Korean dramas & movies |OT1| Attack of the dimples

[Dragoon]

Watching Watcher, on episode 11. It's really enjoyable, like the B-level of Stranger, who I consider by far the best kdrama of its kind. There's some plot holes and bizarre points here and there but I believe it has some fantastic highs. Great cast, great music, direction, etc. I do think they should have added another major story or spin things around since it seems like episode 5-16 are ALL about the LEDGER!!!11

The scenes with his dad were the best, incredibly heartbreaking and so, soooo sweet at the same time. Especially that episode. "He's my father" :')


As for the guy that loves cutting thumbs, I think it's obvious who it is after he attacked the main character.

Spoiler

The parking/lot security guy near Young Koon's apartment that keeps bothering him. Only thing that explains him finding him so quickly once he got the ledger is that he's consistently watching him.

8.6/10 so far

Also Misaeng/Incomplete Life is on Viki, no longer on Netflix. Netflix continues being trash. Just need VIKI to get a 4K resolution on their website like Netflix for their shows. I have spent so much time since last September watching these shows, I finally subbed for their $50/year account.

 

[matmanx1]

Yeah Viki is worth it. I also do Kocowa yearly which has a few things not on Viki and gets subs before Viki does on some of the more popular shows. I'm currently watching Hotel Del Luna (cool and interesting and the wardrobe is fantastic) and a smattering of a few other things.

 

[Dreamboum]

Watching Watcher, on episode 11. It's really enjoyable, like the B-level of Stranger, who I consider by far the best kdrama of its kind. There's some plot holes and bizarre points here and there but I believe it has some fantastic highs. Great cast, great music, direction, etc. I do think they should have added another major story or spin things around since it seems like episode 5-16 are ALL about the LEDGER!!!11

The scenes with his dad were the best, incredibly heartbreaking and so, soooo sweet at the same time. Especially that episode. "He's my father" :')


As for the guy that loves cutting thumbs, I think it's obvious who it is after he attacked the main character.

Spoiler

The parking/lot security guy near Young Koon's apartment that keeps bothering him. Only thing that explains him finding him so quickly once he got the ledger is that he's consistently watching him.

8.6/10 so far

Also Misaeng/Incomplete Life is on Viki, no longer on Netflix. Netflix continues being trash. Just need VIKI to get a 4K resolution on their website like Netflix for their shows. I have spent so much time since last September watching these shows, I finally subbed for their $50/year account.

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yeah i'm like episode 3 and calling it a b-level Stranger is accurate

it's very watchable at least. And again Han Suk Kyu still remains a great actor, a bit too gruffy in this one though

should i just delete my netflix account at this point?

 

[Dragoon]

Reading what the best crime thrillers are, and I saw a show called Signal. I look on viki, and it's not available on my region. Anyone know where I can watch this?

Also read Remember is great and I love Namgoong as an actor (12 years, Chief Kim). Says I need the ultimate Viki pass.. now I may do this later but for now am only willing to hit them for 50/month

 

[Dreamboum]

I gotta give more credits to Watcher it really gets better throughout the episodes

 

[Dreamboum]

While waiting for the next episode of Watcher I've decided to watch "The Fiery Priest" and it's pretty great. It's a murder mystery but also a comedy and it's the story of a priest who gets so riled up he just punches dudes in the name of god

 

[less]

How has Hotel Del Luna held up over the episodes? Its coming to an end and want to get some thoughts before I jump in.

 

[papermoon]

How has Hotel Del Luna held up over the episodes? Its coming to an end and want to get some thoughts before I jump in.

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The show's momentum towards the end has been great. I'm really looking forward to the finale this weekend. I'm hopeful that the storytellers will stick the landing.

For a while, during the middle stretch, I lost some interest. It felt a little like 'ghost of the week' and like the characters were having the same conversations over and over again - which is a thing in dramas by Hong Sisters I've noticed. It wasn't bad. It just didn't feel as tight as the show's start. But they've done a beautiful job in the last third. The way they're realizing the main storylines has exceeded my expectations.

 

[Kyoufu]

I'm currently binging through One Spring Night on Netflix, which is by the same writer as Something In The Rain if I'm not mistaken. It's pretty good and I'd definitely recommend it.

 

[Dragoon]

So Misaeng is back on Netflix.

