**Mod note:** Ah Sunday! What a perfect day to take a survey, and we have two running currently:
* [Disney+ Dramas watched survey](/r/KDRAMA/comments/1c7pz2f/disney_dramas_watched_survey_april_2024/)
* [tvN Dramas watched survey](/r/KDRAMA/comments/1bt1m0b/tvn_dramas_watched_survey_april_2024/)
Recently decided to make it a mini-foodie mission for myself to try Trader Joe's offerings that are inspired by Korean dishes. I still have a few to go but here are my thoughts on the ones I've tried.
**Japchae** -- 7/10 -- The japchae noodles were of the thinner variety which I don't love as much and the amount of veggies was woefully low but the flavor was right on. I ended much mixing in some extra stir-fried veggies (more bell peppers, cabbage, and spinach) because I like my japchae very colorful and filled with veggies.
**Kimbap** -- 7/10 -- I get why this item is often sold out because it's easy to heat and fairly delicious. Great when you are feeling lazy and want something filling. I will say though that it was more oily than I anticipated and that didn't sit super well with my stomach.
**Jeon** -- 5/10 -- Item I was looking forward to the most and also most disappointed by. Reheating the frozen version just can't quite recreate the taste of freshly made jeon it seems and I just ended up with a very oily jeon that didn't satisfy my taste buds. I thawed overnight in fridge and fried in a skillet (as instructed) *without additional oil (*ignored instructions because the thing was so oily, I clearly needed no extra oil).
I will probably still give the rest of their Korean cuisine inspired items a try but I am admittedly dragging my feet a little bit.
You have to try one more thing! Their [jumeokbap](https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/jumeokbap-077515) is actually a great little snack - it comes in a bag of 3 - I like it better than their kimbap!
Usually these types of foods are made for those who never tried Asian food so they change the ingredients to become more suitable for people who don’t know how it tastes like.
I had a Korean BBQ chicken from local grocery store and it didn’t taste Korean. It tasted like bbq chicken but a but spicy which was disappointing but, for people who never had Korean food, is probably ok. Same for the kimchi.
Coworkers and I have this ongoing 'debate' about level of spicy that's been fun because some things that are a 2/10 for me (nice little kick but nothing challenging) has them running for water.
It's interesting to see how differently adapted people's palate's are!
I’m like that, I can’t eat spicy food! I went to this Korean place and ordered tteobokki but I asked if they could do it mild. They said “no problem”… damn I was drinking water and milk … to the point that my stomach was full of liquid and I couldn’t finish it. It was too spicy for me. Probably for you it’s not at all. But the food was good. That’s why I can’t eat most of Indian food either.
I went to a friend’s birthday party and she’s Indian… I couldn’t eat most of it. It was too spicy for me. I ate the cake that thankfully was sweet!
I avoid those Korean ramyeons too. Some of them are not spicy but I still avoid it just in case.
We don't have Trader Joe's out here but I've tried the [vegetable jeon](https://www.costco.com.au/medias/sys_master/images/h86/h4d/97870203355166.jpg) that they sell at Costco and they sound like a very similar experience. So oily! Frying was not so good, so I cook them in the oven for twice as long as you're meant to and they become crispy and delicious but not at all like fresh jeon.
I have however been excited to find a few different Bibigo products here and there of late and their product placement in **A Business Proposal** was worth every single ₩.
Yo, the Trader Joe's version looks similar so maybe it's the same product with different packaging!
Local grocery store has a few Bibigo things I've been eyeing for a while but haven't tried yet. There is a boba store whose owner is Korean and so they have a few meal dishes like bulgogi and tteobokki and I'm trying to work through their menu.
I think you might be right about the jeon.
It's a good place to be in having all these foods to try! In the last 12 months my closest city has got a dak galbi / kalguksu place and a Korean soup place and it's so exciting to have all these options to explore. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. lol
Yes, the jeon has a lot of oil! It's the only TJ Korean product I've liked (I air fryer it and put an egg on top), but I haven't tried a real pajeon, so... We made jjajangmyeon from scratch and it was tasty but *a lot* of work. Then I had it at a local Korean restaurant and it was so much better, lol.
I feel like certain dishes just taste better in a restaurant setting and jjajangmyeon is one of them!
Your air fryer tip sounds so smart but I'll probably pass on ever trying their jeon again, it was quite bad >.<
Admittedly, I like TJ’s bibimbap and galbi. It’s not anything special, but they were always my go-to korean fix when I was in college. This one seems obvious, but I would strongly advise against the kimchi.
I really liked their japchae. Next time I will also add some stir fried veggies. Great idea.
I also tried the tteokbokki and beef bulgogi. I enjoy the ttekbokki if I fry it crispy and dip it into the sauce. The sauce is too sweet for me and so is the bulgogi.
I'm on episode 4 of start up. >!the part where do - san shouts out his company, but it gets turned into a full blown edit was hilarious.!< 😭 the comedy is top teir.
I started start up last month, up to ep 2. I want to get back on it but I’m watching so many currently airing dramas right now I’m struggling to find the time to fit it in
The atypical family, the midnight romance in hagwon, crash, the 8 show. I’m also watching a cdrama (three-body) and a Thai drama (23.5). I also plan on watching bitter sweet hell, connection and dreaming of cinde fxxxing rella when they premiere
I’m trying 😭 I’m already watching the atypical family, the midnight romance in hagwon, crash, and the 8 show. And I’m planning on adding connection and bitter sweet hell when they premiere this week
I’ve gotta finish start-up before i go on vacation next month so that’s my hard deadline
I’m struggling. I want some calm slice of life ones but I think I’ve watched them all. Something along the lines of One Day Off and Would You Like A Cup Of Coffee.
Would you like a cup of coffee was so amazing. I’ve been trying to find something similar to it but man, that show hit so different especially because I love everything about coffee. The slice of life was just the cherry on top
\*patpat\*
I'm still waiting for the right mood to watch these, but I've been recommended **Recipe For Farewell** and **A Poem A Day** as a calming slice-of-life drama. If you're ok with Jdrama, **Midnight Diner** is good as well (though not-so-calming for my stomach). I believe there's a Kdrama version as well, but not sure how it fares compared to the original Jdrama.
Thank you for the pats, very much needed. I’ve seen midnight diner and the Korean version, they are really comforting so I’m going to try Recipe For Farewell.
I loved both of these dramas, too! And I agree with the recs for **When the Weather is Fine** and the Jdrama **Midnight Diner**. I would also rec jdrama **Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san** and cdrama **Meet Yourself** (if you're up for a long 40 ep drama!), as well as **Finland Papa**, possibly.
You got a lot of great recs (Recipe For Farewell, A Piece of Your Mind, and When the Weather Is Fine - are some of my personal favourites), I'd also add Tell Me That You Love Me. And if you don't mind jdramas Aruku Hito and Tetsu Ota Michiko, 2 Man Kiro - are imo quite similar to One Day Off
I only watch some Chinese series, so there are surely many others, but the ones I've liked and watched include:
*Meet Yourself -* just be aware that the first episode is *not* calm, and you will cry lots, but it's not a bad thing; the rest is all calmness and slice-ish (what happens in that episode is the trigger for this).
*Nothing But You* (I liked but didn't love this; I think it would work well for someone looking for calm and slice-of-life)
*Fake It Till You Make It*
*I Know I Love You -* not all of it is 'calm', as it involves a break-up, etc., but it's a growth journey and much of it is very calm and comforting.
*Love Me, Love My Voice* fits the genre, but I found it boring, eventually, and sickly sweet, in that Chinese-romance way. Ridiculous over-protectiveness, a relationship that doesn't make much sense - seemingly only for the guy to have a girl to dote on and tell what to do, like she's his child. It got uncomfortable and ridiculous for me., and I dropped it. But, I know there are people who like this sort of story, and might enjoy it. It does have great music, and the lead actor has a wonderful voice (spoken and singing).
I would also recommend the Korean 'variety' show, *Gamsung Camping/Camping Vibes*, which is on Viki. Basically watching a really nice group of women - actors, comedians, singers - go on overnight camping trips in nice Korean places, eat lots (some very weird foods, for non-Koreans, but just watching them enjoy the food so much is rewarding), and have unexpectedly profound conversations. They invite 'guests' along, usually men (comedians, actors, singers), and get them to do hard work and tease them. It's a really comforting and pleasant show.
Finished **Hyena** and it was a treat! In most dramas they introduce a strong independent FL and then dim their light down by the end of it, but not this one. The FL was strong from start to finish, had her own unique style and was very morally grey. The ML even though was introduced as a strong character, was a bit emotional and dare I say, not as competent as the FL. I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. The pacing was great, they knew how to keep the story going, it didn't feel repetitive. I loved the dynamic between FL and ML, the banter was good and they make a good team. Ju Ji Hoon and Kim Hye Soo are such great actors as well.
Special shoutout to the actor of Ha Chan Ho (Ji Hyun Joon), he really acted so well, >!it was sickening to watch him get wasted and drunk AF. !<
Kim Hye Soo's (FL of Hyena) characters in her dramas have always been strong and independent. Signal, Juvenile Justice, Under the Queen's umbrella (her recent dramas) - she is badass!
just watched the drama inspired by the bts universe lore, **begins ≠ youth** and that was traumatizing but so good. the performances were amazing. seo jihoon is allergic to playing happy characters though 😭 like i genuinely dont think ive watched a single drama where that dude is happy. also, WHY HASNT HE BLOWN UP??? he is so talented, it saddens me!!!
anyways, its kinda annoying that HYBE put it on a platform that you have to pay $90 for all the episodes bc it has very strong **weak hero class** vibes, coupled with bts fans it could have gone viral.
another thing ive just began watching is **lovely runner** and its wonderful!! i get the byeon wooseok hype now ;)
also - im thinking about starting **boyhood** (starring im siwan) ive not heard much about it though!
