Hi Divas

I have always absolutely adored watching foreign series and films. The fact that Netflix has an array of options to choose from makes me extremely happy. Now depending on which country, you live in and what languages you can speak, what is foreign to you might not be the same for me. I live in South Africa and speak English and Afrikaans on a daily basis. Therefore, anything outside that circle is considered foreign language series and films to me. I studied French in high school for a few years and have picked up on a few Arabic words while working in the Middle East. My ear therefore is quite accustomed and trained to pick up on certain words and common phrases. What I enjoy most about watching foreign dramas, is the fact that the brain can easily store and memorize phrases and words from other languages. I feel like I learn a new language while being entertained at the same time. It's honestly such a wonderful experience to me. Sine watching series I would be able to greet, say thank you and ask how are you in Hindi and Turkish too. How crazy is that? I'm still working on Korean and Urdu though, as those are the hardest for me to learn. Besides learning new languages for free I love the unique story lines and dramas that each country has to offer. They use different formulas and filming styles compared to Western media. I have studied film studies in university and can easily pick up on these different styles and techniques of telling stories. If you can get passed reading subtitles, as most people cannot stand it, you would really open up your horizon to different cultures, unique stories and learn a few new words. Below are my absolute favourite shows that I have enjoyed watching and recommend.


1. Love is In The Air/ Yer Gok Ask (Turkish)
Based in the beautiful Turkish city Cappadocia a poor village girl, Havva, with the help of her aunt develops a devious plan to trap a rich and handsome business man, Yusuf, to fall in love with her. The ultimate goal is to marry him and gain wealth for her family, as Yusuf's family is the most prominent within the area. Her plan starts to fall flat as she starts to develop real feelings for him and her games are about to be revealed. The story is filled with intrigue as each minor character has their own selfish agendas and end up back stabbing each other for their own gain. It is one of the best drama love stories I have ever watched as each character is not one dimensional. They show different lengths each one would go to fulfill their own desires. There are two seasons to this show but Netflix currently only has one. The episodes are quite long, so it's worth a watch and getting invested into the show.

2. Hello, My Twenties (Korean)
I randomly stumbled upon this show one fine day and immediately fell in love with it. It's about 5 university students living together in a student house, each coming from different backgrounds. They have to navigate living peacefully with each other while dealing with clashing personalities and different life goals. Each girl has a secret or insecurity that gets revealed within the episodes. The girls unknowingly help each other to overcome their past fears, failures and teach them life skills. It's a wonderful story filled with comedy, thriller and full on drama. I could truly relate to this series as I lived in women student houses for four years during my university studies. No matter what age you are you will enjoy it has it is a coming of age story and we have all been through it or are still going through it. There are two seasons to the show and the episodes are not that long.

3. Secret Of The Nile (Arabic)
This has to be the only Arabic series that I have come across on Netflix. It is based on the original Grande Hotel series which is also featured on the website. The story is set in the 1950's in Egypt and has only one season. It follows a man named Ali on the search for his missing sister Doha. She has been working at the grand hotel but stopped sending letters or any form of communication to her brother. Ali realises that his sister has mysteriously vanished and may have been murdered. He decides to take up a waitering job at the hotel to do his own private investigations as to what truly happened to his sister. This show is filled with intrigue, surprises and thriller. I just love the way it was filmed and how each character was so genuinely portrayed. It's a wonderful story with great acting. The mystery of Doha will seriously surprise you as it does not follow a conventional missing person route. Watch it for the suspense!


4. Badalte Rishton Ki Dastaan (Hindi)
The title of the show is translated into 'A Tale of Fickle Relationships'. The series opens up with grieving Nandini, a recent widow to her husband Anirudh. He died in a fatal accident and leaves his wife and family empire behind. They were a young couple about to start a family. Shock and surprise knocks at the door as Meera, Anirudh's girlfriend rocks up at the family home to sympathise with them while carrying his unborn child. Nandini has no idea Meera was her husband's mistress and Meera has no idea Anirudh was even married. The complete dismay sends shock waves through the house when the whole truth is revealed. Since Nandini is Anirudh's lawful wife she has every right over his estate but Meera is carrying Anirudh's heir. Anirudh's father takes all wicked measures to ensure he gets his hands on his unborn grandchild, to carry on the family line. This story is filled with the typical Indian dramatic melodrama which I love. It is very entertaining and you cannot wait to see what happens next in the following episodes. The series has one season with only 37 episodes. You could binge watch it over a weekend, LOL.

