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.

My favourite line so far has been: “he’s odd. If he was a chair he’d have 3 legs.” Perfect!

“he’s odd. If he was a chair he’d have 3 legs.”

Great line! I think the writing is good, and I like the interview style, but the main characters are oddly unsympathetic

Seriously, give it time.

Oof episode 9. - was that the twist about the dad that made you gasp?

Loved the cinema date with ghost girl £ the two guys

Yes, Betty. Up until then I found both of them kind of unlikeable and then you realise that maybe there was more going on.

I found the series was an interesting examination of memory and perspective, how people experience the same events differently. I finished it last night, but won’t post any spoilers.

Started rewatching Dramaworld on Netflix after several months’ immersion in K-drama. It’s hilarious & skewers the tropes brilliantly, especially the first 5 min of episode 1.

Love how Dramaworld spots even the smallest quirk like taping over the car logos!

I will be starting a new Netflix boxset tonight. These are recommended on the t’interwebs:

Miseang
Stranger
Desendents of the Sun
Beating Again
Nobel my love
Let’s Eat

Any recommendations Betty? I read that Miseang is different because it focusses less on the shiny-shiny and more on normal working class people’s lives, so I may give that a try.

I will also be starting new boxset v soon but may fancy something nonsensical after Discovery of Love

Miseang - also on my list
Stranger - first kdrama I ever watched and got me absolutely hooked. Highly recommend!!
Descendants of the Sun - Think it's on Viki not Netflix. Haven't watched as it seems to be military based which puts me off but it's by the same people as Mr Sunshine.
Beating Again - don't know this one
Noble My Love - also on my list & may have to watch as it's got dogs in & therefore probable cuteness
Let’s Eat - also on my list

Should say I am enjoying Discovery of Love but still prefer the secondary characters, can't quite warm to the leads. It's a very interesting exploration of why relationships falter.

I agree that the secondary characters were all more likeable, but I think its deliberate. Let’s compare notes when you’ve finished.

Beating Again concerns a heart transplant into someone not very likeable. I can only surmise what might happen next...

I watched the first episode of Beating Again and the first 2 1/2 episodes of Black, so I think we have a winner. Black needs to get out of first gear quickly, though, otherwise I’ll try the one with the vet and dogs.

Beating Again showed promise BTW. I just didn’t find the lead as engaging and he was pantomime baddy-bad in heartless (geddit?) vulture capitalist mode. The spunky, inscrutable female lead was ace, but her paramour is about to become an organ donor, which I suspect will knock the wind out of her sails.

Black was the second Kdrama I watched & still remains one of my absolute favourites! It introduced me to all the bonkers fantasy that Kdrama takes for granted after the straightforward procedural of Stranger. I was sucked in around episode 4, the beginning is a little confusing, and I disagreed with the ending but I love it.

Finished Discovery of Love and the ending of that was just right.

Re Beating Again I have to admit if I don’t find the leads engaging I tend to give up, unless the story makes up for it. Plus I’ve found that I tend to follow actors from drama to drama & work through their repertoire on IMDb. Hence I ploughed through Saimdang as it has the lead from Black but he’s better at comedy. Saimdang was hard going at times.

Mr ‘Black’ is terrific in his black suit, but I’m missing Joon in his animé hoodies because he had a lovely smile. Up to episode 5 & he’s getting some flashbacks, which I’m hoping means he’ll loosen up a bit.

I like the Grim Reapers that keep popping in to watch Black’s tv
Have you spotted that the older brother of the rich guy is the older chef from Oh My Ghost? And the canny detective who’s always brushing his teeth is in just about everything I’ve watched on He always plays detectives or lawyers.

The canny detective plays 2 roles in Strong Girl Bong Soon - the gangster who loseshis teeth and the mega camp, acid tongued head of games development. It’s worth finding an episode with him in camp mode - it was a tour de force performance.

(It is a separated at birth set up.)

Yes to the TV watching reapers. I love their frustration at not being able to switch it on or change channel.

There are some twists in Black that I didn’t see coming, especially as I wasn’t used to the whole Kdrama setup

Excellent. I look forwards to them.

Another location spot: the Halloween party house in Black is the ailing popstar’s home in Uncontrollably Fond. 👌

Don’t spoil me Betty, but I think I’ve worked out Black’s ‘lost’ identity. With 3-4 episodes to go, I am going slightly nits trying to work out how the loss happened - there’s definitely been a mix up, possibly linked to the immediate chaos after the Time Mart collapse, but how? And who? Aaaaargh. It took a lot of willpower to switch the telly off and go to bed last night.

Nits = nuts