Top 10 gateway dramas to hook your friends on
by DB Staff
javabeans: Happy New Year, happy tenth anniversary, happy 2017, happy everything-that-will-be-better-than-2016!
girlfriday: Yay, I’ve never been happier for a new year to start! I still can’t believe Dramabeans is old enough to be a tween!
javabeans: Oh god, is it time for braces, backtalk, and bad attitudes? I’m still the boss of you!
girlfriday: You tell it!
javabeans: In keeping with the whole 10 motif, we thought we’d dust off our trusty ol’ Top 10 series, and honor our tenth birthday by shoving everything into categories of ten.
girlfriday: Because we like symmetry, and themes, and simple math.
javabeans: One of those things is a lie. But surely if a list is good, then a list with a vaguely conceptualized theme is better!
girlfriday: One of the reasons we wanted to do more of the Dramabeans Top 10 series is that it’s a good way to induct new drama addicts, and give new watchers a good place to start. What good is it being a drama addict if you can’t help others start their addiction?
javabeans: And what more apt topic for the first one than dramas that actually did hook new addicts? In the time we’ve been following dramaland and running this site, we’ve come to see certain patterns emerge, and surges of interest that are often driven by specific projects, which act as the gateway to the rabbit hole. Does that metaphor make sense?
girlfriday: It does to me. Are we all rabbits in this metaphor?
javabeans: I think we’re all Alice, only we get used to Wonderland, probably because we drank the Kool-Aid and things started seeming normal there. I’m not really selling dramaland, am I?
girlfriday: Thankfully, we don’t really need to sell dramaland, since if people watch a good, properly cracky gateway drama, it’ll sell itself and then they’ll never know what hit ‘em.
javabeans: With that said, here’s our list of Top 10 Gateway Dramas to Hook Your Friends On. Maybe these selections seem pretty basic to longtime drama fans and Dramabeans readers, but this list is more for the uninitiated.
girlfriday: Yes, these are the dramas you want to recommend to that friend who’s never seen a Korean drama and wants to know why you always have panda eyes after a long weekend.
javabeans: Or any weekend, really. It was tough narrowing selections down to just 10, since any proper drama addict has to have at least dozens of dramas on the favorites list, but we created the rules, so I guess now we have to suffer by them.
girlfriday: Stupid rules.
1. Boys Before Flowers (2009)
javabeans: There’s a reason this drama pops up with particular frequency in our Spill the Beans posts, where fans dish about how they initially got drawn into the world of K-dramas: It’s crazy addictive. It isn’t the only show to ever feature high school romance, or craft ultra-luxe wish-fulfillment fantasies, or make alpha heroes fall to their knees for penniless spunky heroines. Nor does it stand out for having an unusually beautiful cast; don’t get me wrong, they are beautiful, but so is basically everybody else in dramas these days. And yet… it had something crazy special to it, a special ingredient that made it incredibly gratifying to watch, which was probably in large part a madly entertaining dose of WTF-ery. And man, was it effective.
The term “guilty pleasure” gets thrown around a lot when talking about Boys Before Flowers, probably because the drama is flawed a million ways to Tuesday; even those of us who love the show recognize the ways in which it’s sometimes sloppy, frequently cheesy, and completely over-the-top. Yet there’s an undeniable lightning-in-a-bottle quality to this show, a magical addictiveness that defies logic, like MSG for the brain: This is junk, I shouldn’t be eating this, I may feel guilty in the morning but right now it’s maybe my favorite thing ever and I can’t stop. I say we never stop.
You May Also Like: Heirs, Dream High
2. Coffee Prince (2007)
girlfriday: I get asked a lot by friends and random strangers what drama they should watch first, and without fail I say: Coffee Prince. It’s just one of the best starter dramas I know and a safe bet, because everybody—even ajusshis, as my dad can attest—likes Gong Yoo. Despite now being ten(!) years old, Coffee Prince is one of those dramaland classic romances that ages like a fine wine, and still remains relevant and addictive and squee-worthy, long after copycats have come and gone.
One of the reasons I recommend Coffee Prince so often is because it has such an addictive one-line premise: A tomboy girl gets a job at a coffee shop that only hires pretty boys, and the boss starts to fall for her despite not knowing that she’s a girl. Right away it asks, What does it mean if he loves her anyway?—and one of the reasons this drama stands the test of time is that it doesn’t cop out in addressing that central conflict and does it in an emotionally gripping, heart-wrenchingly satisfying way. Any drama fan can tell you that crossdressing rom-coms are a peculiarly popular sub-genre of Korean dramas, and it’s really Coffee Prince that made that phenomenon happen. I happen to like all crossdressing dramas, but you know what they say about first loves in dramaland—nothing can replace it.
You May Also Like: You’re Beautiful
3. My Name Is Kim Sam-soon (2005)
javabeans: Sometimes you just need to feel like there’s a heroine who gets you—and a drama that appreciates you for who you are, and not who you feel, on your worst days, you aren’t living up to be—and no show does that better than My Name Is Kim Sam-soon, which was so much more than just another workplace romance or modern-careerwoman success story: It was downright empowering. It was a transformative show when it first aired, offering up a much-needed new kind of heroine; dramas till that point had featured primarily sweet doormats or plucky Candys, the more waif-like the better. And then Sam-soon charged in with her loud mouth and saucy attitude and refused to take guff from others; she took pride in her work as a patissier, didn’t let her boss push her around, and somehow balanced backbone with compassion. She stood up for herself in ways that were inspiring, heartwarming, and often hilarious.
Powered by Sam-soon’s endearing personality and smart writing that still holds up over a decade later, My Name Is Kim Sam-soon is the kind of show that strikes a chord emotionally at the same time that it’s tickling your funny bone, and has the added benefit of providing vicarious satisfaction for anybody who’s ever had to deal with an unreasonable boss or a pushy mom or a society that tells you you still need work to be lovable. (Spoiler alert: You don’t.)
You May Also Like: Dal Ja’s Spring, The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry, Oh Hae-young Again
4. Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010)
HeadsNo2: What makes Sungkyunkwan Scandal an appealing choice in recruiting potential converts is its knack for combining some of dramaland’s favorite (read: most addictive) tropes—crossdressing, reverse harem hijinks, fusionized history, and a hot rising cast—in a fun, adventurous story of youth friendship and romance that was breezy fun then, and still holds up today.
