Romantic-comedy drama recommendations
by javabeans
Since I’ve had a lot of requests for drama recommendations following You’re Beautiful, I thought I’d put this up as its own post. I may be spotty with some of the other genres out there, but I’m ALL about the trendy drama! The following is a list of my recommendations (and some that are not recs but merely possibilities) for trendies that have a similar tone and vibe to You’re Beautiful.
I’m sure many of you have seen many (maybe even all) of the dramas on this list. But some others who haven’t racked up as many drama-watching hours may want a guide to help them navigate the many, many offerings out there.
First, we’ll start with the other the Hong Sisters dramas…
DELIGHTFUL GIRL CHUN-HYANG (2005)
What it’s about: Modernized reworking of classic Korean folktale of a Romeo and Juliet-esque couple from Joseon times. Jae Hee and Han Chae-young are forced together at a young age, then fall in love as they mature.
Why you might like it: Jae Hee, Jae Hee, Jae Hee. Brilliant comic timing and heartfelt emotion. The situations are laugh-inducing and it’s a lot of fun; the couple bickers their way throughout but you can feel the love between them. Trademark Hong Sisters jokes — every episode ends with a sageuk parody that plays off the traditional folktale with a modern sense of humor.
Why you might not: This is my favorite Hong Sisters drama, but remember that it’s their first. If you’re watching it after seeing their others, keep in mind that what was fresh and new in 2005 may now seem common. Also, some people hate the second leads, particularly the male (even if it is a yummy Uhm Tae-woong!). Maybe it helps to remember that he’s based on the evil, possessive magistrate from the folktale.
MY GIRL (2005)
What it’s about: A girl who’s gifted at telling lies is hired to impersonate a long-lost granddaughter of an old, ailing rich man. Her warm, bubbly personality clashes with the old man’s cold, businesslike grandson, so naturally they fall in love.
Why you might like it: Super chemistry between Lee Da-hae and Lee Dong-wook. (Also: Lee Junki.) Lots of comedy, cute romantic moments, quotable lines.
Why you might not: I loved Lee Da-hae’s bubbliness, but some found her too much. The last few episodes get a little too angsty, and the big conflict is a little contrived. Still, it’s one of the better/best offerings in the trendy drama genre. If you liked You’re Beautiful, this is the first drama I’d recommend.
FANTASY COUPLE (2006)
What it’s about: Reworking of American film Overboard. A privileged, snobby heiress loses her memory, and the blue-collar worker she mistreated decides to get his revenge by pretending she’s his girlfriend. He brings her home and puts her to work.
Why you might like it: It’s less angsty than the other Hong Sisters dramas. Han Ye-seul completely reinvented her image with a great rich-bitch characterization; she doesn’t hold back and really goes for it. Quirky side characters like loopy Kang-ja add a fun touch. A subplot actively mocks Autumn Love Story.
Why you might not: The Anna & Chul-soo relationship is funny and cute, but not overtly romantic (perhaps this is a plus for some). I consider the directing to be the weak link, and while it isn’t outright bad, it veers into the slapstick. The writing is better than the iffy directing.
HONG GIL DONG (2008)
What it’s about: Fusion sageuk reimagining of Joseon hero Hong Gil Dong, a Robin Hood-like crusader for the poor. “Fusion” means that while the setting is in the 1600s, it has a modern sensibility and sense of humor.
Why you might like it: Kang Ji-hwan is awesome. He starts out a lazy, swaggering, troublemaking rascal, but that’s because Hong Gil Dong is an illegitimate son and therefore was unable to fulfill his dreams. His pairing with a cheery Sung Yuri is great, and she changed a lot of people’s minds about her acting, formerly deemed subpar. Jang Geun-seok plays a cool-headed prince. There’s comedy and wackiness, but also political machinations and a royal coup plot that adds complexity.
Why you might not: I liked the ending and wrote my big explanation in the finale recap, but many did not agree. Because this has more weighty plot matters, the humor scales back and the conspiracy takes over in the last third. I think it gets downright slow toward the end, before it picks up in the run-up to the finale. The humor is a little slapstick for my taste.
And then the rest, in no particular order:
FULL HOUSE (2004)
What it’s about: A girl’s debt-ridden friends sell her house for the money. She comes home from vacation to find that a surly movie star has moved in. Homeless and alone, she works as his maid to earn her keep.
Why you might like it: Rain and Song Hye-gyo are cute as a bickering couple, and this was one of the early “contract romance” dramas. It was huge in the ratings and is probably one of the most-watched early Hallyu dramas.
Why you might not: Don’t think too hard, or the logic might collapse (even the premise doesn’t quite hold up — your friends sell your house and you don’t fight back?). This is one of those “shut your brain off and enjoy” dramas; particularly toward the end, the plot stops making total sense in its efforts to keep the couple apart. The romance is cute but not necessarily romantic. Still, it’s an easy, mostly fun watch.
MY NAME IS KIM SAM-SOON (2005)
What it’s about: Like Bridget Jones, the lead is a 30-year-old who isn’t the typical pretty skinny girl that most guys go for. She’s loud, hot-tempered, and likes to eat. Her boss is a cold, unfeeling type with whom she agrees to a contract romance in order to get his mother off his back about marriage.
Why you might like it: It sounds typical, but the execution makes this great; it was a huge phenomenon and broke 50% ratings. At times funny, at times heartwarming, the writing is solid and Kim Sun-ah and Hyun Bin work great together. You should really see this drama if you’re a fan of rom-coms.
