My grandmother first got me into these Korean dramas. I loved the moderate use of comedy while simultaneously carrying on its very serious plot, unfortunately today, there are a ton of 16-20 episode Rom-Coms and I believe it has spoiled down my interest in Korean dramas, does anyone think this as well? One of my favorite korean broadcasting companies; MBC, let me down when I watched ‘Apgujeong Midnight Sun’ It felt like it was catering to a more western audience with phrases and references that were downright cringy and inappropriate for the setting. Even my daily dramas that I once use to love are now becoming corrupted and being turned into sitcoms, such as ‘Working Mom, Parenting Daddy,’ ‘A daughter like you,’ etc. I was reluctant to watch dramas from Seoul Broadcasting Station and I tried, I actually ended up liking one, but then a young actress in her early twenties played the villain and had this really annoying tone and had zero poise what so ever unlike Queen of Ambition with Soo Ae. I love Viki, but I am starting to find these 16-20 episode sit-coms everywhere. I don’t want to keep re-iterating, but i’ll ask again, is anyone thinking the same thing?
I don’t think it’s a Viki thing. Unfortunately, the masses want rom-coms (emphasis on the rom- the more insulting to common sense the better), silly juvenile comedies (special mention to dudebro humor) and outrageously unbelievable makjangs (I use the term for the type, but they’re in every country) that somehow always turn into copies of the same tropes, over and over.
I just stay away from them and watch my precious few thriller/ action stories.
No, I don’t agree at all. In the past two years I’ve watched some fluffy silliness, but also some really beautiful dramas with meaningful themes, well-written and well acted.
Pinocchio. There was a love story, poignant and sweet, but it wasn’t a rom-com, and there was a very serious issue underlying the whole thing: the responsibility of the press in ruining people’s lives.
Romantic Doctor Kim. Where by “romantic” they mean “idealistic”, since the good doctor has no romance in the series. There is a romance between two other doctors, but the main theme is moral responsibility of a doctor, career versus care for fellow humans and so on.
Solomon’s Perjury. A youth drama, with no romance at all. How does a whole class react to the suicide of their classmate. Who is responsible? Is there even a responsible or is everyone responsible, either for doing something or for not doing and just watching?
Jackpot. Not consistently good, but this series (where the romance is underplayed and then completely ditched, thankfully) focuses on the implications of ruling, the compromises that power dictates and how it changes someone’s character, the choices one should make in order to live life as he wants it, and how far one should sacrifice human beings to bring on an utopian better governance.
Another Oh Hye Young. There is a strong love story there, but it’s also two deeply scarred people learning to open up and heal their wounds.
W. Apart from the love story (which all but disappeared in the second half), this was a roller-coaster of unexpected twists and turns, a tale of two worlds, the “real” world and the world inside a comic book, and how the comic book character gains conscience of himself and becomes alive. What makes a human really human, what does it take to become human? It was extremely interesting and, although most of us thought that the ending episodes were not satisfying or well-rounded up, still I think that none of us would regret watching it.
Tomorrow with you. Interesting take on time travel. Yes, it has a love story, a very beautiful one, but it’s not a comedy. The eternal question of how can you influence the present if you know the future, and should you do so, is intelligently explored.
Goblin. A love story but also a tale of redemption and forgiveness. Where pure, innocent love can help bring redemption, can help someone find a meaning to life, the will to go on living. Brilliantly made, with top-notch production values and especially lots of atmosphere, with a great OST. The main girl’s smile was something that stayed with me.
Chief Kim. A quality comedy with no romance, and a strong social message, about a man’s transformation from crook to hero.
My Wife Is Having an Affair This Week. Intelligent and sensitive portrayal of the various stages a person goes through when discovering his world collapse. No makjang here, very human and realistic. Brilliant acting by Lee Sun-kyun. One interesting thing here is that the betrayed husband turns to an online forum for support and advice, so a strong sub-plot is the netizens’ reactions and their influence in his decisions.