The fact that it’s set in the Joseon era is just icing on the cake, since there’s nothing all that historical about this fusion sageuk other than the setting, which paints a picture of the history and times surrounding our characters without getting too mired in the details. Sungkyunkwan took the crossdressing rom-com and found a way to raise the stakes by setting it in Joseon, where gender rules were stricter and the consequences were naturally higher. Being a scholar at that time was a calling strictly reserved for men, and a young woman who was determined to get the same opportunities as the boys had to actually become one of the boys. Cue: male garb, borrowed name, and new residence in the shared dormitories, leading to roomie hijinks aplenty, especially when she bested the boys at their own game. Buoyed by youthful effervescence and good-natured wit, this is just one of those dramas that makes it impossible for us not to smile along with it, and once the hook gets you, it doesn’t let go.
You May Also Like: Moonlight Drawn By Clouds, Arang and the Magistrate
5. Answer Me 1997 (2012)
girlfriday: This is an easy one for me to recommend to my friends, because it’s a story about my generation. Anyone who’s ever faithfully recorded their favorite TV shows on VHS and spent hours making mixtapes will watch this drama with a special kind of nostalgia in their hearts. But really, Answer Me 1997 made waves because it’s a universal story about anyone’s youth—what it’s like to be a teenager and not have things figured out, what it means when friendships falter, or turn to love. It tells small, relatable stories about regular kids growing up in regular families, but with sharp wit and a fanatical level of detail for the era it portrays.
On paper it’s just the story of six friends who live in one neighborhood in Busan in the 1990s, but the key to this drama’s success (which spawned an entire franchise) was the perspective of the characters in the present day, looking back on their youth fondly and withholding information about how the romantic pairings ended up. It’s the rosy-tinted perspective that makes the whole drama feel like a love letter to youth, and family, and friendship, and a simpler time. If you know anyone who loved Freaks and Geeks and My So-Called Life and The Wonder Years, this is the show for them.
You May Also Like: Answer Me 1994, Answer Me 1988
6. City Hunter (2011)
javabeans: City Hunter is my go-to drama recommendation when someone asks for a show to watch with a boyfriend/husband/partner, not because I like making gender-based generalizations about taste, but because when meeting other drama fans in person, this has been by far the most popular gateway drama named by the husbands and boyfriends in attendance. Its strength as a gateway show is that it has a little something for everyone: superhero vigilante capers, heartfelt revenge backstory, hero with a secret identity, youthful romance, high stakes, creative fight scenes, guns, blood, and intrigue. For an action drama it’s funny, for a political drama it’s fast-paced and exciting, and for a romance it’s not overly done.
With action that’s more fun-spirited than hardcore, City Hunter takes on a sort of Batman-lite feel: Our hero adopts a cavalier Bruce Wayne-esque persona by day, then takes down corrupt politicians as the mysterious “City Hunter” by night. Undercover capers and fighting for the greater good make this a feel-good watch, while the father-son conflict and relationship development give it that extra pinch of heart. Which it then might rip out a little. But in a good way!
You May Also Like: Two Weeks, Healer
7. Nice Guy (2012)
HeadsNo2: There’s nothing like a good melodrama to get you hook, line, and sinker, and Nice Guy stands as a shining example of the genre. Featuring Song Joong-ki (who turns everything he touches into instant crack, enough to be featured three times on this list) as a good man turned bad, then arguably turned good again, this drama was driven by the intriguingly ambiguous hero (or was he an anti-hero?) and his role-reversed relationship with the heiress who hated him, then forgot him, then loved him. Corporate takeovers, deranged family dynamics, and noble imprisonment don’t usually sound exciting, but they were mostly set dressing for some massively screwed-up relationships, like the nice guy who sets his sights on a rich heiress and then ends up becoming her protector, after taking the fall for a woman who then becomes the heiress’s enemy, and therefore his own. The initial ploy grows into a twisted mess of feelings and true intentions, with amnesia and betrayal thrown in for good measure. If it sounds convoluted, it’s because it is, but deliciously so—his motivations always seemed tantalizingly within reach but maddeningly opaque, which kept us on the hook till the end. It’s one of those dramas you pick up and just can’t put down, so use this on your friends who like their shows with just a little bite.
You May Also Like: Secret, Kill Me, Heal Me
8. I Hear Your Voice (2013)
girlfriday: Supernatural romances are a huge trend in dramaland right now, but I don’t normally suggest aliens and vampires right off the bat (unless I’m trying to convert a diehard Buffy fan), and I Hear Your Voice is what I like to think of as supernatural-lite. It’s mostly a funny rom-com that happens to feature a hero who can hear other people’s thoughts, structured like a legal procedural drama, and made addictive by setting a serial killer loose on our protagonists. It’s definitely a mashup, but it works because the story is gripping and the suspense keeps you coming back for more.
Minus the mind-reading, it’s basically an earnest human drama: A teenage girl saves a young boy’s life when she witnesses his father’s brutal murder, and bravely testifies in court to put the killer away. The little boy vows to protect her with his life, and makes good on his promise when they meet again ten years later. Oh, and it’s also an adorable noona romance with cohabitation hijinks—should I have led with that? More than anything, this drama just has great characters, and I’d especially recommend it to anyone who loves a strong heroine. Lee Bo-young’s sassy public defender still remains one of the toughest, funniest, and most endearing leading ladies I’ve encountered in dramaland, and she’s not even the one with superpowers.
You May Also Like: You From Another Star
9. Nine (Nine Time Travels) (2013)
javabeans: A lot of the dramas on this list are romance-driven, and that’s partly because Korean dramas do tend to favor romantic storylines, and also because romance is often the thread that gives a drama its addictive factor. But if you’re looking to hook someone with a drama that isn’t all about the lovelines, Nine makes for a great example of addicting with twisty-turny, intriguing, cerebral plot: A hero stumbles upon incense sticks that, when burned, transport him back twenty years in time (stay with me). What starts out as an exercise in curiosity quickly turns into both a revenge mission to right an injustice in his family’s past and a desperate fight against the ensuing butterfly effect. Moreover, because the time-travel is limited to exactly twenty years in the past, the hero cannot undo what he does in prior trips, and as the plot builds and problems start cropping up, the stakes rise in an ever-building crescendo that makes for a thrilling ride. The time-traveling segments get particularly mind-bendy when we see both past and present unfolding concurrently, on parallel tracks, though nifty directing keeps everything comprehensible. Nine is the kind of drama that keeps the brain engaged and buzzing with speculation, so it’s a great choice for the drama geek who loves crafting theories, analyzing storytelling rules, and mining a drama for clues.