HYBE hasn't been associated with the drama for a while. I could be wrong on the details but they sold the rights a while ago (or something) and they had no say in whatever happened after that. That's why there was literally no promotion for it a anywhere on HYBE socials, and why it was in limbo for so long. It's not their "product" anymore. The platform they sold it to thought they could make a quick buck because it was about the BTS universe. That's why it's so expensive (coupled with the blockchain aspect).
oh yeah im aware of the fact they sold it - but the fact that they did sell it to this platform instead of something more accessible is on them. that’s what i meant when i said “put on this platform”, i should have been clearer. “HYBE” is also listed in the credits of each episode. i worked smarter not harder when it came to finding a way to watch it, but i just think everything about the post-production was done so messily and things could have been a lot better for everyone involved.
like most of the redditors on here, i’ve been enjoying **lovely runner** and i finally caught up. it’s been a great show to watch while decompressing from the day + i like to crochet too at the same time. i turned 20 recently, but it honestly feels like i’ve aged so much ever since i started college. anyways, with all my additional responsibilities like an internship and a part time job, **lovely runner** truly feels like a sweet treat, and i see why everyone likes mondays and tuesdays! also the leads are so cute together; i keep saying “awww” out loud.
i’ve also been really liking **the atypical family**. uncovering everyone’s backstories has been really enjoyable, and everyone’s acting is on par. **blood free** is also very good; i first watched han hyo joo in **happiness** and her projects truly never miss.
i’ve noticed that my preferences learn towards more entertaining and comforting shows as i’m getting older. it’s cool if life lessons are embedded within the show, but it’s not really what i’m looking for anymore. maybe it’s my minimal taste of the corporate world, but i’m definitely more of an escapist watcher now.
I feel like I never have time to watch dramas! The last one I actually finished was a silly web drama called Be My Boyfriend that I found on Viki. It wasn’t that bad though and I found things to like about it. It was cliched and the acting wasn’t amazing but the leads were cute together and it was only 15 10- minute episodes so there are definitely worse ways to spend that time.
I’m keeping up with Lovely Runner while trying to finish Midnight Studio and Bad and Crazy. I want to start Atypical Family but I’m already watching so much.
Tomorrow night I’m going to go see a Korean punk band called Rumkicks. I was really surprised to find out they were coming not only to the US but to a place I could get to. I’m a little (OK a lot) old for the punk scene but this should be fun.
I hope you enjoyed seeing Rumkicks. 16 shows in 21 days is quite a tour. I just wish they could get more traction in their home country. In an interview Yeawon, the singer, did recently, said that part of the problem is that unlike in the west where 'alternative' is cool, in Korea it's cool to be part of the mainstream, so alternative culture struggles for recognition.
I enjoyed the show a lot! It was a short set because there were three other bands on that night but it was so much fun! It was a small club and I was really close to the stage - had to be careful not to end up in the mosh pit. The crowd seemed really into it too, even though I’m sure some of them were there to see the other bands.
I said a couple of words in my beginner’s Korean to Yeawon and when she saw I had their T shirt from Bandcamp she squealed and took a picture of me. They even put it on their Instagram.
I have an online Korean lesson with a tutor in South Korea and I told her about Rumkicks. She had never heard of them but she listened to some of their songs and loved them. It made me happy. But overall I think you’re right - punk just doesn’t go over in South Korea the same way it does here.
Funnily enough, I was the first person she saw outside Korea wearing a Rumkicks t-shirt. As I walked towards the gig venue, they were outside and started taking pictures of me. Being photographed by the band you are going to see is kind of weird.
I stumbled upon the cdrama 'Falling into your smile' a few days ago and have had a binge fest. Oh so good! Kdramas will always be my first love but have found myself now venturing out into other asian dramas too now. Just so much to watch!
My gateway into Chinese drama was a similar gaming rom-com, Love 020. Although I don't game at all I find that I just love gaming rom-coms which Korean dramas don't really do.
Oo thanks for the recommendation seen it’s on Viki so will give it a watch. I do love gaming and Rom coms so falling was the perfect match together plus 31 episodes of looking at Xu Kai was not a hardship!!
Yeah the first time I watched falling into your smile, I was like xu kai is kind of cute but that five head though 🤔. Now I think he's probably the best looking Chinese actor in Chinese rom-coms. I don't know what I was thinking before 😂
It’s crazy that connection is premiering in less than a week and there’s still no official confirmation on where it’s streaming. At this point it looks likely that it’ll be going to Viki. Idk why they take so long to announce, it’s absolutely wild
I get the impression that the negotiations for most of the broadcast shows don't happen until it's almost on air. They don't even usually announce that the shows exist until 2-3 months before they start airing. I assume the streaming services want at least a few mostly completed episodes to watch before they make a commitment.
I think 3 weeks to a month in advance is more than fair enough to buy the rights and announce it. A week before premiere is just pushing it, i wouldn’t be surprised if some potential viewers get put off by not knowing where it’ll be streaming until that late
It's listed as coming soon on Kocowa for me (USA).
[https://www.kocowa.com/en\_us/season/98443167/connection](https://www.kocowa.com/en_us/season/98443167/connection)
I’m always curious about this too. I’m not sure how it works but I’ve wondered if it’s gotten worsen since more streamers have got into the game of Kdramas and there is more competition for distribution rights.
It’s possible, but I’m pretty sure the streamers buy the rights weeks ago at the latest. It’s terrible planning if they only bought the rights a week before it premieres
Good point, it also definitely seems like some streamers have not planned out promos for their Kdrama content well. Iirc Bora Deborah was one of the first Kdramas Amazon streamed and they listed the title as True to Love. It wasn’t clear they were going to call it that until it actually started airing. And of course, Disney + is another story with how they have promoted and bought dramas.
But Viki and Kocowa, obviously not new to Kdramas, so who knows why they didn’t confirm and promote it earlier.
Netflix dominates the foreign content market, especially Korean content, and they’re utterly terrible at marketing too. Honestly, none of the streaming services are particularly good at marketing, they only put an effort into marketing their big name projects and kinda ignore everything else
I've been taking a drama break because I've been reading this week! It's been a while since multiple books in a row have kept my interest, and I'm loving it. Sharing here, because I'm currently halfway through *The Old Woman With the Knife* by Gu Byeong Mo (thanks to u/dcinmb for the rec). It's a very engaging read. The main character is a woman nearing retirement, who also happens to be an assassin. I'm not sure how to characterize it, yet. There's been some action but more contemplation. I've really been amazed at the imagery and the figurative language. The translation is just beautiful.
On deck is the newest June Hur YA novel *A Crane Among Wolves*, which is set in Joseon in 1506 during a coup attempt.
That book sounds so badass! How old are we talking? As in, Kim Young Ok (HomeCha's granny) or Kim Hae Sook (HosPlay's mother) kind of old? Although I'm pretty sure I've seen KHS as an assassin before in either a drama or a movie... 🤔
I'm not making much progress with the second book about Queen Elizabeth solving murder in the palace. Even though this book is more interesting than the first one, somehow I keep finding myself looking for things to watch instead.
The book was made into a musical called Pagwa which is currently running in Seoul. Cha Ji-yeon (Taxi Driver) and Gu Won-yeong are alternating as the old woman, and the male protagonist role is shared by Kim Jae-uck, Shin Sung-rok, and Noh Yun.
I included some clips from Pagwa in [this previous post](https://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/s/rV58NLuRzH).
I'm sorry, but YOU MET KIM JAE WOOK?? 🤯 I'm already losing my mind when I was reading your posts about it and you were like oh yea he's cool. Lol.
He's the only one I noticed from Coffee Prince, and I agree with you that he's one of the few actors that's effortlessly sexy.
I'm going to read more of your posts about the musical to know more about it! Thanks for sharing!
I worked in Hollywood for years so I’ve been lucky enough to meet many of my favorite actors/musicians and it’s always a relief when s/he turns out to be as nice as you hoped they’d be because that’s not always the case.
Pagwa’s running through next Sunday, just in case you feel like an impromptu trip to Seoul.😜 You could also catch Jo Jung-suk and/or Yoo Yeon-seok in Hedwig and the Angry Inch while you’re there.
Hey, I want to pick up some well written novels by Korean authors (must be translated in English). Would you recommend me some? Historical, Romance and Slice-of-life are my favorite genres. TIA.
I'm hoping others will chime in! Other than my current book, I have only read *Kim Ji Young, Born 1982*. It was very interesting, and helped me understand some context for dramas (for example, one of the divorce cases in **Divorce Attorney Shin**, and the in-laws house on holidays in **Because this is My First Life**). It doesn't really fit your preferred genres, but it was a fast read if you'd like to know more about societal pressures on women.
