30 Best Foreign Shows on Hulu Right Now

30 Best Foreign Shows on Hulu Right Now

October 30, 2024

Share:

twitter
facebook
reddit
pinterest
link

As one of the big three of streaming, Hulu’s library might not be as large as Prime Video or Netflix, but it made a name for itself with their quality selection of Hollywood blockbusters and indie hits. It’s because of this that viewers might be surprised at the variety of their library, too. Hulu actually hosts not only classic American television, but also plenty of great series coming from around the world, including European mysteries, Korean dramas, Japanese anime, and Latin American telenovelas. Depending on your algorithm, some of these shows might come up on your home page, but if you’re totally new to foreign TV, here’s some of the best series from all over the world now available on Hulu.

11. The Worst of Evil

7.6

Country

South Korea

Actors

BIBI, Geum Gwang-san, Im Sung-jae, Jeong Man-sik

Moods

Action-packed, Character-driven, Gripping

After much anticipation, The Worst of Evil has finally been released, starting off the season with a rumble between gangs underneath Gangnam. Through neon-lit streets, grimy green-tinged windows, and dimly-lit corridors, the series brings its viewers back to the 90s criminal underworld, though with modernized choreography and fairly realistic CGI blood. This set is the arena where undercover cop Park Joon-mo has to fight, in order to gain the trust of crime boss Jung Gi-cheul. As each fight gains some goodwill from each other, and as Park’s wife enters the fray, the series promises dangerous stakes, dramatic betrayals, and thrilling fight scenes. It’s a fresh take on the undercover cop, infiltrating the gritty underworld through sheer persistence, with an added emotional twist.

12. Undead Unluck

7.6

Country

Japan

Actors

Aoi Yuki, Kenji Nomura, Koji Yusa, Mariya Ise

Moods

Action-packed, Binge-Worthy, Funny

Undead Unluck is such a strange anime with such a strange duo. Named after their respective powers, the undead Andy seems familiar with his Deadpool-like regeneration, albeit with such a fast rate that he can shoot out body parts with such gruesome animation. However it’s the unlucky Fuuko that brings them to the most absurd comedic scenarios, including, but not limited to, surviving a giant truck crash, a lightning strike, and a whole meteor. In order to achieve their goal of dying, they have to build up a bond to maximize her unluck. As they learn more about Fuuko’s abilities, as well as the organization hunting them down, it’s likely that they’ll go through wackier situations that will escalate as the show progresses. It’s definitely something uniquely watchable, if you can handle the off-putting gore that’s part and parcel of Andy’s powers.

13. Ranma ½

7.6

Country

Japan

Actors

Kappei Yamaguchi, Megumi Hayashibara

Moods

Action-packed, Challenging, Character-driven

Genderbending isn’t a completely foreign trope for Western audiences, but it’s rare to see the shenanigans that happen in Ranma ½, which takes a genderbending water curse to form a complicated web of relationships, that starts out as a casual romance comedy (albeit with plenty of kicks) and eventually evolves into a ridiculous fighting fantasy adventure. It’s rather revolutionary for its time, in part due to Ranma’s queer gender, but also due to its precursor of the harem trope, as well as its then-new take on the tsundere in Ranma’s intended fiancée Akane Tendo. Ranma ½ is eccentric, but the chaotic comedy is also so entertaining to watch.

14. Butter Man: The Slickest Mexican Thief

7.5

Country

Mexico

Actors

Abril Schreiber, Alberto Guerra, Enrique Arreola, Iván Aragón

Moods

Funny, Mini-series, No-brainer

Butter Man: The Slickest Mexican Thief has gone under the radar the same way the titular criminal has evaded capture for years. Which is quite a shame, because Él Mantequilla has the charming, slick style of heist films from decades past. Through eight parts, Emiliano Escamilla takes on multiple fake identities, five of which happen to be the main identity Escamilla takes on in each episode. It’s funny to see how Escamilla gets away with some of these disguises, especially when he gets away with pulling millions from oblivious rich people just by dumb luck. However, what makes these scams compelling is how closer these get him to his real goal: reconnecting with his father and finding out the truth. Butter Man turns the caper series into a drama centered on family, mixing fun nostalgia with some heart.

15. Call It Love

7.5

Country

South Korea

Actors

Hani, Kim Ye-won, Kim Young-kwang, Lee Sung-kyoung

Moods

Character-driven, Discussion-sparking, Emotional

Romantic melodramas are expected in plenty of Korean shows, but Call It Love still feels surprisingly unexpected. The premise feels like a modern day Cinderella story, except the leading lady here, Shim Woo-joo (Lee Sung-kyung), takes nothing from nobody, not without planning corporate revenge. That being said, the show doesn’t unfold into a corporate sitcom, a crime thriller, or romcom. Instead, the series takes on a more melancholy slice-of-life approach, as it turns out the intended target Han Dong-jin (Kim Young-hwang) is just as hurt and lonely as she is. And as they get to know each other despite the cold, empty frames they inhabit, and despite the pain they’ve both been through, it’s amazing how surprising their healing feels, if you can handle the show’s slow pace to get there.