Why you might not: Maybe the hype has turned you off? I do think it gets built up too much, but it’s a very solid drama.
GOONG (PRINCESS HOURS) (2006)
What it’s about: Modern Cinderella story with a twist, in that Korea is imagined as a monarchy; a handsome prince is the source of every young girl’s fantasy. A normal girl is forced to marry the prince because of a decades-old pact between their grandfathers. She is brought into the palace, where she starts out clumsy and out of place as she is trained to be a princess. The awkward couple gradually falls in love.
Why you might like it: Beautiful visuals, gorgeous soundtrack, amazing costumes. Yoon Eun-hye shot to stardom, as did Joo Ji-hoon, and this drama was a huge phenomenon with its young fanbase. The intriguing twist (an imagined Korean monarchy) adds interest to the opposites-attract romance. A gentle, caring second male lead makes for a good love triangle as Yoon Eun-hye is caught between the nice prince and the cold one.
Why you might not: The extension surely hurt the pacing of the later episodes, and this drama got downright sloooow. The political conspiracy was drawn out and sucked fun out of the latter half. The ending (which is a puzzler) feels sloppy. But the other elements are strong enough that it’s well worth a look.
WHAT’S UP FOX? (2006)
What it’s about: A 33-year-old woman has a one-night stand with a guy 9 years her junior — her best friend’s brother. At first they agree to ignore it, but they start to fall for each other and she fights the attraction because the age gap is such an obstacle, particularly when she’s being courted by a handsome, charming doctor her own age.
Why you might like it: This comes from the writer of My Name is Kim Sam-soon, and like that drama, the writing is solid and the acting very strong by leads Go Hyun-jung and the adorable Chun Jung-myung.
Why you might not: It has a mellower, low-key vibe with a realistic air, and it isn’t as outrageous or outright comical as some other rom-coms. The chemistry is great, but some people have a problem with the age gap. (I think they make it work.)
SOULMATE (2006)
What it’s about: A light, humor-filled drama about the modern dating world, told through the relationships of six main characters. Each person has a different dating philosophy, demonstrated by how they view the concept of soulmates. (Is fate something that comes to you, or are you in charge of making your own?)
Why you might like it: Super, super editing and plotting. The storytelling plays with nonlinear structure, and in earlier episodes, one half of the episode tells something from the main girl’s perspective, while the other half takes the guy’s perspective, and we see how the two halves fit together by episode’s end. Clever writing, great dialogue. Lots of fun. It’s short and sweet at 12 episodes, and was completely written in advance of its broadcast.
Why you might not: I love this drama to pieces, but it may be a little slick and fast for some others. It’s a little risque and definitely not as chaste as most kdramas, but I think that’s a welcome thing.
BAD FAMILY (2006)
What it’s about: When a family is killed in a car crash, the only survivor is a little girl who suffers amnesia. Her uncle hires a “fake family” to act as her family to help her recover until he can get to the bottom of the car accident.
Why you might like it: Hilarious! The fake grandpa flirts with his fake daughter-in-law. The fake uncle starts to like his fake niece. They all have to juggle their regular lives outside their family performance. Comedy abounds and Kim Myung-min, in a rare comic performance, is fantastic as an uneducated ex-gangster; Nam Sang-mi is in one of her more adorable roles. Heechul plays a runaway hired to be the fake brother. This drama isn’t as romance-heavy (although there is romance), and is more about the wonderful shenanigans of the fake family as they go from fighting all the time to forming actual bonds.
Why you might not: I remember hating the first episode, which was boring. But after that, I fell in love!
DAL JA’S SPRING (2007)
What it’s about: Perhaps inspired by the j-dorama “office lady” genre, this series features the romantic foibles of a 33-year-old professional woman who’s unpracticed in dating; Lee Min-ki becomes Chae Rim’s romance coach.
Why you might like it: Funny, sweet, adorable. Chemistry is great, Dal Ja is lovable, and Lee Min-ki is perfect. Lots of pop-culture parodies and funny situations. Best of all, it explores friendships and working relationships in addition to the romance.
Why you might not: It was extended by two episodes, and while I almost don’t even notice, it does slow a teeny bit. Chae Rim’s makeup and hair takes a little getting used to. But definitely worth a watch.
COFFEE PRINCE (2007)
What it’s about: (As if I have to even tell you!) A tomboyish girl who is regularly mistaken for a boy takes a job at a cafe whose concept is to hire only good-looking guys. She falls for her boss, who falls for her too — while thinking she’s a boy.
Why you might like it: Gong Yoo’s portrayal of conflict is complex and nuanced. Jeremy in You’re Beautiful took a comic bent, but Gong Yoo’s exploration of his feelings is wrought with emotion. Yoon Eun-hye dove into this character and made it her own. The other “princes” are great to watch, and the director injects a breezy, refreshing air to the atmosphere. Fantabulous music selection.
Why you might not: The extension hurt the ending, and the tension drops off toward the end. Otherwise, this is one of the shining highlights of the trendy kdrama.
THE STORY OF HYANG DAN (2007)
What it’s about: What Shrek did for the Western canon of fairy tales, Story of Hyang Dan does for traditional Korean folktales. A modern comic spin takes us through multiple folk stories while centering the plot around the one about Chun-hyang and Mong-ryong (which is the basis for Delightful Girl Chun-hyang). However, this drama twists the tale to speculate what would happen if Chun-hyang were a selfish brat and Mong-ryong fell for her servant girl instead.