God-tier show. My sister was over and we watched 10/20 episodes with her. She absolutely loved it. Downloaded episodes so she can watch it on the train and finish when she gets home. Jesus, this show is still just as incredible as it was the first time around. I can't get over what a masterpiece it is. Mr. Oh will forever remain one of the best characters ever, and I still hope they do a season 2 "2-4 years later". I think it would be very interesting to go over their lives and struggles. I can already see a where are they now, what they dealt with.. or even situations like Becky probably being in a relationship with Young-ji and her still liking Geu-rae more. Hopefully the pervert will not be working under the psychopath by then but knowing this show, it'll somehow be someone even worse. Imagine the show starting and him not even being happy or charismatic as he is.

She gave it a 10/10 as well lol.. Trying to get her to watch Stranger. Don't know if it will get her to kdramas since everything is worse by comparison and she's not a fan of romance shows/movies. I will make it my mission that as many people as possible watch these two masterpieces, esp an Incomplete Life. <3

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Watcher
8.8/10

If it didn't have some weird plotholes and weird scenarios, it would be in the 9.5-10/10 masterpiece category. Would prefer they do season 2. The episode with the dad still hits all the notes in the best of ways. I also like that the 2nd lead knows he's a piece of shit but is about the end means. You still tumble between thinking he could be a villain at any point.

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Her Private Life
7.2/10

Hit or miss for this one, and it should have been about 12 episodes max, not 16. I think 10 would have likely concluded everything since there is a lot of padding and fluff that doesn't really do much in the story. The two leads are great together but completely unrealistic as human beings, Ryan Gold esp is basically Jesus. He's way too good of a human being, and the forced romance/triangles never really landed. I don't know how this show is rated 9.7/10 on viki unless it's basically just a bunch of women loving 16 episodes of some guy that is unrealistic in just about every way lol.. It has its good moments, but there's loads better shows out there for yall.

Also, can we not have every childhood all be connected together somehow? Good Lord :S

 

[AgentChris]

So Misaeng is back on Netflix.

God-tier show. My sister was over and we watched 10/20 episodes with her. She absolutely loved it. Downloaded episodes so she can watch it on the train and finish when she gets home. Jesus, this show is still just as incredible as it was the first time around. I can't get over what a masterpiece it is. Mr. Oh will forever remain one of the best characters ever, and I still hope they do a season 2 "2-4 years later". I think it would be very interesting to go over their lives and struggles. I can already see a where are they now, what they dealt with.. or even situations like Becky probably being in a relationship with Young-ji and her still liking Geu-rae more. Hopefully the pervert will not be working under the psychopath by then but knowing this show, it'll somehow be someone even worse. Imagine the show starting and him not even being happy or charismatic as he is.

She gave it a 10/10 as well lol.. Trying to get her to watch Stranger. Don't know if it will get her to kdramas since everything is worse by comparison and she's not a fan of romance shows/movies. I will make it my mission that as many people as possible watch these two masterpieces, esp an Incomplete Life. <3

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Watcher
8.8/10

If it didn't have some weird plotholes and weird scenarios, it would be in the 9.5-10/10 masterpiece category. Would prefer they do season 2. The episode with the dad still hits all the notes in the best of ways. I also like that the 2nd lead knows he's a piece of shit but is about the end means. You still tumble between thinking he could be a villain at any point.

--

Her Private Life
7.2/10

Hit or miss for this one, and it should have been about 12 episodes max, not 16. I think 10 would have likely concluded everything since there is a lot of padding and fluff that doesn't really do much in the story. The two leads are great together but completely unrealistic as human beings, Ryan Gold esp is basically Jesus. He's way too good of a human being, and the forced romance/triangles never really landed. I don't know how this show is rated 9.7/10 on viki unless it's basically just a bunch of women loving 16 episodes of some guy that is unrealistic in just about every way lol.. It has its good moments, but there's loads better shows out there for yall.

Also, can we not have every childhood all be connected together somehow? Good Lord :S

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Feel like you guys would love Chief Kim.

 

[Kyoufu]

I'm currently binging through One Spring Night on Netflix, which is by the same writer as Something In The Rain if I'm not mistaken. It's pretty good and I'd definitely recommend it.

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Finished this last night. Very good romantic drama. It doesn't break any new ground but it's still very touching and entertaining. Han Ji-Min is one of the best actresses in the korean drama biz.

Anyone have any recommendations? Looking for something that came out this year and has no comedy. Tempted by The Light In Your Eyes which also stars Han Ji-Min. 🤔

 

[Dragoon]

Feel like you guys would love Chief Kim.

