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 had to go find a summary of The Happy Prince as I hadn't read it before. Fairy Tales suck. Didn't know it was written by Oscar Wilde.

Aww! The Happy Prince is such a sad story! Along with the Selfish Giant! (even with its religious undertones!) those stories stuck with me! 😭😭

I know I said I was going to bed but watched one more ep of kingdom... Then quick surf on YouTube!... And look what came up! My favourite clip that I've been searching for for ages!

this is my most favourite clip from a kdrama! ❤️

There's just something lovely and playful about it... I love the acting... The script... And sentimentally... The first real kdrama I watched! Even though it's completely bonkers! It makes me go.. 😍😍😍

I am loving Angel. The lantern wish scenes were beautifully composed and acted.

Ahhh! Sounds like this afternoon might be Angel binge afternoon!... 😊❤️

Sadly, real life means I have to pause until this evening. 😩

Woo hoo! I think I've got a pretty clear day! 😂 😂

It is tipping down here so all gardening plans are shelves forcing me into an afternoon on the sofa with cake & kdrama 🤷‍♀️

Shelved! - gah

Cup of tea, cream choux bun & Crazy Rich Asians (Sky)

Not quite kdrama but frothy

Rainy day... Gin and tonic... Angels last mission.. Dh cooking tea!... BTS Spring Day choreography Lovely Version just dropped!... Ahhh ambassoder!... You are spoiling me! ❤️😊😍❤️😊😍💜💜💜💜

Always Be My Maybe... Netflix is on my watch list!... It's had really positive reviews!

There's Cantonese spoken! I might be able to understand... Cantonese being the favoured language of all the Chinese immigrants... Thus its the common language in all the China towns! San Francisco... Manchester... London! 😂

I think Cantonese is spoken in Crazy Rich Asians, it's set in Singapore

Is Cantonese the lingua franca in Taiwan, Bea? I’m eyeing up Before We Get Married on Viki.

Also, I’m now caught up Angel’s Last Mission. It’s mint. I love everything about it.

We live in a very mixed area. A couple passed me and DS2 earlier and DS turned to me: “Were they talking Korean Mum?” Me: “No definitely Chinese, Mandarin I think.” After 15 hours of Well-Intentioned Love last week I was starting to ‘get my ear in’ and remembered what Bea said about all the shhh-ing.

DH cooking tea!
I love the exclamation mark on this Bea!🤣🤣

Professor Google has resolved the Taiwanese question: Mandarin, a Taiwanese version of Mandarin and local languages Hokkien and Hakka.

I’m watching Kingdom. The broth at the infirmiary in Dongnae. 😩

Mm-mmm! 🧟‍♂️

Didn’t take long for things to go south, did it? I’m watching something frothy before bed to counteract the zombies.

I rewatched Train to Busan yesterday. It was one of the first Korean films I watched last year, and I enjoyed it more the second time around as I recognised most of the actors and really appreciated the style and wit and downright scariness (and Gong Yoo)

I need to watch the last 40 min (after they get off at Busan station) as I had to stop it and watch fluff before bed. I don’t know what it is about zombies, but they really put the wind up me. Neither DH or I could watch Walking Dead eventhough it was good because it gave us nightmares. 😂

I watched a bit of Who Are You (boobage site) for a bit of HH KJW but he was only in the beginning bit (though I think he comes back in) but in spite of his fresh young looks as a detective I'm not sure I can continue till he returns as it is rather dated (2013) and not especially good.

I’m watching the first episode of The Perfect Match on Netflix. It’s a foodie rom-thing: internationally renowned chef going head to head with a smart, sassy young woman who runs a food stand in the local night market. She seems to have a similar food aesthetic and aptitude for flavour, but she’s less schooled in technique than him. It’s been pretty decent so far, although its making me hungry. Not sure what language its in - possibly Cantonese - but I don’t think it is Mandarin because I’m finding it much easier on the ear.