You May Also Like: Signal, Queen In-hyun’s Man
10. Descended From the Sun (2016)
girlfriday: It’s funny, I wouldn’t personally put Descended From the Sun on my list of all-time favorites, but I would absolutely recommend it as a first-time drama to literally everyone and their mother, because it just has that mass appeal. For one, it’s not an old drama that forces you to add caveats like Ignore the weird fashions and ugly hairdos, and the slick production value just speaks for itself. It’s also a drama that needs no setup, since you have a soldier who meets a doctor, and they fall in love in a (beautifully picturesque) war zone.
One of the reasons Descended From the Sun makes for a good gateway drama is that it’s a straight-up romance with all the fat trimmed off—no romantic interlopers to interfere with the love story, no corporate takeovers to slog through. It’s pretty much all romance all the time, multiplied by secondary couples who are also cute, and sufficient life-and-death stakes to keep us on the hook. The real appeal of Descended is the fast-talking banter, where everyone always has the perfect comeback for every line; there’s just a synergy between the witty dialogue and the crackling romantic chemistry that works here, and it makes the drama a breeze to watch, and good bait to lure everyone you know down the rabbit hole.
RELATED POSTS
- Celebrate Dramabeans’ 10th anniversary with us!
- Dramabeans Top 10: Korean dramas about enemies-to-lovers romances
- Dramabeans Top 10: Korean dramas about friends-to-lovers romances
- Dramabeans Top 10: Korean dramas whose endings are better left unwatched (trust us)
- If You Like… Noona Romances
- If You Like… Contract Marriages
- Romantic-comedy drama recommendations
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Tags: 1 show to rule them all, Answer Me 1997, Boys Before Flowers, City Hunter, Coffee Prince, Descended From the Sun, Dramabeans Top 10, featured, I Hear Your Voice, My Name Is Kim Sam-soon, Nice Guy, Nine: Nine Time Travels, Sungkyunkwan Scandal
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101 starswillshine
January 4, 2017 at 10:55 AM
I think the dramas to recommend to friends who aren't a teeny bit interested in Korean dramas will not be entirely the same with the dramas that made us fall in love in the past. Dramas which are aired after 2010 should be recommended instead of dramas which are aired in the early 2000s. The older dramas are usually watched after one gets into the Korean drama world isn't it? The dramas I watched before I was completely addicted to Korean dramas were dramas that were aired at that point of time. The dramas should be easily understood without a prior knowledge of Korean culture.
Hence, if I am going to introduce to someone Korean dramas today (right now), my top ten list will be:
1. Healer
2. Master's Sun
3. Descendants of the Sun (even though I don't really like the plot but the leads are attractive enough to draw people in)
4. Two Weeks
5. W - Two Worlds
6. Come Jang Bo-ri! (it's addictive to see how a villain will fall and this is one of the more recent family dramas with an extremely horrible villain) <- more for your mum or grandmother to watch because my grandmother loves all sorts of loooooong makjang daily or weekend Korean dramas
7. Secret Garden
8. City Hunter
9. Age of Youth
10. You who Came from the Stars (not my type of drama but it managed to captivate Asia back then)
Dramas that we all love but are not on the list:
1. Boys over Flowers (the fashion and the phones, although honestly speaking, I fell in love with the Taiwan version in 2009 which was 7/8 years after it was aired despite the horrible fashion and hairstyles, so Boys over Flowers maybe an exception which should be on the list).
2. Reply Series (requires some basic knowledge of the Korean culture, e.g. differences between satoori and Seoul standard speech)
3. Winter Sonata/Autumn Tale/Stairway to Heaven (will the plot still be able to attract audience? Kinda skeptical but I do have a friend who watched Autumn Tale this year after watching DOTS and she loved it and that's her second Korean drama).
4. Dae Jang-Geum (I watched it in 2004 and I loved it back then and I still love it today but I don't know whether someone who's new to Korean dramas will watch it now since it's not even wide-screen or HD. Still, I love it sooooo much. Have anyone tried recommending to your friends?)
5. Goong (I love it and I can't count the number of times I rewatched it but the way the drama was filmed might not be what we will like to see in today's time).
6. Full House (THE PLOT. I watched it after I was addicted to Korean dramas and the plot was just going in circles).
7. Hong Sisters' dramas before Big (I LOVE THEIR DRAMAS but will people be put off by the fashion? Their dramas have tons of meta references and they would be better appreciated with some understanding beforehand).
8. What Happened in Bali/I'm Sorry, I Love You (the plot may not be something that people will like today)
9. My Name is Kim Sam-Soon/Dal-Ja's Spring (again, the fashion and...
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Beanfan
January 4, 2017 at 2:59 PM
Great list! How could I have forgotten What Happened in Bali??? But...yeah, it wouldn't be one of the gate-openers, I don't think.
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102 dramalava
January 4, 2017 at 10:57 AM
Should it have a satisfying ending, I'd say that weightlifting fairy is a great intro drama. The fact that is a simple coming of age rom com that has long time drama addicts going crazy over it's says a lot!
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103 Shannia
January 4, 2017 at 11:02 AM
This is my first time commenting but I've been lurking in the shadows like a weirdo for a long time.
Coffee Prince was my first drama. Being a sucker for romance, comedy and a happy ending, I fell in love with this show.
I had never watched a drama before, I don't even really watch any TV except for Great British Bake-Off but I was flipping through Netflix Canada looking for something to pass the time when I landed on Coffee Prince. I thought the premise sounded interesting so I decided to give it a go. Fast forward to two days later when I finished watching the show and had to find out all I could about it and what other types of shows I could watch like it.
I ended up on dramabeans and haven't really left, haha.
One of my major reasons for loving Coffee Prince is Yoon Eun-hye. She just drew me in with her performance, I've never rooted for a character as much as I rooted for her. Of course, there is also Kim Jae-wook, who is so good looking it hurts and Gong Yoo, who was fantastic (and hot) as well.
I'm going to stop rambling now, I may have to do a Coffee Prince rewatch.
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104 anotherfan
January 4, 2017 at 11:05 AM
I am totally dating myself lol but I do see my crack dramas on here too-
Drama that sucked me in All about Eve. I wouldn't recommend it but for some reason, it did.