Chicago Typewriter. It has a love story, and a few comical moments, but most of it is a gripping tale about past life, about the heroic self-sacrifice of freedom fighters, about writer’s block, about the role of the media, internet and the fans who can make or destroy a celebrity, about reincarnation and fate, about friendship… Love is only one of the many strong themes here. I started this drama doubtfully, but it became more and more gripping. It also felt as a detective story.
Memory. An incredible series with an incredible actor giving his all.
I would also mention It’s Okay, that’s Love, with its brilliant take on mental illness, touching on all kinds of love, not just romantic love, but affection and acceptance of fellow-human beings, flawed or not. And of course the top of the cream, Misaeng: Incomplete Life. But both are from 2014, so you might say we are not talking of older dramas.
As for longer, weekend series, I liked Five Children a lot.
The problem with weekend dramas and the reason for which I don’t usually prefer them is that they cater to families with many very traditional-minded viewers, so they have to be very careful in presenting anything that differs from traditional values. But this one, about remarriage of a widower and a divorcee with kids and they problems they face both before and after it was very intelligently made, well acted by almost everyone and the comedy was not over the top. I really enjoyed that one.
Much more than “Father is Strange”, currently airing, where the makjang factor is strong.
House of Bluebird was also good until a little after halfpoint - then they changed the writers and it seemed that the second writer didn’t even take the trouble to attentively watch the preceding episodes. And the ending really really sucked. Ugh. Too bad, because the revenge and forgiveness story was well carried out .
I got into kdramas because of rom-coms as the first kdrama i saw (cinderella and the four horsemen) was a rom-com. having said that i realize that there are many silly tropes in this genres (why does everyone need to be taken to hospital by piggyback?) however for every silly romcom there are great ones like Goblin, or father is strange which i think are done really well. i believe it’s less about the genre and more about the writers and directors. so as long as you recognize that there are certain unavoidable tropes in every genre (why does every villian in action/thrillers wear black hats,black masks,and black coats?) and follow the writers or directors you will find kdramas more enjoyable.
sure we can look for the bad too. If I mentioned some, some you probably think I lost a couple of screws,.loose,. but there are so many good ones! don’t have enough space to write them all here. and yes there are many I just didn’t get into, or not like, just not my “cup of tea” type thing. but to pick some bad ones out I really couldn’t at this moment, oh yeah there are some bad ones… OH HERES ONE! my favorite actor, Watcha wearing, now look thet is mild porn no matter how you cut it.and I didn’t like it. so yeah theres the bad good & ugly,ones and like I said not enough space to put either one here.
how about circle, W, tunnel, voice, marriage contract, fantastic, not to forget the historical ones either. . k 2, like I said so many good ones not just these… and me, yeah, I do go back to the older ones, cause I do like them, but I am not saying the newer ones aren’t good.
It’s not always the question about quality, sometimes you will just lose your appetite, some of us call it a “drama diet”. It’s okay aswell to sometimes move away from dramas and do some other stuff, for most of us someday there will be a drama, that will whet your appetite again.
hey lutra, yeah! here lately, I think you are right, drama diet on the go. like some of the folks said, some good some bad, my thing is I am getting a bit tired of them, getting some good ones here lately, the suspicious partner , look out, forest(? i think its called) duet, circle, I do like them, not catching my interest lately. does that make sense? the actors & actresses are fantastic, I think its just me this time: I guess I just need an uplift…
- my only love song this was really so cute funny even a VW transporting to the past!
2want a thriller? secret under the black moon light, and itshere on viki
a mystery with twists & turns good ending
3 bleak house
$
4 i am going to watch legend of the fist, dont know a thing about it .
Watch Father is Strange. The subtitles on youtube from KBS world are quite good. I haven’t found any errors so far (albeit maybe not as thorough as most viki fans like). I watched 8 eps from youtube.
[quote=“sophie2you, post:8, topic:16105”]
Watch Father is Strange. The subtitles on youtube from KBS world are quite good. [/quote]
Yes, they usually are. But Father is Strange is also available here - unless you’re saying that YT episodes are subbed more quickly. If I have the choice, all other things being equal, viki wins because of the timed comments!
