KDrama Addicts Anonymous (thread 3)

[boatyardblues]

A quiet corner of MN for serious addicts of Kdrama, or the Kdrama-curious. Most of our viewing is drawn from Netflix and Viki, but the more seriously addicted have other sources, including dramabus.

Previous Threads, with discussion of what we’ve enjoyed and what to avoid:

First thread

Thread 2

Here are some suggestions for shows that we’ve enjoyed - those marked with an asterisk are more uniformly loved:

Because This Is My First Life (Viki)*
Black (Netflix)*
Chicago Typewriter (Viki)*
Don’t Dare to Dream (Netflix, or as Jealousy Incarnate on Viki)*
Fight For My Way (Drama bus)*
Healer (Netflix)*
His Master’s Sun (Netflix)
I Hear Your Voice (Netflix /Viki)
Last Train to Busan - film (Amazon Prime)
Live (Netflix)
Love from a Star (netflix)*
Pinocchio (netflix)
Prison Playbook (Netflix)*
Goblin (Viki)
She Was Pretty (Dramabus/Netflix)
Something in the Rain (Netflix)
Strong Girl Bong Soon (Netflix)
Suspicious Partner (netflix)*
W (Viki & Netflix)*
What’s Up With Secretary Kim (Viki)*
While You Were Sleeping (viki)

We have some lovely occasional posters who have lived in Korea, are Korean or have Korean partners/family members who pop in from time to time to provide the context for some of the more baffling cultural references.

If you want to know your oppas from your unnis try this helpful guide to Korean terms of address and honorifics.

We are generally fans of all things Korean, so equally happy to talk about Korean cookery, film and kpop when the mood takes us. To get to grips with the lingo, try dramaloveaddicts.proboards.com/thread/24/korean-word-day?page=1

If you want to join us down the kdrama rabbit hole, welcome! Pull up a chair, say goodbye to early nights and get stuck in…

I need a 🥾🍑.

🥾🍑

Yay! New episode of Romance is a Bonus Book has landed, another due tomorrow.

LJS has no manners! Fancy making your dinner companion leave half way through their bowl of noodles? Udon too, which even worse.

Hurrah!!! Cup of tea & LYS fab

Enjoying Tunnel very much also, more than P&P . I know I’m talking to myself here.

Nope! Still not delved into romance... I'm sort of masochistically holding back! 😂😂😂... I find it comforting to think I've still got a LSJ to look forward to (without it ending in death! Hymn of Death I'm looking at you!😢😕😯!)

Still ploughing on with P&P... Sometimes I just wish they'd get on with it! 😕... Almost tempted to skippitydoodah! Or do a Bettys and ffwd Ian mcshane but worried I'll miss an important plot point!!

I’m back to Empress Now the subtitles are up. Dowager Empress gets all the best lines. At the hospital with poorly son (to son’s GF): “Stop being so loud! I’m more sad than you.” Followed by totes fake waaaaah!

YY Empress is deliciously hammy as well as evil. Can't wait for evil nanny to get her comeuppance.

I find even ffwding Ian McShane I'm getting most of the plot.

😭😭😭... I must be very dim as I'm all over the show with P&P!... I need prompts in the subtitles to say "what the flip is going on!!??"
Who's good? Who's bad? Is it not black and white but grey? Is there a big bad? Who is it?... Arrrgghhhh!!... Determined to get to the bottom of it though! It is good! 👍👍😁

Ha!!! Loving the Empresses' Minions subtitles. It's not often you see the phrase 'moxy wench'! (In next week's preview)

Ugh, when I was forced to log out because of the data breach I seem to be unable to remember my email address for my normal account (so many email addresses in use - obv not mumsnet’s fault) so this is me, HeechulOppa under a very slightly amended username.

Seeing mention of Ian McShane reminds me that dh and I like to rename actors if they look like western actors. My dh’s Favourite:

The driver in Secretary Kim (who is in love with Section Chief Bong) looks like Joseph Gordon Levitt, so has been renamed Joseon Gordon Levitt.