Other crack dramas in my early years of watching -
Full house - fake marriage hijinks who doesn't love that
My name is Kim Sam soon (my second favorite kdrama til this day)
Goong
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Beanfan
January 4, 2017 at 3:00 PM
All About Eve should DEFINITELY be on this list!!
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anotherfan
January 4, 2017 at 3:43 PM
Yay!! Someone else who found the drama cracktastic. I could watch it over and over again even now. However, I feel like the new generation of viewers may go crazy with SM's wishy washiness. JDG was not necessarily his hottest but he has charisma.
Another cracktastic drama for me is Queen of the Game. Love it. Watched it so many times in the last 10 years. JJM and LBY.
Typical melo of the time was save the last dance for me with Eugene and ji sung. I loved the ost and ji sung. The story was eh. Loved ji sung since watching this in 2005.
Lastly someone mentioned TGL - yes - GHJ and CSW. But I didn't fall in love with this drama until last year.
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missjb
January 4, 2017 at 3:50 PM
say yes to all about eve and autumn in my heart. that drama is introduce me to korean drama. all my mates in my housemaid watching this drama till late 3 AM in 6 hours straight. they lure me into watching korean drama through this. since then hook and sinker..
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anotherfan
January 4, 2017 at 10:03 PM
I ruined myself and just couldn't resist watching All About Eve again - at least parts of it. They have VHS in one scene -yikes! 16 years is a long time.
JDG and Chae Rim are great. :)
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Beanfan
January 5, 2017 at 8:40 PM
Agreed!
August
January 5, 2017 at 9:47 PM
Another fan here of All About Eve. Glad you mentioned it.
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105 L
January 4, 2017 at 11:23 AM
Also, Pasta and The Greatest Love!
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106 Jelly Conanan
January 4, 2017 at 11:27 AM
Mine would be the following:
My girlfriend is a gumiho
Secret Garden
Healer
Jang Geum
My Love from Another Star
Fated to Love you
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107 chingu
January 4, 2017 at 11:31 AM
How appropriate that the Dramabeans Top 10 correlates with Dramabeans' birthday! Yay! Happy birthday, again! Anyways, I think 10 is a great number for a list because it's not a lot and not too little--just enough. I've watched (a little and in its entirety) 8/10 dramas on this list, with the exception of Nine and City Hunter (it's on my list, though!). I can't believe Coffee Prince is also 10 years old! Can't believe it's been 10 years since it came out... omg. Goblin has totally re-elicited my love for Gong Yoo, so when I saw his picture for Coffee Prince, I squealed internally... gah, he's such a babe. Anyways, Boys before Flowers seems to be the go-to drama for rookie drama watchers because I can't tell you how many times I've gotten (way too) excited when someone brings up them watching a Korean drama and then following it up with Boys before Flowers. I'm just like, "Of course... Okay, that's great, but lemme give you a list." They don't know that they're missing out on bigger and better dramas out there! Haha, no offense to Boys before Flowers, of course. That was probably my crack drama at the time, too.
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108 Daebak
January 4, 2017 at 12:15 PM
Man!!! I watched all these dramas one after the other when i started watching k-dramas in 2013 (minus Kim sun soon and DOTS is relatively new but damn addictive) I'm lucky I guess,cause these dramas are the jjang and I can't imagine starting with other dramas.
You may also love: You are beautiful,Healer(irrevocable love,trust me),49 days(minus the ending),Queen in hyun man,Answer me 1988(don't just stop here watch all the answer me series), My girlfriend is a gumiho,Bridal mask(gotta hate to love the anti-hero hero).....
the list goes on and on but that would do.
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109 annflln
January 4, 2017 at 12:28 PM
I have watch all of dramas mentioned. I'm hooked and slinked all the way lol
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110 hasy
January 4, 2017 at 12:30 PM
It's funny, but I would have wanted Misaeng and Signal to be on this list. But I guess they are relatively serious.
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Dreamer
January 4, 2017 at 1:09 PM
Both are of World Class Quality... my top ten best...
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111 jessanno
January 4, 2017 at 12:56 PM
I've been trying to get everyone I know to watch Korean dramas. I've only successfully hooked one friend. With Descendants of the Sun too! lol. My roommates just flat out refuse to watch them. I haven't given up yet though! My first drama was A Witch's Romance. I liked it and went to look for more.
Also, congrats on ten years Dramabeans. Without this site, my drama experience wouldn't be what it is. Thanks for fueling my addiction. lol
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112 moacga
January 4, 2017 at 1:07 PM
I've seen all of the recommendations minus Nice guy, but I did read the recaps for that. Oh wait, I haven't seen Secret as well. Delightful girl chun hyang is what got me into the rabbit hole.
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LizJ
January 4, 2017 at 1:56 PM
Secret is not to everyone's taste, but it's definitely in my top five of revenge melodramas/romantic suspense. Ji Sung and Hwang Jung-eum are much better together than either is on their own, and I hope they'll do a third drama together someday.
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redfox
January 5, 2017 at 3:27 AM
yeah I am still waiting for those two to play a pair of detectives a la Mulder and Scully
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113 Viki
January 4, 2017 at 1:21 PM
I have watched everything on this list except for Nine (on my watchlist for the longest time) and Dots. I never finished Dots...I missed a week while it was airing and just never bother hehe
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114 okdramas
January 4, 2017 at 1:36 PM
I would 100% add Shopping King Louie to the list...hook em with a sweet, cotton candy drama and then BAM watch out for the trucks of doom, the terrible doctors and tons and tons of time travel. Won't even know what hit em.
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LizJ
January 4, 2017 at 1:51 PM
I think Shopping King Louie would not be a bad first KDrama choice, if the person would find a somewhat fluffy, sweet show appealing (perhaps a romantic comedy fan?)....maybe paired with 1% of Anything. Those two put a lot of focus on the primary relationship (although SKL also has Louie's friendship with the downstairs neighbor and both of their relationships with the manager at the company). That's two fairly short, recent KDramas that would likely be compatible picks.
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115 Shari
January 4, 2017 at 1:38 PM
My imtroduction to kdramas was Winter Sonata, which I found at my local library. They also had Dae Jang Geum and Kim Sam Soon, and after that I was hooked and started looking for more online. I would not watch Winter Sonata again, but I still have warm fuzzy feelings for the other two dramas that introduced me to my grandfather's country and culture.
