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flash viego
Joined: 20 Jan 2013
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:30 am Post subject: Never seen a K-Drama Where do I start. |
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Not that I'm a soap opera person or anything, but there have been so many references to K-Dramas here, and it seems like a big part of the culture.
I'm curious, and would like to watch one or 2.
If you had to recommend 2 K-Dramas, Series, or even episodes, which one's would they be? I think I can find them once I have some names. |
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andrewchon
Joined: 16 Nov 2008 Location: Back in Oz. Living in ISIS Aust.
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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Start with the most famous one: Winter Sonata. This one made the male protagonist a sex-symbol in Japan. Made Chinese women romanticising about Korea. After all these years, it still is the standard bearer of Hallyu.
Last edited by andrewchon on Thu Feb 07, 2013 4:04 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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almosthome
Joined: 16 Nov 2012
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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Lie to Me is a fun K-dramedy; that would be my recommendation for a first-timer.
Although Winter Sonata is famous (and was shot in beautiful locations), it is wicked sad and serious. In fact, after the huge blow in episode 3(?) I asked myself, "Why the $*%$ do Koreans willingly subject themselves to this?" and stopped watching completely. A few months later I decided to give it another go. It does get better, but you can fast forward through a lot of the second half's slow melodrama. If you want something similar but less depressing, try Spring Waltz. |
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flash viego
Joined: 20 Jan 2013
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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Cool. I'm going to check them both out. I guess if there were one's that give you a sense of real life in Korea, that would be really cool as well.
I'm guessing subtitles are on all these. |
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Norn Iron
Joined: 06 Feb 2013
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 3:38 pm Post subject: |
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flash viego wrote: |
Cool. I'm going to check them both out. I guess if there were one's that give you a sense of real life in Korea, that would be really cool as well.
I'm guessing subtitles are on all these. |
I don't think reflecting real life is the concern of K-Drama......to not face real life is why people watch them. |
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andrewchon
Joined: 16 Nov 2008 Location: Back in Oz. Living in ISIS Aust.
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, they both are posted with sub-titles. |
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comm
Joined: 22 Jun 2010
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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Norn Iron wrote: |
I don't think reflecting real life is the concern of K-Drama......to not face real life is why people watch them. |
True... but for a drama to be successful, the audience has to relate to the characters. So the way that characters react to events in K-Dramas can help you to understand how Koreans think. |
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Jyang486
Joined: 25 Nov 2011
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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My favorite dramas from the last two years is Gentleman's Dignity and All My Love. While GD is funny, it's not completely a comedy like All My Love. Both were really good. When I downloaded these two dramas, the subbing was terrible so I watched without subs. Lucky for me I understood most of it, and when I didn't I wrote it down and I asked my Korean friends.
But my two favorite of all time were All In and Happy Together, if you can find some place to watch them with a good set of subs, you won't be disappointed. |
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almosthome
Joined: 16 Nov 2012
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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If you watch through DramaFever or Netflix the subtitles are usually good. (Hulu streams content from DramaFever, too.) |
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nicwr2002
Joined: 17 Aug 2011
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:42 pm Post subject: ok |
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I would start with Chuno (Slave Hunters). It's a very good period drama and you can find it on Hulu I think if you have a proxy service or crunchyroll. |
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overdrive2023x
Joined: 08 Aug 2011 Location: San Diego, CA
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:43 pm Post subject: |
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1. IRIS
2. A Gentleman's Dignity
A Gentleman's dignity is hailed as a Korean "Sex & the City" for guys. Very new. Shows current Korean styles. And pretty good story. 4 Guys that have been best friends since High school, now each 40, and trying to lock down a woman in their life.
IRIS, was just badass. At that time, the most expensive Korean drama ever filmed with the superstars Lee Byung Hun and Kim Tae Hee. It's a spy espionage drama. Really effing good. |
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spaceman82
Joined: 01 Dec 2009
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:30 pm Post subject: |
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overdrive2023x wrote: |
1. IRIS
2. A Gentleman's Dignity
A Gentleman's dignity is hailed as a Korean "Sex & the City" for guys. Very new. Shows current Korean styles. And pretty good story. 4 Guys that have been best friends since High school, now each 40, and trying to lock down a woman in their life.
IRIS, was just badass. At that time, the most expensive Korean drama ever filmed with the superstars Lee Byung Hun and Kim Tae Hee. It's a spy espionage drama. Really effing good. |
I may have to check A Gentleman's Dignity out. I liked Iris but got into after they stopped showing it on TV much and could never find it on at the right times. Any options other than downloading for keeping up with this kind of stuff? DVDs at Yongsan or anything like that? |
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cdninkorea
Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:50 pm Post subject: |
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Here's an American review of Dae Jang Geum:
http://www.theobjectivestandard.com/issues/2010-summer/dae-jang-geum.asp (my wife also said it was good).
If you want a stereotypically sappy Korean drama that will make your groan and roll your eyes, check out Cheongdam Alice. That show is the king (queen?) of cheese. |
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Norn Iron
Joined: 06 Feb 2013
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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:58 am Post subject: |
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comm wrote: |
Norn Iron wrote: |
I don't think reflecting real life is the concern of K-Drama......to not face real life is why people watch them. |
True... but for a drama to be successful, the audience has to relate to the characters. So the way that characters react to events in K-Dramas can help you to understand how Koreans think. |
Yes, I'd say that's essentially true, but the characters tend to be exaggerated stereotypes of Korean 'archetypes', not realistic characters.
The archetypes and storyline that has been popular for many years now is the 'Cinderella' story. A good honest girl with integrity falls in love with rich elite young man. She teaches him humility and tenderness. After predictable trials and tribulations true love wins out and the live happily ever after. |
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wishfullthinkng
Joined: 05 Mar 2010
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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:20 pm Post subject: |
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while i only watched the very beginning i found iris to be entertaining. it was nice to see one that was filmed outside of an idyllic multi-million dollar korean house out in the "country" or in a smokey sool jip/club/hostess room. they filmed a good portion of it in budapest which is (in my opinion) one of the most beautiful cities in the world. |
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