K-Drama continued its fascination with supernatural, vampire tales with the release of "Scholar Who Walks the Night." Set within the Joseon period, "Scholar Who Walks the Night" is an action-packed series that features swordfights and equestrian race scenes. While netizens have weighed in on the somewhat displaced soundtrack and hit-or-miss special effects, "Scholar Who Walks the Night" could be one of the strongest vampire dramas of 2015.
The first half of 2015 has witnessed the launch of the vampire-centric series "Blood" and "Orange Marmalade."
"Blood" was based on the premise that vampire-turned-surgeon Park Ji Sang (Ahn Jae Hyun) was forced to prevent medical experiments which aimed to genetically engineer humans into nocturnal bloodsuckers. The series starred Gu Hye Sun as Yoo Ri Ta, a sweet-tempered nod to Bella Swan, whose love for Ji Sang superceded the fact that he was a supernatural being.
"Orange Marmalade" approaches vampirism from a social justice perspective. The series kicked off with vampires residing alongside humans in an alternate reality where they are closely monitored by the government. A tenuous treaty formed during the Joseon Period creates order, but the vampires remain spectacles to humanity.
AOA's Seolhyun stars as Baek Ma Ri, a self-loathing vampire teen, who wishes she could create music. Yeo Jin Goo is Jung Jae Min, a popular student, who is inexplicably drawn to Ma Ri. Their potential relationship is interrupted by the introduction of CNBLUE's Lee Seung Hyun as Si Hoo, a slightly feral vampire, who is unwilling to play by the rules.
The series segued from a contemporary setting to the Joseon Period, where it continues to explore the events which led to the treaty between humanity and the night dwellers.
"Orange Marmalade" and "Scholar Who Walks the Night" are both based on popular webtoons and are currently set within the Joseon age. However, "Scholar Who Walks the Night" has the edge of its cast. Lee Joong Gi has previously starred in numerous period dramas. Lee Yoo Bi won over audiences with her role in the 2013 supernatural period series "Gu Family Book" and Kim So Eun led "Horse Doctor."
Which vampire drama is your favorite? Vote in the poll and comment below.
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About the writer: Adrienne Stanley is a contributing editor for KDramastars. She is also a contributing writer for KpopStarz, MTV Iggy, Viki and CJ Entertainment's KCON blog. Her passions include a love of K-pop and Asian drama. When she is not writing, she is hanging out on Twitter (@retrogirladdy).
