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…

The dog scene was so cute. I know I'd be exactly the same if it was my dog.

I've just rewatched the car scene & Scarlet's glee is so fantastic, it's joyous. She was also really good in The Beauty Inside she deserves a FL role, although to be fair all three women in this are FLs.

WWW is now my favourite weekly watch. And following it When The Devil Calls Your Name although no sign of that coming to Viki yet.

Following in the Weds Thurs slot I meant. I'm hoping that Watcher and I Want To Hear Your Song are going to fill the Weekend/Mon/Tues gaps.

WWW is now my favourite weekly watch.

Same here.

I'm looking forward to this as well!! ❤️

I was looking into it and the head writer for WWW was also an associate writer on Descendents of the Sun, Goblin and Mr Sunshine. No wonder it had a similar kind of banter-y dialogue. Also, apologies if I'm late to the party with this knowledge.

That poster looks really good. Cha Eunwoo seems to be in a lot of dramas lately. It must be because of his handsome face.

I was looking into it and the head writer for WWW was also an associate writer on Descendents of the Sun, Goblin and Mr Sunshine. No wonder it had a similar kind of banter-y dialogue.

All of these are quality shows & Goblin had some really good humourous moments, the kind of stuff we’re seeing in WWW now.

Oh I didn't know that! It's the little asides & classy banter that I like in these shows. And they all have strong women in too (and very little wrist grabbing )

I rather liked Cha Eun Woo in Gangnam Beauty so I'm looking forward to Rookie Historian

I do love a show with strong women and respectful men. The respectful men are much sexier than the chauvinists.

I've noticed (I'm nit-picking after a couple of glasses of wine) that Bae Tam-Mi expresses emotion by slightly widening her eyes, in a variation of the Go Ara/Kiera Knightley chin school of acting. I really liked her in Chicago Typewriter but I feel she is outclassed by the two other FLs in this. Don't get me wrong, I am hugely enjoying the whole thing!

I also love the incidental music

The music is great. There was a lovely song playing when she stayed over in his hotel room that I’m pretty sure was an O3ohn track and the subbers had translated the lyrics, which were beautiful and very poetic. I’ve bought a load of O3ohn tracks in iTunes and it made me want to know what he’s singing about. Must work harder at Duolingo.

Slightly detracting from your wise and wonderful insights into these dramas. Lee Jae Wook (the man who plays Seol Jihwan in WWW) was born in 1998. He looks much older than 21. How is he a couple of years younger than me?!

Oh hello, way to make all us middle aged fangirls weep...

boatyard, it is o3ohn
open.spotify.com/track/0TR8KRs0PwLQk1aG21aUW7?si=Po0b0R0WQMeY7oa74ApGBg

Thanks Betty! I’ve found a translation of the lyrics too: klyrics.net/o3ohn-milky-way-between-us/ (complete with Asian babes/boobs pop-up 🙄) . They’re rather lovely - the lyrics. O3ohn has been one of my real gem finds through kdrama.

🙉🙉🙉 la la la I can’t hear you helloswellow 😊🤣

I need to stop torturing myself with how young some of the actors are. It only brings me pain. It explains why they all have such beautiful skin though; youth and copious amount of skincare.

O3ohm has such a relaxing voice. Perfect easy listening music. I think the soundtrack has been done excellently. Even if that one mamamoo song always makes me stop and think 'how do you make something wow'.

helloswellow.... a couple of years older???? a couple of years older???? sob! I'm more than a couple of years older.... ????
sob! sob!
How about a LOT more than a couple of years.... like Boatyard says....
Middle aged fangirls here....

Yep, apart from the cross-dressing aspect I suspect the 3 Bs (Betty, Bea, Boatyard) have nore in common with KJW’s MsLatte alter-ego in Her Private Life than Hello My Twenties.

I think Crazy Kang in Radio Romance has a definite case of 2ML Syndrome. His attitude to FL is so mature and respectful of her needs and wishes, he’s championed her career and professional development, he is unfailingly thoughtful and a talented producer. Also Boatyard-approved tall, quirky and (IMO) more handsome than the actual ML, who is damaged and all about me selfish. I want Kang to win the girl, but I know he won’t. 😕

Ah but Kang also suffers from that fatal 2ML problem of not telling the girl he likes that he likes her at that point in time when she had a crush on him - he usually has some vague and stupid reason for not doing so 🤷‍♀️

'I never told her I liked her when she liked me because then she'd know I like her and that would be terrible' is the stumbling point of all 2ML

'I never told her I liked her when she liked me because then she'd know I like her and that would be terrible'

... precisely!!!!!

I've just finished all the current episodes of Arthdal Chronicles, apparently I've got to wait until September for the rest! Really enjoyed this epic fantasy type storyline with strong FL and a ML that has definitely grown on me. Interestingly found an article about how the ML's divorce has shocked people and caused a drop in ratings. With some people even asking if the show would stop airing. www.jazminemedia.com/2019/06/arthdal-chronicles-ratings-drop-following-song-joong-ki-divorce-announcement/

Having seen how divorce is viewed in Spring Night I can understand this a bit but it still seems like an over reaction.

If you give Arthdal a try, keep going past the first episode, which I wasn't really sure about. There is a lot of world building and characters so takes a little while to get going and was a bit confusing at first.

Thanks for that insight Ginger. I struggled with the first episode, but I’ll give it another go if it takes a while to get going.