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…

For me it's more keeping up to speed than keeping up with the Joneses I rather enjoy the water cooler communal aspect of sharing weekly updates. Plus I really value other insights & viewpoints, and things I may have missed.

Still love a good binge-watch though they are a bit more rare as am gradually getting through the backlog of aired dramas.

Definitely add to list, The Crowned Clown also - we need a sageuk/historical sub-category

Add Radio Romance that is. Search: WWW also should go on (once it's finished, though it doesn't look likely to end disappointingly).
I'm so glad I gave it another go due to boatyard's recommendations after I wasn't hooked on the first episode.

Incidentally, I was watching an episode of Killing Eve and Sandra Oh was talking to her mum in Korean on the phone and I understood a bit of it!! (Ok one sentence out of about 10 ) I was ridiculously chuffed and had to tell DH. Also thought her accent was quite different, maybe a Canadian lilt?

I have a thread header note on my phone, so I’ve just added a sageuk category, added Crowned Clown and moved Mr Sunshine across. I’ve also created a ‘Mad as a box of frogs/uncategorisable’ category which currently contains Strong Girl Bong Soon and The Last Empress.

I’m watching Before We Get Married (still not sure why) and he’s already manhandled her into his car. 🙄 What a catch!

Crazy ex in BWGM has quite a different look, almost Hispanic. I just looked up Taiwan’s trade history. The main links are with China and Japan, but the Dutch settled on the west coast in the C17th and trade sugar with Persia during the same period.

A fleece blanket over a fully dressed wonan with a high fever? 🔥

Oh but it shows he cares, unlike 2ML who is off WORKING 🤔

At least the reveal as to why he fell out of love with 2FL is coming up..,,

Just seen that. I’d love to hear her side of it. He’s so grabby and manhandley, urgh! When he was settling her out of the sofa he looked like he was positioning a corpse in the mortuary for a viewing, not showing care and attention.

When he said why he didn't love 2FL anymore it took me a minute to process. I really really hope they don't just leave it like that.

I'm starting to really dislike 321. I'm putting money on his boss trying it on with him or something similar. While he isn't obviously horrible like manhandling ML, hes no better. I'd hate to be with someone like him.

Helloswellow I agree!! Plus his face is blank somehow...I’m starting to see the appeal of ML 😱 in spite of his grabby ways

Neither of them float my boat. I’d rather go without. OTOH, ML’s best friend seems enthusiastic and a generous lover. Kefei certainly keeps going back for more, despite her usual preference for playing the field. He gets my vote.

MLs best friend gets my vote out of the three of them too. Hell, Kefei gets my vote out of all the women. I need a drama about those two instead.

I want to see ML’s BF with his shirt off. I’m predicting supremely ripped abs.

Hell, Kefei gets my vote out of all the women. I need a drama about those two instead.

Also, seconded.

👍 Thirded (is that even a word?)

The ML and FL are by the least interesting part of the story.

By far

😭😭😭😭EP 27 Angel 😇... I am blubbing my way through that bit in the photo booth where she looks at him with such longing and sadness... I couldn't help but blub... I'm getting the same sense of angst and tragedy that I had with Love From Another Star... That feeling of... What can they do to avoid their fate??... 😭😭😭😭😭

I’m lost in Radio Romance. PD Kang is a really likeable character. I can’t decide whether I’m rooting for ML or Kang.

I like Manager Kim’s dark purple 3/4 length coat in ep 11 very much. Men should wear purple more.

Almost caught up on Search: WWW, I am rooting for Scarlett. I just want her to be happy. Hopefully with that actor.

I really hate the the MIL, I hope Gakyung ends up sacrificing herself to bring that family down in flames.

I'm rooting for Scarlet too. In fact I am more invested in her & the actor, and Go Gyoeng & her husband than FL & ML (although ML is vv nice) as they don't have much of a spark between them

I want to know why the actor didn’t go to college after finishing science high school early. He’s probably off the chart brainy but comes across shy and unworldly. The thing about his fuzzed out dog was so sweet. How on earth the writer(s) got the idea for that scene, I have no idea.