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Already watched it, funniest kdrama and one of the funniest tv shows ever. :D

 

[Dragoon]

2/3rds of the way into Bad Guys 2: Vile City.

Very interesting cast. Jarring to see Ji Su in such a serious role after watching him star in My first, first Love lol. I still can't fucking believe the plot twist halfway into the show. I can't believe it.

I'm still shooketh. Also a quote that gives me goosebumps.
"I'm ashamed.. of being called a prosecutor in Korea."

I don't get one thing though and also to discuss the biggest plot twist so far

Spoiler

1. Why did the main guy send himself in prison? It legit doesn't make any fucking sense. It's such a jarring thing esp since the guy was playing 4D chess for half the series.. Presuming he obvs comes out somehow before end of the season.


also

WHYYY Jin-pyeong? Why'd you have to die bro?

I want some sweet fucking justice and I want it now. It felt like the three characters with heart, esp two of them died within 3 episodes. Definitely feeling that effect in the second half of the season. I still can't believe it, but I miss Jin in the show a lot more now that he's dead. He was a great dynamic. I am going to enjoy when that POS cop gets broken and when POS prosecutor chick goes to jail and loses her license forever.

 

[matmanx1]

Cool to see this thread still going. Just finished Melo is My Nature and wow did that show come out of nowhere for me. It's now one of my all time favorites just for the dialog and absurdity of it all. It was funny and weird but also had some really touching and meaningful moments that felt real and powerful. For anyone who wants to watch something fresh that doesn't rely on tropes or cliches (and in fact shreds them) I would highly recommend it.

 

[papermoon]

Reading what the best crime thrillers are, and I saw a show called Signal. I look on viki, and it's not available on my region. Anyone know where I can watch this?

Also read Remember is great and I love Namgoong as an actor (12 years, Chief Kim). Says I need the ultimate Viki pass.. now I may do this later but for now am only willing to hit them for 50/month

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It's on U.S. Netflix now! Maybe other regions too?

 

[Dragoon]

It's on U.S. Netflix now! Maybe other regions too?

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I live in Canada but it showed up yeah. Have you seen and do you recommend it?

 

[roosters93]

Signal is amazing

 

[papermoon]

I live in Canada but it showed up yeah. Have you seen and do you recommend it?

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I haven't watched it yet. It's a drama I've been wanting to watch it for a while though, so I was excited to see it show up on Netflix. Plan to start it some time this month.

 

[shadowkat]

I live in Canada but it showed up yeah. Have you seen and do you recommend it?

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Signal is great. I didn't like the ending though.

I started Melo is My Nature and I'm enjoying it quite a bit.

 

[Dragoon]

Signal is amazing

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Oh my God, it's so fucking good. It's vastly superior to Tunnel. I'm on episode 9 guys, and this is looking to being one of my favourite TV shows ever. All I can say after watching the previous ep..

"That's odd... there's no way our case evidence has been leaked." The smug side look.. I was cheering with a fist when that happened. I did not know an investigation could get you that hype.

Park Hae-young (Lee Jee-Hoon) is one of the baddest dudes on the planet. What an amazing character, I love him. Episode 8 was out of control and one of my favorite episodes of TV this year, along with the incredible sad one a few episodes earlier. And unlike Tunnel which I really, really liked, this focuses on so many stories while tying it together. This shit feels like Stranger but with time travel. Why has no one recommended this show to me on here when you guys know I stan Stranger as much as I do?

I will give a full review later, but I need to finish this first. I started shortly after posting on here but haven't time to binge unfortunately.

 

[Dragoon]

I haven't watched it yet. It's a drama I've been wanting to watch it for a while though, so I was excited to see it show up on Netflix. Plan to start it some time this month.

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Signal is great. I didn't like the ending though.

I started Melo is My Nature and I'm enjoying it quite a bit.

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No, don't say that.. I love that it's so good so far, the ending better not underwhelm...

 

[shadowkat]

No, don't say that.. I love that it's so good so far, the ending better not underwhelm...

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Honestly it wasn't a big deal. I'm literally talking about the last couple minutes. It doesn't ruin the show or anything.

I finished Melo is My Nature and overall it was pretty good. I like how they lampooned product placement. I question the ending for one of the characters though.

 

[papermoon]

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Watched first two eps yesterday. Is good.

 

[ShadowSwordmaster]

I'm watching Man to Man on Netflix and it is a good show so far. I'm on the third episode right now.

 

[matmanx1]

I finished Melo is My Nature and overall it was pretty good. I like how they lampooned product placement. I question the ending for one of the characters though.