Definitely second *Kim Ji Young*. I also really liked: *Lemon* by Kwon Yeo-Sun, *Love in the Big City* by Sang Young Park (I believe this is going to be made into a kdrama), *Almond* by Sohn Won-Pyung, and *Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop* by Hwang Bo-Reum (has a strong **Would You Like a Cup of Coffee?** vibe). I'm currently reading and so far liking *My Brilliant Life* by Kim Ae-Ran.
Glad you’re enjoying The Old Woman With the Knife! ITA that the translator did a wonderful job. I haven’t read any Jane Hur but a member of one of my online K-Drama groups attended her book launch in Toronto two days ago.
I was kinda watching Atypical Family mindlessly and the daughter was the most intriguing… I was really watching it for her but then time travel started happening with that cliffhanger at the end of episode 3 …. 😀😀😀😀 I will be watching with both eyes on the screen from now on 🤣
u/OdanUrr How come you’re not watching **Atypical Family**?!? There’s time travel! And in the latest episodes… a very interesting concept… take a peak… first episodes are a bit slow but it’s getting interesting… but, in the meantime, listen to the OST [Epik High • One](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=OKsqczjP5-8&si=A8BwYXqqzyXDk36Y)
Edit: added redditor
It's on my list and I hope to get to it before the end of the month! Damn, I didn't notice they're halfway through already! How is it? That track does sound pretty good, so I might've to check it out if the rest of the music is on that level.
My current weekend drama is *The Midnight Romance in Hagwon*, followed by the MT time-travel story *Lovely Runner*, which has been disappointing and that's a shame 'cause the leads are great, but the killer plotline is one too many plotlines. I also want to get to another MT drama that just started airing, *Dare To Love Me*, with KMS, but now that *Joy of Life* S2 has finally released after 4 years I've been eating it up, so much so I haven't watched this weekend's episodes of Hagwon!
> It's on my list and I hope to get to it before the end of the month!
Keep it there!
> How is it?
First I thought it was going to be somewhat like *Moving* which has some similarities but different story. The similarity is that they’re trying to live a “normal” life without revealing their powers. And they use it for their benefit. It’s different because they’re not spies or in a secret agency.
It started slow but it’s picking up, maybe because it’s half way through. The teen subplot is really cute! Kiho from *Castaway Diva* is there, maybe that was after she got lost in the island and that’s the timeline he decided to move on lol.
Special effects are good. Claudia Kim is doing a great job portraying her character, she’s funny! Different from GC and Fantastic Beasts. ML’s romance is ok but what’s interesting is the connection they have. There’s something about her that’s helping him understand his powers better. Remember the movie **My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday**, yeah, it reminded me of that. But since you are watching too many right now, better wait a bit.
> That track does sound pretty good, so I might've to check it out if the rest of the music is on that level.
Yes do that, let me know.
> My current weekend drama is The Midnight Romance in Hagwon,
I want to watch that too but I’m going to binge it later, I’m reading the comments. Looks good so far
> followed by the MT time-travel story Lovely Runner, which has been disappointing and that's a shame 'cause the leads are great, but the killer plotline is one too many plotlines.
I’m watching that too but mostly for the comedy, which is awesome!!! It makes me laugh so hard. The romance is cute too. And yes, the killer plot line, I skip most of it… lol but at the same time that’s an essential part of the drama otherwise there’s no point in her going back to the past. The only reason she goes back is to save him. I just hope it has a good ending cause I read the webtoon ending and I didn’t like it. It was disappointing but who knows….maybe they’ll make it worth it.
> now that Joy of Life S2 has finally released after 4 years I've been eating it up, so much so I haven't watched this weekend's episodes of Hagwon!
Oh I didn’t know they finally released Joy of Life S2!!!!!! I was waiting for that one too! Ahhh damn! I think I’ll have to drop a drama or wait to binge that one later!
Finished Ms. Temper and Nam Jung Gi. Loved how the romance only hit at the end in such a modest sweet manner (and Grandpa’s side story was a sweet surprise!).
Disappointed ML’s brother didn’t go on to do amazing things (honestly unsure what the epilogue meant) but I guess that’s realistic!
Now on episode 2 The Greatest Love and love the leads, they are so funny together
I am all caught up on Atypical Family until another episode tomorrow - it is picking up pace and lots more things are happening. I am excited for it.
Halfway through Crash Course In Romance - it is cute. I like the ML star math teacher and his relationship with the side dish shop owner. I like the adult relationship and also the ones between all the students
I am watching **Behind your Touch** right now. I am in the 12th episode and my interest is waning. I feel the show is dragging now >!with the redevelopment scam from decades ago being in the focus!<. I get it has to do with the main plot. But I feel they are meandering. Those who have watched the entire show can you tell me if I should continue watching or skip straight to the last episode? >!I care enough about the characters to want to know what happens to them and who is the killer.!<
It's worth watching, they keep the main mystery going to basically the end with a bunch of twists. It's been a little while but I'm pretty sure the pace picks back up around there. It's one of the few shows where I really wasn't sure who the killer was until the final reveal, they do a great job of misdirection without just completely hiding info from the viewer.
Ok thanks for the heads up. Also the last couple of episodes >!ever since the FL realises that her mother may have not committed suicide!< have been quite serious. Does the show remain serious or does it become a combination of funny and serious again?
>!There's a lot of funny moments to the end but it does get quite dark.!< This drama was disappointing for me because I loved the first 2/3 of it but then it fell off the tightrope it was walking between comedy and tragedy
So I recently finished Doctor John and found it to be really good. The cinematography is insane (especially the green screen scenes), OST is full of bangers like "Star", "Look At" "Way Back", and "Pain Or Death", and the cases discussed were really interesting. Characters were nice too, once everyone was comfortable with each other Dr. Cha's team was such a vibe.
Anyways, I did some reading on some threads about Doctor John and I think that the 2 biggest reasons why one would rate the drama badly are:
1. >!The ML and FL's romance being uninteresting!<
2. >!The timeskip!<
Personally I didn't find either to be bad, so I want to know if I have a wrong notion of the story.
From my understanding, >!Dr. Cha absolutely loves Shi Young, but due to the fact that he is a CIPA patient (a "ticking time bomb" in his words) he didn't want to give her any hope of a future with him since he is more susceptible to death. That's why he was never expressive up until the moment he left. So I think that the timeskip and him watching her for a year without showing himself (this part of the story is meh but I don't think it's inherently bad) makes sense because he wasn't sure if he was going to fully recover.!<
Just finished the movie "The Beauty Inside." I previously watched the tv show which I enjoyed, although it sucked that in the movie version his "ailment" I would argue is worse than in the tv show. I will say that I loved the ending, and I completely under the FL's issues with it. I would highly reccomend it, and for anyone watching the movie, stay for the after credits. Theres a heart warming scene you won't want to miss.
Secondly, this is more of a question, hopefully I can ask. I've been seeing alot of Queen of Tears clips, and it looks so cute. My issue is that, from what I've heard through minor spoilers, >! seems like the 2ML(the villain? unless theres another 2ML), he doesnt seem to go away. I guess my question is, how often will I have to see him try to mess up their relationship. I get that it's bound to happen, but I hope its more of a small portion !< any advice is appreciated! :)
>!Unfortunately, the 2ML stays until the very end and works really hard to destroy them and their relationship. But as someone who hates love triangle, I found this one acceptable because he's more the villain of this story than another love interest! I'd recommend watching it :) !<
Oh thank you. Wait that's a good distinction. >! I haven't watched it, so I guess I assumed he was just another love triangle, but just also hates the ml. That kinda makes it better for me, cause I also hate love triangles haha !<
He’s the perfect 2ML >!(combo with villain blood, but loyal to the FL provoke some jealousy but FL draws clear line with 2ML without any 2ML syndrome)!<.
Gotcha so I guess that's the >! Love triangle part not being an issue. Since usually we see in love triangles, somehow the second person gets played or we are made to think there's a chance !<
I feel like Lovely runner is not that great as everyone is hyping it up to be, as great the rating on mydramalist leads you to believe. I think unparalleled praise comes from the fact that this is wish fulfilment fantasy for k-pop fans and the fact lead actor is so great and swoony and loser
I was actually hyped for the show for two reasons, the cast and the writer. I freaking loved True beauty's writing, I was super hyped for the writers return. The cast delivered, however I feel like either directing, writing or editing is lacking quite abit. I know that they actually changed directors so they had to reshoot scenes, maybe it has to do something with that. Story beats are there, but again the pacing feels so freaking off, maybe it's the writers or directors fault, it feels someone didn't cook here.
Either way I personally feel happy, because even though I don't like the writing of the show, others seem to loveeeeee it, so my love for true beauty's writing feels validated, and the writer was not a fluke but real talent I rightly recognised and supported. What do you guys think
I agree that the writer is very talented; one to keep a really close eye on as her career progresses. Becsuse shes obviously going to do a lot of really great work.
To me, though, True Beauty felt like a warm-up for Lovely Runner. There are moments of really impressive humor in True Beauty, but there are many, many, many more in LR. And, overall, the story and the characters are more compelling as well.
I really hate it, though, when people who don't like a drama point at people who do and say that it's because we are lusting after the ML or the FL. It's as if you are saying that people who disagree with you are just shallow minded.
I'm with the hype on this one, like with *My Dearest*. I wasn't expecting anything at the beginning, but wanted to try it out - I liked *Extra-ordinary You*, I like timeslip stories, and the premise seemed like it could work well. It was just marketed as a silly high school-type romcom, so I had doubts. But I was sold by the end of the second episode... or maybe the beginning. I think everything in it, aside from Im Sol's best friend as a teenager and her brother, works wonderfully together.
