KDrama Addicts Anonymous (part 6)

[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 5 (previous threads linked from OP of each preceding thread)

There are suggestions for shows that we’ve enjoyed - those marked with asterisk(s) are more uniformly loved or admired. Cautionary note: in categorising series, its important to note most Korean dramas have multiple strands - e.g. romance and thriller; supernatural, romance and a thriller, crime series with blossoming relationship aspects. Genre-busting mash-ups are normal. Series that are tagged as dark may also have moments of comedy or the absurd, likewise fluff can have heavier elements. View the categories below as approximate & ask if you need guidance, eg for younger teens.

Comedy (with a side order of absurd)
I picked up a celebrity on the street (Viki)
My Fellow Citizens (Viki)

Crime/Thriller
Healer (Netflix)*
Heartless City (Viki)
He is Psychometric (Viki)
I Hear Your Voice (Netflix /Viki)
Life on Mars (classy remake of BBC series, Dramafast)
Live (Netflix)
Pride & Prejudice (Netflix)*
Prison Playbook (Netflix)*
Suspicious Partner (Netflix)*

Romance - lighter & fluffier
Beating Again (Netflix)
Coffee Prince (Netflix)
Don’t Dare to Dream (Netflix, or as Jealousy Incarnate on Viki)*
Happy Once Again (Netflix)
Her Private Life (Viki)*
His Master’s Sun (Netflix)
Love from a Star (Netflix)*
Pinocchio (Netflix)
Romance is the Bonus Book (Netflix)**
She Was Pretty (Dramabus/Netflix)*
The Beauty Inside (Viki/Netflix)
The Last Empress (Viki)
Thirty Not Seventeen (Viki)
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (Netflix/Viki)
What’s Up With Secretary Kim (Viki)**
You are my Destiny (Netflix)

Romance - heavier weight/more grown up
Because This Is My First Life (Viki)*
Chicago Typewriter (Viki)*
Fight For My Way (Viki/Drama bus)*
Just Between Lovers (Viki)**
Mr Sunshine (Netflix)
My Strange Hero (Viki)
Red Carpet - film (Netflix, very adult content)
Something in the Rain (Netflix)
The Package (Viki)

Supernatural/fantasy/sci-fi - fluffier
Goblin (Viki)*
I am not a Robot (Netflix)
Legend of the Blue Sea (Viki/Netflix)
While You Were Sleeping (Viki)*

Supernatural/fantasy/sci-fi - darker
Black (Netflix)*
The Guest (Dramafast)
W (Viki & Netflix)*

Zombies
Kingdom (Netflix)*
Train to Busan - film (Amazon Prime)

Mad as a box of frogs/uncategorisable
Strong Girl Bong Soon (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. (Although its possible we have scared them all away since our early threads with the incessant fangirling. If you’re still reading, please say hi.)

If you want to know your oppas from your unnis and other Korean terms of address and honorifics, there are good resources online.

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…

Bea - Whether you are in the Amazon in a canoe or tied to a desk for 3 days, no kdrama is still no kdramas d a serious matter.

d = and ^

Ahhh! I will just have to endure!... This will possibley be the first 24hours without a kdrama fix!... (actually on the BTS concert weekend I didn't watch any then!... But I think I can confidently say I was having my own personal KDrama that weekend! 😂 😂 😂)
Ms Hammerubi finished very very veeeeery satisfying and good stories!! ❤️
Plus the colour of Kim Myung Soo's hair is just luverly! He's got good hair in Angel too... I give him my Great KDrama Hair Award! 😂 😍😍😍

Fighting! 👍

I am nearly at the end of D-Day but it’s been a struggle with a fair bit of skipping. Just how dastardly can the hospital director be? And the death near the end was a bit gratuitous. Looking forward to trying Guardians For the second time and then maybe Ms Hammurabi (but I’m not sure about that in spite of Angels lovely hair)

This article is currently being discussed on the feminism board: www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-48702763

I read this earlier today. It is prevalent and quite shocking. I found the article put the news snippets we see on Soompi into a much clearer perspective. Of course none of this is portrayed in the world of kdrama, except in Big Issue some of the storylines touched on it.