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116 heroonthebeach
January 4, 2017 at 1:52 PM
Wow I have so many shows to catch up on! I would only add Healer to the list, but will have to find time to catch up on the others.
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117 AidaZen
January 4, 2017 at 2:08 PM
As a relative newcomer to Kdramas if I'd watched any of the ones in this list as a first drama...chances are I probably wouldn't have been so easily converted...
Except maybe Sungkyunkwan Scandal. Just saying, since I've watched, tried or heard about most on this list, that in reflection they haven't that much of potential for winning me over if I was a newbie. But they make AWESOME dramas to catch up on once duly converted.
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118 lunatic4kd
January 4, 2017 at 2:16 PM
I just hooked my 59 year-old best friend (at last!!!) by sharing City Hunter with her. She's a senior Delta Airlines captain and went right down the rabbit hole when next up was Healer. She's addicted for sure and now we've just finished episode 2 of Signal. Sort of scary to show her Signal so soon, since it is undeniably the BEST k-drama...so she might experience a let-down after this. But Lee Min Ho caught her eye and I think I'll spare her the silliness of Legend of the Blue Sea until I'm sure it ends well, and we'll go right into Faith after Signal. Hooking someone for the first time is SO MUCH FUN!!
Now she's also watching BigBang with me.....LOL
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redfox
January 5, 2017 at 3:30 AM
show her I Remember You, that will not be a let-down! but warn her that it will show a creepy side of Park Bo Gum
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119 Ara
January 4, 2017 at 2:38 PM
I have watched many kdramas before like Goong, Coffee Prince, My girl, Full House. While I liked them but it's You are beautiful that got me addicted and I haven't found my way back then
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120 depe
January 4, 2017 at 2:48 PM
Why nobody mentioned pasta? Lol
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MapleSilver
January 4, 2017 at 3:53 PM
Go back to page one and you'll find a few mentions. This was many people's first intro to k-dramas because it was available on Netflix. It certainly made me fall in love both with k-dramas and with Lee Seon-kyun.
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121 Beanfan
January 4, 2017 at 2:55 PM
Yoohoo!!!! This is EXACTLY the sort of post I've been waiting for! I'm not talking about the Dramabeans Top 10 Series (which is exciting of course, esp. when I love love love love lists to bits), but I'm really truly absurdly excited to read another post that features (written) dialogue between JB and GF... Ever since the new band of minions joined the DB team, these JB vs GF posts have all but vanished.
So, HOORAY for today!!! I'm so happy, I just know it's gonna be a great day!
I'm also glad to say that I agree almost 100% with this list--not that my agreeing or disagreeing matters at all...haha. The only drama I haven't watched on this list is Nice Guy, so that is the only drama barring my agreement from reaching 100%.
Like another responder, I started my K-drama watching with Dae Jung Gum, followed by Song Hye Gyo's "Seasons" series Autumn...[something]. Which was then quickly followed by Winter Sonata, Hotelier, Summer Scent, Glass Slippers and many other old-school melodramas...
It wasn't until much later that I came across DB, and started to clock-in the hours "catching up" on all the shows that were rated highly on the site... Many of my favorites are very different from those first few dramas I came across so many years ago, but it only goes to show how lively and inventive and burgeoning the K-drama industry has become. So many great shows to be proud of...
Love this site so much, and really really hope 2017 is a great one for the DB team! LUV YOU!! FIGHTING!!
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122 Eman Resu
January 4, 2017 at 3:04 PM
Great list!
I love City Hunter and Healer, so your recommendation of Two Weeks has me curious. I've never even heard of it.
It's funny that you describe City Hunter as the go-to drama for initiating males to our wonderful world. I actually got my mother (who had no prior experience with anything Korean) hooked on k-dramas by having her watch City Hunter with me. She loved it (thank Lee Min Ho haha). She's all looking up Lee Min Ho and (now) Gong Yoo online like a teen with a crush, telling me all the details about what the fans are saying about them and their dramas. Now mother and son are on their 4th drama together (Goblin! Yay!!).
They say mothers live longest when they spend time with their sons (vice versa with fathers and daughters?). Here's to dramaland keeping families together and alive lol. ;)
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redfox
January 5, 2017 at 3:37 AM
Two Weeks is awesomely gripping and also extremely touching as a story of a dad an a daughter. Su-Jinnie is the cutest, smartest, most adorable kid and Teacher ( Lee Jun Ki) is just perfect as Tae San
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Eman Resu
January 5, 2017 at 8:38 AM
Thanks for the suggestion. Just looked it up. I'll definitely have to check it out!
It sure doesn't hurt that it stars my ultimate noona crush, Kim So Yeon. No, that doesn't hurt at all. ;)
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123 namedx
January 4, 2017 at 3:05 PM
Ahh, Attic Cat was my first ever Kdrama!!
My mother's first Kdrama was, would you believe it...You're Beautiful! She followed that up with Dream High lol.
My sister (who I add to tread carefully with), her first Kdrama was I Remember You. She fell in love with Seo In Guk and Jang Na-ra right off the bat. I recommended her her second Kdrama two weeks ago - School2013. She loved it! She's currently watching Master's Sun, which even her littleun's like due to the ghost-a-week format.
Now I'm able to watch Kdramas in front of the family without weirding them out too much!!
Now, only my dad left!! Hmmmmmmm!
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namedx
January 4, 2017 at 3:05 PM
Argh - *had to tread..*
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124 neoguri
January 4, 2017 at 3:11 PM
I'm surprised that none of the Hong sister dramas are on this list even though they are a bit dated. I remember My Girl being my crack drama and right after that I found out about Delightful Girl Choon Hyang and started another marathon!
Though what originally started all of this was Love Letter with Jo Hyun Jae and Soo Ae. I don't know how many buckets of tears I've cried from watching that drama.
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Eman Resu
January 4, 2017 at 3:22 PM
Delightful Girl Choon Hyang is one of my favorite dramas. Han Chae Young was my first k-drama crush. ;)
Although the age might turn some off now. I think it still rocks but maybe some would think its aesthetic perhaps "old". IDK.
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125 Beez
January 4, 2017 at 3:18 PM
Trying to get a hubby into Kdrama? - CHUNO!