Why you might like it: You like irreverent, humorous reworkings of classics, and/or light-hearted fusion sageuks. Choi Shi-won (Super Junior) and Seo Ji-hye have cute chemistry, and this is low-commitment at a mere two episodes. Modern parodies (Love Actually, Prison Break) are included among the folktale allusions (Iljimae, Shim Chung).
Why you might not: This is not a serious drama at all. It’s purely a short, entertaining goof. But cute and sweet all the same.
WHO ARE YOU? (2007)
What it’s about: A dad dies in an accident and is granted 49 days by a sympathetic Grim Reaper to come back using the body of a young man in a coma. He gets three hours a day to do for his daughter what he wasn’t able to do while he was alive. The body he “borrows” belongs to a cold businessman, and the three-hour body-jacking episodes turn the unsuspecting businessman’s life upside-down.
Why you might like it: Yoon Kye-sang is awesome. He does the body-switching surprisingly well, and his relationship to his ghost inhabitant develops with unexpected warmth.
Why you might not: The romance is funny and sweet, but mostly because of Yoon Kye-sang — Go Ara is rather flat. The drama gets off to a silly start, but get past the first few episodes and you may discover a gem.
LAST SCANDAL OF MY LIFE (2008)
What it’s about: Cinderella with a twist. An ordinary ajumma with a cheating husband and a kid runs into her first love, who is now a movie star (and faking his age as much younger). The movie star is horrified at how she’s let herself go over the years, but as they spend more time together when she is hired as his housekeeper, he sees past that and starts to fall for her again.
Why you might like it: Funny, fast-paced, and sweet! Rom-coms are often stronger in plot than in acting, but the benefit of having veteran actors is that they can ACT! Jung Jun-ho is fantastic as the pampered movie star, and Choi Jin-shil is winning as the ajumma.
Why you might not: If you’re still saddened over Choi’s death, you may not feel comfortable watching her last work. I personally think it’s a great way to remember her. If you don’t like the idea of watching an ajumma in love, well, you’re missing out!
BOYS BEFORE FLOWERS (2009)
What it’s about: Korean version of Japanese manga/anime/drama Hana Yori Dango. Poor girl gets a free ride to an exclusive, uber-rich high school ruled by the bored, privileged “F4” clique. She offends the leader, who makes it his mission to terrorize her and eject her from the school. Surprisingly, she stands up to him and fights back, and he falls for her.
Why you might like it: The premise is great. Lee Min-ho burst on to the scene with a star-making performance as the mean F4 leader, and the whole country fell in love with his character. He made the drama worth watching for me.
Why you might not: Out of all the dramas on this list, this is the one that I most hesitate to recommend (and it comes with a lot of caveats). Poor writing wasted the great source material. Often, it was riddled with poor acting. Poor directing. Middling musical selections were overused and badly applied. The production was so fraught with accidents that the live-shoot system exhausted everyone involved, and the time contraint really shows. Crazy, illogical plotting and a second half that drags make this a frustrating watch — but an addicting one. On the other hand, I don’t regret watching it, and the fandom craze was hella fun.
Other possibilities that I won’t/can’t vouch for, but that others surely will:
My Love Patzzi (2002): Jang Nara has two awesome guys chasing after her and the interactions are cute, but I don’t think you can take this drama seriously; it’s a real lightweight. It’s an update of the Korean Cinderella (Kongji & Patzzi), where the person everything thinks is the good girl is actually fake, and the rude, troublemaking girl is actually the one you root for. At 10 episodes, it’s a fast series.
Attic Cat (2003): One of the first dramas to have a couple cohabitate (or, as I call it, using the forced proximity device). If Jung Da-bin’s death interferes with your enjoyment of her roles, you may not want to watch. Like with many stories when the couple lives together, there are contrivances to get one of them to leave, then return, then leave again, which you may find tiresome.
Capital Scandal (2007): A little slapstick with the humor, this drama places leads Kang Ji-hwan and Han Ji-min in 1920s Korea at the time of Japanese imperialism.
Bottom of the Ninth with Two Outs (2007): The baseball motif works with the story of a 30-year-old single woman and her romance with her best friend. Low-key and naturalistic with strong dialogue, it may be refreshing for some or too slow for others.
City Hall (2009): Don’t listen to me, listen to the fervent praise of all the die-hard City Hallers! Strong, mature chemistry between Kim Sun-ah and Cha Seung-won make this one enjoyable if you’re hankering to see something more than the typical chaste trendy-drama kisses and hand-holding.
Brilliant Legacy (Shining Inheritance) (2009): Romance with plenty of dramatic, makjang elements. One of the year’s highest-rated dramas and a hitmaker, catapulting careers for Han Hyo-joo, Bae Soo-bin, Moon Chae-won and Lee Seung-gi.
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Tags: 1 show to rule them all, Bad Family, Coffee Prince, Dal Ja's Spring, Delightful Girl Chun-hyang, Fantasy Couple, Full House, Goong, Hong Gil Dong, My Girl, My Name Is Kim Sam-soon, Soulmate, The Last Scandal of My Life, What's Up Fox
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151 mawar
November 29, 2009 at 8:31 AM
City Hall...................
Brilliant Legacy (Shining Inheritance)..............................
Hmmmmm?................................ Let's cek it out... ;)
Thanks Java Bean :)
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152 spuf
November 29, 2009 at 8:59 AM
I was surprised Golden Bride didn't make the cut, despite any weaknesses it may have; but then I realized, we're supposed to be talking about romantic-comedies, so...
