What's the one thing you DON'T like about Kdramas?

TV & Movies K-Dramas
42

The endings are unsatisfying most of the time.

The “white truck of doom” as a convenient plot device.

“Noble Idiocy” as a plot device.

Almost all historical dramas usse the saem wardrobe closet, no matter what years the drama is set in.

Too much emphasis on food–and in historical dramas, the good all looks modern.

Blatant product placement, like the ending of Scarlet Heart Ryeo: Moon Lovers.

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43

love triangles, hexagons, or circles or whatever because I just get hurt at the end :sob:

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44

After watching a couple of shows recently, one thing I really hate are the spongers. I assume it should be a comedic element but honestly, it drives me nuts. The whole, “Just give me x amount of won, we are family” “Oh hey, this guy/girl will pay” - this mainly hit home after just having finished Casting A Spell To You and the lead actress’s brother being one of the worst examples ever of someone always wanting someone else to pay. It really grinds my gears.

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45

Having almost finished King of Ambition (odd title considering the original is Queen of Ambition which is what the show is actually about!) I am just about at the end of my tether with ridiculous coincidences /contrivances to ensure the bad guy stays one step ahead. That show is bordering on absurdity with how it manipulates every scenario. It is driving me nuts!

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46

Honestly I love the slapstick humor. The Korean culture is so different from mine. I grew up in Philly a city in PA. In the USA. Lately all the Korean movies & tv shows are taking over here because it’s not the same ol same old. + are the hot men and plain Jane’s. In U.S. it’s exactly the opposite. A drama is usually a hot women with a fat old guy as the husband in USA. When I was a teenager it was quite different. The guys were hot but somehow it changed and every year the American sitcom actors get uglier and more queer in sitcoms. Not that I’m against it. I just don’t find it entertaining. So I started watching Kdramas. My first tv series was Destined with You. I was smitten after that. There was a drama that was similar to a Hallmark show called Outlander that I watched only due to the hot leads. The guys wear kilts which is extremely sexy and have long hair. But the storylines became more boring every seaso and the leads can’t act very well imho. . So I’m glad I found Kdramas. That said I have now watched about 20 miniseries and 3 movies. The annoying part of Kdramas is none of the leads are ever over 40 years old. The majority of the screenplays are interesting storylines but it’s usually about high schoolers or college age. That was a million years ago for me. Don’t get me wrong, I still appreciate the cute boys but 18-25 is risqué for me! I know the formulas get a little mundane and predictable also. The best Kdrama that was age appropriate for me was Neverilla. A beautiful story about a ballet dancer and an old man. So my complaint would be stories about 35 and older people.

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47

@punkrocker22 I love the humour as well :slight_smile: Being British I’m amazed at how similar the sense of humour can be to ours. I swear you could write these in English and they’d be a hit.

I know what you are saying about the age of the leads, but I do like that there always seems to be parts for older actors as well. Sure, they usually play similar characters, but some of the female actors that are really old, still get seen in a lot of shows which I think is really cool.

Then there are the younger actors who can pull off playing a schoolkid, then later in the same show be someone in their thirties. That Asian complexion working its magic! So jealous :stuck_out_tongue:

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48

Maybe you’ll like some of the dramas mentioned in this thread, as the OP was asking for dramas with older leads :blush:.

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49

it’s always ep 10 istg :sob:

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51

It’s not just ONE thing, but a few, in no particular order:

  1. Makeovers where the person in question looks exactly the same they did before the “makeover”.
  2. Normalization of physical assault in the workplace or in families.
  3. Normalization of regular heavy drinking sessions.
  4. There is no drama in the “drama”. Korean (Chinese too) shows are unable to draw a dramatic arc and KEEP IT until the last episode. Very, very few dramas come close to achieving this ideal - in my opinion, these are the best dramas, but they could be a lot better if this arc was completely uninterrupted. I have seen so many balloons (that actually worked!) popped around, say, Episode 9. NO!!! If a show is 16 episodes, you do not pop balloons until the very last episode!!! That’s the reason why I abandon a lot of shows around 50%. If the balloon is popped, that is the end for me. Why should I keep watching when the main conflict/main source of the drama is resolved? Is this a cultural difference? I don’t think so: the reason why stories work must be universal. Instead, this must have to do with not having enough material for 16 (or more) episodes. Sometimes writing is uneven or just poor. Interesting tangent: why is it that there are so many talented actors but so few talented writers?
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52

What I don’t like in Kdrama is that they are sexist (just my opinion) women are always depicted like idiots ! it’s always women who are poor in a conflictual love with a rich family…

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53

sticking to 16 episodes when the story can be better told in 10 episodes. I have watched japanese series that ended after 10 episodes and like it better.

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54

when they have to use alcohol to be able to talk honestly to each other/confess, or when drinking themselves to oblivion is an excuse for doing whatever

also when they use food p*rn (it makes me hungry) or when in C-dramas especially, they “fake eat” all the time but constantly ask each other if they’ve eaten…just so they can have another “fake eating” scene!

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55

That I can’t enter through the screen :rofl:

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56

OMG this is what I don’t like about Asian dramas especially Korean dramas that most scenes revolves around food, and they make gross loud noise (I’ve noticed the Chinese/Japanese not so much noise) very rarely Chinese/Japanese eating scenes have ‘’ loud slurping noises’’ that always hits me the wrong way.

In my culture (P.R.) eating and making noises is prohibited, and it’s also painfully punishable too. It’s also considered a low class behavior. We are also not allowed/suppose to Talk while we are eating; so you can get across the table a hand slap or get reprimanded when you are young, and start talking at the table.

When I started watching Korean dramas that was so detrimental for me; those loud slurping sounds, and the once in a while loud burp!

I found out later on that some Asian consider burping as complimenting how good and tasty the food was (but no thanks for me just say my food tasted good/no burping please) lol

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57

the actors having their hair on their forehead, maybe they think its sexy, I sure don’t. bout as bad as beard & moustash! I just like clean shaven and all.

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58

The new one; when the guy has long hair (they do look gorgeous) they keep moving their head from side to side, and fluffing the hair back constantly! when female actress don’t even do that. It’s a big turn off to see your hunk of a man that you fantasize about lose his manly look… :rofl:… :sob:

that really kills my momento… :scream:

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59

All the dang kidnapping. My favorite characters are always the villainous chaebol family members but the loyal housekeeper/ assistant/ valet/ chauffeur/ covert photographer/ henchman drive me crazy. I yell at my TV because of them. I get it. Chaebols kidnap people. What I don’t get is how they find so many people who are willing to kidnap FOR them. I’m not knocking out someone’s brothers first love and locking her in a trunk no matter how good the dental plan benefits they offer are.

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60

The Same actors play the same roles.
The darker skinned Koreans are always villians or in law inforcement
The 16 episode dramas usually lose momentum somewhere in the middle
If a woman is a villain she is really evil but never really gets what she deserves
Many times, very evil characters just change into nice guys.
The cutesy way grown women talk when dating a guy.
Whenever someone gets hit by a car, its always the same kind of truck.

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61

At times some aspects stray too far from reality and lose credibility

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62

The bandaging of wounds!! I don’t understand why every wound dressing looks like it was put on by a 3-year-old and will fall off at any second! :rofl:

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