KDrama Addicts Anonymous (part 5)

[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 there other sources, including Dramabus and AmazonPrime.

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

Thread 4 (previous threads linked from OP of this one)

Some suggestions for shows that we’ve enjoyed - those marked with an asterisk are more uniformly loved or admired:

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 (Viki/Drama bus)*
Goblin (Viki)
Healer (Netflix)*
He is Psychometric (Viki)
Her Private Life (Viki)*
His Master’s Sun (Netflix)
I Hear Your Voice (Netflix /Viki)
Just Between Lovers (Viki)*
Last Train to Busan - film (Amazon Prime)
Live (Netflix)
Love from a Star (netflix)*
My Strange Hero (Viki)
Pinocchio (Netflix)
Pride & Prejudice (Netflix)*
Prison Playbook (Netflix)*
Romance is the Bonus Book (Netflix)*
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)*
You are my Destiny (Netflix)

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

We have a few frequently used acronyms:
FL/2FL = female lead/2nd female lead
ML/2ML = male lead/2nd male lead
SLS = Second Lead Syndrome (where the FL/MLis too thick to realise how much better the 2ML/2FL is)

We also abbreviate titles if they’re long, but usually only after using the full title & acronym together. Some of the regular favourite actors have been abbreviated too for speed/efficiency, although “him off Black” seems to have stuck for Song Seung-Heon. Don’t be afraid to ask for help/clues if we’re not making sense or have descended into acronym soup.

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…

gingerbiscuitandacuppatea -

Think your dd giving up on Boys Over Flowers shows she has good taste!
You could always restart Healer with her for more Ji Chang Wook time, otherwise there's loads of good Netflix recs on the list at the start of the thread. Can't remember if you've watched W, but that's great, as is Black and You Are My Destiny.

I can't keep up with all the various shows you are watching. Don't you get confused when you have lots on the go at once?

It's coming up to a year since I started watching kdrama, and I have developed skills as I've gone along - though I also keep a note of where I am with series as I mix and match between 3-4 streaming sites.

For Boatyard

Thank you Betty.

I have AAA batteries so will attempt to ‘sort’ the DVD player’s settings, Macguyver-style with the aid of Google and the monkey-hitting-a-typewriter method if all else fails. I am currently motivation-impaired after stopping off at the local pub at the end of our energetic walk. We specifically chose this cottage for the no-car walking and pub potential. I feel vindicated after a very enjoyable hour or so in the beer garden. I need the local lager to wear off before I have a go at the DVD player. I just had the brainwave of trying my Train to Busan DVD in there - if it also crops the subs on Busan, I know Antique Bakery will play OK at home. 🤞

Sounds like a plan.....just how many Korean Films do you carry around in your pocketssisss Gollum?

I may have found my weekend binge-er to counteract scary Guest fest.
Smile You 45 episodes of JKH It's 2009 though so could be bad cheesy nonsense.

Where’s that Betty?

I have 5 Korean DVDs with me, 3 of them loans from friends/colleagues with an interest in Korean cinema. I’m doing my best to cross-sell Korean TV drama, as they are already on board with the quality of the writing, acting and aesthetic aporoach.

It's on Viki, can't believe I haven't already spotted it.

So what are the other 3 apart from Train to Busan & Antique? I must admit I really like Korean films, they remind me a little of French cinema, dunno why

Ong Bak (apparently epic martial arts film with no wire work or CGI, dread to think of the injury tally); Oldboy (DH actually wants to watch this one!) and (going to guess at the order here as I’m too comfy on the sofa to get up and check) Winter Spring Summer Autumn (its apparently brilliant, about a Buddhist monk).

I've heard of Oldboy, it's the first thing Yoo Yeon-Sok ever did. Will be interested to know your opinion of them all.

I’d been putting it off because I heard it was very violent. My neighbour told me its not so bad, especially compared to recent films, so we’ll see.

Right. DVD remote still not working with new batteries, so I can’t get to the system menu to set it to 16:9 so I can see the subs. Boo! However, the TV is also cropping the subs on Train to Busan which was definitely ok at home, so I just have to bide my time until I am home to enjoy HH KJW in all his oversexed camp, patissiere glory. Not the outcome I was hoping for this break, but not a disaster. This does, unfortunately mean I’ll be taking my stack of subtitled DVDs home unwatched. 🤯

😫🤬

Korean director just won palme dor at cannes with his Korean film... I've been meaning to watch his other film Snowpiercer on netflix for ages as its mentioned in my most fave BTS song Spring Day... He also directed Okja (also on netflix)... Which my brother says to watch as the girl in that reminds him of my youngest! 😂 😂 😂... So they've been put on my to watch list on netflix...!... (also... Snowpiercer has Chris Evans in.... Captain America... Not the dj!)

Ginger... How do we keep up???... I have no idea but I've got a fair few on at the moment and lots waiting in line! 😂 😂 😂 Good luck! Say hello to Grrr Ji Chang Wook and his very fine knitwear!
To watch with your daughter?.. Hmm... I'd say give W a go... And She Was Pretty - a nice rom com!...

Been busy for last two days! Not watched much at all!! 😭

Ohhhh that’s why Choi Woo Siks IG feed was in Cannes...top news Bea, thanks for that. Snowpiercer is also on my list but didn’t know it was by the same guy, will def watch now as seem to be having a film fest this weekend.

Currently watching Fasten Your Seatbelt with JKH which is a comedy film.

I watched Okja and thought it was weird. DH, DS1 and I tried to watch Snowpiercer earlier this week but gave up half way through. We’ll try again because I’ve heard good things about it, but it was also... weird. DH and I were talking about it earlier and he felt like Tilda Swinton’s bit was like another, completely different film had been spliced in to the one Chris Evans and Jamie Bell are in. We only got as far as the reveal about the mysterious protein bars 🤮 so it may start to come together later. It’s properly odd though, no two ways about it.

Is there anything decent on Netflix at the mo? The DVDs are a bust and I’m on my phone for Viki this week. I’ve watched all the JKH and KJW on Netflix, so skip them. The profile’s still new so I have to go find the jdrama by searching titles.

Kdrama! I haven’t defected, honest.

Boatyard! 😂😂

I can't imagine I've watched anything that you've not seen! I'd heartily recommend Touch Your Heart on viki.... And... Confession... But that's on Fast Drama site... And I think that site came out dodgy to you!... Sorry!... I'm watching Secret Life Of my secretary on viki at the moment!.. Which is also good!

I’ve doing the mood taster on Netflix, currently trying Shopping King Louis.

It’s very silly so far.

I rather liked Shopping king Louis

It is very silly.... But fun enough!! 😂

I got cross with it after about 20 min and switched to My Fellow Citizens on my phone, then promptly fell asleep on the sofa so will have to rewatch later. A large part of my dissatisfaction is, I suspect, down to the fuckwit DVD player and no KJW feast. 😖

boatyard, I've had a JKH weekend with 2 of his films and finishing Missing Nine. He's so good in all of them. Can't wait for his new drama.
I'm saving HH KJW for tonight with a Guest episode or two plus a repeat viewing of the Antique trailer. Youtube threw up some non-subbed clips of KJW with long hair in a kdrama, frustratingly I'm not sure what it's called, but he jumps off a boat to save someone then is nearly drowned by a mystery person in diving gear. Looks quite dated, possible Antique era.

Bea I am thinking of heading into Secret Life of my Secretary tomorrow - is it good?

I stumbled across a fairly recent trailer of a Japanese language film (love story) with HH KJW on YouTube. That may still be available to buy. It looked good.