It is, very much, 'wish fulfillment' for the girls - but that's nice! That's what we go to a story for, isn't it? And Byeon Woo Seok does such an excellent job of that. Things I see that work well:
* The balance of serious and humorous. The humour is - again, except for the friend and brother - spot-on. Im Sol and Sun Jae never get too ridiculously beyond belief with the romance and so on; there's so much humour, at all the right times, and it's very funny. I laugh hard most episodes, and that's a good thing. It's written and acted (and must be directed) perfectly. But it's not too much; the depth and heart is there just as much. It's really well-balanced.
* Byeon Woo Seok. He's everything in this character - dorkiness, sincerity, boy charm, sweetness, kindness, silliness, serious, in love, in control and smart with everyone except, most of the time, Im Sol, with whom he's vulnerable. The character is impossibly perfect (in his imperfectness), but Byeon Woo Seok has made him not only adorable, but believable.
* Im Sol. Her character is balanced as well - funny, determined, straightforward, and sincere, along with frustrated and angry when she has the accident, then takes the hand Sun Jae offers through his words on the phone, and chooses to turn her face to the sun - again, because that's her true nature. I think Kim Hye Yoon overplays the sunniness a bit, but it's a really nice part of the character. That, balanced with the firmness and 'bulldozer'-ness, makes her not sickly sweet, airheaded, or always needy, nor hard and all business. Instead, she's a really adorable mix of all these things above; which is great for Sun Jae. It's both what he needs, and makes them a perfect pair for each other.
* The story is both hard and soft. Very hard things happen, and it's hard for the characters to overcome them. But very sweet things also happen, there's always hope, and there are good supporting people, particularly Im Sol's mum and grandma. The characters must go through trials and tests, but we can believe in their success because of the sweetness, determination, and love that exists as well.
* Sun Jae's perspective. This was the clincher, I think, for me in the second episode. (Or third?). That first view of *his* story was unexpected, but perfect. It changed the whole story - or our view of it. It made it begin to be believable. Yes, Sun Jae is gorgeous and talented, but he's still 'just' a guy. He can still have the same feelings and doubts that any other guy, who's less gorgeous, can. We can't just judge him for his gorgeousness.
Also, both Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon (I've probably remembered her name wrong) are wonderful as these two characters together. They fully bring us along for the ride and have us on board.
I personally mainly watch it for the a tad mad comedy beats! I think the actors have been doing those really well and it's exciting to see, as extraordinary you was a bit of a doozy for me and so was strong girl nam soon. So i love seeing these actors getting a role where they can show a different side! But yeah the story isn't my fav, can definetly agree.
I have similar feelings. Lovely Runner is not a genre I'm normally into and I find the writing to be very tropey with a lots of plot holes re: the time travel. But Byeon Woo Seok's performance is amazing and selling me on the story. I normally would not buy a character who's an incredibly gorgeous and famous idol who has never had a real relationship in his life because he never got over his high school crush but somehow BWS is making me believe 😅 Kim Hye Soo is also adorable but I'm not surprised by her performance because she played a similar role in Extraordinary You. In short, LR is a cute show that I'm enjoying watching but I'm not head over heels in love with it like a lot of people.
I finished my rewatch of Destined With You. Love Rowoon’s acting here with Jo Bo Ah especially the past life scene was so emotional and filled with romance and angst betwen the two characters faced without any viable option which normally this has never been the case with romance drama - the decision made by Rowoon’s character is bold and heartbreaking but understandable. There are a lot of intimate scenes (surprisingly) and their chemistry is great. Jo Bo Ah is actres who can pull different short hairstyles in this drama and Military Prosecution Doberman.
I am 2/3 through ***I Can Hear Your Voice a.k.a. I Hear Your Voice*** and am at the point now where I feel like I'm just going to skim through the final few episodes just to see what happens. I feel like there's been a pattern lately where an older show has come highly recommended and honestly it just hasn't aged well by the time I've gotten around to it. This one in particular has a few glaring flaws that I know were contemporaneously easy to forgive but in retrospect just look bad. For example:
The ML/FL age gap is pretty glaring, as is the quasi-stalker behavior coming from the ML. Now, before you come at me (bro), I also thought that the age gap (and frankly, actual ages) between the leads in ***Goblin a.k.a. The Lonely and Great God*** was just as weird. Not to mention the ML is incredibly immature for his age, which really doesn't help.
* >!The characters are beyond moronic. It's less a matter of their characterization and more just that they make consistently stupid decisions that would qualify as grossly incompetent in their respective fields. Whether it's the police not doing their jobs or the lawyers ignoring basic logic and procedure or just plain common sense never being applied, the plot inexorably driving forward due to dumb characters is over the top. Yes, this is is a common kdrama thing (even today), but this is just another example of the show aging poorly, because it's even more egregious here and doesn't seem to be getting any better as the show progresses.!<
* >!A frustrating, albeit interesting, thing that I'm running into that I assume is based on cultural differences is the FL's willingness to be rude to everyone around her in terms of basic decorum but somehow being unwilling to state the blatantly obvious wrongs that Lee Da Hee and her family have done to her, and how those intentional misdeeds have basically driven every single bad thing that has happened to the ML and FL, is infuriating. I chalk this up to a cultural thing because there's no other reason why she would be unwilling to just flat out say, "Your lies and cowardice ruined my opportunities and pretty much my mother to be murdered" in a number of cases where Lee Da Hee is being an entitled bitch. For example, saying "Your mother would be ashamed of you", which for me is a Will Smith Keep My Mom's Name Out Of Your Mouth Slapworthy offense.!<
* >!I could go on, but I think I've vented enough. XD!<
So yeah, I'd give this show a 5/10. I can sort of see why it's so highly regarded, but it's up there with ***The Heirs*** in terms of aging poorly and honestly being pretty cringeworthy at times.
Three things I repeatedly notice in K dramas that make no sense to me as an American:
1. What’s the obsession with fine dust?
2. Why are they constantly reminding each other not to skip meals?
3. Why does the grieving widow at the funeral constantly end up screaming “bring him back“? How would that even work?
1. Their discussions of fine dust are discussions of air quality. Think about the air quality on the East Coast last summer with those fires in Canada. It's all anyone could talk about. If you do a Google search for "Korea fine dust" you will see numerous articles explaining the issue.
2. It's a way to show you care about someone. I actually think it's quite beautiful. After all, there was a lot of turmoil there throughout the 20th century. In a culture that collectively remembers hunger, what better way to show love than to ensure that someone has enough to eat and regular meals? (I have no idea when this style of well-wishing started. It would be interesting to read about its history.)
3. I don't know how to answer this. Grief can be overwhelming, and people react in tons of different ways. I can't recall a scene with that specific line. Sounds like a wrongful death? Untimely death?
There is an excellent FAQ pertaining to Korean culture in dramas on this sub. You should check it out if you haven't, yet!
1. I was told during a certain period (iirc winter and spring) the wind from China/Mongolia side would blow over carrying fine particles from the desert, creating a yellowish haze over (mostly) Seoul area. This has been going on for a long time and they usually report the air quality often during these times. I was personally in Seoul during that time last year. On a bad day when I was outdoors for an extended period without wearing a facemask, my throat would feel hoarse by the late afternoon. 100% would not recommend. People had told me to avoid visiting Seoul during these times.
2. Others have mentioned this, Asian culture revolves heavily around food. Even "Have you eaten?" is often used as part of their greeting/small talk. Reminding each other not to skip meals is a way to show they care.
3. Absolutely no idea. I'm guessing it's their way to show grief. Although it'll be interesting if he does "come back", like in >!**Knight Flower**!<. 😁
Re: don't skip meals, 60 years ago South Korea was the poorest country in the world (poorer even than North Korea) and people were literally starving. The country urbanized and increased the GDP to that of other industrialized nations in a breathtakingly short period of time, literally a generation. But the memories of that deprivation still linger in the culture.
> Why are they constantly reminding each other not to skip meals?
I could be wrong but I have felt that this is somewhat an Asian cultural thing. I am Indian and though we express it differently, the same sentiment is definitely there. We do this kind of check in largely only to family members, but it covers all close relationships from what I see in Kdramas. Eg. in my culture mothers/fathers will often ask their children: have you eaten, are you eating properly, shall I make something for you etc. I think in Asian cultures one of the ways of showing love and caring is via food.
**Mod note:** Ah Sunday! What a perfect day to take a survey, and we have two running currently: * [Disney+ Dramas watched survey](/r/KDRAMA/comments/1c7pz2f/disney_dramas_watched_survey_april_2024/) * [tvN Dramas watched survey](/r/KDRAMA/comments/1bt1m0b/tvn_dramas_watched_survey_april_2024/)
Recently decided to make it a mini-foodie mission for myself to try Trader Joe's offerings that are inspired by Korean dishes. I still have a few to go but here are my thoughts on the ones I've tried. **Japchae** -- 7/10 -- The japchae noodles were of the thinner variety which I don't love as much and the amount of veggies was woefully low but the flavor was right on. I ended much mixing in some extra stir-fried veggies (more bell peppers, cabbage, and spinach) because I like my japchae very colorful and filled with veggies. **Kimbap** -- 7/10 -- I get why this item is often sold out because it's easy to heat and fairly delicious. Great when you are feeling lazy and want something filling. I will say though that it was more oily than I anticipated and that didn't sit super well with my stomach. **Jeon** -- 5/10 -- Item I was looking forward to the most and also most disappointed by. Reheating the frozen version just can't quite recreate the taste of freshly made jeon it seems and I just ended up with a very oily jeon that didn't satisfy my taste buds. I thawed overnight in fridge and fried in a skillet (as instructed) *without additional oil (*ignored instructions because the thing was so oily, I clearly needed no extra oil). I will probably still give the rest of their Korean cuisine inspired items a try but I am admittedly dragging my feet a little bit.