5. Oh My Venus (Korean)
This series is comedy gold at its best. If you are looking for something light hearted and a guaranteed chuckle then give this one a try. The story opens up with Kang Joo- Eun, a once popular and beautiful teen girl now turned into an ugly obese yet successful lawyer. Her high school boyfriend breaks up with her as she no longer fits the gorgeous standards she once upheld. Upon accident Kang Joo- Eun meets a celebrity famous personal trainer, John Kim, who promises to get her back into shape and turn her life around. Her journey to lose weight is hilarious and so relatable. She goes through many humiliating scenarios and you truly feel her pain and have an emotional connection to her. I must note that even though she is considered obese in the show, her body type actually looks like mine on a normal day after eating a burger and fries, LOL. Korean beauty standards on what is considered over weight are very different compared to the rest of the world, but that is a discussion for another day.

6. Zindagi Gulzar Hai (Urdu) 
The show translated in English means 'Life is Fruitful'. Set in Pakistan, the two main characters come from totally different upbringings, class and financial statuses. The pair meet at university where they compete with each other in the lecture rooms. The female lead Kashaf comes from a lower-class family and has had to sacrifice and overcome many hurdles in her life to reach university. Zaroon, a spoiled wealthy boy has never had to work for anything in his life and therefore sees the world as his play ground. They clash due to their different views on life but end up falling head over heels in love with each other. What I like most about this show, they don't use the wealthy good looking man has a means to save the poor girl, as most stories and fairy tales would go. Instead they show, that even though they are in love, Kashaf does not need a man to save her and her family. Instead she gets her education and empowers herself without the help of Zaroon. She uses hard work and dedication to uplift herself. Their love is of equal standards and one did not uplift the other financially in the realionship. This drama is very relatable and heart-warming. I truly enjoyed it.


*Have you watched any of these series? Do you enjoy foreign content? Do let me know in a comment below. Thank you for reading. *


Lots of love!
Divalicious Kisses
Xxxx

Hi Divas

Since Winter is upon us in the Southern Hemisphere, what better way to spend those cold grey days cuddling on the couch watching our favourite series. By cuddling, I mean holding my pillow tightly with a cup of  hot chocolate all by myself, LOL. I have been loving Netflix lately and found some really great shows to watch. When it come to series and films I like to expand my horizons and watch things that are not so mainstream sometimes. I feel like if you only stick to what you know, you miss out on what the rest of the world has to offer. Besides the obvious Hollywood shows there are many popular shows from other countries that have really intrigued and surprised me. I would like to share these with you along with some not so original favourites. Here we go....



1. Good Morning Call: This is one of the best series I have ever watched. If you like all things girly, romantic and kawaii then this is for you. The story is based in Japan and draws inspiration from a popular Manga with a similar name. A clumsy and silly girl named Nao has a huge crush on the all popular high school hunk called Uehara. They accidentally sign a lease for the same apartment and to their surprise have to end up living together because they have no other option and are desperate for accommodation. Nao is absolutely in love with Uehara and feels completely shy and self conscious around him while Uehara is an aloof , haughty and unapproachable guy towards Nao. This show is hilarious and so much fun to watch as you follow their journey throughout the year of trying to live in the same space with each other. It's a sweet, comical and fun show.

2. Dexter: Oh my gosh guys, I had no idea that I could love a serial killer so much. Dexter is a show that seriously messes with your mind. There are 8 seasons and each one has you hooked to the core. Dexter is about a serial killer who lives by a moral code which his adopted father Harry taught him. He only hunts and kills people who ''deserve it'', such as murderers, rapists and fellow serial killers. Dexter has a constant need to kill but he is not a monster. He knows he has a problem and tries to keep it under his control. He loves his family very much and would do anything for them. In a way you feel sorry for Dexter and you are always rooting and cheering for him to succeed and not be caught by the police. Like I said the show messes with your mind!

