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.

Well done, it's good isn't it?

There's a lorra lorra deaths in what I'm watching I am going to have to watch something fluffy after this.

Due to a failure in imagination, I decided to stick with In Need of Romance 3 and have been rewarded for my indolence. The peripheral characters are as compelling as the male and female leads. It’s not knock-it-out-the-park must watch, but its actually quite sweet.

I have 2 episodes left on Scarlet Heart: Ryeo but I almost can't watch them due to the impending sense of doom and it all going horribly wrong. Instead have been looking for something frivolous to take the edge off after once I do watch it. I'm not sure Argon is going to do that, it sounds too classy. I need fluff to go with the Quality Street I bought as advent chocolates.

I might try Kill Me Heal Me, or 30 but 17

I'm not watching anything unless I know it ends well!! Kdrama for me is warm and fuzzies!!
Will look over your recs bettys and boatyardblues for my next fix!... Might go for kill me heal me... Though PSJ not main character! 😭
Or the masters sun?... Or descendants?... Or robot?... Or might rewatch sec Kim!

Oooof that was emotional! No warm and fuzzies but quite cathartic.

KLAXON!!

Netflix has added some new shows

My Love from The Star - Alien meets kdrama actress

Memories from the Alhambra - airing now so new episodes weekly

So in Kill Me Heal Me PSJ is playing the twin brother of his girlfriend in She Was Pretty.
Confused ? You will be. Seems quite funny though the FL is just as manic in this role.

Right, I’m at a loose end. I’ll give the alien one a whirl and report back. If it's awful, I may resort to a 10 minute sampling session.

I couldn’t even get past the saccharine credits. Am trying Blood.

2 episodes in to Kill Me Heal Me (Dramacool) & quite enjoying it though very little PSJ. ML has multiple personality disorder & I find it quite worrying that I like his evil personality best. Hoping its a Demon Captain situation and he's not really evil.
PSH is v cute, a bit like his FFMW character but it's a secondary role.

Blood is an enjoyable romp. The awsome head nurse from Dr Romantic is a hospital administrator in ep 2 and Captain Woo from Prison Playbook has a supporting role as BFF of the ML (vampire surgeon).

Finally! A surgeon with proper protective eyewear!

Bettys... I watched first 15 mins of kill me heal me and I think it's the guyliner you like! 😂😂

Could be, I do like a bit of guy liner!

Boatyardblues you are obsessed with kdrama health & safety!

Its more that slack H&S messes with my suspension of disbelief, and let’s face it, most kdrama requires a heavy dose.

Suspension of disbelief ..??? Surely you believe everything in a kdrama!... Are you telling me the citizens of South Korea aren't really like that?? That the men aren't all swoon worthy? And the girls aren't all cute with perfect skin!... And I'm not going to meet a lovely handsome man who treats me quite rudely but then turns out to have a dark secret and has loved me all along!??... My heart is truly broken 💔!! 😭💔😭💔😭💔

Snort!! Ah the many many things I wish were true....that I could eat as much as the women do and be so slim...that there is an endless supply of handsome young men in fine knitwear and sharp cut 3/4 length coats...and that I could drink lashings of soju, get a piggyback ride and still look fabulous the next day.

Really enjoying Kill Me Heal Me. PSJ rather good in it even though he's not the lead. ML rather nice with or without guyliner.

I love the fine knitwear! The polo necks... The no sock rule!... And in the case of Min Huyk Ahn in Strong Girl Bong Soon... He goes to bed fully dressed... sweater... Hoodie and all!... Is it exceptionally cold at night in South Korea? !... Do they not have heating?... And... Everyone seems to sleep with their bedside lamps on...?
Need to start with KMHM.. ❤️

Gah! That link doesn't work!

Here we go! 😁❤️

Ok I’m back. Right.

I think you’ll find i was the one who recommended Fight My Way (harrumph)

Siwon is one of the lead singers of a Super Junior - essentially the Korean (younger) Take That. He is super famous and very nice indeed. He had a scandal last year when his pet dog (a tiny French Bulldog) nipped his neighbour and she developed an infection and died! So sad. Heechul, my namesake, is his Super Junior hyung. Siwon will be doing a new drama next year where he plays a con artist!

I have to confess I am deep down the kpop rabbit hole. Kdrama soundtracks are a gateway to Kpop. I love Super Junior (I recommend Mr Simple, Mamacita, Bonamana, Magic, Black Suit and Opera - all of these are best enjoyed with videos. Siwon, Heechul, Leeteuk and Donghae are breathtaking). I do like BTS (I beg you to watch the MV of Blood, Sweat and Tears - it’s the best music video I’ve ever seen and I love the song).

Red Velvet are probably the most popular girl group and I like them well enough, but Twice are my favourite - they are fab (TT, Cheer Up and Dance the Night Away are really awesome songs and TT’s music video is fantastic).

Netflix recommendations- Secret Garden, Love Rain and My Fair Lady Gong Shim are all excellent!! The first two are in my top 5, although i’m afraid to say Korean Odyssey has knocked Secret Gardennoff the top spot. Secret Garden has a fantastic soundtrack by the way - it had a big impact and I often hear it played in variety shows.

Korean Odyssey- just one episode left now and it is AMAZING!!!!!!! My new all-time favourite, I beg you to try it for a few more episodes. I haven’t steered you wrong so far have I?

Heechuloppa it’s been a while ( as they say 😉)
I did credit you upthread with the recommendations for Fight My Way & She Was Pretty for which I will be forever grateful! Fight My Way is in my top 5. I have only a couple of PSJ films left to go then I will be back to watching WWWSK again!

Thanks for the music tips I’m glad I’m not the only one listening to kpop I will check them out. I admit to watching the videos too as I am in awe of how they dance. I sometimes disappear down a Youtube rabbit hole of videos and found a treasure trove recently of kdrama stars fan meetings with people like Lee Jong Suk doing Psy dances and Jo Jung Seok on Guerilla Date.

What happened to Siwon’s dog😱? Why do kstars have such small dogs? PSJ has a tiny fluffy pooch too.

I will head back to Korean Odyssey soon, as all your other recs have been bang on; I think I need to be in the right mood. Plus I didn’t really fancy the ML

Ooh also need to check out Love Rain haven’t seen that yet

Bea that clip sums it up perfectly!!

Everyone seems to sleep with their bedside lamps on...?

You can add this to my list of health & safety irks. Aside from 5 year olds scared of monsters under the bed, who on earth sleeps with such bright lighting?