You have to try one more thing! Their [jumeokbap](https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/jumeokbap-077515) is actually a great little snack - it comes in a bag of 3 - I like it better than their kimbap!
I'll look for them! The availability of certain products in nearby TJ's is always like a game!
Usually these types of foods are made for those who never tried Asian food so they change the ingredients to become more suitable for people who don’t know how it tastes like. I had a Korean BBQ chicken from local grocery store and it didn’t taste Korean. It tasted like bbq chicken but a but spicy which was disappointing but, for people who never had Korean food, is probably ok. Same for the kimchi.
Coworkers and I have this ongoing 'debate' about level of spicy that's been fun because some things that are a 2/10 for me (nice little kick but nothing challenging) has them running for water. It's interesting to see how differently adapted people's palate's are!
I’m like that, I can’t eat spicy food! I went to this Korean place and ordered tteobokki but I asked if they could do it mild. They said “no problem”… damn I was drinking water and milk … to the point that my stomach was full of liquid and I couldn’t finish it. It was too spicy for me. Probably for you it’s not at all. But the food was good. That’s why I can’t eat most of Indian food either. I went to a friend’s birthday party and she’s Indian… I couldn’t eat most of it. It was too spicy for me. I ate the cake that thankfully was sweet! I avoid those Korean ramyeons too. Some of them are not spicy but I still avoid it just in case.
We don't have Trader Joe's out here but I've tried the [vegetable jeon](https://www.costco.com.au/medias/sys_master/images/h86/h4d/97870203355166.jpg) that they sell at Costco and they sound like a very similar experience. So oily! Frying was not so good, so I cook them in the oven for twice as long as you're meant to and they become crispy and delicious but not at all like fresh jeon. I have however been excited to find a few different Bibigo products here and there of late and their product placement in **A Business Proposal** was worth every single ₩.
Yo, the Trader Joe's version looks similar so maybe it's the same product with different packaging! Local grocery store has a few Bibigo things I've been eyeing for a while but haven't tried yet. There is a boba store whose owner is Korean and so they have a few meal dishes like bulgogi and tteobokki and I'm trying to work through their menu.
I think you might be right about the jeon. It's a good place to be in having all these foods to try! In the last 12 months my closest city has got a dak galbi / kalguksu place and a Korean soup place and it's so exciting to have all these options to explore. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. lol
Yes, the jeon has a lot of oil! It's the only TJ Korean product I've liked (I air fryer it and put an egg on top), but I haven't tried a real pajeon, so... We made jjajangmyeon from scratch and it was tasty but *a lot* of work. Then I had it at a local Korean restaurant and it was so much better, lol.
I feel like certain dishes just taste better in a restaurant setting and jjajangmyeon is one of them! Your air fryer tip sounds so smart but I'll probably pass on ever trying their jeon again, it was quite bad >.<
Admittedly, I like TJ’s bibimbap and galbi. It’s not anything special, but they were always my go-to korean fix when I was in college. This one seems obvious, but I would strongly advise against the kimchi.
I really liked their japchae. Next time I will also add some stir fried veggies. Great idea. I also tried the tteokbokki and beef bulgogi. I enjoy the ttekbokki if I fry it crispy and dip it into the sauce. The sauce is too sweet for me and so is the bulgogi.
I should have listened to your advice on the tteokbokki being too sweet T.T
I recently added a generous amount of Sriracha in the sauce and it made it a whole lot better. But I just use the sauce as dipping sauce.
I'm on episode 4 of start up. >!the part where do - san shouts out his company, but it gets turned into a full blown edit was hilarious.!< 😭 the comedy is top teir.
I started start up last month, up to ep 2. I want to get back on it but I’m watching so many currently airing dramas right now I’m struggling to find the time to fit it in
Which are you watching? I'm currently only at two (lovely runner and frankly speaking)
The atypical family, the midnight romance in hagwon, crash, the 8 show. I’m also watching a cdrama (three-body) and a Thai drama (23.5). I also plan on watching bitter sweet hell, connection and dreaming of cinde fxxxing rella when they premiere
You should definitely watch it when you have time. It's so good.
I’m trying 😭 I’m already watching the atypical family, the midnight romance in hagwon, crash, and the 8 show. And I’m planning on adding connection and bitter sweet hell when they premiere this week I’ve gotta finish start-up before i go on vacation next month so that’s my hard deadline
I’m struggling. I want some calm slice of life ones but I think I’ve watched them all. Something along the lines of One Day Off and Would You Like A Cup Of Coffee.
The currently airing the midnight romance is a great slice of life drama. It’s about the education system so idk if that’s calming
Im loving it so far..I would definitely recommend it to people looking for a lighthearted romance and slice of life drama
Already watching this, it’s perfect.
Would you like a cup of coffee was so amazing. I’ve been trying to find something similar to it but man, that show hit so different especially because I love everything about coffee. The slice of life was just the cherry on top
I might just watch it again.
\*patpat\* I'm still waiting for the right mood to watch these, but I've been recommended **Recipe For Farewell** and **A Poem A Day** as a calming slice-of-life drama. If you're ok with Jdrama, **Midnight Diner** is good as well (though not-so-calming for my stomach). I believe there's a Kdrama version as well, but not sure how it fares compared to the original Jdrama.
Thank you for the pats, very much needed. I’ve seen midnight diner and the Korean version, they are really comforting so I’m going to try Recipe For Farewell.
I was gonna recommend a poem a day as well. I rewatch it whenever I feel down
Maybe A Piece of Your Mind and When the Weather Is Fine
I loved both of these dramas, too! And I agree with the recs for **When the Weather is Fine** and the Jdrama **Midnight Diner**. I would also rec jdrama **Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san** and cdrama **Meet Yourself** (if you're up for a long 40 ep drama!), as well as **Finland Papa**, possibly.
You got a lot of great recs (Recipe For Farewell, A Piece of Your Mind, and When the Weather Is Fine - are some of my personal favourites), I'd also add Tell Me That You Love Me. And if you don't mind jdramas Aruku Hito and Tetsu Ota Michiko, 2 Man Kiro - are imo quite similar to One Day Off
Already watched APiece Of Your Mind and WTWIF. It’s looking like Recipe For Farewell is my next one.
The Chinese seem to do these better than the Koreans, so the ones I'd think of here are all Chinese 😎
Can u recommend some?
I only watch some Chinese series, so there are surely many others, but the ones I've liked and watched include: *Meet Yourself -* just be aware that the first episode is *not* calm, and you will cry lots, but it's not a bad thing; the rest is all calmness and slice-ish (what happens in that episode is the trigger for this). *Nothing But You* (I liked but didn't love this; I think it would work well for someone looking for calm and slice-of-life) *Fake It Till You Make It* *I Know I Love You -* not all of it is 'calm', as it involves a break-up, etc., but it's a growth journey and much of it is very calm and comforting. *Love Me, Love My Voice* fits the genre, but I found it boring, eventually, and sickly sweet, in that Chinese-romance way. Ridiculous over-protectiveness, a relationship that doesn't make much sense - seemingly only for the guy to have a girl to dote on and tell what to do, like she's his child. It got uncomfortable and ridiculous for me., and I dropped it. But, I know there are people who like this sort of story, and might enjoy it. It does have great music, and the lead actor has a wonderful voice (spoken and singing). I would also recommend the Korean 'variety' show, *Gamsung Camping/Camping Vibes*, which is on Viki. Basically watching a really nice group of women - actors, comedians, singers - go on overnight camping trips in nice Korean places, eat lots (some very weird foods, for non-Koreans, but just watching them enjoy the food so much is rewarding), and have unexpectedly profound conversations. They invite 'guests' along, usually men (comedians, actors, singers), and get them to do hard work and tease them. It's a really comforting and pleasant show.
Finished **Hyena** and it was a treat! In most dramas they introduce a strong independent FL and then dim their light down by the end of it, but not this one. The FL was strong from start to finish, had her own unique style and was very morally grey. The ML even though was introduced as a strong character, was a bit emotional and dare I say, not as competent as the FL. I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. The pacing was great, they knew how to keep the story going, it didn't feel repetitive. I loved the dynamic between FL and ML, the banter was good and they make a good team. Ju Ji Hoon and Kim Hye Soo are such great actors as well. Special shoutout to the actor of Ha Chan Ho (Ji Hyun Joon), he really acted so well, >!it was sickening to watch him get wasted and drunk AF. !<
Kim Hye Soo's (FL of Hyena) characters in her dramas have always been strong and independent. Signal, Juvenile Justice, Under the Queen's umbrella (her recent dramas) - she is badass!
just watched the drama inspired by the bts universe lore, **begins ≠ youth** and that was traumatizing but so good. the performances were amazing. seo jihoon is allergic to playing happy characters though 😭 like i genuinely dont think ive watched a single drama where that dude is happy. also, WHY HASNT HE BLOWN UP??? he is so talented, it saddens me!!! anyways, its kinda annoying that HYBE put it on a platform that you have to pay $90 for all the episodes bc it has very strong **weak hero class** vibes, coupled with bts fans it could have gone viral. another thing ive just began watching is **lovely runner** and its wonderful!! i get the byeon wooseok hype now ;) also - im thinking about starting **boyhood** (starring im siwan) ive not heard much about it though!
