Sign language is a beautiful harmony created by hands and listened to with hearts. This time, we recommend eight Korean dramas and films that showcase the beauty of a silent world where deaf characters communicate using sign language. Discover these Korean dramas and movies that embrace silence and highlight the unspoken bonds between the characters below.
8 Captivating Korean Dramas and Films with Sign Language
Korean movies and drama series are perfect tools for global education about sign language. Although it’s not as simple as just reading a script, many actors have successfully portrayed deaf characters and used sign language. Here are some Korean dramas and films with sign language that you must watch.
Korean Dramas
1. “Twinkling Watermelon” (2023)
“Twinkling Watermelon” is the first Korean drama series on this list with sign language. It follows the story of an ordinary student named Ha Eun Gyeol, who is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). Through a mysterious music store, he experiences time travel from the year his father and mother first met in high school.
Eun Gyeol is determined to reunite his parents, who are deaf and return to his present year, 2023. Featuring Ryeon, Choi Hyuk Wook, Seol In Ah, and Shin Eun Soo, the series is available to watch on TVING, Viu, and Viki,
@agaceyfagutao0626 Yi chan has his own version of sign language and cheong ah can understand easily.🤣 #twinklingwatermelon ♬ Love – Slowly
2. “Tell Me That You Love Me” (2023)
“Tell Me That You Love Me” is a romance melodrama that follows the love journey of Cha Jin Woo, a deaf artist, and Jung Mo Eun, an aspiring actress. When they meet and befriend each other, Mo Eun starts learning sign language and appreciates his silent world. Moreover, both begin learning to navigate communication, relationships, and love. Starring Jung Woo Sung and Shin Hyun Been, this heartwarming Kdrama is available on Disney+ and Hulu.
@vanessajoyce440 She’s so cute learning it🥺 #tellmethatyouloveme #tellmethatyoulovekdrama #tellmeyouloveme #jungwoosung #shinhyunbeen #kdrama #koreandrama #kdramalover #fypシ #fyp #foryou #foryoupage ♬ original sound – songs n lyrics
3. “A Shop for Killers” (2024)
“A Shop for Killers” is a Korean action thriller that tells the story of a college student, Jung Ji Ahn, who inherits a secret online shop following the shocking news of her uncle’s suicide. In this series, one of her uncle’s friends, Honda (Park Jung Woon ), who is deaf and skilled in martial arts, protects her at her uncle’s request.
Although his appearance is brief, his character successfully steals the viewers’ attention. Led by Lee Dong Wook and Kim Hye Joon, the action thriller series is available on Disney+ and Hulu.
@ily.tryae he needed more screen time. #ashopforkillers #parkjeongwoo #fyp #viral #edit #kdrama #kdramaedit scp: kxdramascenes | cr: @☆ ♬ original sound – tryae
4. “When the Phone Rings” (2024)
The latest popular Korean drama series with sign language is “When the Phone Rings.” It tells the story of the romance and mystery between the married couple Baek Sa Eon and Hong Hui Ju. Hong Hui Ju is mute for a reason; she communicates with sign language and written notes to her family and husband, Baek Sa Eon.
Married for convenience, both begin to learn about each other’s feelings following the horrific kidnapping of Hong Hui Ju. Furthermore, Baek Sa Eon is willing to learn sign language to understand his wife better. Starring Yoo Yeon Seok, Chae Soo Bin, Heo Nam Jun, and Jang Gyu Ri, the romance thriller series is available on Netflix and Wavve.
@nocturnalkdrama When he rejected her he told her you dont just have to be a puppet for your mum. He might not have wanted to pressure her becuase he knows her mum tries to control all her actions even regarding him. Anyway i can see a scandal happening at work where he gets too close to her and there are rumors he’s cheating on his wife with her and she gets a bunch of abuse that he has to reveal that she’s actually his wife 😂😂😂 or when it does get revealed a nepotism scandal 😭 #kdramas #whenthephonerings #netflixkdrama #kdrama #chaesoobin #kdramalover #kdrama2024 #kdramafyp #whenthephoneringskdrama ♬ original sound – NK
Korean Movies
1. “Silenced” (2011)
The Korean movie “Silenced” is a film that changed South Korea. The story is the live adaptation of the novel “The Crucible” by Gong Ji Young, which is based on a true story that took place in the early 2000s at the Gwangju Inhwa School, a school for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
The film tells the story of a horrible happening in which a principal and some teachers committed sexual violence against deaf students. Surprisingly, the perpetrators received minimal sentences.
Following the film’s release in September 2011, the public demanded that the government conduct a re-investigation and revise the law concerning sexual crimes against minors and individuals with disabilities. Known as the Dogani Bill, the law was passed in late October of the same year.
The influential film stars Gong Yoo, Jung Yu Mi, Kim Hyun Soo, Jung In Seo, and Baek Seung Hwan.
2. “Glove” (2011)
Another Korean film based on a true story with sign language is “Glove.” Release in 2011, the film brought the theme of sports and drama. It follows Kim Sang Nam, a former professional baseball star with a short-tempered personality, who is assigned to coach a group of youth with hearing impairment.
Although he had doubts and difficulties teaching them baseball, he started to believe that they could play the game and prepare them for the national game over time. This inspiring film stars top actors like Jung Jae Young, Yoo Sun, Jo Jin Woong, Kang Shin Il, and Kim Mi Kyung.
3. “Bori” (2018)
The Korean film “Bori” is a heartwarming family movie. The story follows a young CODA named Bori, the only person in the family who can hear. This situation makes her feel alienated and wish to be deaf.
4. “Hear Me: Our Summer” (2024)
“Hear Me: Our Summer” is a Korean film with sign language that follows the love, life, and dreams of Yong Jun, Yeo Reum, and Go Eul. Yong Jun has just graduated from college and does not know what to do next. He then decided to work as a part-timer in his parents’ lunchbox shop.
Meanwhile, Yeo Reum is a dedicated sister who works hard to continue supporting her younger sister in swimming. Go Eul is working hard to achieve her dream of participating in the Olympics.
This film is sweet, inspiring, and heartwarming, deepening our understanding of deaf culture, self-love, friendship, and dreams.
Which one of the Korean dramas and movies mentioned above have you watched? And which one would you recommend to others to watch?
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