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126 Ally
January 4, 2017 at 3:20 PM
Husband got me hooked; I know, strange--but he's the sensitive one. We are new here. Between the 2 of us, we've watched 4 dramas. We must be the only ones that couldn't get past the first 30 minutes of Descendents of the Sun. We are enjoying Romantic Dr. Kim, but will have to check out these others everyone has recommended. Think we are going to watch Goblin next which has been well-received. City Hunter has also been recommended to us. Our first drama was This is my love, Eudong. Second was Love Rain. We liked Love Rain because the characters reminded us of our parents (in the 1960's) and then of our relationship later. Netflix is where we were introduced to these. Thanks for the comments. Very appreciated!
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Eman Resu
January 4, 2017 at 3:40 PM
I couldn't recommend Goblin more. It's haunting, romantic, mysterious and hilarious (all in various measure).
Although give it a few episodes to sink its claws into you.
Hope you like (you will). I did! Rest assured, I have impeccable taste. ;)
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Ally
January 17, 2017 at 12:45 PM
Goblin is like crack--the cinematography, the overwhelming orchestral soundtrack (very Carmina Burana) in the 1st episode was enough for the both of us--just gorgeous. And Gong Yoo is also like crack-- a very unassuming attractiveness with very expressive eyes. He grips you and doesn't even try to let go. May have to watch everything he's in next.
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Ally
January 17, 2017 at 2:06 PM
Looked at your blog and my husband loves Yoona too. I laughed when I saw your comment about her.
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harmonyfb
January 4, 2017 at 4:56 PM
You should also try Marriage, Not Dating - it was a hilariously funny rom-com with serious undertones, but it never tipped over into tragedy.
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Ally
January 17, 2017 at 12:55 PM
Thank you, we will. So many dramas, so little time.
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127 Aigoooo
January 4, 2017 at 3:41 PM
Coffee Prince officially turned me into a kdrama addict. I remember watching it in September and re-watching it multiple times for a whole month before I could even let go.
Even though I love You're Beautiful, I wouldn't recommend it to a first time watcher. Seeing a flower boy for the first time could be quite jarring. For that matter, I probably would not recommend any Hong Sisters drama since they do a lot of meta and inside jokes that a first time watcher will not understand. You can't enjoy a Lee Seung Gi cameo if you don't know who he is.
I'd say Coffee Prince and Answer Me 1997 are your safest bet. Both have universal themes that everyone can relate to.
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harmonyfb
January 4, 2017 at 4:57 PM
Seeing a flower boy for the first time could be quite jarring.
I think you must mean 'addicting'. ;)
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namedx
January 4, 2017 at 8:20 PM
*shrugs* my mother loved it as her first time venturing into Kdrama - it had an addictive quality to it, the metaphors were blantantly obvious, characters were easy on the eye, and most importantly, the acting was animated enough for her to be able to follow it without relying too much on subs.
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CoffeeMD
January 4, 2017 at 9:08 PM
I really like your point about meta, inside jokes etc. To recommend, you have to choose wisely. You want the person to have the full experience and it really would be difficult if they didn't understand the culture references because that is half the fun! You're Beautiful has a lot of kpop references like her naming off all the Super Junior members and the kpop lifestyle. Or even recently, I was talking with my cousin because we are both watching Goblin and we alway discuss our favorite funny moments. I was mentioning how Yoo-In Ah's character described the Goblin to the shaman who then guessed it was Gong Yoo since he plays the Goblin. Yeah, she missed the joke because she didn't know his name was Gong Yoo. Tough life of being a drama addict. Knowing all this information lol
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redfox
January 5, 2017 at 3:48 AM
yeah, that´s why, I think I put Greatest Love and Masters´ Sun in Advanced cat in my list
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128 ck1Oz
January 4, 2017 at 4:23 PM
Thanks for the list. Oh the nostalgia of it all. BoF was my guilty addiction. I bought the DVD set discovered the shitty subtitles. Bought the next and it was even worse- lol, and thereafter discovered viki. And never looked back since.
Ah Kdramas, the number of software on my laptop now because of you. From buying the dvd sets to subbing. To uploading- can't believe my YT accounts still has TW dramas up there for viki. Plus all the srt software. And now even checking out the OSTs.
I need to cut down my addiction- cos' even Koreans are amazed at how much Korean culture I know :-) and all that Korean dishes.
My final goal- to see a film crew when I go to Seoul.
Good dramas on the list- I still haven't watched Healer by the way. And tried watching Full House several times. Totally failed. Even bought the dvd set. Couldn't stand it that much even gave that away to my cousin.
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ck1Oz
January 4, 2017 at 4:30 PM
Oops where did I get Healer? I meant Nine. I don't even dare confess on this site that I didn't watch Signals. I read the recaps so know the gist. But still not interested :- )
I thought City Hunter was ok but man the other recommendations on the top 10 are good. Not the best written drama for some of them but man they were good. I have such fond memories associated with some of them.
MNIKSS was my road trip drama and where I discovered such a thing as a drama marathon. Thank goodness it was a dvd set so didn't need Internet.
SS has been a favourite but such a complex memory history back in the days for fan uploading and the videos were hidden. I spent hours looking for this drama post airing date. And to this day have to thank the soompi fans who banded together to sub the 2nd half of the drama. The first and last time I've seen soompi readers upload, segment and sub a series. Man when you're desperate you're desperate. And I've never read then as I did now the massive political explanations of the different political parties.
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129 harmonyfb
January 4, 2017 at 4:54 PM
My gateway dramas are a lot more violent. :laugh:
My top five gateways (most of which I bought for work) are:
1. 2 Weeks: Everybody likes a good thriller, and Lee Joon-gi's acting is amazing.
2. Misaeng: Everybody remembers that first office job out of school, and how out-of-place you felt. Great writing and heartfelt plot.
3. Marriage, not Dating: The leads are so damn funny, and the core of it is so sweet that I've sucked in a lot of people w/it.
4. Vampire Prosecutor, Season 2: Specifically, Season 2. Because that bad-guy is terrifying & there are many feels all the way around.
5. This depends on who I'm pushing it at. Shut Up! Flower Boy Band is a good one for teens and preteens, while Secret Investigation Record is great for X-Files fans, and Let's Eat is a great way to catch the foodies. ;)
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130 JustRozy
January 4, 2017 at 5:52 PM
I love your list, DB, but wish you had made it 12 and included 'Faith' (after BBF, my second drama ever and it totally sealed the deal for me, many hundreds of hours ago) and 'Healer'. I wonder if several years from now people might be saying 'Healer' as often as 'City Hunter'? And I love 'Secret Garden' and 'Misaeng' so much, so much! but wonder how accessible they would be as first-time dramas? OH the fabulously hilarious, tragic, romantic, powerfully suspenseful and exciting, yet clear-sighted and heart-strengthening world of korean drama.
