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.

Arrrgh! Drawn into Hwarang now! Thought it wasn't my thing... But.... It's pulling me in! I'm on ep9... It is slightly ludicrous... All these "beautiful" men... And the squeeling girls... And yet!...... 😊😍

Bea I know! If you treat it like Pirates of the Caribbean it is easy to like!

Going back to the earlier discussion, there’s a Tina Fey line in war correspondent film Whisky Tango Foxtrot where she describes the US military contractors as “fat strong”, meaning bulky & muscley. The Kdrama male aesthetic is defintely preferable.

Mistake to watch Prison Playback on train am welling up!! When he asks crony to be his catcher - aw! Another example of the clever twists I wasn’t expecting that. And the way the Warden underplayed it when he finally said no was great,

Re the kdrama aesthetic I also like the non-hirsute look. Siwon in She Was Pretty is the hairiest I’ve seen but when he shaved he was gorgeous

Ah, so you've got past the bit where Gunner Jang had his visitor? That made me a little bit teary. He was so moved.

I thought taking Crony under his wing was genius. He just needed to be led & Mr Pitcher has great leadership skills. I just generally like the way he's finding the good in nearly everyone and befriending them, whereas his BFF guard friend still maintains they are all scumbags and liars despite evidence to the contrary. You can see the cognitive dissonance he's experiencing with the grumpy guard on their wing, as he keeps learning things about him that challenge his negative impression of him - like the fact he'd appealed to Headache's sister on many, many occasions but glosses over it to protect Headache. Eventually he'll have to crack and admit that people are more grey than black and white.

yy I love that I'm on ep 13 of 16 and STILL finding out new things about the characters. Handsome guard is not that likeable in some ways, but did love when he asked Je-Hee to stop eating popcorn to hold her hand!

Yes, lovely moment when the lad came back to see Gunner Jang - but did he steal the welder's wallet and then chuck it in the bin? The redemption arcs are very well done, I just hope they all hold up. And I am puzzled by the way that non-Demon captain stared at Looney's lover, who he must have known from the US so maybe there's a triangle there. Interesting that the only team that agreed to Ji-Hyoeok's clause had a female in charge.

but did love when he asked Je-Hee to stop eating popcorn to hold her hand!

Yes, that was lovely. She needs a very gentle return to romance after her bad experience. The BFF guard has an interesting arc too. He’s quite savvy with good EQ (eg realising the zombie movie date was a bluff) but over-thinks things (you’ll see shortly) and his judgement blinds him to people’s better qualities. Also, he flits and bails too quickly - hence his tech start-up misfire.

Interesting that the only team that agreed to Ji-Hyoeok's clause had a female in charge.

I thought this too. Suspect filming coincided with #metoo, so it caught the zeitgeist.

Ah Looney has just come out so maybe thats why non-Demon captain was staring, I thought it was obvious & they knew he was gay - another brownie point for Paeng vs BFF guard

Indeed.

I loved how Je-Hyeok and Ji-Hoon were gobsmacked at Looney’s big reveal. Do they not have eyes and ears to perceive the world around them?

Quite. Unless it's that kdrama doesn't really do gay, it's so mainstream here maybe it's not there.

The depiction of it I mean.

Ah no, prob best to keep being gay a secret in prison like being childhood friends with a guard

Worst kept secret ever! Of course, Looney had it all figured out.

Oh Looney! 😔

Going to bed before midnight tonight! Have stopped myself watching another Hwarang episode! (I'm on 12!)... bettys... I need confirmation that all will end well at the moment!! I fear Seon U's need for avengeance will spoil the lovely budding bromance!... And the poor sad lonely King has never had a friend before! 😢😢😢😭

Going to bed before midnight tonight!

Well done Bea. I need to exercise similar restraint.

Bea Fear ye not and watch to the end!!

boatyardblues have you finished? Pleeease don’t tell me it’s a sad end for Looney?

I’m on episode 15 I won’t be going to bed before midnight 🥺

I’ll finish episode 15 tonight. Just the final episode for tomorrow. Looks like a second season has been made - the first episode is on YouTube, though I haven’t checked to see if it is subtited.

Jinx!

A second season??... You've got a second season??... Watching and reading up on some of these dramas... They seem to become HUGELY popular and well received... What makes some of them get a second season? Is it quite rare??

I can’t find anything about it are you sure?
One episode left & the thought of a second season actually made my heart sink as I want all the storylines to be wrapped up nicely.

There’s nothing on IMDB about a second season or elsewhere, so maybe it was a fan thing.

I have only ep 16 left too. Will be watching later. Let’s not post anything spoilerish, but compare notes when we’ve finished (without spoiling for others).