And also Dale just wrote that he’s been watching Father is Strange anyway.
There are at least two excellent ones airing now: Suspicious Partner and Fight My Way. Are you watching them?
And, although Goblin was romantic, and it did have some few lighter moments, I would never think of it as a comedy. Most of the time it was heart-wrenching.
I am watching romantic partner. its good in some spots, and thing its not good in others… and how does a person that forgets killing winds up trying to kill those two lawyers?? she may have witnessed something she shouldn’t have seen, but why are they twisting the story so much about her, , her es’s murder, the guy that murdered and the guy lawyer/ex prosecueter, now all the gang)the other lawyers) to the rescue. havent gotten to fight my way yet. I will do that one this week.
uh oh heres a P/S with this story, now we have a connection with the two lawyers when they were children,?? I am on ep. 30 so I won’t say anything, don’t want this to be a spoiler if someone hasnt watched it this far. but it seems to me, that almost every drama, its the two main characters that have connections in childhood, just a bit overkill??? oh hey I love this drama don’t get me wrong please! I think I will go back and get a dose of HEALER, maybe that will make me feel better*hehehehehe,sorry!)
I clearly can’t read. I noticed their error rate is far far far lower than ODK’s (4 or 5 in 2 hr slot). See, I watched uh 8 or 9 eps (8 or 9 hrs worth of video) on youtube and no actual errors (albeit some spots we may be more thorough because well viki contributors).
I haven’t watched with viki subs so I have no idea! However, the names are done DF style.
They had changed writers ! No wonder ! I liked it at first but at some point it became a mess and I gave up and just watched the 4-5 last ep to see the end, and I was wondering what happened but it was because they changed writers ! Thanks for sharing the infos ! 
I recommend “Queen for 7 days” despite preparing some tissue. During the time this drama airing, if you want some drama to speculate historical events, watch “Flower in Prison” , " Saimdang", and “Rebel: Thief”
Comedy without romance: Chief Kim.
Rom-com with crime and mystery: Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, Suspicious Partner, Bad Thief Good Thief, I remember you, The Girl who sees smell.
Crime and mystery without romance: Tunnel, Voice, Mystery Queen.
Legal drama: Defendant (NO ROMANCE ALERT), Whispers
Only rom-com: Reply series, (also there’s Taiwanese remake, Back to 1989, which is really good if you are interested in); Sister is Alive (despite its 50-episode, I get addicted to it but too intense); Fight My Way, Oh My Ghostess
New rom-com premieres on July: Strongest Deliveryman.
Korean drama about psychology: Kill me heal me, Hyde Jekyll and me.
If you love rom-com, go for TvN. If you love historical drama, go for MBC.
sorry what exactly is a “rom com”? I am brand new to Viki and am learning thank you…
Romantic Comedy. It’s not a viki term.
thanks for answering i didnt recieve message til 7 hrs later
I do agree with whoever said the dramas aren’t as good as they used to be. to some degree.
my thoughts here. I guess “we” have to just look Like I said before, on Viki they have some old fantastic dramas AND movies, which I have started watching them,
And I know Viki doesn’t like for us to mention other links well there’s that, and the biggy is Netflix. I hope that this one is ok, they do have a bunch on there and a lot are the older kind a lot of the really good ones…
oh yes, Youtube too and some are subbed.
But they occasionally have that tiny screen for any or all stuff.
mine is basically Netflix, and the movies wow. Train to Busan, Office, the last I have seen is Beautiful Sunday and that one was awesome!! and there is more.I still like watching the old dramas on Viki, the movies too. so like I said, we just have to look,
I have seen some newer dramas lately that were quite good.
the package
strongman delivery
black
criminal minds
while you were sleeping
there’s more but thought I’d see if anyone would be interested in these first. and some of these are here on Viki
I have seen some korean news that showed some new dramas that looked quite interesting for November and December. and a couple of time travel ones as well
Looks like for Dec. may have some good dramas coming up, hopefully that will be the case. I noticed Voice 2, not sure original cast will be on. there was another #2 drama coming up. so will have to wait & see,