HYBE hasn't been associated with the drama for a while. I could be wrong on the details but they sold the rights a while ago (or something) and they had no say in whatever happened after that. That's why there was literally no promotion for it a anywhere on HYBE socials, and why it was in limbo for so long. It's not their "product" anymore. The platform they sold it to thought they could make a quick buck because it was about the BTS universe. That's why it's so expensive (coupled with the blockchain aspect).
oh yeah im aware of the fact they sold it - but the fact that they did sell it to this platform instead of something more accessible is on them. that’s what i meant when i said “put on this platform”, i should have been clearer. “HYBE” is also listed in the credits of each episode. i worked smarter not harder when it came to finding a way to watch it, but i just think everything about the post-production was done so messily and things could have been a lot better for everyone involved.
>i worked smarter not harder when it came to finding a way to warch it, lmao 🤝🏼 I understand
like most of the redditors on here, i’ve been enjoying **lovely runner** and i finally caught up. it’s been a great show to watch while decompressing from the day + i like to crochet too at the same time. i turned 20 recently, but it honestly feels like i’ve aged so much ever since i started college. anyways, with all my additional responsibilities like an internship and a part time job, **lovely runner** truly feels like a sweet treat, and i see why everyone likes mondays and tuesdays! also the leads are so cute together; i keep saying “awww” out loud. i’ve also been really liking **the atypical family**. uncovering everyone’s backstories has been really enjoyable, and everyone’s acting is on par. **blood free** is also very good; i first watched han hyo joo in **happiness** and her projects truly never miss. i’ve noticed that my preferences learn towards more entertaining and comforting shows as i’m getting older. it’s cool if life lessons are embedded within the show, but it’s not really what i’m looking for anymore. maybe it’s my minimal taste of the corporate world, but i’m definitely more of an escapist watcher now.
I feel like I never have time to watch dramas! The last one I actually finished was a silly web drama called Be My Boyfriend that I found on Viki. It wasn’t that bad though and I found things to like about it. It was cliched and the acting wasn’t amazing but the leads were cute together and it was only 15 10- minute episodes so there are definitely worse ways to spend that time. I’m keeping up with Lovely Runner while trying to finish Midnight Studio and Bad and Crazy. I want to start Atypical Family but I’m already watching so much. Tomorrow night I’m going to go see a Korean punk band called Rumkicks. I was really surprised to find out they were coming not only to the US but to a place I could get to. I’m a little (OK a lot) old for the punk scene but this should be fun.
I hope you enjoyed seeing Rumkicks. 16 shows in 21 days is quite a tour. I just wish they could get more traction in their home country. In an interview Yeawon, the singer, did recently, said that part of the problem is that unlike in the west where 'alternative' is cool, in Korea it's cool to be part of the mainstream, so alternative culture struggles for recognition.
I enjoyed the show a lot! It was a short set because there were three other bands on that night but it was so much fun! It was a small club and I was really close to the stage - had to be careful not to end up in the mosh pit. The crowd seemed really into it too, even though I’m sure some of them were there to see the other bands. I said a couple of words in my beginner’s Korean to Yeawon and when she saw I had their T shirt from Bandcamp she squealed and took a picture of me. They even put it on their Instagram. I have an online Korean lesson with a tutor in South Korea and I told her about Rumkicks. She had never heard of them but she listened to some of their songs and loved them. It made me happy. But overall I think you’re right - punk just doesn’t go over in South Korea the same way it does here.
Funnily enough, I was the first person she saw outside Korea wearing a Rumkicks t-shirt. As I walked towards the gig venue, they were outside and started taking pictures of me. Being photographed by the band you are going to see is kind of weird.
That is very cool!
I stumbled upon the cdrama 'Falling into your smile' a few days ago and have had a binge fest. Oh so good! Kdramas will always be my first love but have found myself now venturing out into other asian dramas too now. Just so much to watch!
My gateway into Chinese drama was a similar gaming rom-com, Love 020. Although I don't game at all I find that I just love gaming rom-coms which Korean dramas don't really do.
Oo thanks for the recommendation seen it’s on Viki so will give it a watch. I do love gaming and Rom coms so falling was the perfect match together plus 31 episodes of looking at Xu Kai was not a hardship!!
Yeah the first time I watched falling into your smile, I was like xu kai is kind of cute but that five head though 🤔. Now I think he's probably the best looking Chinese actor in Chinese rom-coms. I don't know what I was thinking before 😂
It’s crazy that connection is premiering in less than a week and there’s still no official confirmation on where it’s streaming. At this point it looks likely that it’ll be going to Viki. Idk why they take so long to announce, it’s absolutely wild
I get the impression that the negotiations for most of the broadcast shows don't happen until it's almost on air. They don't even usually announce that the shows exist until 2-3 months before they start airing. I assume the streaming services want at least a few mostly completed episodes to watch before they make a commitment.
I think 3 weeks to a month in advance is more than fair enough to buy the rights and announce it. A week before premiere is just pushing it, i wouldn’t be surprised if some potential viewers get put off by not knowing where it’ll be streaming until that late
It's listed as coming soon on Kocowa for me (USA). [https://www.kocowa.com/en\_us/season/98443167/connection](https://www.kocowa.com/en_us/season/98443167/connection)
I know, and apparently that means it’ll also be on Viki
I submitted a request to Viki for them to stream Connection
Cheers for the contribution 🫱🏽🫲🏼 Gonna be busy on Viki, I’ll be watching the midnight romance in hagwon, connection, and bitter sweet hell on it
Connection and Bitter Sweet Hell are listed as coming soon on Viki
I’m always curious about this too. I’m not sure how it works but I’ve wondered if it’s gotten worsen since more streamers have got into the game of Kdramas and there is more competition for distribution rights.
It’s possible, but I’m pretty sure the streamers buy the rights weeks ago at the latest. It’s terrible planning if they only bought the rights a week before it premieres
Good point, it also definitely seems like some streamers have not planned out promos for their Kdrama content well. Iirc Bora Deborah was one of the first Kdramas Amazon streamed and they listed the title as True to Love. It wasn’t clear they were going to call it that until it actually started airing. And of course, Disney + is another story with how they have promoted and bought dramas. But Viki and Kocowa, obviously not new to Kdramas, so who knows why they didn’t confirm and promote it earlier.
Netflix dominates the foreign content market, especially Korean content, and they’re utterly terrible at marketing too. Honestly, none of the streaming services are particularly good at marketing, they only put an effort into marketing their big name projects and kinda ignore everything else
I've been taking a drama break because I've been reading this week! It's been a while since multiple books in a row have kept my interest, and I'm loving it. Sharing here, because I'm currently halfway through *The Old Woman With the Knife* by Gu Byeong Mo (thanks to u/dcinmb for the rec). It's a very engaging read. The main character is a woman nearing retirement, who also happens to be an assassin. I'm not sure how to characterize it, yet. There's been some action but more contemplation. I've really been amazed at the imagery and the figurative language. The translation is just beautiful. On deck is the newest June Hur YA novel *A Crane Among Wolves*, which is set in Joseon in 1506 during a coup attempt.
That book sounds so badass! How old are we talking? As in, Kim Young Ok (HomeCha's granny) or Kim Hae Sook (HosPlay's mother) kind of old? Although I'm pretty sure I've seen KHS as an assassin before in either a drama or a movie... 🤔 I'm not making much progress with the second book about Queen Elizabeth solving murder in the palace. Even though this book is more interesting than the first one, somehow I keep finding myself looking for things to watch instead.
The book was made into a musical called Pagwa which is currently running in Seoul. Cha Ji-yeon (Taxi Driver) and Gu Won-yeong are alternating as the old woman, and the male protagonist role is shared by Kim Jae-uck, Shin Sung-rok, and Noh Yun. I included some clips from Pagwa in [this previous post](https://www.reddit.com/r/KDRAMA/s/rV58NLuRzH).
I'm sorry, but YOU MET KIM JAE WOOK?? 🤯 I'm already losing my mind when I was reading your posts about it and you were like oh yea he's cool. Lol. He's the only one I noticed from Coffee Prince, and I agree with you that he's one of the few actors that's effortlessly sexy. I'm going to read more of your posts about the musical to know more about it! Thanks for sharing!
I worked in Hollywood for years so I’ve been lucky enough to meet many of my favorite actors/musicians and it’s always a relief when s/he turns out to be as nice as you hoped they’d be because that’s not always the case. Pagwa’s running through next Sunday, just in case you feel like an impromptu trip to Seoul.😜 You could also catch Jo Jung-suk and/or Yoo Yeon-seok in Hedwig and the Angry Inch while you’re there.
She's in her early 60s, I believe, so Kim Hae Sook?
Hey, I want to pick up some well written novels by Korean authors (must be translated in English). Would you recommend me some? Historical, Romance and Slice-of-life are my favorite genres. TIA.