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The combination of warmth, humor and absurdity really endeared itself to me. That and the script writing. It's like a K-Drama that makes fun of the entire enterprise of K-Drama's but yet still ticks all of the boxes of a good K-Drama. I'm not exactly sure how they pulled that off but they did.

Started watching Extraordinary You and it's getting interesting. It's got a bit of a "Clueless" (remember that movie with Alicia Silverstone back in the day?) vibe to it with the way the main character acts but the premise of a world inside of a Manga that the characters have the power to influence makes it a little bit creative.

It's got a bunch of K-Pop folks acting in their first or second ever roles so it's not upper tier in terms of anything but I am enjoying it as light entertainment.

 

[Dragoon]

Honestly it wasn't a big deal. I'm literally talking about the last couple minutes. It doesn't ruin the show or anything.

I finished Melo is My Nature and overall it was pretty good. I like how they lampooned product placement. I question the ending for one of the characters though.

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Hmmmm I didn't like the last few minutes either, assuming for the same reasons as you. :\

Signal is the better show of the two time pieces that are out, both on Netflix now though. I have to say the first 2/3rds of the show is better than the last 1/3rd. If it kept up its pace, it would easily be a 10/10 for me.. as it was basically Stranger with some time implementation added. Stranger was just flat out incredible from episode 1 until its end however.

Signal 9.1/10
Tunnel 8.5/10

I'm watching Man to Man on Netflix and it is a good show so far. I'm on the third episode right now.

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Best part is the relationship between the main three characters and the main character's evolution and development.

 

[Dragoon]

On the latter eps of Chief of Staff..

This isn't right. For people that don't know, CoS is like House of Cards in terms of genre, only 11 episodes. This episode is all kinds of rough. I HATE the main villain guy in this. If there isn't an epic comeuppance of epic proportions... There better be a reckoning coming to him after what he's done.

I don't even know what to say...

Spoiler

I'm at the funeral part..

This asshole better get his. Damn his quote of saying he never regrets anything and everyone regrets 1-2 things in their life is just brutal. This is not right....

Song Hee-Seob. Fuck you and your entire gang!

 

[ShadowSwordmaster]

Hmmmm I didn't like the last few minutes either, assuming for the same reasons as you. :\

Signal is the better show of the two time pieces that are out, both on Netflix now though. I have to say the first 2/3rds of the show is better than the last 1/3rd. If it kept up its pace, it would easily be a 10/10 for me.. as it was basically Stranger with some time implementation added. Stranger was just flat out incredible from episode 1 until its end however.

Signal 9.1/10
Tunnel 8.5/10


Best part is the relationship between the main three characters and the main character's evolution and development.

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Agree.

 

[Dragoon]

Chief of Staff 10/10. I just looked at season 2 is starting November 11th. Please be on Netflix.

After watching the ending, I'm a little sick on the inside. If anyone enjoys House of Cards, watch this show. It's incredibly good and of the same vein. It has great story and characters, and I'm a bit peeved I can't find the OST on Spotify or youtube other than two songs.

This has far and away one of the best romances I've seen in a kdrama, by a country mile. It feels genuine and sweet, and they don't need to make it overdramatic. It also shows how they help one another emotionally and literally by being with each other. Fantastic and far better than what we usually get. Saying that for people that watched the ending.. we will see how this continues in season 2. Another romance that doesn't happen (yet), better happen in season 2. All I can say and considering what we know, I feel like it's inevitable.

The characters are amazing, seriously. I hate the main villain, Ms Song, the main characters the mini versions of them are all fantastic. Only one that drags a bit is Oh-Won Sik. Dude just needs to go away, slimey characters that aren't that smart shouldn't be a focus for that long. Really hope we get someone different in season 2 and don't see him the whole time.

Also Ms. Kang is one of my favourite characters in kdrama, and exceptionally well written.

That ending was shocking and I don't know what to say.. at least until I jump into spoiler territory

Spoiler

I can't believe he actually fucking killed him. His best friend! He's officially turned into a villain.

"road to hell is paved with good intentions" Well said Mr. Jang, following it up with what you're doing.

On the romance side, you know this will end horrifically once Ms. Kang finds out. It will definitely turn into a bloodbath vs series between the two of them. On top of that, Ms. Jun I imagine will probably stop seeing him in such a light for the guy that actually wants to do good. I hope
1. Mr. Han joins another assemblyman team, which seems obvious (would prefer Ms. Kang)
2. Stops being so naive, but I feel that's over now after episode 10 where his heart got crushed
3. He himself learns to gain power and make deals to turn into a mini-Jang, without the you know.. turning into a total piece of shit killer

Also, him and Jun better get it on in season 2.


