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…

Yes, it's as if both parties have to agree to break up, 321 is frustratingly dense! I was aghast at how he tried to force the ring on her finger, and thought because he'd got a huge bouquet and a bigger ring and promised all she would need to focus on was being Mrs Li , that she would say yes. Then obv. he would go back to just doing what he wanted & she would be stuck at home.

Loving Kefei's outfits and has to chortle at how any excuse she gets she 'accidentally' feels up Dawei's chest The other bloke who liked her hasn't been seen since he accused her of sleeping with Kehuan, though I guessed Kehuan did fire him.
I predict there will be a bitter sweet ending along the lines of they finally have the intense boffing but then go their separate ways for some reason.

Plus proposing to someone who's broken up with you in the middle of their workplace just feels like a recipe for disaster. Was he hoping she was just too polite to say no?

I feel bad that the only way she could convince him to leave her alone was to admit selling herself, how bad must it be for that to seem like a sane option? Alienating your entire workplace just to get your ex to understand you've broken up is nothing I've ever had to experience luckily.

The other bloke who liked her hasn't been seen since he accused her of sleeping with Kehuan, though

Yes, I thought of him (and his impeccable pecs) earlier.

Also thought the office proposal was grossly coercive. Not to mention hacking the company network for the pop-up. 321 is like an instruction manual in how not to go about things.

I do think they'll have a good time and then something bad will happen. Ziyuan saying she'll 'get her' makes me feel uneasy. I don't want her to run over her or cause Wei Wei actual bodily harm. That'd just be lazy writing.

the office proposal was grossly coercive.

Yes, but everything 321 has done has been coercive, he’s tried to put her in a corner she can’t get out of. Looks like from the preview that he goes back to the office to work 🙄
Limpet Ziyuan is just as bad, trying to force through a marriage and then working at Kehuan’s company. I’d be applying to headhunting agencies ASAP!

This is doable! 😂😂

That article!!.. 😂... Honestly! 😂😂

Ep 7 of watcher... Seo Kang Joon is a fiiiine looking man!.. 😱😍😍😍

Enjoying watcher... It's getting gruesome and intriguing! 😱 😱

Gruesome and intriguing sounds up my alley. I might pick it back up soon. I've caught up on Mr Temporary and it picked up a bit but its still not anything amazing, so far all the tests have been pretty obvious but I can't seem to stop.

I love the slo mo in watcher! 😂😂😂.. It's epic!!

Bea that article !!🤣🤣

Definitely an oppas list not a gorgeous-young-men-I-just-want-to-make-sure-they’re-eating-properly list 😆
However only a few on there I would put on the pub list. I’d still be a noona though, they’re all younger than me 🤣🤣

What is it with kdrama & noona romances? I can’t think of a western equivalent, cougar romances don’t have the same vibe at all 🤔

I’m back! Glad to see the thread is still going but might not be able to rtft! Currently watching My Absolute Boyfriend, one more episode to go - I know the general opinion is negative but I really loved it.

Oh, and I was mentioned on Men on a Mission/ Knowing Bros

Ep 7 of watcher... Seo Kang Joon is a fiiiine looking man!

Well hellooooo Hyun Bin. (But I agree with Betty - still a noona, as they’re all younger than me. 😂)

Wahey!! Welcome back Heechulmyoppa

Oh, and I was mentioned on Men on a Mission/ Knowing Bros

Yah!!!! You can't say that and runaway without telling more!!

^Ep 7 of watcher... Seo Kang Joon is a fiiiine looking man!

Heech... Tell us more! 😂😂

Maybe Lee Joon-Gi but only if he came as Wang So

Yep! All still younger than me!

a gorgeous-young-men-I-just-want-to-make-sure-they’re-eating-properly list °...

EXACTLY!!... If anyone ever bumps into those Bangtan Boys... Tell them I've got a rice cooker! And I know how to use it!! 😂 😂 😂

4th Prince Wang So down the pub hahahahaha I would so love to see that 🤣🤣

Heechulismyoppa could your name refer to the one, the only, universe's star Kim Heechul? I'm jealous of you getting mentioned on Knowing Bros, which episode?!

Ah yes, Heechul and Hello are our sunbaes and long-time fans.

It’s good to be back!!

And yes Hello, Kim Heechul is my ultimate bias and I broke his heart by telling him i’m Married lol

Ok, my episode of Knowing Bros is on Viki but not Netflix yet. It’s episode 180, featuring Davichi. Go and watch the first 5 minutes...

heechul same! about the ultimate bias thing, not breaking his heart unfortunately. He's closely followed by Donghae though. They're just so lovable. I'll have to watch the Davichi episode when I get home, I'll keep an eye out for you