I'm weighing out my options on this one. I've seen about a third of what's listed: Full House, My Girl, Bad Family, Coffee Prince, half of Hong Gil Dong and a quarter of Soulmate. And Dal Ja's Spring is my absolute favorite; it just hit all the right notes with me in regards to modern romance. I saw so much of myself in Dal Ja's character that the dialogue exchange between her and her family (and co-workers) gave me the chills. Excellent show.
As for the ones I haven't seen, once I've completed You're Beautiful, I think I'll do a double-feature on City Hall and Last Scandal. Can't wait.
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153 beehive
November 29, 2009 at 9:53 AM
I've seen everything on the list except two.
@110:
I AGREE 110% about Family Honor! One of the best dramas I've ever seen.
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154 dhereztrez
November 29, 2009 at 10:05 AM
I'm glad to hear that you liked Bad Family a lot, since it was pretty much my first kdrama and I loved it! Sadly you don't have any recaps, I'm really interested in knowing how you saw each episode. But I will bookmark this and give most of them a try.
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155 Truebelle
November 29, 2009 at 10:12 AM
How could u not reccomend Que Sera Sera !, that drama was FREAKIN AWESOME !!! :)
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156 jazmin
November 29, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Since Korean dramas, and Japanese dramas seemed to have been covered already, I decided to share my recommendations of Thailand dramas. You can find where to watch Thai dramas, called lakorns, with English subs at this website. http://iheartlakorns.com/.
Thai dramas can have great acting, great music as well. But a word of caution. Something that occurs frequently in lakorns is rape between the two leads. Conversely, outside of rape, there is very little sexual going ons between the two leads outside of usually chaste and often faked kisses.
Despite this, lakorns can be very romantic and funny at times.
My favorites are:
1. Rahut Rissaya - cool headed, strong willed Palai blackmails Siva into marrying her. Very cute, romantic, dramatic.
2. Oum Ruk - About an actress who gets pregnant. Great acting by leads, Anne and Ken, and funny to boot.
3.Roy Leh Sanae Rai - Sorta like a reverse My Girl, with a rich guy being a major liar and swindler to get money from the girl. But he's a very charming swindler.
Others that I like include: Sawan Bieng, Jum Leuy Ruk and Sassy Love.
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157 Javabeans
November 29, 2009 at 10:22 AM
Golden Bride, Que Sera Sera, Story of a Man, Alone in Love, Family Honor, a lot of the dramas mentioned here in the "Why didn't you include this in the list?" are not trendy dramas, and this post is about trendy dramas.
I also think one has to account for time and context when judging a drama... Watcing Full House in 2009, for instance, is not going to produce the same effect as if you watched it live back when it was a huuuuge phenom in 2004. Just a reminder to keep things in perspective...
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158 Shaenna
November 29, 2009 at 10:28 AM
@155
Que Sera Sera, is not a romantic comedy, it's straight up drama.
Like javabeans says.
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159 moochi
November 29, 2009 at 10:43 AM
i really love your summary about boys before flowers...i only wish that people understood how bad the writing/acting is given such a great source...that is a good list of dramas, i recommend soulmate (because that one surpassed my expectations by A LOT).
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160 reluctantbutaddicted
November 29, 2009 at 11:14 AM
Thanks for this post and a list of dramas to keep me going after YB.
I had a few recommendations to add, but I see your note that the list is really Trendy Dramas, not rom-coms per se.
Well, I'll just whisper: I liked Accidental Couple and The Man Who Can't Get Married. They weren't fantastic but they were watchable and engaging (in Accidental Couple the male lead whose name I forget was wonderful, as was his younger sister and the female lead (she was in 200lbs Beauty but was pretty unimpressive here)'s younger brother; in The Man etc the 2nd couple--Jandi's BFF from BBF and a young guy I hadn't seen before were so enjoyable, plus the lead couple were fun).
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161 theedie
November 29, 2009 at 11:34 AM
question for you Javabeans or somebody else who knows: you know those drama parodies that the Hong sisters had in episode 16 of Delightful Girl Choon-hyang when Choon-hyang was making up reasons as to how she ended up in Busan instead of in Japan? I could only identify two of the dramas they were making fun of (I'm Sorry I Love You and Full House), but since I've never seen the other dramas they were making fun of I was wondering if you knew.
Delightful Girl Choon-hyang is my favorite Hong sisters drama too btw. I'm rewatching it now, Jae Hee is so awesome.
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162 jinkzzmec
November 29, 2009 at 12:05 PM
I've seen all of the recommended drama with the exception of City Hall ( no time right now) and Who are You ( can't get past episode 1... attempted to watch it at least 5 times...just couldnt get into the drama)
Out of all the dramas in the list above, Hong Gil Dong takes the number 1 spot ( turned me into a KJH fan ) and Coffee Prince ( love GY) in the close second
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163 luraaa
November 29, 2009 at 12:43 PM
theedie,
Haha. Your question actually made me watch that episode again, which brings back memories. I actually laughed when I saw the MISA parody again. Haha. Anyway. I only know the part when they were at the beach, and the music playing was from Winter Sonata (Yon-sama and Ji Woo-hime). Although that beach scene is typical in the Autumn in my Heart drama (Song Hye Kyo and Song Seung Hun), so I don't know which of those two they were trying to show. But, this is both from the Endless Love series (which started this Kdrama fandom for me) so I guess it doesn't matter. That's why when I first saw Chun Hyang that time, it was very refreshing and funny. No more tragedy! Same with Full House. But Chun Hyang is better then FH, I think, if you compare it at that time.
