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'm on it Bea! Thanks, that's tonight sorted! I've been putting off Hwarang until last as I'm not as keen on the costume dramas for some reason.

Woohoo! DH tells me our newest Apple TV box is 4th gen.

😬

Well Hwarang is not what I expected, it's like a medieval pop video. I half expect the white truck of doom to come careering through. Everyone's in it but with long hair.
I'm interspersing it with Pretty Boys Winter Camp where they just seem to take the mick out of Park Seo Joon (they're just jealous)

Lots to watch on Viki if you get it set up boatyardblues

Hwrang!... I. Know! 😁😁😁😁... Though I can't get used to all that hair,!.... I'm sure conditioner wasn't available in those ancient times!!

Pretty boys camp is hilarious!!... Poor old PSJ...I'm amazed at the lack of health and safety!! Can't imagine it happening over here!! 😂😁

I’m still on Korean Odyssey - it had reached my top 5 dramas, which are:

1. I Am Not a Robot
2. Korean Odyssey
3. Love Rain
4. Secret Garden (highly highly recommend, might be on Netflix now)
5. Secretary Kim

Tricky! MN Relationships board would be stringing out the red bunting for the male lead in Beating Again. He shouts, he throws things, he’s got a temper like the Hulk, he arm grabs female lead forcefully in a way that looks like it would bruise, when he gets angry he talks about the sexual things he’d like to do to her in quite a threatening way, just snogged her forcefully (bearing in mind he’s her boss, extra problematic), doesn’t like it when she disobeys him. I’m struggling to see the appeal TBH. Will persevere a while longer, but the first and second make leads are both currently behaving like weapons grade shits. I say reanimate the saintly fiance. Female lead deserves better....

Thanks to Heechuloppa I can’t sleep because I am puzzling over what I can bear to leave out of my top five 🤨

Beating Again sounds like one to skip to the last episode

Beating Again sounds like one to skip to the last episode

Wash yer mouth out!

Finished SUITS... It was great! Jam packed with story and gripping! Last couple of eps were tense and quite sad!... But still great... And Park hyung sik... ❤️😁❤️

😭😭😭😭... I need to go to bed!... 😭😭😭😭

Waves at Bea.

Boatyard! ... You were up at that time too? 😭😱

I wasn’t just watching kdrama, honest. I was also tending to a poorly child & keeping an eye on whether a raging fever was coming down - that was the justification for the final hour (and to be fair, it was justified as I was dithering about whether to call for an out of hours appointment just before midnight).

Boatyardblues yeah yeah yeah! we believe you!

Now Suits is finished (farewell lovely PHS in very dashing suits with an enthusiastic naive energy and slightly tragic past... farewell!!!!)... dipping in and out of Hwrang and will get on with Fight For My Way...as Bettys says i have nothing to fear re: not a tragic ending!... I will start and finish..

however i am yearning for a little silliness (Strong Girl / Sec Kim) so will need to go over previous recs... and yes got to get back to the old hospital in the country with Dr Romantic!

If only there was a cut version of Strong Girl Bong Soon without all the awful gangsters and school kids (don't mind the creepy guy as they need an antagonist and foe!)... I'd watch endlessly!!!!...

boatyardblues.... hope poorly child better!!!! x

boatyardblues yes hope poorly child better!

I am slightly horrified at myself as am supposed to go out for drinks tonight but all I want to do is curl up with kdrama

Have just finished The Beauty Inside which I really liked. Girl whose face changes every 4 weeks meets man who has face blindness. Only in kdramaland.

I can't quite put my finger on what isn't working with Hwarang even though it has lovely young men & fun action scenes; it might be Go Ara, she doesn't have much chemistry with PSJ. I'm dipping in & out of it.

Bea have you tried The Master's Sun? Girl sees ghosts but not when with charismatic CEO who has a tragic past etc etc. Or for office romances there's Suspicious Partner, Jealousy Incarnate aka Don't Dare to Dream or While You Were Sleeping which I am due to go back to as it has the rather lovely Lee Jong Suk in it. I can also second Heechuloppa's favourite I'm Not a Robot.

Still agonising over my top five

Have just finished The Beauty Inside which I really liked. Girl whose face changes every 4 weeks meets man who has face blindness. Only in kdramaland.

Genius!

I am still persevering with Beating Again and am being somewhat rewarded. Things took a different tack in eps 8 & 9 (see, persistence with the soggy middle is occasionally rewarded) in a way which is internally logical and is making for a better story. However, whenever I think the lead is reformed, he does something like a Donald Trump pulling-in handshake on the female lead to draw her in so he can whisper something secretly intimate in a work setting and it makes her stumble & discomposes her. I’m probably supposed to swoon but I think it was a dick move/powerplay. So I think I’m too much of a grumpy feminist to respond well to your average kdrama romancing moves in real life.

Thanks for the kind words. Children always bounce back quickly & he’s on the mend, whereas I feel ruined by my late night.

Beating Again is growing on me and I don’t think its just Stockholm Syndrome or the sunk costs fallacy. The red bean gruel episode is pivotal.

I don’t think its just Stockholm Syndrome or the sunk costs fallacy

This is what's making me stick with Hwarang, if slightly unenthusiastically and Park Seo Joon

I’m definitely watching Prison Playbook next. Jung Kyung-ho, the Beating Again male lead, is in it and I’m interested to see what he’s like in other roles. It has other actors that I’ve liked, eg in Reply 1994, and I’ve read positive reviews.

I'm flipping loving Fight For My Way.... but I just get sad at the thought of all these lovely endearing characters not getting their happy ending!!!!... Dong Man is such a lovely kind character... I'm relying on you Bettys you promised it would all turn out well!...

PSJ is really very good .... watching him in sec Kim / then Hwrang (???? Yikes!) and in FFMY.... such diff characters!.... same with Park Hyung Sik... love the contrast between Min-Hyuk in SGBS and then in Suits....

it really feels like I've found (with the help of you lovely people)a fabulous Gold seam in a mine and I'm just following it to find more goodies and treasures along the way! ....

However I'm not sure my home life thanks you for all this.... I really do need to get on with work and chores!.... everything is getting neglected!!!!!

Fight For My Way might be in my top 5 dramas, PSJ has certainly now topped my favourite male lead list, although I am quite shallow and that may alter once the next Lee Jong Suk/Lee Min-Ki/Jo Jung-Suk one comes out. Stick with it Bea even if it looks like the going is getting tough. The original working title was Third Rate Way and it is interesting to see a drama about people who aren't secret chaebols but have missed their opportunities in life due to having average backgrounds and poor parents.

I'm of the frame of mind these days that what makes me relaxed and balanced is of benefit to everyone around me

Ha! Rain shower in bright sunlight in Hwarang