The death at the finale is shocking, but few things this year pull the emotional punch as Mr. Lee's death... Episode 8 is flat out incredible.

I don't think Mr. Jang is redeemable anymore, not after murdering his friend who is a good person.

 

[daskim]

Try watching Love Alarm. It's on Netflix and it will have a season 2. Yey!

 

[shadowkat]

I've been watching My Country and it's really good.

Still watching Extra-ordinary You and it's just fun. It's not quite going where I expected so I like that.

 

[Dragoon]

Finishing up Lets Eat that's on Netflix, 2 more episodes left. It has 3 seasons and the first 2 seasons are both on Netflix. They've really been adding a couple of kdramas the last month or so.

I just have to say that it is fantastic that the main character Dae Young compliments himself and it annoys people around him. I do the exact same thing, and I get literally the exact same reaction Soo-kyung gives consistently gives him from several people that know me well (all women). It's hilarious how spot on it is. I told a friend of mine how he acts in the show and she started laughing hysterically for several minutes saying no wonder you like the character.

I LOVE this dude.

Anyways.. onto the show. It's hilarious and fun. I never cared for cooking, but I started to really love it this year. Been loving spending 20-50 mins making food and then watching an episode of this regularly a few times a week. It's perfect for it. Damn, do they nail the food moments. The food looks incredible and if you're not eating, you will be hungry. The slow downs are perfect. On top of that, this guy goes on some hilarious monologue-tangents when someone says something "wrong" as he explains something for 30-40 seconds. It's hilarious. This is just a fun, easy-breezy show to enjoy. Don't go for something deep, it's for fun. Lovable characters, I can't stop laughing sometimes. The dinner scene where they held hands was so ridiculous and hilarious I don't even know what to say. The main lawyer, 2nd lead guy is so hilarious in this.. he kills me sometimes esp when the sound effects come in.
Also..
"I love a man that lies to me"

Those two scenes are some of the funniest TV scenes this year.


The negatives are the romance and the villain. The main leads really shouldn't be together, and I don't buy it. To me it made far more sense for the main guy to go with the 2nd lead female and vice-versa. The second female lead Jin-yi could have developed but stopped halfway into the show and became a caricature of herself, mostly so the main leads could look better as a pair. She could have grown so much more, esp adding more emphasis on her dad. Still 2 more episodes but the villain aspect of this is essentially adding some spice to the story to make it more interesting. It's meh...


Also, this fucking dog man..

 

[Dragoon]

First 2 episodes of Chief of Staff season 2. This show is clearly the best kdrama out right now, and it's not close at all. Masterful show. Even though I love the OST, I hope they add some new songs. The hardcore piano song having another variant would be great, as that song brings nothing but hype during scenes.

On the finale of Bring It On Ghost, there is one of the funniest tie-ins I have ever seen to another show. The Lets Eat addition is seriously amazing. This is a great fun show to enjoy, even though it has an evil bastard that does many bad deeds.
9/10

Also on Cheese in the Trap onto ep5.. I am a bit confused, is anyone supposed to root for the main two to get together? The main guy is from Man to Man whose a great actor but seems like a manipulative shithead of the highest order, hopefully the end isn't her turning him into a decent human. And the main guy from Watcher is the 2nd lead I suppose, but this guy oozes charisma on this show. Even though he's on it less than 4-5 other characters so far, his scenes are always the most interesting. I feel like he's going to get jobbed at the end though. :\

 

[shadowkat]

Apparently, Netflix didn't acquire the rights to the last four episodes of My Country according to a post I saw on Reddit. I'm so confused as to why they would purchase the rights to 3/4 of a show. I'll be really angry if they don't get the rest of the episodes.

 

[Slayven]

Big fan of Leveage was psyched to see a korean remake, watched the first ep and not feeling it. Their hardison doesn't have that "age of the geek" swag

 

[Dragoon]

Season 2 (and most likely end) of Chief of Staff.

I will write.. your resignation speech.

There are few characters in fiction that are as bad, fucking ass as Jan Tae Jun. Amazing, amazing villain, incredible cast. Other than one annoying character, all are super intriguing and even that doofus becomes more interesting later. Cinematography, OST, storytelling, deaths, betrayal, twists, turns. What a show. I personally like it better than House of Cards mostly because it has zero fat. If HoC was a 3, max 4 season series, it'd be better. This is the best show of its kind, anywhere.