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164 Retta
November 29, 2009 at 12:59 PM
Loved the list. I have watched the majority and enjoyed them. There are a few I will add to my evergrowing list!
City Hall. Coffee Prince. Soul Mate....cream of the crop.
What's up fox? is a major favorite....the music I went and playlisted on Imeem!
I am still watching YB and find it sweet and engaging.
I loved the Jdrama version of BOF! watched it first and it still stands there for me...I recently watched the Chinese/Taiwan version ..not bad I mean it has Van Ness Wu!
also in japanese I loved Hotaru no hikari....just enjoyed it so much and my first J anything! a little hard to get into for me then Kdramas, but once I find one I usually like it to bits.
Full House...ehhh, wanted to know who this Rain/Bi fellow was....the house was lovely! oh and the " 2nd" male lead...ahhhh can I say gorgeous....
JB ..let me add I love the site and spend a lot of time here....I like your straightforward approach paired with your own " fangirl" style....smile
I always enjoy reading everyones responses whether I agree or not!
This is a fun and entertaining place.
Off to check out and add to that evergrowing list!
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165 majata
November 29, 2009 at 1:31 PM
I truly, super love That Fool. It is so sweet, warm, funny and gosh, makes you feel so good after.
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166 atechom
November 29, 2009 at 1:42 PM
Definitely Smile. Between Smile and You're Beautiful, I turned into a compete maniac stalking the sites until I saw videos and even watched them without subs.
Its funny that I have watched almost ALL of the dramas listed above. Makes me feel like a real drama addict LOL.
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167 hapacalgirl
November 29, 2009 at 2:10 PM
Like you, I really liked Delightful Girl Chun-hyang. There is surprisingly a lot of dramas here that I have heard of but haven't had the chance to see yet and will slowly get to once my grad applications die down.
Goong was the first drama I watched in its entirety after seeing it advertised on Yahoo. Its a really solid drama, i didn't know it was extended but that definitely explains why I felt it was a bit slow in the latter half after being absolutely wonderful in the earlier half.
Coffee Prince is a definite must watch if you haven't seen it yet. It was the first drama I watched as it aired while I was in college and I loved every episode with the episodes always keeping you waiting for the next. Gong Yoo and YEH OWNED their roles in this drama and the supporting cast wasn't to shabby themselves. YEH's Eun Chan is one of the few girl-pretending to be- boy that is actually believable and it amazed me how much of a boy she looked like with minimal make up and the right haircut plus styling that if I didn't know it was YEH I would of thought it was a boy. Don't get me wrong PSH is adorable in YB but with her type of face you could always tell she was a girl even though her acting was good otherwise. Its a little less comedic but definitely a quality romance drama.
Bottom of the Ninth with two outs and Last scandle of my life are also really good dramas and I highly recommend them. Yes they are about 30 somethings and less trendy and more about real adult life but the writing and the acting is top notch due to the use of veteran actors in both.
Like another poster, I would also recommend I love you/ Saranghe, the age difference will bother some but the drama was adorable and a fun watch.
BOF--> a hot mess, but a highly addictive one at that. If you know nothing about the original story watch this with your brain turned off. If you know the story pass on this and read the book even if the acting was pretty solid in BOF it was highly disappointing.
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168 hapacalgirl
November 29, 2009 at 2:11 PM
oh and if you aren't watching yet. Definitely watch Smile, You. Lee MIn Jung and Jang Kyung Ho are adorable together and have awesome chemistry plus the drama is just hilarious.
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169 frac
November 29, 2009 at 3:30 PM
@ 145 Lastly, could anyone tell me where I can watch Country Princess?
You can find it on silentregrets, or lets-look.
Since it’s my first post here, I’d like to say how grateful I am to javabeans. The witty landlady is so much appreciated.
The same goes for the guests, with a special thought for Cityhallers without whose enthusiastic rants about City Hall I would probably have missed this superlatively exciting show.
I’d like to say a word for I Really Really Like You. It’s not only a rom-com, more on the fantasy side with also dramatic elements, but rom-com there is. In spite of its flaws, I really really enjoyed the interactions between Eugene and Lee Min Ki, the country bumpkin/city dandy conflict, the evolution of the two, as well as a bunch of funny or moving secondary characters and their subplots.
(Ouch! so difficult to write in English; please forgive the mistakes).
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170 Jenny
November 29, 2009 at 4:34 PM
I came across this list yesterday and after reading through all your recommendations I decided to start watching "Delightful Girl Chun-Hyang." I've already watched through episode 3 (I must limit myself our I'll be up all night) and I think I love it already. Obviously I'm only at the very beginning so for all I know it might become slow and boring but right now I'm really really really enjoying it. Thanks so much for your recommendation Javabeans. I plan to watch some of your other recommendations later!!
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171 anjell
November 29, 2009 at 4:36 PM
Thanks for the recs! I'm watching Delightful girl Choon Hyang these days and I am now in episode 8 (i think)... I find it entertaining but not addictive (just my opinion ^^) ... but it's still too early for me to rate the drama so i'm giving it a chance ... ;)
I would like to comment on some of the popular dramas I watched:
Coffee Prince had a really good story and I enjoyed watching it; however, i wasn't so satisfied with the ending...don't know why...
Full House was just "okay" for me. I heard lots of good comments about it and I heard that the ratings were high so maybe when I watched it I expected too much. Just like what JB said : the plot is repititive.
