AfterNoona Delight: KDrama Dishing and Deep Dives

Like a TV show and wish there was a Kdrama like it? (Because you know, Kdramas do it better.) Well today, we hope we help you out with that, as we discuss popular western shows and their possible Kdrama counterparts. Ready to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week we're diving into the delicious details—our favorite microtropes in K-drama! We've covered the big ones (enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, "I can fix him"), but now we want to talk about those smaller, niche story elements that add that extra spark. You know: the hero who perpetually rolls up his shirtsleeves, the secret cat dad, the boss babe who can't organize her own life (Love Scout, anyone?), the heroine who burns water, the hero who cooks like a dream, meaningful tattoos—all those little touches that make you swoon.We get a lot of great feedback from the Patreon, but what are your favorite K-drama microtropes? Let us know!Ready to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It's back! It's back! SINGLES INFERNO IS BACK, and your noonas are all in on season 5 so far. We are turning up the heat and sharing our sizzling takes on this year's cast and the vibe of the new season. Find out if we have any favorites right out of the gate, why we think wardrobe choices matter, and how chopping carrots can be hot. It's cold as hell where two-thirds of your noonas are, but we're fired up about the new Singles Inferno.Ready to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're back with another Trope Talk and this time we're talking about the toxic bad boys (and girls) who shaped our childhoods and why we're still into it. Kdramas are rife with characters we want to fix, and we break them all down, from popular characters to some risky takes.Ready to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

2026 might be just beginning, but your Afternoona's are looking at endings. In particular endings that didn't quite land for us so we took a stab at rewriting them. See if you agree :)And warning: Lia almost WAS ended the morning she recorded. Seriously. Amy doesn't need to use the "Amy Button" to shut down the story, but fair warning it's pretty gross.Ready to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Happy New Year, everyone! Today, we're taking a look back at 2025 to see (for us) which K-Dramas were hits, which were misses, and what scenes from our favorite dramas of the year still live rent free in our minds. K-Pop Recs of the Year:"What it Sounds Like" by Huntrix (Ejae, Rei Ami, & Audrey Nuna)"Background" by Jin"Killin' It Girl" by J-Hope (feat. GloRilla)"CHEST" by JUST BReady to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Get in Babes, We're Going to the Cottage. Amy, Lia, and Megan take a departure from Seoul and dive headfirst in Canada to talk about our new obsession, the queer hockey romance TV series, Heated Rivalry, based on the Game Changers book series by Rachel Reid. This isn't a deep dive, and instead we discuss all the ways that the show's creator Jacob Tierney nails the romance novel conventions and gives us the best romance adaptation we have ever seen. Also, we learn rivalry is a hard word to say out loud repeatedly.Books mentioned:Hamartia by Scarlett DrakeShow Me Wonders by Riley NashThe Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi LeeReady to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What makes us fall in love with a character in the first five minutes? Amy, Megan, and Lia explain "Save the Cat" moments—the scenes that instantly make us root for someone before we even know their story. From unexpected acts of kindness to revealing vulnerabilities, they dissect how the best dramas hook us emotionally and why some characters stay with us. Whether you're a casual viewer or a storytelling obsessive, this conversation will change how you watch your favorite shows.K-Pop Rec of the Week: Not Cute Any More by IllitSave the Cat: The Language of StorytellingReady to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In today's episode, Megan and Sarah (from AfterNoona Asks) discuss Black Out, an unforgettable 2024 drama with more twists than a pretzel. Just a note, we recorded this podcast in July of 2025. Sorry for the delay in getting it out!Ready to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

There's an unspoken hierarchy in TV here where romance is tolerated as a subplot but rarely trusted to carry a series. Why do you think American platforms are comfortable betting hundreds of millions on crime, fantasy, and superheroes but get nervous about a straightforward love story? This week, your noonas tackle this very questions and are making a plea to the streaming channels. We know romance. We know K-dramas. Please, for the love of the highest grossing genre in publishing, hear us out as to why we need to follow the K-Drama model and adapt more romance novels for the small screen.Books Mentioned on This EpisodeRaiders of the Lost Heart by Jo SeguraHamartia by Scarlett DrakeA Night To Surrender by Tessa DareI Love You Like it's 1999 by AJ PinePlaying For Her Heart by Megan EricksonThe E.M.M.A. Effect by Lia RileyReady to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