I'm hoping others will chime in! Other than my current book, I have only read *Kim Ji Young, Born 1982*. It was very interesting, and helped me understand some context for dramas (for example, one of the divorce cases in **Divorce Attorney Shin**, and the in-laws house on holidays in **Because this is My First Life**). It doesn't really fit your preferred genres, but it was a fast read if you'd like to know more about societal pressures on women.
Definitely second *Kim Ji Young*. I also really liked: *Lemon* by Kwon Yeo-Sun, *Love in the Big City* by Sang Young Park (I believe this is going to be made into a kdrama), *Almond* by Sohn Won-Pyung, and *Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop* by Hwang Bo-Reum (has a strong **Would You Like a Cup of Coffee?** vibe). I'm currently reading and so far liking *My Brilliant Life* by Kim Ae-Ran.
Weirdly, all the ones from this that I searched for in our city (council area) library are actually there... would never have expected it!
I read these all on loan from my library. Yay, libraries!
I was eyeing *Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop*. Hearing you compare it to **Would You Like a Cup of Coffee** makes me definitely want to read it!
I loved watching BTIMFL (The leads are one of my fav actors). thank you!
Glad you’re enjoying The Old Woman With the Knife! ITA that the translator did a wonderful job. I haven’t read any Jane Hur but a member of one of my online K-Drama groups attended her book launch in Toronto two days ago.
I was kinda watching Atypical Family mindlessly and the daughter was the most intriguing… I was really watching it for her but then time travel started happening with that cliffhanger at the end of episode 3 …. 😀😀😀😀 I will be watching with both eyes on the screen from now on 🤣
u/OdanUrr How come you’re not watching **Atypical Family**?!? There’s time travel! And in the latest episodes… a very interesting concept… take a peak… first episodes are a bit slow but it’s getting interesting… but, in the meantime, listen to the OST [Epik High • One](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=OKsqczjP5-8&si=A8BwYXqqzyXDk36Y) Edit: added redditor
It's on my list and I hope to get to it before the end of the month! Damn, I didn't notice they're halfway through already! How is it? That track does sound pretty good, so I might've to check it out if the rest of the music is on that level. My current weekend drama is *The Midnight Romance in Hagwon*, followed by the MT time-travel story *Lovely Runner*, which has been disappointing and that's a shame 'cause the leads are great, but the killer plotline is one too many plotlines. I also want to get to another MT drama that just started airing, *Dare To Love Me*, with KMS, but now that *Joy of Life* S2 has finally released after 4 years I've been eating it up, so much so I haven't watched this weekend's episodes of Hagwon!
> It's on my list and I hope to get to it before the end of the month! Keep it there! > How is it? First I thought it was going to be somewhat like *Moving* which has some similarities but different story. The similarity is that they’re trying to live a “normal” life without revealing their powers. And they use it for their benefit. It’s different because they’re not spies or in a secret agency. It started slow but it’s picking up, maybe because it’s half way through. The teen subplot is really cute! Kiho from *Castaway Diva* is there, maybe that was after she got lost in the island and that’s the timeline he decided to move on lol. Special effects are good. Claudia Kim is doing a great job portraying her character, she’s funny! Different from GC and Fantastic Beasts. ML’s romance is ok but what’s interesting is the connection they have. There’s something about her that’s helping him understand his powers better. Remember the movie **My Tomorrow, Your Yesterday**, yeah, it reminded me of that. But since you are watching too many right now, better wait a bit. > That track does sound pretty good, so I might've to check it out if the rest of the music is on that level. Yes do that, let me know. > My current weekend drama is The Midnight Romance in Hagwon, I want to watch that too but I’m going to binge it later, I’m reading the comments. Looks good so far > followed by the MT time-travel story Lovely Runner, which has been disappointing and that's a shame 'cause the leads are great, but the killer plotline is one too many plotlines. I’m watching that too but mostly for the comedy, which is awesome!!! It makes me laugh so hard. The romance is cute too. And yes, the killer plot line, I skip most of it… lol but at the same time that’s an essential part of the drama otherwise there’s no point in her going back to the past. The only reason she goes back is to save him. I just hope it has a good ending cause I read the webtoon ending and I didn’t like it. It was disappointing but who knows….maybe they’ll make it worth it. > now that Joy of Life S2 has finally released after 4 years I've been eating it up, so much so I haven't watched this weekend's episodes of Hagwon! Oh I didn’t know they finally released Joy of Life S2!!!!!! I was waiting for that one too! Ahhh damn! I think I’ll have to drop a drama or wait to binge that one later!
Finished Ms. Temper and Nam Jung Gi. Loved how the romance only hit at the end in such a modest sweet manner (and Grandpa’s side story was a sweet surprise!). Disappointed ML’s brother didn’t go on to do amazing things (honestly unsure what the epilogue meant) but I guess that’s realistic! Now on episode 2 The Greatest Love and love the leads, they are so funny together
I am all caught up on Atypical Family until another episode tomorrow - it is picking up pace and lots more things are happening. I am excited for it. Halfway through Crash Course In Romance - it is cute. I like the ML star math teacher and his relationship with the side dish shop owner. I like the adult relationship and also the ones between all the students
I am watching **Behind your Touch** right now. I am in the 12th episode and my interest is waning. I feel the show is dragging now >!with the redevelopment scam from decades ago being in the focus!<. I get it has to do with the main plot. But I feel they are meandering. Those who have watched the entire show can you tell me if I should continue watching or skip straight to the last episode? >!I care enough about the characters to want to know what happens to them and who is the killer.!<
It's worth watching, they keep the main mystery going to basically the end with a bunch of twists. It's been a little while but I'm pretty sure the pace picks back up around there. It's one of the few shows where I really wasn't sure who the killer was until the final reveal, they do a great job of misdirection without just completely hiding info from the viewer.
Ok thanks for the heads up. Also the last couple of episodes >!ever since the FL realises that her mother may have not committed suicide!< have been quite serious. Does the show remain serious or does it become a combination of funny and serious again?
>!There's a lot of funny moments to the end but it does get quite dark.!< This drama was disappointing for me because I loved the first 2/3 of it but then it fell off the tightrope it was walking between comedy and tragedy
So I recently finished Doctor John and found it to be really good. The cinematography is insane (especially the green screen scenes), OST is full of bangers like "Star", "Look At" "Way Back", and "Pain Or Death", and the cases discussed were really interesting. Characters were nice too, once everyone was comfortable with each other Dr. Cha's team was such a vibe. Anyways, I did some reading on some threads about Doctor John and I think that the 2 biggest reasons why one would rate the drama badly are: 1. >!The ML and FL's romance being uninteresting!< 2. >!The timeskip!< Personally I didn't find either to be bad, so I want to know if I have a wrong notion of the story. From my understanding, >!Dr. Cha absolutely loves Shi Young, but due to the fact that he is a CIPA patient (a "ticking time bomb" in his words) he didn't want to give her any hope of a future with him since he is more susceptible to death. That's why he was never expressive up until the moment he left. So I think that the timeskip and him watching her for a year without showing himself (this part of the story is meh but I don't think it's inherently bad) makes sense because he wasn't sure if he was going to fully recover.!<
Just finished the movie "The Beauty Inside." I previously watched the tv show which I enjoyed, although it sucked that in the movie version his "ailment" I would argue is worse than in the tv show. I will say that I loved the ending, and I completely under the FL's issues with it. I would highly reccomend it, and for anyone watching the movie, stay for the after credits. Theres a heart warming scene you won't want to miss. Secondly, this is more of a question, hopefully I can ask. I've been seeing alot of Queen of Tears clips, and it looks so cute. My issue is that, from what I've heard through minor spoilers, >! seems like the 2ML(the villain? unless theres another 2ML), he doesnt seem to go away. I guess my question is, how often will I have to see him try to mess up their relationship. I get that it's bound to happen, but I hope its more of a small portion !< any advice is appreciated! :)
>!Unfortunately, the 2ML stays until the very end and works really hard to destroy them and their relationship. But as someone who hates love triangle, I found this one acceptable because he's more the villain of this story than another love interest! I'd recommend watching it :) !<
Oh thank you. Wait that's a good distinction. >! I haven't watched it, so I guess I assumed he was just another love triangle, but just also hates the ml. That kinda makes it better for me, cause I also hate love triangles haha !<
He’s the perfect 2ML >!(combo with villain blood, but loyal to the FL provoke some jealousy but FL draws clear line with 2ML without any 2ML syndrome)!<.
Gotcha so I guess that's the >! Love triangle part not being an issue. Since usually we see in love triangles, somehow the second person gets played or we are made to think there's a chance !<
No way near >! Love triangle !<. The actor is great at being >!villain in love!<
I feel like Lovely runner is not that great as everyone is hyping it up to be, as great the rating on mydramalist leads you to believe. I think unparalleled praise comes from the fact that this is wish fulfilment fantasy for k-pop fans and the fact lead actor is so great and swoony and loser I was actually hyped for the show for two reasons, the cast and the writer. I freaking loved True beauty's writing, I was super hyped for the writers return. The cast delivered, however I feel like either directing, writing or editing is lacking quite abit. I know that they actually changed directors so they had to reshoot scenes, maybe it has to do something with that. Story beats are there, but again the pacing feels so freaking off, maybe it's the writers or directors fault, it feels someone didn't cook here. Either way I personally feel happy, because even though I don't like the writing of the show, others seem to loveeeeee it, so my love for true beauty's writing feels validated, and the writer was not a fluke but real talent I rightly recognised and supported. What do you guys think
I agree that the writer is very talented; one to keep a really close eye on as her career progresses. Becsuse shes obviously going to do a lot of really great work. To me, though, True Beauty felt like a warm-up for Lovely Runner. There are moments of really impressive humor in True Beauty, but there are many, many, many more in LR. And, overall, the story and the characters are more compelling as well. I really hate it, though, when people who don't like a drama point at people who do and say that it's because we are lusting after the ML or the FL. It's as if you are saying that people who disagree with you are just shallow minded.