10/10


--

Started Cheese in the Trap like a month ago. It's.. an interesting show. I think it is good but I won't give it a score.

It's got some engaging characters and a 3rd wheel that doesn't actually feel forced. However, I don't understand the love for the main lead. Dude is a fucking sociopath, and the way it ended it feels like the writer of Twilight was finishing it off since it made zero sense nor had understanding of a human. I'm generally good at reading people in real life and if someone like him worked in my office, he would be far and away the one person I would always be wary of... This guy will send your soul to the shadow realm for taking his coffee and taking a sip. An absolute mad lad and the fact the writer and the lead go all in for him makes absolutely no sense. I felt nothing the entire time those two were together. His character in Bad Guys that is a serial killer gives better vibes than in this show.. That there is a spark even when the lead understands how Jun is makes me feel more and more like the Korean Twilight writer must be in charge here. Saying that, it's also realistic because people don't always jump with these perfect scenarios that we see in kdramas 90% of the time. So I do appreciate that fact.

Saying that, the main lead and her best friends are fantastic together (Bora and Eun), so is her family and many characters. The main star of the show by a monumental amount is the guy I watched in Stranger, In-ho aka Seo Kang-Joon. Dude just oozes charisma even if he is a dickhead. His growth for the non-understanding douchey-talented kid to what he grows up as at the end is awesome and his scenes were generally always the most interesting in the entire show. I do hope at some point he lays off the rom-coms and hits the thriller, drama joint to do more pieces like Watcher. It feels like he's being wasted in these kinds of shows. He should pull a DiCrapio, but then again I'm not his dad or agent.

While the ending annoyed me, there is one thing that annoys the hell out of me and it's several annoying characters. Lets start off with this creature

The best way to describe her for people that have not watched the show, is imagining nails on a chalkboard at every single point she is on screen. Not only is she annoying as fuck, the actress even hams it up on purpose which would drive anyone insane. No redeeming qualities, no development, just one of the most annoying characters ever written. Add the creepy stalker who randomly yells out loud in public areas (seriously, what the fuck?) and the whiny, lazy dude who leeches off everyone and this is skiping a few other characters.. Ugh. I just can't get over how unbearingly annoying In-ha is as a character.

Still worth watching and an interesting show. But the dude that plays In-ho, get into the Stranger or Misaeng categories dude, please.

 

[scarlet]

Finished watching Vagabond. I didn't like it.

All the dramas I've watched had unpleasant endings. I need something that doesn't make me depressed.

 

[papermoon]

I just noticed that Seoul Station, the animated prequel to Train to Busan (mf zombies on a mf train), is available on Amazon Prime. Maybe it's been there for a while? But it's the first I've seen it, and I wanted to give the thread a heads up.

On the finale of Bring It On Ghost, there is one of the funniest tie-ins I have ever seen to another show. The Lets Eat addition is seriously amazing. This is a great fun show to enjoy, even though it has an evil bastard that does many bad deeds.
9/10

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I binged this recently. It was charming af. Wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. A big part of that was due to the cast. The leads had really cute chemistry, and I loved the supporting members of the Soondae Soup Club. The special effects weren't bad, and for the budget and how quickly these dramas get filmed, the fight scenes were on point too.

Finished watching Vagabond. I didn't like it.

All the dramas I've watched had unpleasant endings. I need something that doesn't make me depressed.

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I'm trying to think back to all the dramas I've watched, and I've realized even the ones with happy endings would make me momentarily depressed or frustrated because sometimes the plot obstacles get either too sad or so preposterous that the absurdity would make me cry.

One of my favorite dramas is Splash Splash Love. It's only 3 or 4 episodes. It's light and bubbly fantasy historical fiction. A modern-day young woman goes back in time to the 15th century through the magic of rain puddles, and gets involved with King Sejong - the real life guy who ordered the invention of the Korean alphabet. In the U.S., I don't think it's on Netflix. Maybe on Kocowa? Splash Splash Love is one of the few dramas that didn't depress me at all. It was engaging yet pain-free and too short. It left me wanting more.

