sword which has been stuck in his chest for centuries.

Goblin remains the fifth highest-rated K-drama in Korean cable TV history and is nothing short of a cultural phenomenon in South Korea.

Watch Goblin/Guardian: The Lonely and Great God on Netflix.

2. Twenty-Five Twenty-One

Release year: 2022
Directed by: Jung Ji-hyun
Cast:  Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, Kim Ji-yeon, Choi Hyun-wook
No. of episodes: 16
IMDb rating: 8.6

One of the shows that left Lisa teary-eyed, Twenty-Five Twenty-One is heartwarming but also heart-wrenching at the same time. A drama that reflected the face of reality so beautifully, it is a heartfelt tribute to the sparkling days of youth. It’s a tear-jerker full of life lessons, chronicling the romantic lives of five characters spanning from 1998 to 2021.

The drama has also been recommended by BTS’ Jungkook, Gong Yoo and many more celebrities and its popularity led to Kim Tae-ri emerging as the ‘Nation’s First Love’. Apart from this, Twenty-Five Twenty-One has greatly contributed to the renewed popularity of retro style in South Korea.

Watch Twenty-Five Twenty-One on Netflix.

3. Stranger Things 

Release year: 2016
Directed by:  Duffer Brothers
Cast: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin
No. of episodes: 34
IMDb rating: 8.7

Let’s take you through a fun conversation between Lisa and Rosé during a VLive session that established the former as a true Stranger Things fan.

Lisa: did you watch Stranger Things?
Rosé: no
Lisa: What? I can’t talk with you

Not just Lisa, Netflix’s sci-fi drama has blown over the world with its edge-of-the-seat thrills. While the show needs no introduction, it revolves around the fictional town of Hawkins, plagued by some suspicious supernatural activities. The story is told through Mike, El and their group of friends as they unravel the ‘Upside Down’: a hostile alternate dimension full of malicious creatures that have Travelled over to their world.

Season four ended on a cliffhanger after the main villain, Vecna, destroys the town of Hawkins and kills Eddie while Max is fighting for her life. The fifth and final season of Stranger Things will be the ultimate showdown between El and her gang and the Vecna-ruled Upside Down.

Watch Stranger Things on Netflix.

4. Frozen

Release year: 2013
Directed by: Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee
Cast: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad
IMDb rating: 7.4

BLACKPINK’s Lisa has gushed about Disney’s animated wonder multiple times and rightly so. It’s one film you can watch over and over again without getting bored and easily compares to cult favourites like The Lion King, Aladdin, Tarzan and Snow White. The K-pop idol even dressed up as the lovable snowman Olaf from the movie.

It revolves around the bond of sisterhood between Anna and Elsa, the latter of which possesses magic ice powers. Anna teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic adventure to find and rescue Elsa and free their kingdom from eternal winter.

The film spawned a franchise, including an animated short film Frozen Fever in 2015, a 2017 animated featurette Olaf’s Frozen Adventure and a feature-length sequel, Frozen II, in November 2019.

Watch Frozen on Disney+ Hotstar.

5. Crash Landing on You

Release year: 2019
Directed by: Lee Jeong-hyo
Cast:  Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin, Seo Ji-hye and Kim Jung-hyun
No. of episodes: 16
IMDb rating: 8.7

A heart-melting love story that transcends barriers: Crash Landing on You has all the brilliant K-drama elements that make it so special and probably one of the most popular South Korean dramas across the globe. The perfect blend of comedy, romance and drama, it boasts a heartwarming story, outstanding performances, and breathtaking cinematography. It’s ranked one of the best Korean dramas on Netflix, a reason enough for you to watch it right away. It’s one of the K-dramas that has been highly recommended by BLACKPINK’s Lisa.

When a paragliding mishap lands South Korean heiress Yoon Se-ri in the Demilitarized Zone of North Korea, army officer Ri Jeong-hyeok decides to help her. An (un)expected love story blossoms as he tries to hide and protect Yoon Se-ri.

Watch Crash Landing On You on Netflix.

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6. Penthouse

Release year: 2020
Directed by: Joo Dong-min
Cast: Lee Ji-ah, Kim So-yeon, Eugene
No. of episodes: 48
IMDb rating: 7.9

Another K-drama recommended by BLACKPINK’s Lisa is The Penthouse: War In Life. It is another show Lisa eagerly waited to watch as soon as it premiered. Betrayal, intrigue, twists and melodrama pervade this suspenseful melodrama, which follows the lives of wealthy residents living in a luxurious high-rise apartment building called Hera Palace. Behind the extravagant riches these people live in, lies a complicated web of lies, secrets and treachery to be number one.

Watch Penthouse on Viki.

7. It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

Release year: 2020
Directed by: Park Shin-woo
Cast: Kim Soo-hyun, Seo Yea-ji, Oh Jung-se
No. of episodes: 16
IMDb rating: 8.6

According to Sportskeeda, Jisoo once talked about Lisa’s fascination towards the show. She said, “Lisa always watches dramas while eating…Lisa has also been enjoying It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, so I’m watching it with her. The funny thing is that I find it more enjoyable to watch Lisa watching the drama rather than the drama itself.” It’s Okay to Not Be Okay is a superhit rom-com Netflix drama that touches upon the themes of mental Health, trauma, and healing.

It follows the story of a psych ward caretaker Moon Kang Tae, and an antisocial children’s book writer Go Moon Young. While Tae doesn’t seem to have the time for love, Young, who is rumoured to have an antisocial personality disorder, never seems to have known love. It’s just about time as the two begin to heal each other’s emotional wounds.

Watch It’s Okay Not To Be Okay on Netflix.

(Main and feature image: lalalalisa_m/ Instagram)

This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia India.