There’s something quietly magnetic about “The Atypical Family”: a K-drama that doesn’t use superpowers to amaze, but to tell how fragile life can be when certainties vanish. The series, created by Kang Eun-kyung and directed by Jo Hyun-taek, wraps the audience in a suspended atmosphere full of secrets, burning memories, and a melancholy that never fully settles. More than a story about extraordinary abilities, it’s a tale of unresolved desires and second chances. A K-drama blending family drama, romance, and mystery, transforming the very idea of a superhero. The trailer is at the end of the article.
The Bok family is no longer what it once was. They used to fly, foresee the future, and travel through memories. Now they live in the shadow of what they were. Bok Man-heum, the grandmother played by the iconic Go Doo-shim, suffers from insomnia and no longer dreams: without dreams, she cannot see the future, neither her children’s nor her own. Bok Gwi-ju, wrapped in grief and alcohol, has lost the most precious ability: returning to the happy memories of the past. His sister Dong-hee can no longer fly, crushed by anxiety and a body that changes. Little In-a hides in her silence and the screen of a phone. No one seems to possess their magic anymore. It’s an extraordinary family trapped by very ordinary wounds.
Then comes Do Da-hae. Kind, discreet, mysterious. Played by Chun Woo-hee, one of Korean cinema’s most refined actresses, able to cross very different registers: from the nostalgia of Sunny to the drama of Han Gong-ju, from the romance of The Beauty Inside to the global unease of The Wailing. In “The Atypical Family,” her presence is a silent spark: she doesn’t save or heal, but stirs the stagnant waters of the Bok household, pushing each of them to face what they have stopped looking at.
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Jang Ki-yong, former model—and one of the most captivating faces of his generation—gives Bok Gwi-ju an almost physical sadness. After Now, We Are Breaking Up and My Roommate Is a Gumiho, here he takes on the most intimate role of his career: a man who can only relive happy moments but has lost the strength to do so. A powerful metaphor, because those memories cannot be changed, only relived. And the more life hurts, the more the past becomes a dangerous temptation.
Alongside them shines Claudia Kim, now an international face thanks to Avengers: Age of Ultron and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. In “The Atypical Family,” she is Bok Dong-hee, caught between the desire for lightness and a body that no longer obeys her: one of the most physical and vulnerable roles of her career. And young Park So-yi brings depth to In-a without ever forcing it, delivering a believable portrait of teenage vulnerability.
The strength of “The Atypical Family” lies exactly here: in how it mixes fantasy and modern wounds, superpowers and burnout, irony and grief. The atmosphere is that of emotional K-dramas that know how to slow down, breathe, and let the characters—not the effects—speak. A story moving between shadows and possibilities, as if constantly asking: what if love really were the only power we have left?
The international critics have warmly received the series. On IMDb, the rating remains steady, with reviews praising the chemistry among the leads, the delicate directing, and the originality of the premise. Rotten Tomatoes’ audience appreciates how the K-drama addresses themes like depression, social isolation, family pressure, and the need to be seen. A series that never shouts, but leaves a lasting echo.
The atmosphere is that of the most emotional K-dramas, but with a touch of surrealism that makes every scene slightly suspended. The supernatural abilities serve not to create spectacle but to give shape to pain: the mother who can no longer dream of the future, the sister who can’t lift off the ground, the father trapped in regrets. It’s a tale that slides between drama, romance, and irony, and that dialogues well with other titles about imperfect superheroes that have arrived on Netflix in recent years.
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“The Atypical Family” – All the Info
- Original Title: The Atypical Family
- International Title: The Atypical Family
- Format: Series
- Duration: 1 season, 12 episodes
- Genre: Drama, fantasy, romance
- Country of Production: South Korea
- Original Language: Korean
- Year of Production/Release: 2024
- Creator: Kang Eun-kyung, Gleline
- Director: Jo Hyun-taek
- Main Cast: Chun Woo-hee, Jang Ki-yong, Claudia Kim, Go Doo-shim, Park So-yi
- Production: Story & Pictures Media, Drama House Studio, SLL / distributed on Netflix
The Trailer
Watch the official trailer of the Korean 12-episode superhero drama series streaming on Netflix.
