The Eighth Sense

This 2023 South Korean series tells the story of a student from a small town who starts university in Seoul. Ji-hyun cannot connect with anyone in the new city; when he joins the surfing club he meets Jae-won, an older student who has just finished his military service, and a closeness builds quickly between them. The story centres the romance but directs its real interest at what the two carry: a loss in Jae-won's family and the depression that came with it shape the relationship throughout. The production belongs to the Korean queer romance tradition while keeping away from the genre's usual lightness, using silence generously. The contrast between the surfing scenes and the small rooms of Seoul is the basis of its visual language. It runs ten episodes. Who it's for: viewers who like slow queer romantic drama. Who it's not for: anyone who would rather not approach depression and suicidal thought; the series deals with them openly.