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…

I thought it was a pretty good ending actually - ah! Of course he is the 2ML in Pinocchio isn't he? I may have to revisit to take a look

Actually that's a top reminder, there are a few things of Kim Young Kwan that I haven't seen yet: The Stranger In My House, Room no 9, & On Your Wedding Day
Definitely racehorse legs

Mind you I have been lured in Love 020 which is strangely addictive, although can anyone explain the meaning of the name?

It's short for 'Love Online to Offline'. Oddly interesting fact, to me anyway, the ML sings the ending song which always confused me because it definitely doesn't sound like him

Thanks hello, that makes perfect sense, and I like the love theme in this where they fall in love through the game - although its not quite fair as he has worked out who she is and knows she is not a hairy handed trucker.

My ear isn't quite tuned in to Mandarin though so I can't recognise voices

I always found mandarin so much easier to tune my ears to. Japanese is the worst for me, takes me an age to figure out who's who when the camera isn't focusing on whoevers talking

Finally watched ep 3 of Watcher and there's just something not quite sitting with me. I'm liking it but can't seem to get into the characters just yet.

Hi all. I’m out and about doing IRL stuff but I can see we are nearing the end of this thread, so this is the shout out for any updates etc to the header. I’ve already created a separate Sageuk category. Do we want to have a ‘not Korean but decent’ category? Not sure whether there’s a character limit on the OP.

Boatyard... Another thread!... Wowser!

Bettys... I was just thinking about Kim Young Kwan and his racehorse legs... And then I couldn't remember if you got to the end... For me it was a blub fest!... But I do think I blub at everything! 😂

Yes I think a non-Korean category would be good, and already think Love O2O should be on there, main couple have finally met and it's rather sweet!
Not sure what it should be called though, maybe just copy Viki and put Taiwanese/ Chinese/ Japanese ??

Love O2O deserves a place in the 'not korean but just try it' category. ML/FL have got such a sweet dynamic, no pressure or jealousy, just you support me and I'll support you.

I rather like Not Korean But Just Try It for a title.....

Love O2O has recommendations from hello, ginger & me then.

I think Morning Call (jdrama) had a few recs too, and maybe we should add BWGM , though I think we need a rolly eye / watch with caution emoticon

BWGM is definitely not getting mentioned. 🤦‍♀️ It would shred the credibility of our list if someone started there. We could consider including a ‘guilty pleasures’ category with a health warning that everything in it is unremitting, mind melting shite but weirdly addictive and kinda fun.

Is Morning Call on Netflix? I’ll add it.

mind melting shite but weirdly addictive

Is that too long for a title??

I Hear You is notable for the ML’s stupid Tesla car with its poncy gull wing doors for the back seat. 🙄

No one ever has a bog standard car. Its alwyas fancy cars with touch screens and weird doors. For once I want to see someone roll up in a beat up fiat punto that's got coats and bags for life on the back seats. Maybe even a half finished bottle of water in the cup holder that's been there a week.

I saw a flag earlier that made think of all the Maseratis in kdrama. I must google it now because I want to know which nation it is.

Mystery solved: Barbados.

Good Morning Call... was the culprit that led me to Strong Girl Bong Soon... And then.....
Its crackers and horribley sexiest in a wrist grabbing /pinning up against the wall way... But also strangely addictive and sugary sweet! My inner feminist screams but giggles at the same time! 😩😩😩😩

Turns out I’m way more susceptible to brand placement than I realised. 😮

I'm on tumbler and now and again I get taken aback by a post.... This one is todays...! 😍😍😍😍❤️😍❤️😍❤️😍

Tumblr!... 😩😂

I think the term needed here is ‘ bloody lush’ 😍😍

Am I picking up on a gay subplot in Live O2O ?

between ko and hao mei? you might be! it's never officially mentioned, just alluded to so the answers a resounding maybe?

I’m finding the approach to managing a high fever odd in I Hear You odd. FL has put ML to bed with a high fever in full length PJs, a dressing gown and covered him with a duvet. No anti-pyretics/ibuprofen etc, but she has just got a towel and covered his head (the only bit uncovered where he might have shed some heat) so she can put an icepack on his forehead. I though icepacks and cold baths were a no-no because the blood vessels constrict, making it even harder for the body to cool down. Am I missing something?

Holy cow! She just put another duvet over the other one. 🤦‍♀️