KDrama Addicts Anonymous (#7)

[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 (non subscription, possibly dodgy) and AmazonPrime.

The previous thread is linked below, but our ‘Addicts Recommend’ list is cumulative so includes recommendations and favourites from all of the previous threads:

Thread 6

Shows marked with asterisk(s) are more uniformly loved or admired. 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 best approximate & ask if you need guidance, eg about suitability 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)*

Historical/Period drama (“sageuk”)
Crowned Clown (Viki)
Mr Sunshine (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)
Radio Romance (Netflix)
Romance is the Bonus Book (Netflix)**
She Was Pretty (Dramabus/Netflix)*
The Beauty Inside (Viki/Netflix)
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 themes
Because This Is My First Life (Viki)*
Chicago Typewriter (Viki)*
Descendants of the Sun (Viki/Netflix)
Fight For My Way (Viki/Drama bus)*
Just Between Lovers (Viki)**
My Strange Hero (Viki)
One Spring Night (Netflix)
Red Carpet - film (Netflix, very adult content)
Search: WWW (Viki)*
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)
The Last Empress (Viki)

Not Korean but just try it
Regulars occasionally branch out into Japanese, Taiwanese and Chinese drama. The Chinese & Taiwanese stuff is much more variable quality-wise, so we’ve noted anything decent here:

Love O2O (Viki - Chinese)
Morning Call (Netflix - Japanese)

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 fangirling. If you’re still reading, please say hi.)

We are generally fans of all things Korean, so equally happy to talk about Korean food/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 dense 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 or an obvious shortening. Some of the regular favourite actors & actresses have been abbreviated too for speed/efficiency, eg Lee Jong-Suk (LJS), Park Min Young (PMY), Ji Chang Wook (JCW) and his hotness Kim Jae Wook (HH KJW). 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 feel maternal towards him too and appreciate his lovely skin, but agree he is not an oppa.

Yes, such lovely skin! With the kdrama actors that age I feel more inclined to feed them toast and make sure they get an Uber home safely

@bettys
It was about 1/4 too long, a little slow and without much "sizzle" with the leads and tbh I was really disappointed with the ending but I did watch it all in one binge and the story held its internal logic. It was also filmed in Slovenia so I would recommend jut watching the first couple of episodes for the amazing scenery!

Hotel del Luna is something else entirely. It's got a little bit of everything but instead of feeling muddled, it's just well done and clean. I love the relationship between Man Wool and death. They don't get many scenes together but the one in episode 7 was really heartwarming in an odd way.

Thanks for all the hellos, I have already had to separate out my Netflix profiles and was about to be cheeky and ask how much Viki is a month??

Thanks Cassini I will add it to my list and give it a go, it sounds like it may be a ffwrd-er in parts but that's no bad thing sometimes!

Hello I am also loving the relationship between the bellboy and the intern, it is so sweet. I like the ghost of the week stories, the video clip one was well scary and also pertinent re the spy cams.

@Cassini I think a Viki special offer has just finished sadly! I was on the monthly standard plan then got a special offer deal last Christmas which worked out at around £25 for the year (after exchange rate as you pay in dollars) - really good value since I watch it more than Netflix as the subs are better, and they have more on-air programmes.

It’s less than £5pm for the enhanced package, which means you get all the Viki originals - many of which are excellent & Addict faves. I think the basic package is c£3 and the enhanced one £4.50ish. I installed the iPhone app & it synchs with our AppleTV. 👍

I paid for the UK deal. I wonder if Betty has access to some shows that I don’t as there are regional restrictions on some of the content.

Sadly I still get the 'Sorry this content is not licensed for your region' notice, but the payment on my cc is in dollars, for some reason.

I can honestly say that Viki has been worth every penny as I have devoured its content.

As a family we all use Netflix though, we just have separate profiles

Old guy JKH in When the Devil Calls Your Name is bumming me out. Bring back lovely 30-something music impresario JKH with his flowing locks and designer specs. His abandoned kitten is very cute, tough.

I can honestly say that Viki has been worth every penny as I have devoured its content.

Same here. I’ve even started to enjoy some of the Taiwanese/Mandarin stuff. Jasper Liu is growing on me.

BTS reference on WWW!... 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

bettys I will admit I might have swore a little bit when the ghost of the week first came out. Its very pertinent to the current situation in Korea with idols and entertainers being charged with use of illegal spy cams and sharing footage in chatrooms.

I also loved the bellboy/intern relationship, and the memories of the sister! I think im overly fond of the bellboy really. I loved Man Wools little tantrum when she realises she missed out on a lot of money too. Its so playful and cute. .

Huzzah! WWW finished! What a lovely ending!! Ending with the three of them... And rightly so!... I soooo want scarlett to be my BFF! 😂 😂 😂.... And I'm old enough to be Park Morgans mum! 😭😭😭

Oppas?... I just want to take them home... Make sure they get an early night and eat properly...!... Especially those BTS boys! I worry they work too hard! 😭😭😭

Right! Back to hotel Del Luna!...

Jasper Liu is growing on me.

He has lovely eyes, and doesn't normally play Mr Handsy roles, it's usually geeky guy next door. I've even stopped noticing his adam's apple. I have a horrid feeling though that the end of BWGM might be bitter sweet (I've searched online but can't find how the book it's based on ends)

Oh and dimples!! Although you don't see them much in BWGM
Love how protective he has become with Weiwei

Love how protective he has become with Weiwei

The whole shading her face with his hands was stupid though. Just park the car under a tree or somewhere else with shade. 🙄

I don’t see any chatter about S2 of My First First Love. Is anyone else watching? Its lovely, but also sad (poor Tae-O 😞). It is my favourite currently airing series now WWW has finished. Poor hangdog Ji Soo is adorable - he looks like he needs feeding up with toast and a maternal hug.

he has tinted windows, boatyard, he could've just put them up! pretty sure if I did that DP would thing I was a loon.

I'm glad Jasper Liu is expanding his acting range but I much prefer cute, fluffy Jasper to handsy Jasper.

Aha, true!

I just watched the first episode of Level Up but was a bit meh for me, does it get better?

If My First First Love S2 has started airing, I'll binge season 1 and catch up. No more cliffhanger!

Level Up definitely improves. I am enjoying it and am counting down the days to the new episodes.

Busan looks like a great place to visit though