Goong was interesting...at first.
I had fun watching BOF ^^. The F4 members were handsome and Lee Min Ho did a great job portraying Gu Jun Pyo. Ga eul and Yi Jeong's love story was also engaging.
- I watched other kdramas but it might take me forever to comment on each of them^^
here are my top picks:
(note: these are dramas of all genres)
1. My girl
2. You're Beautiful
3. Winter Sonata (loved this drama but I wouldn't want to watch this over and over again for the mere reason that I don't want to cry)
4.Shining Inheritance
5. Boys Over Flowers
6. Coffee Prince
7. Il Jimae
8. Green Rose
9. Take Care of the Young Lady
10. He who can't get married
I also watch taiwanese dramas and jdramas, here are my some that I liked:
Fated to love you (tdrama)
Proposal Daisakusen (jdrama)
Frog Prince (tdrama)
Devil Beside You (tdrama- Mike He was soooo cute!)
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172 Sharon
November 29, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Haha, I found that I have watched all the dramas of the Hong's sisters! Their dramas never fail us. I also found that I have watched most of the dramas recommended by JB, leaving only 4 I have not yet watched. Surely I will watch them soon!
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173 Rovi
November 29, 2009 at 5:45 PM
@161...
the drama parodies were as follows:
* (Actually, I couldn't identify/don't know the drama for the first one...though I liked both the BGM's (reused in both My Girl and Dalja's Spring)...for anyone interested, what's the title of the BGM's????)
* Mix of "Autumn in my Heart" (beach scene) and "Winter Sonata" (music of Cheoeumbuteo jigeumkkaji)
* (I also don't know for the 3rd one...)
* "I'm Sorry I Love You"
* "Full House"
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174 lee
November 29, 2009 at 6:05 PM
i say watch Coffee Prince, Capital Scandal, Dalja's Spring, My Name Is Kim Sam Soon, Bad Family, Soulmate, & You're Beautiful, if you haven't cause they are awesome.
i also recommend He Who Can't Marry, the lead male character is not normal, but it is very funny because of that. Also i started watching Smile You, the 2 leads are good.
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175 Dramaniac
November 29, 2009 at 6:27 PM
To feed my YAB withdrawal, I have decided to re-watch Hana Yori Dango Season 2. I forgot how much I loved the the series. Rui...Makino...Tsukasa...
As I type, Episode 6 is on pause with this scene:
{Valentine's Day} Tsukasa waits on the bridge impatiently for Makino to give him the chocolates. At her arrival and to his surprise, she's come to give him back the Saturn necklace, which carries so much meaning. She explains that her decision was made with a lot of thought. {AHHHH!! Heck naw} He throws the necklace into the stream below. She has run to the other side of the bridge eying exactly where the necklace settles. Tsukasa does not hold back any feelings, "Don't play around with me!! This doesn't make me sad at all. Listen. I...I..I don't want anyone...I don't want anyone but you, MAKINO!" ('The Flavor of Love' plays in the background)
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176 Sue Jiro
November 29, 2009 at 6:48 PM
My first korean drama was GOONG! Eversince, I never stop supporting the KOREAN Drama Scene! Never will...
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177 Norma
November 29, 2009 at 6:49 PM
At this point in time it's hard to imagine there would be any other drama in the past that would come close to what You're Beautiful gave us.
Coffee Prince was enjoyable....the acting was superb....the ending flopped.
City Hall was excellent in its story....more stressful than I had anticipated...but the chemistry between Kim Sun Ah and Cha Seung Won was out of sight! Watching some of the "behind the scenes" films gave me the impression they were very attracted to each other.
Boys Before Flowers.....I believe that Lee Min Ho carried that drama and made it come alive! He really was Gu Jun Pyo!!! All the others were disappointing....especially the actress who seemed to be on a tangent in the way she acted and seemed to be angry and screaming all the time. I can't see a sequel being done with her again unless they write her out of the script because she still won't marry GJP to finish school. I can't even imagine seeing her back!
The above....all based on my own opinion....and all I want to add is that after YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL and its excellent casting.....I'm happy with watching it over and over!
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178
November 29, 2009 at 7:16 PM
Wow - I too have seen A LOT of the dramas listed on there and I agree with nearly all of JB"s points. Watching Full House in 2009 definitely will not have the same affect as it did watching it in 2004, and I think the same with Delightful Girl CH. However, Delightful Girl CH is one of the very first K-dramas that I really really loved. I saw Full House before DGCH and wasn't all that impressed with it... I just couldn't get into the hype. Just remember to watch them with an open mind. A lot of times, these trendy dramas aren't meant to be super deep or whatever, but for their own reasons, they tug at the hearts of its viewer in some place. I did end up rewatching Full House at the end of 2006, and ending up liking it at that time.
I also really loved My Lovely Kim Samsoon - just really good all around. 2009's BOF, well, there were plenty of things that I disliked but dang it - no matter what, I love the JD and JP storyline in all 3 of the versions... and it was no different for the k-drama version. So even though, it had soo many issues, I still loved watching it and even rewatched the scenes like I liked. I really like The Last Scandal... I watched it while it was airing and would definitely recommend it.
I passed on Fantasy Couple (even though I like OJH) and HDG - just haven't had a chance to watch it -- and also a few others on there. I will try to find time for them.