For this month's uncensored, Lia put together a few winter themed K-drama games for the group to play. Join us for some "Hear me out..." snowball, some naughty or nice K-drama superlatives, and what K-Drama moments/experiences have been our highlights of 2025.*Spoiler warning...Amy accidentally spoils the end of My Dearest without warning at 19:45 when she reads a Patreon "Hear me out..." If you don't want to be spoiled, skip ahead to 20:11! All other spoilers are announced!Ready to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Lia and Megan go full English class today as we discuss the parallels between Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein and the 2023 Kdrama Mask Girl. Sound wild? Well, it kind of is, but here us out...Ready to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week Lia, Megan and Amy get into The Bechdel Test in Korean dramas. How does a piece of media pass The Bechdel Test? It has to meet three criteria: it must feature at least two women, the two women must have a conversation with each other, and the conversation must not be about a man. This should not be a high bar...and yet? And...yet.K-Pop Rec of the Week: Spaghetti by La Sserafim (featuring J-Hope of BTS)Ready to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week Amy and Megan unpack why quiet, low stakes dramas are just what they need right now. We discuss the comfort of predictability, the joy of getting to just hang out with good characters, and what it's like to finally feel the Song Joong-ki effect. Join us for overalls, floppy hats, and moving plants from here to there in My Youth. Ready to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In today's episode, we chat about what we're currently watching, and how we grapple with navigating fandom spaces when faced with moral dilemmas. We get deep and vulnerable, but end with hope, as we always try to do.Vulgar History PodcastPassion: A Novel of Romantic Poets by Jude MorganReady to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It's almost October 31st so join your Afternoonas Megan, Amy and Lia for a conversation on all that frights and delights with Korean Dramas. What hair gave you a jump scare? Best villain? Ideas for future scary dramas? Also, Lia fights her yearly (lonely) battle demanding justice for Almond Joys. Ready to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

This week we're framing our Uncensored episode around the ideas of escape and comfort. What dramas help us escape? What dramas bring us comfort? And how do the two idea overlap? Amy and Megan also offer their reactions to Genie Make a Wish, episode 1 to see if their thoughts sell Lia on the drama. Book Recommendation: Forbidden Wish by Jessica KhouryReady to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this week's episode, we discuss time travel in all its forms, from our experiences writing it, to our enjoyment of watching it in Kdramas. Books mentioned:Puck and Prejudice by Lia RileyI Love you Like It's 1999 by A.J. PineThe Seven Year Slip by Ashley PostonOona Out of Order by Margarita MontimoreThe Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey NiffeneggerThe Husbands by Holly GramazioReady to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Before Parasite made him a household name, Bong Joon-ho crafted a haunting masterpiece. Memories of Murder (released in 2003) tells the story of two detectives in 1980s rural South Korea hunting the country's first known serial killer...a case that would remain unsolved for over 30 years. Based on the true story of the Hwaseong serial murders, the film is a devastating exploration of incompetence, corruption, and misogyny. Join Lia & Megan as we revisit the muddy fields, cramped interrogation rooms, and that final iconic haunting shot. Note: We recorded this episode in early June right before Lia went to South Korea. This was before we began using video software so please note that component won't be included in this episode. Ready to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

To celebrate this week's release of a NEW Taylor Swift album, Lia and Megan indulged their Swiftie, Amy, in a fun little exercise. The game? Assigning TS song titles--one from each album--to the K-Drama we think it embodies. That's it! Mouse crypt and true crime stories are just the icing on the cake. We hope you'll play along!Spotify Playlist for this Episode"I Did Something Bad" from Reputation TourReady to download your first audiobook? Don't forget to click HERE for your free Audible trial.*Audible is a sponsor of Afternoona Delight Podcast*Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. And check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness. And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for "thinky, thirsty and over thirty" takes on Bangtan life. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★