My personal favourite though is Bok Ju’s dad in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Ju, who looked like Ian McShane and was renamed ‘Korean McShane’.

Joseon Gordon Levitt just made me laugh out loud!! I am loving the idea & think we should adopt it for this thread

I had trouble remembering my password too when I had to log back in. It's been so long (17 years!) and I still read MN in the classic format.

Just have to say I am really enjoying Romance is a Bonus Book. I like the gentle pace, little bits of humour and all the interesting stuff about publishing. Makes me want to do something with all the sad books that don't get read. I made a Christmas wreath out of books one year

Don't like the fashion though. Big checks and capes, and FL's clothes are awful.

For those of us watching The Last Empress, the mad emperor (Shin Seong-Rok) is in Trot Lovers on Netflix, presumably singing. Also in it is the lovely Son Ho Joon who is coming soon in the new Nam Joo-Hyuk drama The Light in Your Eyes

Thought I would say hello as I have been lurking around this thread for recommendations. My favourites which match your recommendations include Don't dare to Dream, What's wrong with Sec Kim and While you were sleeping. I'm also enjoying Romance is a bonus book (was eagerly waiting for today's episode, will dip into with tea )and am 2 episodes into The Last Empress but still not into (everyone seems to be evil and conniving!). Any recommendations for not the typical mushy (although I do like them) but something a bit more thriller type/suspense kinda drama?
PS. I'm also stalking PSJ on IG and wish I could bump into him in the city!

I’ve just binged good doctor! So good. My first ever Kdrama and I’m hooked 😁

Ohoooo!! Toriap2!... Say goodbye to sleeping!! You're all in for a treat... There's soooo many dramas out there... I don't think I'll ever watch proper telly again!...

Itsmehere... Thriller / drama?... Can't go wrong with Healer (netflix)... It's the one we all agree hits the spot!... Ji Chang Wook 😍😍😍😍👍

I absolutely adore W - Two Worlds... Amazingly creative story and gorgeous to look at!... Visually all round! (plus lovely Lee Jong Suk)

If you're a PSJ lover (who isn't?? 😍... Except Boatyardblues! 😂)... Sure you must have spotted She Was Pretty (netflix)... But that's pretty fluffy!... Hwarang ... Is good for a laff as well! It's bonkers as conkers... PSJ with bad wig!... But amazingly lovely Park hyung sik (strong girl bong soon netflix ) is there... as is Kim Taehyung V from BTS (or bettys and I like to call him "the guy from Hwarang!")

Too many to mention! I do love fluff.. You'll get more sensible suggestions from Boatyard and Bettys! 😂...

Currently watching Pride and prejudice netflix.. It's full of shady fellows and skullduggery!... Worth a watch!
If you have Viki... while you were sleeping is really really good too! Lovely LJS again!

Itsmehere... Oops! You've already watched while you were sleeping!.... Another LSJ Pinnochio netflix!...

... weightlifting fairy kim bok joo ... Is just a good story! Well worth a watch!

Oooh
, Thankyou for the suggestions. Off to search for them. I’ve only ever watched Japanese drama apart from english but my daughter recommended K drama for a change.

Hi itsmehere1 and toriap2!!

Some great suggestions from Bea there, also persevere with The Last Empress it is a great rollercoaster potboiler!

For suspense/thriller I recommend:
Stranger (Netflix)
Chicago Typewriter (Viki)
Healer - I know Bea has said it but it is fab (Netflix)
Prison Playbook (Netflix) not suspense but great story & not mushy
Black (Netflix) Supernatural thriller
Dr Romantic (Netflix) some romance but largely medical

Thanks Bea for the recommendations. Should have mentioned I have seen Healer, P&P, She was pretty and W. Will add Weightlifting, Pinocchio and Hwarang to my list. Yay for new PSJ characters. I also liked the first season of Hello, my twenties.

Thanks Bettys! Ooh will add these to my list. Happy to report I’m having to preserve with The Last Empress thanks to the husband who has started liking it I’m happy that I have atleast got him into the K side of the world finishing ep 4 now !