My picks of the trendy k-dramas: 1) Delightful Girl Chun-Hyang 2) The Last Scandal 3) My Lovely Kim Samsoon 4) Coffee Prince 5) Full House/Goong/BOF
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179 Kok
November 29, 2009 at 7:23 PM
I loved YAB, don't get me wrong but I don't think it holds a candle to Coffee Prince. The subplots were all too familiar, most of the characters were far too one dimensional, typical love rectangle story and honestly far too little actual story. The acting and comedy saved the drama. Coffee Prince had heart and an emotional journey that YAB lacked.
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180 Anonymous
November 29, 2009 at 8:10 PM
I am so glad that JB ranks “Delightful Girl Chun-Hyang” as her favorite Hong sisters drama. I love "Delightful Girl" and heartily recommend it to trendy drama fans. The central romance is a slow burning kind of love and not the typical depiction of romance in kdramas, where Mong-ryong would suddenly get hit in the head by a falling object, making him realize he loves Chun-Hyang. Just joking, but you know what I mean-- it takes a miracle for some of the guys in kdramas to realize they are in love with their leading ladies. Chun-Hyang is a strong and inspiring female character -- admirable and winning, without being an ounce of annoying. The actress strikes just the right note, as there is something about the character that just seems so real, and not an idealization of a classic hard working girl. It is really touching that Chun-Hyang's father-in-law saw her good qualities so clearly and predicted she would make his son a better man, even when the mother-in-law couldn't stand Chun-Hyang. And yes, Jae Hee is absolutely wonderful. He is perfect at every point in the drama, whether he was being funny, kicking butt, or making us cry. What a talent. I know that your military duties are coming to an end soon enough, but come back, Jae Hee, come back!
Finally, ******spoiler****while I usually detest when a rom com ends with a big, lavish wedding, I think DGCH had the best ending ever. The wedding scene in DGCH is incredibly moving, as it cuts back and forth between the mythical couple and the modern couple professing their fidelity to each other in this beautiful speech, that is perfectly acted, driving home the fact that this couple is FOREVER, the very embodiment of monogamous and faithful love. So the wedding is forgiven, because even I have to admit that you kind of need a wedding in a show that it all about an eternal-love-that-never-dies.
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181 twylah
November 29, 2009 at 8:22 PM
This makes me sad. I've watched most of the dramas mentioned and yet all i want is more of "You're Beautiful,"....the withdrawal syndrome is way too much...especially that viiki's not working for me and all i have going is soompi and this site....waaahhh, can't wait to have the DVD....
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182 Osamu
November 29, 2009 at 9:29 PM
I've lurking on your site for a awhile and I adore your stuff ^_^ by the way are you fan of park chan wook who made the vengeance trilogy? I'm just curious I want to hear your take on them since I love him as a director!!!!!! although I'm disappointed he followed that whole vampire thing thats going on I enjoyed his originality on the vampire take and i can't wait to see what he does next ^_^
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183 MEL
November 29, 2009 at 11:08 PM
Sue Jiro, am definitely with you..........GOONG did it for me, my first Kdrama and then I was hooked, Kdrama addiction all time high, I enjoyed Hyang Dan a lot, would like to see it again.......JB, where can I see it? thanks for all your recommendations, some on the list are a must see......others will be explored per your valued opinion, thanks
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184 karened
November 29, 2009 at 11:36 PM
lol, I've only watched 1/2 of what you wrote up there but I'm glad it's at least half because I don't remember watching much kdramas...I'm gonna check out Soulmate though. Maybe it's the layout of that icon...because it reminds me of the jdorama Last Friends....and the episode #, the plot, as you described it, sounds a lot like something from a jdorama. I guess it'll suit my taste.
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185 joicy
November 29, 2009 at 11:42 PM
This is the list i like. Only Bad Family is the drama i did not watch. Thanks for a good post, I will recommend my friend.
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186 mzpakipot
November 30, 2009 at 12:07 AM
City Hall.
:
:
:
Will I ever find a better drama than City Hall? ;)
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187 kate
November 30, 2009 at 12:10 AM
Dramabean . . . you forgot to include Success Story of a Bright Girl. I think it's the first drama that couple lived together and also a romantic comedy.
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188 bleuzelle
November 30, 2009 at 12:57 AM
Haha... I'll vouch for City Hall and Brilliant Legacy! CIty Hall was a bit dull at the begining but then yummy Cha Seung Won...... *faint*
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189 amira
November 30, 2009 at 1:20 AM
to me when a drama makes such a good impression on me, i will feel lost when I had finally finished watching it - like i've lost my best friend.
among the drama that makes me feel like that was:
1. Seo Dong Yo
2. Coffee Prince
3. Hong Gil Dong
4. City Hall
5. Bad Family
6. Who Are You
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190 robotmatsuri
November 30, 2009 at 2:43 AM
Ranked the ones on the list I have seen/am watching:
01. City Hall
Sizzling chemistry, romantic and absolutely addictive. Never in my life of watching Japanese & Korean dramas have I ever fallen as hard as I have for a drama as I have for City Hall. ♥ To be honest, I only watched it for Kim Sun Ah... and on the first viewing, skipped most of episode 1. However, I fell HARD by episode 6--to be exact, the scene outside of City Hall where Jo Guk wraps his jacket around Mi Rae's torn dress! The beautiful, statuesque Cha Seung Won and his gentle, but intense gaze captured my heart forever... *sighs dreamily*
02. My Name is Kim Sam Soon
Kim Sam Soon is all about at-tit-ude! I loved her feisty nature, she was most definitely not the typical weak K-Drama princess. She didn't need saving--in fact, the person on the other side of her attacks often did! ;) This was my first K-Drama romcom and it definitely holds a special place in my heart.
