Nam-soon possesses extraordinary super strength, a trait that has been passed down in her family for centuries. Interestingly, Park’s Do Bong-soon, her second cousin, makes a cameo appearance in the story. In October 2023, there are ten highly anticipated new Korean drama series to watch out for.
Geum-joo has spent the last decade participating in a global annual contest for strong young women, hoping to find her daughter. Meanwhile, Nam-soon has been raised by adoptive sheepherding parents in the Mongolian steppe. However, Nam-soon eventually remembers her name and her hometown, Gangnam, a neighborhood inhabited by Korea’s elite. Determined to reunite with her mother, Nam-soon learns the Korean language by watching Korean TV shows and saves up money by herding sheep.
After ten years, Nam-soon finally accumulates enough money to return to South Korea, but just before her arrival, another young Chinese-Korean woman named Ri Hwa-ja wins the contest and is embraced by Geum-joo. While some are skeptical, Geum-joo wholeheartedly believes that Ri Hwa-ja is her long-lost daughter.
Upon arriving at the airport, the real Nam-soon encounters Kang Hee-sik, a young narcotics officer who searches her belongings for drugs. He temporarily seizes some of Nam-soon’s treasured possessions, including a mysterious golden wand. However, he promises to assist her in finding her mother. Excited and curious, Nam-soon explores the land she once called home, a place she only knew through K-dramas during her childhood.
Meanwhile, the neighborhood of Gangnam is plagued by a drug problem. Hee-sik tirelessly investigates the sources of these drugs, while Geum-joo takes it upon herself to clean up the community. Unbeknownst to them, their search leads them to the charming drug lord Ryu Si-o, assisted by Geum-joo’s powerful mother Gil Joong-gan, who also possesses supernatural abilities.
Although Strong Girl Nam-soon is more vibrant and eager to please compared to its predecessor, it lacks the same emotional impact. The show has a higher budget and more vivid colors, but the protagonist, portrayed by Lee Yoo-mi, occasionally comes off as irritating. Nevertheless, Park Hyung-sik, a K-drama star and K-pop singer, makes an appearance in the series.
As expected, following in the footsteps of a modern K-drama classic presents its challenges. With its frothy style and reliance on familiar stereotypes, Strong Girl Nam-soon feels like a product of the post-global-boom Korean drama era. Nam-soon, despite being a Korean character, is portrayed as a foreigner with an idealized view of Korea, tailored to appeal to the massive global K-drama fan base. She also has a distinct and unlikely speaking style, avoiding honorifics.
The increased budget allows for grander action sequences; however, they tend to be overly cartoonish. The visual effects for super strength still appear cheap, and the more ambitious action scenes in Strong Girl Nam-soon feel awkward. For instance, Nam-soon’s arrival at Incheon Airport is jarringly unrealistic, as she stops a skidding plane and emerges unharmed. In contrast, Bong-soon’s heroic acts in saving a bus full of children were executed using creative edits rather than subpar visual effects.
Furthermore, Geum-joo’s pursuit of drug dealers during her nocturnal adventures, clad in tight leather attire while riding a motorcycle, brings to mind Halle Berry’s portrayal of Catwoman, which received negative reviews.
Ultimately, Nam-soon embarks on a thrilling adventure in Gangnam, but whether it will leave a lasting impression remains to be seen.
You can stream Strong Girl Nam-soon on Netflix.
