Forget Chicago Fire, This K-Drama Will Keep You on the Edge of Your Seat

Summary:

• The First Responders is a South Korean television series about the cases faced by paramedics, police officers and firefighters.
• The show follows three main characters from each field and switches between cases from episode to episode.
• A second season of The First Responders was released in the summer of 2023. Both seasons can be found on Disney Plus and Hulu.

No matter how many TV shows have been made about lifeguards, police officers, paramedics and firefighters, people still cannot tear themselves away from their screens. The heroism and selflessness of the characters seen on screen is something you don't experience on a daily basis in real life, and that's what makes these shows so entertaining.

Detailed characters with their strengths and weaknesses, deep backstories, and complex relationships only make the action more engaging. All procedurals like Chicago Fire, 911, and Station 19 use the same techniques to keep the viewer's attention.

However, if you feel your favorite shows are starting to lose their appeal and want to spice up your nightly TV marathons with something new, you can always switch to K-dramas. And for those who believe that the Korean television industry has ignored this genre, you are very much mistaken.

Where to Watch The First Responders?

The title First Responders is pretty self-explanatory, as the show follows the teams of police, paramedics, and firefighters as they respond to their calls. The bigger the tragedy, the more teams are involved, so the responders often come hand in hand and meet at the scene.

The three main characters are Jin Ho-gae, an inspector on the police team, Bong Do-jin, a firefighter at the fire station, and Song Seol, a paramedic. But the show doesn't only revolve around them. As you would expect, each of the teams consists of many people, so there are many supporting characters who become just as likeable as the show progresses.

Although the focus of the series is on the cases, there is no lack of romance. Just like in your favorite western procedurals, the characters grow closer over their shared ideals and the trauma of their dangerous jobs. The only difference is that it doesn't take forever.

As fast-paced and dynamic as the majority of K-dramas, The First Responders doesn't even come close to the line between action series and soap opera that many procedurals seem to face these days. With two seasons of 12 episodes each, viewers could never get too bored of the same old faces and the same old conflicts.

If you are interested in changing things up, be sure to stream The First Responders on Hulu or Disney Plus.