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131 korfan
January 4, 2017 at 6:30 PM
Love the list! So many good dramas!
It's interesting to read the list and find what has "stayed" with you for one reason or another. ...... Around here, Nice Guy and I Hear Your Voice often come up in conversation, sometimes when you least expect it.
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132 escapologist
January 4, 2017 at 6:35 PM
My first was Secret Garden. I saw the picture of cappuccino kiss. I started watching on viki...
Then Playful Kiss, then You're Beautiful, and Coffee Prince. Next addict mode on!
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133 hwaiting
January 4, 2017 at 6:48 PM
My first crack drama was Gumiho with Min Ah and Seung Gi. Love that drama! Then I pretty much fell in love with any drama with Song Joong Ki in it. Love DOTs and Full House so I am seriously shipping Jooong ki and Hye Ko together. :)
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dubir
January 4, 2017 at 7:12 PM
I honestly did not see the appeal in Song Joong Ki. The only drama I liked with him in was Sungkyunkwan Scandal but I so was crazy gaga about Yoo Ah-in!!! Goodness he was so gorgeous in that one. (Heart emoji)
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134 dubir
January 4, 2017 at 7:02 PM
Here is my list too. They are not any particular order. These are true favorites and seems to interest someone near me every time I watch them.
1. Faith
2. I Remember You
3. I Can Hear Your Voice
4. Coffee Prince
5. Master's Sun
6. Queen In Hyun’s Man
7. Delightful Girl Chun-hyang
8. Full House
9. Oh! My Lady
10. Vineyard Man
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135 cnnor
January 4, 2017 at 7:17 PM
Funny BOF should be at the very top. what started me Asian dramas was the Japanese version of boys over flower (hana yori dango) one episode and 12 years later am still an addict . Hana yori dango sticks to the original script and will always be my go to asian drama. My favorite Korean dramas have a wide range, loved my girl, still watch masters sun and many others
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136 Eternal
January 4, 2017 at 8:02 PM
Out of topic. I miss Yoon Eun Hye so much by looking at Coffee Prince on the list. Where's that girl? How I wish she comeback soon. She needs to choose fun project as the beginning of her career again and I think TVN is the best choice. I hope she'll be paired with Eric as one of the TVN golden boy. Or she can return to SBS since their drama usually widely popular.
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sumee
January 4, 2017 at 11:39 PM
@eternal
I can't not wait for her to be back in dramaland ...
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137 Z
January 4, 2017 at 8:52 PM
I pretty much only watch RomComs (there's been a few exceptions but they are few and far between) so the first half of the list was right up my ally (plus I Hear Your Voice... is funny enough to count as a RomCom). My only additions would be Delightful Girl Chun Hwang (did the Hong Sisters rearly not make this list) and Full House (my gateway to Rain).
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138 CoffeeMD
January 4, 2017 at 8:59 PM
I really liked reading through this list! Some of these are for sure in my top 5 favorite dramas of all time list or really close to it! While for some others, they are not in my favorites list but I still remember addictively watching it. Like Heirs, I remember really looking forward to it week after week, but thinking back...it wasn't that great of story. Or like with BOF (but that is a huge classic and must watch even though I resisted for the longest time).
I am surprised some dramas did not make it though. I remember watching dramas with my older cousins who were addicted when I was too young to be addicted. Those included Autumn in my Heart, Kim Sam Soon and Goong which is one of my favorites and I rewatched it later. Then finding dramas myself one day when I was in college and becoming actually addicted. The drama that started that phase of my life was Secret Garden (always will hold a place in my heart and top 5 list). I started in the game kind of late so I remember watching some of these classics a couple years after they came out and still thoroughly enjoying them and calling some of them my favorites. (In fact I watched SKK this year due to my SJK phase) I love this list for its nostalgia and looking back on dramas. Now I want to rewatch something!
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139 Nancy
January 4, 2017 at 9:51 PM
Happy 10th anniversary, Dramabeans!
I find it funny that I have watched all the dramas you listed! Even the other recommendations! :D For me it was Full House that made me k-drama addict until now but the first one I have watched was the dubbed version of Autumn in my Heart in my local TV channel.
I was so into Full House that I included going to the house when i visited Korea for the first time.
I once fell in love with Jang Keun Suk because of You're Beautiful and made all my room mates watched it.
I introduced my husband to Korean shows via Running Man and his first kdrama is Healer.
Through the years of watching, I realized I sucked for rom-com, feel good, gender-bending, co-habitation, school dramas!
Currently, my heart flutters for Weighlifting Fairy, Kim Bok Joo :D
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140 newgirl
January 4, 2017 at 10:07 PM
I started watching Kdramas 5 years ago this month. I was stuck in bed, and American tv shows were making me anxious and giving me weird stress dreams; so I was browsing through the Hulu offerings, when up popped a "Hulu recommends to you Coffee Prince". Wow, how did they know? Such a good gateway drug, I mean drama. I've watched it again since, and it still holds up.
I've watched at least 150 dramas now, but I see I've missed three on your list. I could've done without watching DOTS, but then I would have missed the beautiful scenery. (And by that I mean both the ocean and Jin Gu.) There's always something to love, even in a drama that you're not completely crazy about. (SKKS, why were you so hard to watch in the last 4 episodes?)
I can't remember exactly in what order the shows were after I watched CP, but I know Goong, BOF, MNIKSS, AM 1997, Greatest Love, City Hunter, Dal Ja's Spring, Bottom of the 9th Two Outs, and My Girl were the first ten I watched. It worked for me!
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141 Sumee ❤️ JCW
January 4, 2017 at 11:36 PM
In my 15 years of drama watching ...
Coffe price is still my number one and healer comes close second
The drama's that got me hooked was
stairway to heaven
Attic cat
And there was no looking back ever after
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142 salt N pepper
January 5, 2017 at 12:10 AM
The dramas that got me started on this addiction were those of Song Hye Kyo, Eugene, Han Chae Young and Lee Da Hae. I think the very first one I saw was Autumn in My Heart, then Wonderful Life, Full House, Only You, My Girl, 3 Dads 1 Mom, Delightful Girl Choon Hyang, etc. I still have a soft spot for Song Hye Kyo and Eugene up to this day, and probably always will.