16. Maestra: Strings of Truth

7.5

Country

South Korea

Actors

Hwang Bo-reum-byeol, Jin Ho-eun, Jung Dong-hwan, Kim Min-kyu

Moods

Character-driven, Dramatic, Emotional

After titles like Tár (2022) and the Dutch film The Conductor (2018), Western female conductors continue to intrigue audiences as they strive to succeed in the last glass ceiling in music. But classical music isn’t restrained to the West, and South Korea’s orchestral world is now showcased in Maestra: Strings of Truth. A remake of the French television series Philharmonia, the series goes through the trials and tribulations Cha Se-eum goes through to establish her leadership in the conductor role back home, as well as the multiple mysteries that might have caused her to leave in the first place. While the show’s first two episodes slowly portray her backstory, Lee Young-ae holds the show on her shoulders, and grounds the drama with her stoic and charismatic presence. It’s a compelling drama, with such a compelling personality, and it’s scored with some of the best classical pieces in the world.

17. Tell Me That You Love Me

7.5

Country

South Korea

Actors

Heo Joon-seok, Jung Woo-sung, Kang Shin-il, Kim Ji-hyun

Moods

Challenging, Character-driven, Discussion-sparking

Romantic relationships can come and go, but sometimes, one partner comes along and irrevocably changes your life forever. Tell Me That You Love Me depicts one such relationship. The Korean adaptation of the trailblazing Japanese deaf romance drama has plenty of the same charms, though this rendition makes certain changes that better reflects this current time period without sacrificing the cathartic portrayal about Mo-eun’s and Jin-woo’s flaws, and the genuine difficulties a relationship like this could have. While the show’s second half falters in certain moments, Tell Me That You Love Me mostly sticks the landing in creating a healing depiction of a deaf romance.

18. Coppola, the Agent

7.5

Country

Argentina, Spain

Actors

Adabel Guerrero, Agustín Sullivan, Alan Sabbagh, Anna Favella

Moods

Character-driven, Funny, Grown-up Comedy

Sports is undeniably exciting, but behind the scenes, there’s a whole world constructed just to get the players in the stadium, with sponsors funding expenses, clubs forming teams, and agents getting the players on track, whether that be through tough love or appeasement. Coppola, the Agent is centered on one such agent, the agent that handled the most famous football player in the world. Like the titular agent, the show moves at a frenetic pace, with Juan Minujín bringing to television Coppola’s fast talk and quick witted quips, and director Ariel Winograd mixing video formats and genres similar to 2022’s Winning Time. There may not be amazing goals, or outstanding plays, but Coppola, the Agent is compelling television, especially with Minujín’s fantastic depiction of the agent turned TV personality.

19. In Limbo

7.3

Country

Australia

Actors

Aaron Fa'aoso, Bob Morley, Emma Harvie, Georgina Naidu

Moods

Dark, Funny, Sweet

There’s a pretty clever twist that happens early in the pilot that shows how much promise In Limbo has, but it never really builds on that or matches its level of suspense. But the fact that the remaining episodes are still entertaining and enlightening in their own right speaks to the series’ quality. It ambitiously (though not always delicately) handles thorny topics like suicide, depression, interracial relationships, and childhood trauma, all while making you laugh at its dry sense of humor. And moving things along is a genuinely intriguing mystery that leaves you wanting more after each episode. It could be smoother, but In Limbo is another entry into the ever-growing stack of worthwhile dark Aussie comedies.

20. Becoming Karl Lagerfeld

7.3

Country

France

Actors

Agnès Jaoui, Alex Lutz, Anouk Feral, Arnaud Valois

Moods

Character-driven, Dramatic, True-story-based

Becoming Karl Lagerfeld gets many things right—the fashion is spectacular, the drama is gripping, and the details feel true to the time. It’s never over-the-top and cartoonish, which seems to be a problem in most other biopics. But for all it has going for it, Brühl is the real star of the show. He seems to operate on a level beyond his peers where he’s no longer acting but simply inhibiting. Lagerfeld is a distant and wealthy designer, unavailable even to those closest to him, but Brühl manages to ground him with deeply relatable traits, like bitter jealousy, crushing loneliness, and unapologetic ambition. He doesn’t need a big scene or wordy dialogue to get these across, either, just a flicker of the eyes will do the trick. The only downside to the show is the occasional uneven tone. It’s as if the directors were unsure how to maximize the wealth of material they have on hand, so they crammed and juggled as much as they could into six episodes. Still, if you’re a fan of period pieces, powerfully subtle performances, and luxury fashion, then you’re in for a treat.

Comments

Add a comment

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw

© 2024 A Good Movie to Watch. Altona Studio, LLC, all rights reserved.