The star of Splash Splash Love - Kim Seulgi - is in Oh My Ghost/Oh My Ghostess, which I think is on U.S. Netflix. It's a story of meek young chef (Park Boyoung) who finds her voice after being possessed by the ghost of a dead girl (Kim Seulgi). Uninvited possession of humans by ghosts is rude! and problematic, and where there are ghosts, there's death, which is always sad. Nevertheless, if you can get past that, it still manages a light, playful vibe through most of it. The leads are all good comedic "talkers." They can speak fast in a very dynamic, expressive way.

 

[Dragoon]

2 episodes in Goblin: Lonely and Great God.. and yes, I can see why this series is loved so much. Absolutely amazing start to the series and some of the olden-times views looked straight out of a movie. Production values are high, so hopefully they made their money back. I love everyone in the cast so far, dear God is the bromance amazing. Eun-Tak from Trap in the Cheese is also amazing, but I expected it when I knew who it was, she is a great actress. Don't think anyone acts as good as she does when it comes to being petty either. It has drama, comedy, romance, death, but it seems to touch some serious subjects.

I'm on episode 3 and saw the dead scene with the doctor and the Reaper. Such a small scene, but it was incredibly powerful. Very touching.. it definitely hits emotional notes. I do hope it doesn't get repetitive and there is consistent plot moving forward as I have seen too many shows stall entirely in the middle of a 16-episode series. Can't wait to finish this by EOY.

I binged this recently. It was charming af. Wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. A big part of that was due to the cast. The leads had really cute chemistry, and I loved the supporting members of the Soondae Soup Club. The special effects weren't bad, and for the budget and how quickly these dramas get filmed, the fight scenes were on point too.

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I think you nailed it mate, charming is definitely the best description of the show. It's a great show to just make you feel good and enjoy.

 

[papermoon]

2 episodes in Goblin: Lonely and Great God.. and yes, I can see why this series is loved so much. Absolutely amazing start to the series and some of the olden-times views looked straight out of a movie. Production values are high, so hopefully they made their money back. I love everyone in the cast so far, dear God is the bromance amazing. Eun-Tak from Trap in the Cheese is also amazing, but I expected it when I knew who it was, she is a great actress. Don't think anyone acts as good as she does when it comes to being petty either. It has drama, comedy, romance, death, but it seems to touch some serious subjects.

I'm on episode 3 and saw the dead scene with the doctor and the Reaper. Such a small scene, but it was incredibly powerful. Very touching.. it definitely hits emotional notes. I do hope it doesn't get repetitive and there is consistent plot moving forward as I have seen too many shows stall entirely in the middle of a 16-episode series. Can't wait to finish this by EOY.


I think you nailed it mate, charming is definitely the best description of the show. It's a great show to just make you feel good and enjoy.

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Goblin. You're in for such a ride. Enjoy it.

This might be a strange reaction, but I wasn't that invested in the four lead characters. I liked them, and I was rooting for them, but sometimes you get this deep attachment to fictional characters, and it didn't happen to me when it came to Goblin. Nevertheless, I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO EMOTIONAL watching a small-screen work as I was with Gobin. I wailed through so much of it. Not spoiling anything that happens to the lead characters. One of the necessary big themes of this show is death, and they explore the hell (or is heaven?) out of it. I really felt it: damn, death really is a pillar of existence.

 

[shadowkat]

Thread is so quiet.

Currently watching Crash Landing on You and Chocolate. Both are quite different but very good. Chocolate is great just for the food alone. It's also a bit sad, considering it takes place in a hospice.

 

[elyetis]

Once you watch one Korean serie on netflix ( in my case it was Kingdom ), it sure decide to push other Korean production hard on you.
Not that I complain since it now made me watch things like misaeng and chief of state ( s1 only atm ) which were just as amazing. Won't lie, I also enjoyed lighter shows like I'm not a Robot.
I also somehow watch a couple episodes of Men on a Mission every day now, and netflix officially recommend me more korean show/drama/series than anythings else. ^ ^;

 

[BioDigital Jazzman]

I've slowed down on my watching partly because there aren't as many interesting things to watch and I'm tired of having to deal with pop up ads on tube sites. So lately it's been just whatever Netflix has

Crash Landing onto you: what a weird not so interesting show. I like the leads but bleh. The premise had potential but not liking how it's going

Chocolate: Interesting. Love me some Ha Ji Won. Really don't like the direction that the main male character is given. There's a difference between brooding and being a block of wood with no emotions

The Lies Within: Holy tonal shift Batman. What even is this show. Is it a thriller? A comedy? Political intrigue? Romance? Pick one and stay with it. Dropped it

 

[papermoon]

A heads up, My Mister (aka My Ahjusshi) is now on Viki. This is one of my top 5 favorite TV shows - Korean or otherwise - of all time. It's a show overflowing with humanity, mostly of the sad variety, so be warned. But it captures the specifics of human frailty and human strength so specifically and beautifully. It's not just character studies though, the plot is eventful and taut with suspense a lot of time. If you love storytelling and getting a clear-eyed look at how horrible and precious people can be, then give this show a look. I think it's available on Viki even without a subscription (but with ads), so please watch this.