As for the dramas I would recommend to first-time K-drama audiences, it would have to depend on the person and if I think they'd be more into the mainstream, cheesy-cutesy type of drama or the more offbeat, indie type. But I guess the very first one would have to be one of the more popular mainstream dramas.
For those who like romance, I would probably go with You From the Stars or DOTS for new dramas. We long-time drama watchers like to bitch about DOTS but most people I know who don't usually tune into kdramas actually really really liked DOTS. I actually have 7 officemates who just recently became full-time kdrama addicts because of the DOTS syndrome, LOL.
For those who like a bit of action and thrill, I recommend City Hunter, Healer and I Hear Your Voice. Personally, I really like The King 2 Hearts and was addicted to that drama while it aired but I'm not sure a first-time watcher would love it as much.
Other Popular/Mainstream Dramas I would recommend (not necessarily because they're my favorites but because I think many would enjoy them):
- Classics: Autumn in My Heart, Full House, My Girl, Coffee Prince, Save the Last Dance, etc.
- KES Dramas: Secret Garden, A Gentleman's Dignity --- I think guys would like this. My brother who's not really into dramas really liked this one and watched all of it on his own.
- My Princess, Queen In Hyun's Man, Arang and the Magistrate, My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, Sunkyunkwan Scandal, Shining Inheritance, etc.
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salt N pepper
January 5, 2017 at 12:26 AM
There are dramas that I would recommend because I personally like them but some aren't that popular and may need a bit more Kdrama experience to appreciate. Off the top of my head, these are the ones I can recall right now.
- Reply 1997 --- LOVE this! But this need a bit of knowledge about Korean culture and Kpop to fully appreciate the context and humor.
- The King 2 Hearts
- Marriage Not Dating
- Smile, You --- only if you're really to watch 45 episodes
- This Week My Wife Is Having An Affair
- Age of Youth
- Coffee House
- Prosecutor Princess
- Worlds Within --- likely not everyone's cup of tea
- Miss Korea --- also reminds me of Ms. Temper and Nam Jun Ki, probably because of the cosmetics company setting and underdog story
- King of Dramas
- In Time With You --- a Taiwanese drama but I really liked this one. I'm still sad the remake turned out to be disappointing.
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143 Nanda
January 5, 2017 at 12:15 AM
First drama ever : Autumn in my heart
First drama watching live : Coffee Prince
I would recommend : Signal, God Gift 14 days, You who came from the stars, She was pretty, Age Of youth and WFKBJ
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144 Super Foxy
January 5, 2017 at 1:31 AM
Reply 1997 made me fall head over heels for Seo Inguk, and the only Reply series I have ever loved. Now Louie has become my favourite character of Seo Inguk so far, so yes! Seo Inguk completely made me go shallow, haha.
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145 alexghana
January 5, 2017 at 2:40 AM
what about phoenix and all in.dey are among my all time favourites.
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146 Rach
January 5, 2017 at 2:46 AM
Great list! I've seen 8/10.
Boys Over Flowers was my gateway drama - it was on Netflix, and one of my friends recommended it to me. Soon after, I watched Coffee Prince, which is still, 150(!) shows later, my favorite drama. Another early one for me was Kim Sam Soon, which another friend recommended to me as her favorite.
I keep trying to get people hooked on kdramas, but most of the time when I gush about a show, they pat me on the head as if I'm an overly enthusiastic puppy and don't even bother trying.
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147 lynnet
January 5, 2017 at 4:20 AM
Boys over Flowers is the ultimate gateway drama ,it has its faults but I remember when it was so popular in my country it seemed everyone including my mum had been introduced to Kdramas through it !I've watched most of these though I usually use Coffee Prince as an introductory drama!
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148 lingdings
January 5, 2017 at 8:39 AM
Obviously, it depends on the tastes of said friends but the list seems a bit skewed towards lighter-toned trendies (though many of them are very good). I would replace one or two of the trendy romances with a serious yet addictive sageuk like Damo or The Princess's Man. Both of these dramas prove that sageuk are not as inaccessible as many people think, and would appeal to people who enjoyed films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
I would also include something slightly more left-field, like A Wife's Credentials or The End of the World, both of which are artistically excellent yet highly watchable and could easily stand beside other acclaimed non-English language shows like The Bridge, Deutschland 83 etc.
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149 hades
January 5, 2017 at 8:47 AM
Before I stated watching K-dramas, I saw one or two K-movies and really liked them. When I saw Coffee Prince on Netflix, I decided to give it a chance based off my positive experience with K-movies and I've been hooked ever since. Unfortunately though, Coffee Prince in somewhat of a rare drama. As the write up states, the way how it addresses sexuality and the conflict that arrises is what makes me love this show. It doesn't try to find an easy way out when the characters come to their realizations but addresses them head on. The way Gong Yoo was able to portray this conflict was masterful. Another rarity is that the female lead remains her strong self throughout the show. She also does not become a shell of herself in front of the male lead like so many other dramas which claim to have a strong female lead.
I think another thing that the drama does really well is being able to pace the show really well while addressing a multitude of different themes, leaving you satisfied in the end. Slight spoiler ahead, but I've seen few dramas able to address sex, sexuality, virginity, adoption, abandonment, infidelity, dependence and independence, gender, miscarriage, and career goals as well as this drama has. It really is that good.
I would say though, whilst I haven't seen many gender benders, the only other show that comes close to Coffee Prince in that general genre is MDbC.
Since you guys put in Descendants in there as a modern intro, I would argue for 1%, and WFKBJ (when it's done). 1% does away with many of the annoying tropes we've come to expect in K-Dramas and gives us our OTP and a strong female lead.
It would be awesome if you guys did the same for C, T, and J-dramas. There are many good ones out there.
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150 zashi
January 5, 2017 at 12:34 PM
Pretty good list to get someone addicted. My first Kdrama was Stairway to Heaven. But AIMH got be addicted. Wonbin and SHK I still think they should have been the pair. ( I am still holding out for them to do a drama. ) And the love affair continues to this day. Some years not so much to get me addicted. But 2016 was a bumper crop of really good and interesting dramas I got my addicted in full blast again. It's been years of being addicted and I don't mind.
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