Search WWW is skirting around celebrity scandal too & how much effort can go into suppressing stories/coverage.

I must be a stony-hearted bitch because I’m on the last episode of Crowned Clown (up the funeral bier leaving the palace) and I’ve not shed a single tear. I am very much enjoying it though.

I love the King’s manly black war robes. His best outfit so far.

We’ll have to start calling you boatyard the🖤 which makes you sound like a pirate 😂

I have been catching up on HH KJW in Paris. Man, he makes crossing the road look like a fashion runway 😍 . Did also quite like the insta pic of him having a crafty smoke in a Parisian cafe. He seems quite honest ie very few would show themselves having a fag, whereas drinking is fine.

Its so quiet without Bea around.

I finished Crowned Clown last night. It ended well. Not one of my favourites but very well done and beautiful to watch.

I know, I’m missing Bea’s lavish sprinkling of emoticons 👍🤣👍😆😁😝!!

Crowned Clown is in my favourites, but I’m not sure if it’s top 10, my list needs revisiting after a year of kdrama.

I finished Abyss, which is a drama that didn’t add up to the sum of its parts. Fair play to Park Bo Young & Ahn Hyo Seop, they were the best thing in it by far

It's nice to be missed! 😂

Quick! I've escaped for half hour to download the BTS World game! 😂 😂 😂

So far I've signed up Namjoon and Yunki! However I'm not good at playing games and just jabbing all the options with my fat fingers! I'm playing sooo badly Suga told me off and told me I was in over my head and he'd have to help me! 😂 😱😱😱

Haven't a clue what I'm doing! But enjoying my texting with namjoon! And I loved that my first meeting with namjoon.. I quote "he glistened with sweat! "...😂 Oh my my my!

No time for drama but enough to interfere with the lives of suga and RM! 😂 it's hilarious! 💜💜💜

Back to work! 👍😎😇😇😇

Gawd! The two fathers in One Spring Day trying marry the FL off behind her back when she’s already dumped the guy. Urgh. So glad the big sis has her mother’s support now, though. I was worried for her.

I thought the father of the 2ML didn't even like her???

After they met, he decided she was spunky and probably too good for his son. 🙄

OooooOOoh Bea!

I'm fed up with the two father's and ex too, in One spring night, plus the ex isn't much better. Nice to see mum supporting big sis though. I think I'm going to be annoyed at FL in next episode.

BTS World, told DD about this earlier and wondering if she's installed it yet. Sounds like you are having fun with it Bea. 😁

I've been watching Arhdal Chronicles wasnt sure in first episode but enjoying it now. Anyone else been watching this?

Ah I wanted to know if anyone had started Arthdal Chronicles Ginger! I've heard it's confusing at first so was waiting for a few to be up and see what other people thought before diving in

Have downloaded BTS World but had to hide it from DS so haven't explored fully yet

Arthdal looks promising (I alwaaays say this). I tried the first 10 min last week but I wasn’t feeling it.

Has anyone tried My Secret Romance on viki yet?

Dear God. The Secret Romance credits are a whole smorgasbord of cheese. Any casual viewer would have switched off by now.

Ah that's the Sung Hoon one, I am waiting until all the subs are up but I did think it may be cheesy - it's a couple of years old, his new upcoming one looks better and 'twill be on Viki.

Have just watched Absolute Boyfriend minus subs (I know, I know) and
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
It's all going a bit Stepford Boyfriend

Lots of goodies coming up on Viki this summer

I am particularly looking forward to I Want to Hear Your Song (Yeon Woo Jin - yay!), Doctor John (Ji Sung and Loony from Prison Playbook), Watcher and Level Up

Pah!! They may not all be available in the UK though as Choi Jin-Hyuk's new one Justice has the dastardly 'Restricted Access' bar