The two main characters are a mid-management structural engineer (played by Lee Sun Kyun from Parasite) who's been shoved into a no-room-for-advancement position at work due to office politics and a 21yo part-timer (played by IU) with one of the most tragic backstories of all time but who has remarkable inner resources to persevere. There's a whole gamut of supporting players also who have richly textured stories of their own. This isn't a romance, but it is a love story about love between families and others who make connections unexpectedly. It's also about the transformative power of being seen and accepted as you are. To me, this show is leagues above most of what I've watched - the script, cinematography, performances: it's not your typical kdrama.

 

[flyover]

Does Netflix change any of the music in dramas? I know that rights issues have caused them to edit the original music out of variety shows, but I was hoping that that's not the case for dramas.

Related, some shows are on both Viki and Netflix. Is one service generally preferred over the other (because of subs or any other reason)? I subscribe to both and am probably going to start Signal and/or Reply 1988 soon.

 

[shadowkat]

Wait, wasn't My Mister already on Viki? I could have sworn I watched it there when it was airing. Regardless, please give it a watch if you haven't seen it.

As fo shows that are on both Viki and Netflix, I haven't done a comparison. Viki subs are done by volunteers and Netflix's are professional (I assume). Both seem fine to me, though I find the timing of the subs on Netflix can be off at times.

 

[papermoon]

Wait, wasn't My Mister already on Viki? I could have sworn I watched it there when it was airing. Regardless, please give it a watch if you haven't seen it.

As fo shows that are on both Viki and Netflix, I haven't done a comparison. Viki subs are done by volunteers and Netflix's are professional (I assume). Both seem fine to me, though I find the timing of the subs on Netflix can be off at times.

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I might be be really late on this (as usual) lol. As of last autumn, it wasn't available in the U.S. on Viki or at least I couldn't find it thru search. I wanted to show it to somebody back then.

 

[flyover]

As for shows that are on both Viki and Netflix, I haven't done a comparison. Viki subs are done by volunteers and Netflix's are professional (I assume). Both seem fine to me, though I find the timing of the subs on Netflix can be off at times.

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Thanks! I may do an experiment and watch the first episode of a show on both services and compare the subs.

 

[Dragoon]

A heads up, My Mister (aka My Ahjusshi) is now on Viki. This is one of my top 5 favorite TV shows - Korean or otherwise - of all time. It's a show overflowing with humanity, mostly of the sad variety, so be warned. But it captures the specifics of human frailty and human strength so specifically and beautifully. It's not just character studies though, the plot is eventful and taut with suspense a lot of time. If you love storytelling and getting a clear-eyed look at how horrible and precious people can be, then give this show a look. I think it's available on Viki even without a subscription (but with ads), so please watch this.

The two main characters are a mid-management structural engineer (played by Lee Sun Kyun from Parasite) who's been shoved into a no-room-for-advancement position at work due to office politics and a 21yo part-timer (played by IU) with one of the most tragic backstories of all time but who has remarkable inner resources to persevere. There's a whole gamut of supporting players also who have richly textured stories of their own. This isn't a romance, but it is a love story about love between families and others who make connections unexpectedly. It's also about the transformative power of being seen and accepted as you are. To me, this show is leagues above most of what I've watched - the script, cinematography, performances: it's not your typical kdrama.

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4 episodes into this.. damn this is a depressing show but the acting is quality. The part where the begging happened with the drunk guy and lunchbox.. whew, that's something else.

While I feel bad for the main lead chick (she's the same as Hotel Luna), she is a huge asshole at the same time. Hoping this changes in the future because she clearly lived a really bad, unfortunate life. So far into the first 4 eps, this a masochist run on how the main guy can get owned.

Spoiler

Can't wait for the scene when he finds out that his wife cheated on him and the first conversation together after that. The CEO is just a special kind of a piece of shit. Bangs his wife and creates a scenario to get him fired and unable to find jobs in his profession again. Special kind of scum.