We have quite the selection of shows lined up this month, with every genre imaginable available. From science fiction thrillers to teen dramas and slice-of-life romances, July is jam-packed with fun and action for every viewer.
Here are our top seven shows to mark the seventh month of the year, as we say cheers to a bright and blissful summer.
For Netflix- Fans
Never Have I Ever Season 2
She stole your hearts as the fabulously relatable 15-year-old high school sophomore; Matreyi Ramakrishnan is back to play Devi Vishwakumar in the second season of Never Have I Ever. Teen life is never easy. Friendships, rivalries, and love triangles are the reason why ‘It’s complicated’ is a relationship status. But throw in a dead dad and a difficult mum, and her struggles to reconcile her Indian and American identities and we can only imagine the trauma that Devi is dealing with, even though she takes on high school drama like a boss.
Devi has had her fair share of family issues to deal with in the last season but the finale saw her relationship with her mother on the mend. We are now ready to move on to lighter fare, with awkward fluffy romances and more punchy savage one-liners from Devi. And so our main question heading into season two is – Ben Gross or Paxton Hall-Yoshida?
To find out who Devi chooses, stay tune to season two of Never Have I Ever, which will be released on Netflix on 15 July.
Kingdom: Ashin of the North
Zombie thriller hit Kingdom is back for a special episode. Jun Ji-Hyun headlines as Ashin, reprising the role after the short appearance of her character at the end of season two of the series. The story focuses on Ashin from Hamgyeong in the North of the country and her tragic origin story where she loses her tribe and family to a great betrayal. We follow her journey to seek vengeance as Ashin slowly discovers her mysterious identity, leading her to the origins of the resurrection plant.
Kingdom: Ashin of the North will be released on the platform on 23 July.
For K-Drama Addicts
The Devil Judge
From real-life senior judge-turned screenwriter Moo Yoo Seok comes another legal drama to look forward to. The Devil Judge is set in a dystopian version of South Korea, where people harbour hatred towards their leaders and live in chaos.
In a reality television nightmare-esque setting, trials are held through a courtroom live show aired on television. And in this show, the eponymous character, head trial judge Kang Yo-han (Ji Sung) punishes the dishonest with no mercy, earning himself the nickname ‘devil judge’ and is lauded as a hero of the people. Kim Min Jung plays his greatest rival, Jung Sun Ah, who was born in a low-income family but has risen through the ranks to gain powerful influence over the leaders of society.
Joining the younger cast of actors are Got7’s Park Jin Young and Park Gyu Young, who were former label-mates in JYP entertainment, and promise strong chemistry between their young characters new to the world of law. His character, Kim Ga-On, an associate trial judge who believes in justice, while she plays his childhood friend, Yoon Soo-Hyun, a police detective who tries to expose Kang Yo-han’s dark secrets.
Replacing Mine in tvN’s weekend slot, The Devil Judge premieres on 3 July and is available for streaming on iQiYi.
You Are My Spring
This drama tells the story of adults who still feel like they are seven years old. The delightful Seo Hyun-jin plays Kang Da-Jeong, a young woman who became a hotel concierge manager because she fell in love with an inn in Gangreung as a child. Veteran film actor Kim Dong-Wook plays Joo Young-Do, a psychiatrist who helps people with mental illness go back to living their best lives, while Yoon Park plays an investment firm CEO who pursues our leading lady fervently and knows the way to her heart, almost as if he has read a book on her.
Our main trio is united through the trauma from their childhoods, forming a heartfelt bond as they comfort one another. But as they move into the same old building seeking fresh starts, they become entangled in a perplexing local murder case threatening to disrupt their journey towards growth and love.
You Are My Spring premieres on 5 July.
Police Class
Police class depicts the story of a National Police University campus. Cha Tae Hyun headlines the show as professor Yoo Dong-man, a detective with 20 years of experience in criminal homicide and cyber investigation. Playing our fresh-faced freshman are K-Pop idols, Jung Jin-young and Krystal Jung.
Jin Young is set to play the underdog, as his character Kang Seon-ho is described as a former hacker criminal, who has now entered the police academy. Our female lead Oh Kang Hee is practically his polar opposite, as an intelligent and righteous student whose lifelong dream is to become a police officer. The story begins when our trio forms a team for a joint investigation.
The set-up is nothing new, as we foresee clashes between the two cop freshies opposing personalities, and conflict between the students and their figures of authority. But we cannot say ‘no’ to such charismatic casting, so we are ready to get behind Cha Tae Hyun playing the papa bear mentor guiding them, and we are excited to see the chemistry among our power trio.
Police Class premieres on 26 July on KBS2.
For Cinephiles
Black Widow
The first film of phase four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe must be cursed. Black Widow was delayed three times from its original May 2020 premiere date due to the pandemic. And now it is finally here, in theatres!
It has been way too long since the MCU has had movie release, and we recommend re-watching some Avenger films online before catching up with this film, which is set soon after the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016). Natasha Romanoff finds herself on the run and forced to combat a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must confront the darker parts of her ledger, and deal with a history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an avenger.
We have seen American patriotism, but as we dive into the Black Widow’s origin story, we take a look at her Russian roots as Natasha Romanoff, one of the spies trained in the Red Room, and the Russian counterparts to the avengers as we bid Black Widow a tearful goodbye from the MCU.
We can only pray that there will be no further delays to its premiere date, as Black Widow comes to theatres on 8 July.
In The Heights
From the creator of Hamilton and the director of Crazy Rich Asians comes a summer musical you cannot miss. Based on the eponymous stage musical by Quiara Alegría Hudes and Lin-Manuel Miranda, In The Heights tells the story of a corner in the predominantly Dominican Washington Heights neighbourhood of Upper Manhattan, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tight-knit community. Anthony Ramos headlines as the bodega owner with a magnetic personality, Usnavi, who hustles through his daily grind while singing for the better life that he and the rest of Washington Heights hope for.
In The Heights premieres in local theatres on 8 July.
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