With another one of our weekday watches having come to an end, we are looking for replacements for The Good Bad Mother to fill our days. One of the signs that a story is good is that you want more of it. That is why we have compiled this list of series and movies that you can watch to help you through the blues of missing The Good Bad Mother.
1. Doctor Cha
This Korean drama, which we have called the Korean Anupamaa so many times, has been quite a hit, and it is exactly what you should tune in for if you are in the mood for another story with a superhero mother at the forefront of things. Young Soon in The Good Bad Mother was a hardworking woman who dedicated her life to being a single mother and giving her child the best possible life. In Doctor Cha, Jeong Suk is starting a journey of living for herself. While it may seem like the motivations of both women are vastly different, the stories are similar in the way they depict the resilience of women in giving themselves and the people around them the best of life.
2. The Glory
If elaborate revenges are your cup of tea, The Glory delivers it sizzling hot. You need a bit of a strong stomach and some patience to watch this series, and the scenes of violent bullying might have you staring out of the window for a while. But what gets you at the end is a commentary on the nature of revenge itself, with it being an outlet for anger and a way to make peace with oneself while seeking justice by doing what was done to them. In The Good Bad Mother, Kang Ho’s revenge felt a little lacking. He did what he had set out to do, but due to his circumstances, he had to improvise his plans. He got what he wanted, but it would have been way more satisfying if everything had been in his control right from the beginning. That may have better made up for the strained relationship between Kang Ho and Young Soon and the life they had to lead with each other. We get that kind of planning in The Glory, making it worth a watch.
3. Divorce Attorney Shin
Ye Jin, Seo Jin, and Kang Ho’s equation was the most fun part of The Good Bad Mother, and it is one of the series’ tragedies that they did not get enough screen time. That can be made up for by watching Divorce Attorney Shin, where the bromance of Shin Sung Han, Jo Jeong Sik, and Jang Hyung Geun will have you laughing out loud. Young Soon and Kang Ho’s story was heavy on emotion, and though there was enough humor, it was often eclipsed by the more serious side of things. If you want to watch something with the scales reversed, Divorce Attorney Shin is the one for you.
4. 18 Again
This is if you want more of Lee Dong Wook. He was a 35-year-old with the mind of a 7-year-old in The Good Bad Mother. In 18 Again, he is a 40-year-old man trapped in the body of an 18-year-old. This is also the story of a second chance in life and how some mistakes, by ourselves and by others, may have given us exactly what we want. And even if we are left lacking something, there is a way to make peace with things by counting our blessings. This is the remake of the American movie 17 Again, starring Zac Efron, but trust us when we say that this takes the cake with its exaggerated humor and outlandish situations.
5. Never Have I Ever
You may have found yourself wondering till the end whether Young Soon was a good mother or a bad one, given the clash of her intentions and her means of fulfilling them. Never Have I Ever is not a Korean drama, but it presents a similar question regarding the relationship between Nalini and Devi, especially in Season 1. It helps that India and Korea share similar family values and culture, which makes it easy to understand what Nalini’s ideas of parenting are based on. Nalini and Young Soon are in similar situations, with both of them having lost their husbands and now trying to gather their life to provide the best for their children. Devi is not as collected as Kang Ho or nearly as tragic, but that might be a welcome change after the weight of Kang Ho’s struggles in his series.
6. Sky Castle
Even if you haven’t watched it, you must have heard of it. In a way, it can be said that Young Soon was a softer and more conscientious version of the Sky Castle mothers. Young Soon’s harsh upbringing of Kang Ho was mostly in the background of the narrative after being briefly addressed in the first two episodes. Sky Castle‘s entire storyline is about how mothers work behind the scenes to tailor the lives and futures of their husbands and their children. You cannot stop watching once you start this.
7. Kill Boksoon
This one is a movie, and out here as a recommendation if you do not want to commit to a full-length drama again. This is also the story of a mother, and though she is not as overbearing as Young Soon, her relationship with her daughter and their struggle to understand each other is at the heart of the story. It doesn’t hurt that the action is so good, and throughout it all, there is a woman who refuses to be bogged down by anything. Whether you want to watch something like The Good Bad Mother or if you just want to watch something good, Kill Boksoon should be on your list.
The Good Bad Mother was a sweet, well-thought-out story that felt a little too convenient in parts. Regardless, it was a beautiful watch, and we are officially fans of Ra Mi Ran (who plays Young Soon). It is only for her that we have added Black Dog: Being a Teacher to our watchlist. As for Lee Dong Wook, we can expect to cry with each one of his dramas, so we will remember that the next time we know he is starring in something. Until then, we hope that this list suffices for you to dig deeper into the K-drama world.
