UNKNOWN TO MANY, Korean series (or Koreanovelas, as they’re commonly called in the Philippines) remain my happy pill. Whenever I feel really tired and stressed, I always find my way home, curl up in a corner of my room, and watch Korea’s most loved series till the next morning.

That was true until recent years. These past few years, I found myself too focused on work, tending to forget to relax even a little, and started believing watching Korean series was a waste of time — even on weekends.

Managing a team of around 40 consultants while handling about a hundred accounts and attending various meetings and trainings isn’t easy. The day usually starts early and ends late at night, if not the next morning.

But just before 2016 ended, in the middle of midnight tasks and planning, I decided to watch Korean series again. At long last!

Compared to how addicted I was to Korean series from the 2000s to 2012, these past few years have been barren. That night was the first time I’d watched a series again in years.

It was Song Joong Ki‘s ‘Descendants of the Sun,’ which also features another one of my favorites, Song Hye-kyo (Autumn in my Heart, Full House), before the series aired on GMA Network.

Then, after recovering from nights of sobbing and even full-blown crying over the DOTS finale, I decided to watch Lee Dong Wook and Lee Da Hae‘s comeback series, ‘Hotel King.’

Dong Wook and Da Hae remain my favorite love team, and I’m genuinely amazed they’re still doing series these days. Then Joong Ki joined my list too, alongside Lee Min Ho (Boys Over Flowers) and Gong Yoo (Coffee Prince). That Gong Yoo movie we all loved, ‘Train to Busan,’ last year was a real treat.

If you knew me back in 2010, you’d know my only reason for wanting to go to Korea was to see Gong Yoo and Dong Wook in person. So it feels like the universe has been teasing me lately — somehow, the geniuses of Korean TV worked together for the release of ‘Goblin‘ earlier this year, a series featuring both Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook. And after the series, the two started popping up in cute photos together. Imagine that.

So yes, I’m officially back to watching Korean series.

In fact, it’s even easier now, since I can watch the hottest series online, on the go, especially stuck in traffic.

While mobile data used to be a problem, that’s no longer the case with Smart’s recent boost to their Postpaid Plans. Anyone can now upgrade to a Line-only Postpaid Plan with just a valid ID. Plans start at only P399 a month, with additional data, unlimited texts to all networks, all-network minutes, and free access to Facebook Messenger, Viber, and WhatsApp every month. It’s a great build-your-own-plan experience suited to anyone’s mobile lifestyle.

My recent favorites include Lee Min Ho‘s ‘The Legend of the Blue Sea,’ which I’m thankful to iFlix for, thanks to their free streaming offers for Smart subscribers. Min Ho stars alongside Jun Ji‑hyun in this one.

Busy as I remain, I always make time for an episode or two of my favorite actors’ series.

‘Love in the Moonlight’

While still fascinated with my all-time favorite Korean stars, along comes ‘Love in the Moonlight,’ starring a new breed of actors I barely knew but easily fell for after just a few episodes.

On a few recent nights, when I felt the need to de-stress, I skipped the usual massage or comfort food and clicked online instead to watch a few more episodes. As of this writing, I’m about halfway through the series, and I’m planning to finish it once everything on my plate is handled. Expect me raving about it in another post. For now, I’m still enchanted by Park Bo-gum (featured photo) and his magnetic chemistry with Kim Yoo-jung. I particularly liked how the series leans into a queer subplot. Without a doubt, I’m in love with Korean series again.

Sleepless nights are only better with good Korean series to watch. Check out the titles featured here and let me know your thoughts in the comments. What Korean series would you recommend? Feel free to share below. As a treat, here’s Song Joong Ki showing love to our Park Bo-gum. You’re welcome.