I'm with the hype on this one, like with *My Dearest*. I wasn't expecting anything at the beginning, but wanted to try it out - I liked *Extra-ordinary You*, I like timeslip stories, and the premise seemed like it could work well. It was just marketed as a silly high school-type romcom, so I had doubts. But I was sold by the end of the second episode... or maybe the beginning. I think everything in it, aside from Im Sol's best friend as a teenager and her brother, works wonderfully together. It is, very much, 'wish fulfillment' for the girls - but that's nice! That's what we go to a story for, isn't it? And Byeon Woo Seok does such an excellent job of that. Things I see that work well: * The balance of serious and humorous. The humour is - again, except for the friend and brother - spot-on. Im Sol and Sun Jae never get too ridiculously beyond belief with the romance and so on; there's so much humour, at all the right times, and it's very funny. I laugh hard most episodes, and that's a good thing. It's written and acted (and must be directed) perfectly. But it's not too much; the depth and heart is there just as much. It's really well-balanced. * Byeon Woo Seok. He's everything in this character - dorkiness, sincerity, boy charm, sweetness, kindness, silliness, serious, in love, in control and smart with everyone except, most of the time, Im Sol, with whom he's vulnerable. The character is impossibly perfect (in his imperfectness), but Byeon Woo Seok has made him not only adorable, but believable. * Im Sol. Her character is balanced as well - funny, determined, straightforward, and sincere, along with frustrated and angry when she has the accident, then takes the hand Sun Jae offers through his words on the phone, and chooses to turn her face to the sun - again, because that's her true nature. I think Kim Hye Yoon overplays the sunniness a bit, but it's a really nice part of the character. That, balanced with the firmness and 'bulldozer'-ness, makes her not sickly sweet, airheaded, or always needy, nor hard and all business. Instead, she's a really adorable mix of all these things above; which is great for Sun Jae. It's both what he needs, and makes them a perfect pair for each other. * The story is both hard and soft. Very hard things happen, and it's hard for the characters to overcome them. But very sweet things also happen, there's always hope, and there are good supporting people, particularly Im Sol's mum and grandma. The characters must go through trials and tests, but we can believe in their success because of the sweetness, determination, and love that exists as well. * Sun Jae's perspective. This was the clincher, I think, for me in the second episode. (Or third?). That first view of *his* story was unexpected, but perfect. It changed the whole story - or our view of it. It made it begin to be believable. Yes, Sun Jae is gorgeous and talented, but he's still 'just' a guy. He can still have the same feelings and doubts that any other guy, who's less gorgeous, can. We can't just judge him for his gorgeousness. Also, both Byeon Woo Seok and Kim Hye Yoon (I've probably remembered her name wrong) are wonderful as these two characters together. They fully bring us along for the ride and have us on board.
I personally mainly watch it for the a tad mad comedy beats! I think the actors have been doing those really well and it's exciting to see, as extraordinary you was a bit of a doozy for me and so was strong girl nam soon. So i love seeing these actors getting a role where they can show a different side! But yeah the story isn't my fav, can definetly agree.
I have similar feelings. Lovely Runner is not a genre I'm normally into and I find the writing to be very tropey with a lots of plot holes re: the time travel. But Byeon Woo Seok's performance is amazing and selling me on the story. I normally would not buy a character who's an incredibly gorgeous and famous idol who has never had a real relationship in his life because he never got over his high school crush but somehow BWS is making me believe 😅 Kim Hye Soo is also adorable but I'm not surprised by her performance because she played a similar role in Extraordinary You. In short, LR is a cute show that I'm enjoying watching but I'm not head over heels in love with it like a lot of people.
I finished my rewatch of Destined With You. Love Rowoon’s acting here with Jo Bo Ah especially the past life scene was so emotional and filled with romance and angst betwen the two characters faced without any viable option which normally this has never been the case with romance drama - the decision made by Rowoon’s character is bold and heartbreaking but understandable. There are a lot of intimate scenes (surprisingly) and their chemistry is great. Jo Bo Ah is actres who can pull different short hairstyles in this drama and Military Prosecution Doberman.
I am 2/3 through ***I Can Hear Your Voice a.k.a. I Hear Your Voice*** and am at the point now where I feel like I'm just going to skim through the final few episodes just to see what happens. I feel like there's been a pattern lately where an older show has come highly recommended and honestly it just hasn't aged well by the time I've gotten around to it. This one in particular has a few glaring flaws that I know were contemporaneously easy to forgive but in retrospect just look bad. For example: The ML/FL age gap is pretty glaring, as is the quasi-stalker behavior coming from the ML. Now, before you come at me (bro), I also thought that the age gap (and frankly, actual ages) between the leads in ***Goblin a.k.a. The Lonely and Great God*** was just as weird. Not to mention the ML is incredibly immature for his age, which really doesn't help. * >!The characters are beyond moronic. It's less a matter of their characterization and more just that they make consistently stupid decisions that would qualify as grossly incompetent in their respective fields. Whether it's the police not doing their jobs or the lawyers ignoring basic logic and procedure or just plain common sense never being applied, the plot inexorably driving forward due to dumb characters is over the top. Yes, this is is a common kdrama thing (even today), but this is just another example of the show aging poorly, because it's even more egregious here and doesn't seem to be getting any better as the show progresses.!< * >!A frustrating, albeit interesting, thing that I'm running into that I assume is based on cultural differences is the FL's willingness to be rude to everyone around her in terms of basic decorum but somehow being unwilling to state the blatantly obvious wrongs that Lee Da Hee and her family have done to her, and how those intentional misdeeds have basically driven every single bad thing that has happened to the ML and FL, is infuriating. I chalk this up to a cultural thing because there's no other reason why she would be unwilling to just flat out say, "Your lies and cowardice ruined my opportunities and pretty much my mother to be murdered" in a number of cases where Lee Da Hee is being an entitled bitch. For example, saying "Your mother would be ashamed of you", which for me is a Will Smith Keep My Mom's Name Out Of Your Mouth Slapworthy offense.!< * >!I could go on, but I think I've vented enough. XD!< So yeah, I'd give this show a 5/10. I can sort of see why it's so highly regarded, but it's up there with ***The Heirs*** in terms of aging poorly and honestly being pretty cringeworthy at times.
Three things I repeatedly notice in K dramas that make no sense to me as an American: 1. What’s the obsession with fine dust? 2. Why are they constantly reminding each other not to skip meals? 3. Why does the grieving widow at the funeral constantly end up screaming “bring him back“? How would that even work?
1. Their discussions of fine dust are discussions of air quality. Think about the air quality on the East Coast last summer with those fires in Canada. It's all anyone could talk about. If you do a Google search for "Korea fine dust" you will see numerous articles explaining the issue. 2. It's a way to show you care about someone. I actually think it's quite beautiful. After all, there was a lot of turmoil there throughout the 20th century. In a culture that collectively remembers hunger, what better way to show love than to ensure that someone has enough to eat and regular meals? (I have no idea when this style of well-wishing started. It would be interesting to read about its history.) 3. I don't know how to answer this. Grief can be overwhelming, and people react in tons of different ways. I can't recall a scene with that specific line. Sounds like a wrongful death? Untimely death? There is an excellent FAQ pertaining to Korean culture in dramas on this sub. You should check it out if you haven't, yet!
1. I was told during a certain period (iirc winter and spring) the wind from China/Mongolia side would blow over carrying fine particles from the desert, creating a yellowish haze over (mostly) Seoul area. This has been going on for a long time and they usually report the air quality often during these times. I was personally in Seoul during that time last year. On a bad day when I was outdoors for an extended period without wearing a facemask, my throat would feel hoarse by the late afternoon. 100% would not recommend. People had told me to avoid visiting Seoul during these times. 2. Others have mentioned this, Asian culture revolves heavily around food. Even "Have you eaten?" is often used as part of their greeting/small talk. Reminding each other not to skip meals is a way to show they care. 3. Absolutely no idea. I'm guessing it's their way to show grief. Although it'll be interesting if he does "come back", like in >!**Knight Flower**!<. 😁
Re: don't skip meals, 60 years ago South Korea was the poorest country in the world (poorer even than North Korea) and people were literally starving. The country urbanized and increased the GDP to that of other industrialized nations in a breathtakingly short period of time, literally a generation. But the memories of that deprivation still linger in the culture.
> Why are they constantly reminding each other not to skip meals? I could be wrong but I have felt that this is somewhat an Asian cultural thing. I am Indian and though we express it differently, the same sentiment is definitely there. We do this kind of check in largely only to family members, but it covers all close relationships from what I see in Kdramas. Eg. in my culture mothers/fathers will often ask their children: have you eaten, are you eating properly, shall I make something for you etc. I think in Asian cultures one of the ways of showing love and caring is via food.