03. Coffee Prince
A few years ago, I absolutely DESPISED this genre, but decided to give Coffee Prince a try on a bored afternoon especially after reading so many raves about it. Needless to say, I fell in love with the drama and its bandwagon of fun characters. Can you say, "My Chan~"?
04. You're Beautiful
Addictive & fun in the first half, but lost its charm once the romance started. Mi-Nyeo was a bit too naive for my taste, but I did enjoy the comical scenes and Jeremy is such a cute character.
05. Brilliant Legacy
Lee Seung-Gi's family drove me absolutely nuts throughout the entire drama, but enjoyed Bae Soo Bin's character and the romance building between the mains in the last half of the drama.
06. Goong
Don't remember much of this drama except the evil mom drove me nuts... and what was up with the ending?!
*Last Scandal - Currently watching and am enjoying it so far, just hoping that the ex-husband DIAF. :x
* What's Up Fox? - Watched episode 1 and found the heroine a bit annoying & naive (gynecologist's office scene = irritating!). I might continue it at a later time though since it seems to be received pretty well.
* Soulmate - Might watch this one later, sounds interesting...
Thanks JB for the recs!
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191 itsjustme
November 30, 2009 at 5:54 AM
Wow JB I like you're recommendations. I haven't seen Delightful Girl Chunyang but my friend has been bugging me to watch it, after reading this, I might relent. Other than that, I agree on most of what you listed here. I am a huuugggeee fan of Soulmate too. I love the sound track, the story line, the execution, everything about it. I seriously think its one of the most underrated kdramas.
I am a big fan of Kim Sun Ah so I love most of her dramas. I stumbled upon Dalja's Spring by accident and I absolutely fell in love with. Maybe because I can relate with her so much, I just need a hot, mature younger guy to complete the picture.
My Girl, My Name is Kim Sam Soon, Full House, Soulmate, City Hall, Dalja's Spring, Goong, Coffee Prince, and yes BoF (purely because of LMH) are my go-to list of Kdramas. Now You're Beautiful has been added on that list.
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192 itsjustme
November 30, 2009 at 6:11 AM
Oooh I forgot to add Partner. The last drama Lee Dong Wook did before enlisting in the army. I love the chemistry between the 2 leads. =)
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193 Xen
November 30, 2009 at 6:19 AM
OMG! I am sooo grateful you came up with this list. I've been really down since You're Beautiful ended and I was really trying to find dramas which has a similar feel to it. I trust your recommendations.
A million thanks! ^_^
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194 nnaiy
November 30, 2009 at 8:04 AM
The List: (Not according to quality of writing/directing but merely based on personal preferences)
1. GOONG (nostalgic reasons- first K-Drama I ever watched and kicked off my K-Drama Obsession :D)
2. Coffee Prince (GY and YEH really amazed me and since I can't live without music, the soundtrack scores bonus points for this drama!)
3. DGCH (Just recently watched it and although it's been 4 years since it aired it's still very entertaining which says a lot about it)
But above all, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL TAKES TOP HONOURS! Never been so addicted and actively involved in forums until YAB came along and who can forget- JGS as an awesome HTK!! ;)
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195 nnaiy
November 30, 2009 at 8:05 AM
@193 Xen
Totally understand how you feel!! The same reason why I checked out this list too hehe :D
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196 yvree
November 30, 2009 at 9:06 AM
YB FTW!!!
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197 lilly
November 30, 2009 at 11:04 AM
Brillant legacy was a craze too at its time but I couldn't pass two episodes.
Am I the only one who think HYJ is a flat actress ? I feel too much she acts : when she cries, when smiles, when she shouts it doesn't make me feel different. It makes absolutely NOTHING for me.
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198 Linda
November 30, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Finally someone has listed the problems with BOF. Thank you - I can quit doubting myself. I could not finish it. I have been trying to figure out what the fuss was all about. I agree that the F4 are adorable but that was it and I hated Lee Min Ho's hair.
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199 momosan
November 30, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Assuming anyone is still reading this after 200 comments, I'll add a few comments. 8-)
I liked BOF. From the get-go I knew it was going right over the top, so went along for the ride. I'll admit it could have edited out about 4 hours of the middle, and it totally wasted the character of Woobin, unlike the jdrama, but honestly it was cotton candy.
I didn't like HGD, DGCH or My Girl for some reason. Sue me.
I do like City Hall - yeah! - and I Really Really Like You - although one subplot in there could have used a quick and more logical rewrite.
Rom-coms not mentioned that I liked - Lawyers of Korea. For some reason, probably the lead actor who had a physical presence in this unlike 99.9% of kdramas, I really liked this. And it had a line near the end that I would bet real money was a throwaway line by the actor, that was just funny as anything.
I quite liked He who Can't Marry - both the j and k drama versions. And That Fool, which I haven't seen the j drama version of yet.
For j-dramas- other than the ones mentioned earlier - well, I'm a fan of Abe Hiroshi, so darned near anything with him in it, I'll give a try.
But earlier this year Honjitsu mo Hare, Ijo Nashi really captivated me. Which is quite rare for a jdrama for me.
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200 cate
November 30, 2009 at 5:13 PM
wow nice drama review!! i agree with u on all the dramas we've both watched..it took ur first soulmate drama review to get me to watch that series...and i loved it to pieces!! i'm STILL hoping for a 2nd series...just to confirm my wishes following the ending!
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