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…

Kefei & her Holy Tree and the “GOOD MORNING EVERYONE!” Pam Doove-style office greeting. 😂 😂 😂

I always love reading a boatyard BWGM monologue, they always give me a giggle.

It's a shame to hear about AJH and GHS. I loved Blood when it first came out and they always seemed so lovey dovey on their variety shows. Just goes to show, the world has no idea what's going on. The world of actor couples seems to be shrinking quickly though.

Finished My Strange Hero and had a bit of a blub. It was so sweet and lovely. I love a good school drama, they always seem to hit you in the feelings.

Ha Hello, yes I realised I was on my own there but it was impossible to resist. I’m self administering a 🥾🍑 as I have to work tomorrow.

Nearing the end of the thread (another 43 posts to go). I have the next one ready to go, so give me a shout with any further additions.

hello ... School drama!? Tugs at all your heartstrings?...misunderstood Tough kids with good hearts and angst? Teachers trying to do what's right? Heartless money driven heads of school? Determined pushy parents? Ending in warm and fuzzies?... You need School 2013 (if you haven't watched yet!..viki )... With the epic joyful bromance of Toasty Lee Jong Suk and Kim Woo Bin!... Wasn't expecting too much as its an older drama but it was really really good! And those two ML were fab! 😍😍😍

AJH and KHS... ooo! It's sooo sad and looks just soooo messy and playing out on the net... Hopefully it gets quiet apart from official announcements...

Rookie Historian is turning out to be very sweet... With a lovely blossoming relationship... Worth a peek when you're all kicking your heels about... Whilst Wondering and waiting for your next binge!
Still on watching with Watcher too ... 👍

I watched School 2013 as it aired 🙈 It's still one of my favourite dramas. I was less enamoured with School 2015: Who Are You and School 2017.
Is Watcher good then Bea, was it just a bit slow paced?

Watcher is really good!... With a thriller plot line! And intrigue city!... However I'm finding it very slow paced... But... Still worth a watch... I like all the characters! And Seo Kang Joon is one of my favourites!!
School 2013!... You watched as it aired?.... Oh gawd! Do you mean I could still be lost in kdrama world in 2024?!? 😭😱😱😱😱
Kudos to your staying power!! 😂 😂

DH said yesterday he thinks my kdrama is now a settled state, rather than a temporary thing.

I just put Melo is My Nature on for a look-see. I’m only 2.5 min into it and I’m already sold. The sofa discussion is brilliant and funny too. “There’s only so long you can last on antidepressants and vitamins.” I can’t explain why this statement is so funny without spoiling the scene. Give it a try.

Dramas offer something special I don't think British TV does. Even if I've not watched one for a while, it's easy to fall back in and before you realise it you're still here 10 years later. In conclusion, you're stuck here Bea surrounded by beautiful oppas who do housework to entice you to buy a cordless Dyson.

hello... Already had the Dyson pre kdrama! However they seem to have much fancier models in South Korea!... With digital displays and everything! 😂 😂

Melo is My Nature is on my to watch list. After hearing that line colour me intrigued. I'll have to have a nosey after walking the dog.

I’m now 30 min in and, like WWW, I’m seeing a drama which is driven by the 3 main female characters’ friendships. It’s telling each of their back stories in flashback to set the scene and the first two have been great. The friendships are honest and funny. It’s kind of dirty, not prim. I really like it already. Very cute baby in this first episode too - his chubby thighs look totally squidgeable.

Melo is my new favourite.

Heading in to Melo now........

I always get twitchy about running out of thread & I’ll be off doing errands shortly. Here’s the new thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/streamed_tv/3668460-MsLatte-s-Daebak-Cybercaf-kdrama-8?watched=1

Relative newbie to kdrama’s but loving them.
Someone probably has mentioned it already sorry, haven’t read all the threads.
Goblin - kissasian (don’t have Viki)
Oh my ghost - Netflix
Kill me heal me - Netflix
Good doctor (the original before the American one ) - Netflix
Oh my Venus - Netflix
Coffee prince - Netflix

Welcome Castiel! Good to see our new, more obscure thread title hasn’t rendered us invisible to new poster. There are only 2 of your picks not in the list above.

Ah, I see you found us on the last old format thread - see the new one 3 posts above.

Hi, which one that i should watch first? Voice or Partner for justice?

Hi JustSomebody. I don’t recognise either of those. We decamped a little early from this thread to the new one - come on over, as this one’s not as busy: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/streamed_tv/3668460-MsLatte-s-Daebak-Cybercaf-kdrama-8?watched=1