Ready to pop some corn and go on an adventure from your couch? Click here to learn some of the best foreign language Netflix shows that you can watch in 2020.
Due to the coronavirus, many of us have had to put off our travel plans for the indefinite future.
Luckily, you don’t need to leave your couch to scratch your desire for travel. There are many foreign language Netflix shows that allow you to have an adventure right from your couch.
Which shows should you be watching?
Check out this guide to discover the best foreign language Netflix shows of 2020.
1. Elite: Spain
If you’re in the mood for a juicy murder mystery filled with drama, wealth, and romance, then this is the show for you. This show feels like it’s The OC, Gossip Girls, and any great murder mystery you can think of all rolled into one.
While on the surface, the show is a soapy teen drama, it’s also quietly revolutionary. Elite addresses issues like xenophobia, inequality, and stigmas about STDs. While it’s a heavy-hitter, each episode will leave you on the edge of your seat.
It’s a bit hard to give a backstory on this show without giving away any major plot spoilers. But basically, the first season consists of alternating scenes between flashbacks and the present day.
During the present-day scenes, we’re brought into an interrogation room where we learn that a murder has taken place at the high school. These scenes consist of a police officer interrogating individual students and staff to find out what happened.
In the flashback scenes, we learn about the individual characters’ lives and the drama that led to this murder. The first season was such a hit, that there are now a full three seasons for you to binge on Netflix.
2. Cable Girls: Spain
Another excellent foreign language show to check out that’s out of Spain is Cable Girls.
If you like drama, romance, strong female leads, and amazing period-piece outfits (from the 1920s), then this is the show for you. Cable Girls follows the lives of a charming group of female phone operators in the 1920s.
This show will give you serious Mad Men vibes with its stunning attention to historical detail and stellar casting. With steamy affairs and mysterious pasts, this show really is a telenovela at its core.
For example, one of the main protagonists arrives at the phone company because she has wrongly been accused of murder. In order to avoid conviction, she makes a deal with an officer to pull off a heist at the phone company.
Beneath the soapiness and drama of it all, the show takes a heartfelt look at the issues women face in even seemingly progressive environments.
3. Dark: Germany
If Stranger Things has left you longing for more supernatural intrigue, then Dark is the show for you. While it has been marketed as being the German version of Stranger Things, many viewers feel like this actually undersells this compelling mystery-drama.
Dark is about two children who go missing in a small German town. Once the children go missing, the sinful past of the town is exposed, along with the fractured relationships that exist between four families in the town who are searching for their kids.
This show is dark, ominous, and chill-inducing. It’s also set in the 1980s, so like Stranger Things, it has induced some serious nostalgia amongst some of its viewers.
If you’re looking to watch this show on your Mac, then you can check out this guide to learn how to download Netflix shows on Mac.
4. The Circle: France or Brazil
All of the shows we’ve talked about so far have been pretty heavy hitters. If you’re looking for an easy-to-watch show that will lighten your mood, then we suggest checking out The Circle.
The Circle is a competition-based reality show. In addition to there being a Brazilian and French version, there’s also an American version of the show.
Unlike most reality TV shows, where contestants are in each other’s faces constantly, duking it out over various dramas, The Circle contestants aren’t allowed to see each other face to face.
Each contestant lives in isolated single apartments where they’re forbidden physical contact with one another. Instead, they can only communicate with one another via a voice-activated social messaging platform known as “The Circle”.
Each contestant is competing to become the “most popular” among other contestants so they’re not voted off the show. But, being popular doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be yourself. To figure out what we mean by this, you’ll have to watch the show!
5. One More Time: South Korea
If you were a fan of the movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray or the show Russian Doll starring Natasha Lyonne, then One More Time is the show for you.
One More Time follows the life of an Indie singer who signs a record deal with a huge agency. On the same day he signs, he dumps his girlfriend and abandons his band.
Then, he gets caught in a Groundhog-esque glitch that has him living this same day over and over. Part comedy, part soapy-love story, this show is perfect for lifting up your spirits on a gloomy day in quarantine.
6. Hibana-Spark: Japan
If you enjoyed Pete Holmes’ Crashing on HBO, then Hibana-Spark is the perfect show for you.
This show follows the story of a veteran comedian who recklessly coaches a younger comedian in both career and life. Thanks to strong acting chemistry, the journey of the two comedians becomes quite addicting to follow.
At times, the show leans more towards dramedy than just laughs, and it’ll likely have you reminiscent of Aziz Ansari’s show, Master of None.
Foreign Language Netflix Shows: Time to Binge-Watch!
Now that you know about the best foreign language Netflix shows, it’s time to queue these up. These shows will help you escape your reality and itch your travel bug all at once!
Be sure to check back in with our blog for more TV show recommendations!
