K-Drama recommendations

[boatyardblues]

A K-drama thread was suggested on the Netflix subtitled gems thread so we can discuss in more depth without swamping the other thread. There are a lot of Korean films & boxsets on Netflix and I’m discovering the quality is variable, so I thought this would be a goid place to swap recommendations (and ‘avoids’). So far, I have hugely enjoyed:

• Something in the Rain
• Mr Sunshine (new episodes still dropping weekly)
• Live

Would also love to hear how closely these dramas represent real life in Korea from anyone who has lived there. Its fascinating learning about another culture.

I am far, far too distracted by Yoo Yeon-Seok’ manly shoulders, even fully dressed - especially in his round neck jumper. I am only half reading the subtitles.

In other news, I went to my nearest Korean grocer this weekend and stocked up on all the spices, sauces and other ingredients that I need to start working through my new cook books. The women in the store were very helpful.

I am only half reading the subtitles perfect reason to use the 10second rewind button and have another look reread them.

The Amdong Jjimdak (sweet soy braised chicken) recipe from Caroline Hwang’s book got the thumbs up, although the chilli heat blew all of our heads off. The gochugaru flakes I bought were fierce & I’ll need to twaek the recipes accordingly. The kids were pretty game but we’re all 🤯. Made sticky rice on the hob too, ever so slightly overcooked.

Sounds good, can we have photographic documentation of your culinary exploits please?

HeechulOppa thanks for your suggestion of She Was Pretty, I really enjoyed it! I am now swithering between whether to watch Fight My Way or Witches Love. Or whether to just rerun through Secretary Kim again so I can admire Park Seo Joon's abs again.

Sounds good, can we have photographic documentation of your culinary exploits please?

I will make an effort to grab a pic next time before the ravening hoards swoop in and clear their plates. Picture the Orc swarm in LOTR and you won’t be far off.

Picture the Orc swarm in LOTR and you won’t be far off.

I wouldn’t bother with Witch’s Love - we abandoned it after a few episodes, just found it really annoying.

Did you love Siwon in She Was Pretty?

Did forget to mention 30 but 17, which was absolutely perfect!

With Korean Odyssey did you get past the early bit when she was still a little girl? The two male leads have a change of hairstyle (although the younger one’s later hairstyle is still iffy!) I was surprised at how much this has become a relatively standard rom com albeit supernatural. I had a gap of a few months between the first episode and carrying on with it and it has fast become my all time fave.

I also have an amazing bulgogi recipe if anyone’s interested!

I also have an amazing bulgogi recipe if anyone’s interested!

You need to ask? Yes please.

I'll second the bulgogi recipe!

Did you love Siwon in She Was Pretty? Yes I did! I'm surprised I haven't seen him anything else, I'll be looking out for him now.

I've just looked up Witch's Love again & I think it might've been A Witch's Romance that Park Seo Joon is in.

Oh ok I will go back & have another look at Korean Odyssey, it's been a few months and it was right at the start of my personal kdrama odyssey so I may be a bit more understanding now, although Black still remains my fave for supernatural dramas.

All the monster/ghoul special effects put me off Korean Odyssey. I only lasted about 10 min.

Yikes! Found the sgbs ost on Spotify... So I'm now making cauliflower cheese in the kitchen listening to the ost... waiting for the handsome ceo and ensuring I dodge the white truck of doom!!
.. Watched One More Time the other day on netflix and lo and behold the truck made an appearance!!

Bea we will have to add the white truck of doom to kdrama bingo ie a shot of soju every time it makes an appearance!

I would be completely sloshed watching Dr Romantic. It’s one pile up after another. Still, it provides lots of exciting cases and dramatic arterial spray for Dolman Hospital. You can tell Teacher Kim and Dr Han are the more experienced doctors because they anticipate the gore & wear their specs in theatre.

On a personal level, I empathise with poor Dr Han, whose culinary endeavours are constantly hampered by the sloppy drivers in their area.

Snort! Where would a good medical kdrama be without sloppy drivers and arterial spray?

I am going to have to add pensive shower scene with pecs to kdrama bingo as they are frequent in What's the Matter with Secretary Kim? which i am currently revisiting.

The medical know how is not up to ER standards as far as I've seen... One More Time.. The heroine can't squished by the white truck of doom and the doctors remedy was... More gauze!!... Where's the ecg? ... Blood tox screen? ... Blood pressure? Intubation?..stat!! . Blah blah blah!... Applaud my medical know how!!

I know I keep going on... But... Strong girl bong soon.... ❤️... I fast forward through all the gangsters... Thugs... Serial killer and just get onto the screwball comedy... I love the witty repartee between min hyuk and bong soon! It's quite sharp!... And the way he looks at her.... ❤️❤️❤️... And her slow realisation... "crushes have an expiration date"...
Awwee! 💕

I am going to have to add pensive shower scene with pecs to kdrama bingo as they are frequent in What's the Matter with Secretary Kim? which i am currently revisiting.

Is this one on viki? I don’t recall seeing it on Netflix.

It's on Viki, it's a fun romcom with Park Seo Joon 's impeccable pecs , the girl from Healer, the annoying chef from Oh My Ghost and a host of other people you recognise from other dramas.

No white truck of doom, but plenty of childhood trauma, chaebol sibling rivalry, wrist grabs and product placement.

Bea is One More Time worth watching? How is the arterial spray count? Did she recover in a room with some kind of vapour machine? They all seem to have that and insist on patients farting before they eat.

What is it with the wrist grabs? I found the scene in DDTD where Hwa-Shin had Na-Ri pinned to hospital bed by her wrists totally unerotic and, well, problematic. There was a touch of it in the store cupboard with Dr Romantic. Not romantic at all. Oh, unless you meant when one or other stops the person walking away by grabbing their wrist. That’s not so bad, but the restraint/pinning thing is not good. I’d be more inclined to knee the bloke in the nuts than kiss him...

I meant the wrist grabs where they seize the person walking past and spin them round or run off with them, but I know what you mean about the other kind too. And pinning against the wall in a burst of ardour - but only when the hero has said that if she goes any further in to the changing room/house he won't be able to control himself so implying that she is a willing participant eg DDTD, What's Up With Secretary Kim, She Was Pretty

One More Time.... It was OK... Low on intentional laughs... Quite angsty... Good turn around of the hero... Starts off quite unpleasant and then becomes a good un...

Have to confess I skipped a couple of episodes! I'm really bad... I really want to know what happens in the end... I'll go back and watch the missed bits now!..

Afraid no arterial spray or recovery vapour! (there's one in Strong Girl Bong Soon!)...
Some thugs!
Quite touching at the end.... Oh! I've got something in my eye! I'm not crying!... No!.. You're crying!

I have to admit I do that too sometimes, skip a couple of episodes, go to the end & if it looks like I've missed something good go back - or maybe not, I'm looking at you 9 Times Time Travel

It's surprising how many times I've found myself blubbing with a kdrama...

Have you seen Oh My Ghost? The original with the girl from sgbs not the new Chinese remake? It might help with withdrawal symptoms from sgbs. As might Hwarang as it has Min thingy in. It's on my list but I haven't got round to it yet.

You skip episodes? I see now that I am surrounded by lightweights and chancers.

it’s rare but necessary when there is so much to get through

Anyway you only give a new drama 10 minutes before deciding whether to drop it .

Lightweight my arse I have a categorised list of viewed dramas on my phone