3. Pretty Little Liars: Every body and their dog watches this iconic series. I say it's iconic because it is one of the most popular shows of this era. Even my mom asked me one day if they ever found out who that stalker, ''A'', is. I swear I nearly spit out my tea!;-) If you don't know the story by now, it's about 5 high school girls who go through an horrific tragedy. Their all popular and leader of the pack friend, Alison goes missing and is believed to be dead. The remaining girls all get stalked and harassed by a person named ''A''. At first they think it is Alison herself coming back to haunt them but as time goes on the story as so many creepy twist and thriller turns you just don't know who A is any more and if there is more than one A or not. It's an amazing show that will keep you hooked.

4. Drop Dead Diva: This show is really cute and super sassy. I admit, the only reason I clicked on it was because it had the word 'Diva' in it. Superficial, I know! The story is comedic, filled with drama and a touch of fantasy. Deb a ditsy model and Jane a highly intelligent successful lawyer both die on the same day. Deb refuses to accept the fact that she has died and presses an unauthorised button in heaven which sends her soul straight down back to earth but only to find out she entered Jane's body instead. The drama unfolds as Deb tries to deal with her new curvaceous figure, highly intelligent brain and high power job. She desperately wants to convince her fiance Grayson who she really is but fails every time. This series does a great job in balancing comedy with serious lawyer case story lines.

5. The Lizzy Borden Chronicles: Why is there only one season of this? I just cannot deal! If you cannot stand blood and gore then this show is not for you. The story is based on a real life woman named Lizzy Borden who was accused of murdering her parents back in 1892. She was infamous for being the town serial killer. She was never found guilty for the murders and lived an ostracised life with her sister. The series runs wild with this storyline and there are many twist and turns which make the show so juicy. Christina Ricci plays the scary female lead and does an excellent job. Christina is so believable in her role, it literally brings chills up my spine.

All images sourced from Netflix.com

6. Siyaasat: If you enjoy historical dramas then you will like this one.This is a Hindi serial that is based in ancient India during the Mughal Empire. The plot revolves around a Prince, Salim, who falls in love with a beautiful and intelligent commoner named Mehrunissa. Throughout the story they have to fight for their love while dealing with political turmoil within the royal family. It's a story about forbidden love, endurance and political deceit. What I love most about the series is the beautiful costumes and palace decor that is portrayed. It is interesting to learn what people wore and found fashionable during that time. Also how people lived and their relationships and customs which are so different in today's world.

7. The Bates Motel: Based on the iconic Alfred Hitchock movie Psycho, this series follows the life of Norman Bates before he became the infamous shower killer. Norman is a quiet and introverted boy who has an unusual attachment to his mother. He seems to have psychotic breakdowns where he commits murders but does not remember what he has done when he wakes up. His mother Norma played by Vera Farmiga is not the most stable of people and she has a great  impression on the molding of her son. This series is filled with thriller, intrigue and suspense. Vera Farmiga's performance as Norman's mother is particularly amazing.

8. How to Get Away With Murder: If you haven't watched this show, where have you been? Viola Davis deserves like 100 awards for her portrayal as Annalise Keating. Annalise is a highly successful lawyer and lecturer at a prestigious university. She has a team of law students who intern and research for her. They get caught up in a web of murders,  infamous law cases and dirty secrets. The more the students try to clean up the mess, the more they get entangled in a bigger and tighter web. Viola Davis manages to play Annalise as a super intelligent, no pushover, sexy yet venerable woman.This is a show that should not be missed.

9. Jane The Virgin: To be honest I did not think I was going to like Jane The Virgin as much as I do now. I thought this was going to be one of those cliche Hollywood series with crappy gag lines. Um, hell no! This show is hilarious and worth the watch. It is all about a Catholic Jane who promised Chastity to her grandma until the day she gets married. On one of her random gynaecological appointments, her drunk and emotionally unstable gynaecologist accidentally artificially inseminates her. Jane ends up falling pregnant while still being a virgin. This show is hilarious as it follows Jane trying to explain to her family what exactly happened and her preparing for motherhood. It has a telenovela style of writing and directing which makes the episodes even more juicy and fun to watch.


Let me know what your favourite shows are at the moment below. 
Thanks so much for reading.
Divalicious Kisses!
Xxxx