More Enticing Family Dramas
Mine is the latest Sat/Sun Korean drama to finish its run on tvN. Family drama, a murder mystery and plenty of intriguing ideas about the rich and poor encapsulate this one.
If you’ve finished watching this and are looking for alternatives – fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing.
To keep things simple for skim-readers we’ve added what similarities these have.
Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming Mine on Netflix.
Sky Castle
Similarities – Class Divide & Mystery
Sky Castle boasts one of the highest network ratings and held that accolade for a long time until it was beaten to the post in 2020. It’s a remarkable feat, especially when you look back and see the drama hit a measly 1% with its opening episode.
This satirical drama revolves around four housewives residing in an exclusive residential area, desperate to get their kids into university no matter the cost.
While simple in theory, Sky Castle’s examination of class and culture is partly why the show works as well as it does. Alongside this are numerous thought provoking discussions around the parental pressure of excelling at school. All of this combines to make Sky Castle one of the best Korean dramas out there and a must-watch for any K-drama lover!
You can read our thoughts on Sky Castle in our full season reviews here!
Big Little Lies
Similarities – Characters Keeping Secrets
While the needless second season does dampen the experience somewhat, the first season of Big Little Lies is damn near perfect storytelling. With incredible acting, a slow burn mystery and some great reveals across the 7 episodes, Big Little Lies is an excellent mini-series.
The story follows three Mums and their families. Boisterous Madeline struggles with her children growing up and not needing her anymore whilst simultaneously dealing with conflicted emotions toward husband Ed.
There’s also tensions between Nathan and his new wife Bonnie, while Jane struggles after moving to town and finding her son Ziggy accused of biting Renata’s daughter at school. Their feud is the glue that holds everything together but there’s a much darker central mystery at work.
That comes in form of Celeste who appears to have the perfect life with her twin sons and good-looking husband Perry. Under this sickly veil of smiles and laughter is a volatile relationship built on violence and fear. This one is a must watch!
You can read our thoughts on Big Little Lies in our full season reviews here!
Desperate Housewives
Similarities – Characters, Romance & Mystery
If you haven’t watched Desperate Housewives you’re missing out. On the surface, this looks like a simple, trashy soap opera with little in the way of redeeming features. Only, under the hood is an absorbing and engrossing show that weaves numerous secrets and truths through the lives of female friends in one suburban neighborhood.
The mysterious suicide of a neighbor is the catalyst for all this gossip but it soon materializes in surprisingly compelling ways. The fascinating way these characters progress and the secrets they begin to keep is ultimately what makes this such an enthralling watch.
The Lady in Dignity
Similarities – Deception & Lying
Dark, dramatic and split across 20 episodes, The Lady In Dignity is another Korean drama cracker. The show follows Ah Jin, a beautiful woman who enjoys her luxurious life married into a rich family. Through her wits, she gains the truth of President Ahn, who happens to be her Father-in-law and the head of the house.
When the pair look for a caregiver, they stumble upon plain but cultured Bok-Ja, who seems like the perfect fit for her family. However, Bok-Ja has other plans and after seducing President Ahn, aims to take over the household.
With strong themes about power, it’s ultimately the dynamic between the characters that keeps this one so enthralling. The story itself is okay but the main draw here are the characters, who all do a great job in their respective roles.
The World of the Married
Similarities – Characters & Revenge
The World of the Married is the highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history. And for good reason too. The show is an excellent Korean adaptation of the British series Doctor Foster and manages to balance well written characters with an evolving plot over time.
With a steamy affair taking centre stage, The World Of The Married only grows from strength to strength over the episodes. The story here basically revolves around a married couple whose betrayal of one another leads to a whirlwind of revenge, grief, forgiveness and healing.
It’s also worth noting that the lead actress – Kim Hee-ae – won Best Actress at the Baeksang Arts Awards, and the show bagged itself the Best Director award too. It’s certainly one of the best Korean dramas of 2020 and well worth watching if you haven’t already.
Lie After Lie
Similarities – Lying, Cheating & Characters
Lie After Lie is a classic makjang drama that gets the right balance between soapy melodrama and more subdued moments of quiet reflection.
The story revolves around Ji Eun-Soo, the daughter-in-law of a chaebol family who appears to have everything. Unfortunately her own life takes a turn for the worst when she’s accused of murdering her abusive husband and sentenced to ten years in prison. While there, she gives birth to a baby girl but is heartbreakingly forced to give her up.
Suspecting foul play in this case, Eun-Soo and her Father reach out to journalist Kang Ji-Min to get to the bottom of what’s happened. As the plot thickens, Eun-Soo is killed in a hit and run accident.
This is one crazy drama and to give much more away would be a disservice to the twists and turns along the way. Suffice to say, this is one makjang you should definitely check out.
Graceful Friends
Similarities – Dark Drama & Murder Mystery
Korean drama Graceful Friends is a mature, surprisingly gripping murder mystery. The story revolves around loving husband Goong-Cheol who shows up at an apartment late one night enraged. We then cut to the dead body of a man named Kang-San.
With his friends all covering for him and the real killer unknown for now, a game of “guess who” begins as the events of that night slowly unravel over time.
Despite a lacklustre finale, Graceful Friends serves up a pretty good murder mystery and definitely keeps you guessing until the end. It’s not perfect but it’s definitely worth watching if you fancy something a little more mature and edgy.
You can read our thoughts on Graceful Friends in our full season review here!
VIP
Similarities – Class Divide & Characters Keeping Secrets
VIP is an intriguing little Korean drama, one that centers on Sung Un Department Store. Specifically, its team of employees who find themselves working for VIP clients who happen to be the top 1% of their customers.
At the center of this is Na Jeong-Seon who begins to suspect her husband her colleagues of having an affair. Determined to uncover the truth, what she finds instead are multiple secrets being kept by numerous other colleagues.
The premise itself works well too, with this character-driven story keeping you glued until the very end. It also helps that this series has a decent conclusion too!
Graceful Family
Similarities – Romance, Characters & Mystery
Graceful Family is a suspenseful melodrama revolving around a large company called MC Group. At the heart of this is beautiful Seok-Hee, who’s the only child to her Father who runs the company. While she appears arrogant, she hides a softer core as she continues to be haunted by the memories of her Mother who was killed 15 years before.
This eventually comes to the surface when she meets Yoon-Do, a lawyer who solves problems for neighborhood residents at a restaurant. When Yoon-Do is headhunted to join MC Group, Seok-Hee and Yoon-Do wind up working together to reveal the truth about what happened to Seok-Hee’s Mother.
There’s some great moments peppered in this one and the acting between the cast is ultimately what helps this one stand out the most.
The Penthouse: War On Life
Similarities – Soapy Drama
Korean drama Penthouse is pure Makjang. To Koreans, this term simply means extremely dramatized and exaggerated to the point of turning into an exciting guilty pleasure where anything could happen. This, as it turns out, perfectly exemplifies what The Penthouse has to offer.
With a rare 3 season order and lots of drama across its expansive seasons, Penthouse’s main storyline surrounds a girl called Seol-A who’s pushed off the 49th floor of a lavish apartment complex called Hera Palace to her death. Who pushed her? And why?
There’s a whole array of different characters here and the villains are very easy to hate. If you’re looking for a solid binge-watch, this one’s definitely worth checking out.
You can read our thoughts on The Penthouse in our full season reviews here!
So there we have it, our 10 TV show alternatives to watch when you’re finished with Mine on Netflix.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!