/r/KDRAMA
Welcome! This is a place for discussions about your favorite Korean dramas (current and past), drama reviews, official soundtracks, news, award shows and more. Be sure to check out our sidebar for helpful info and resources!
Welcome! This is a place for discussions about your favorite Korean dramas (current and past), the actors and actresses, drama reviews, official soundtracks, news, award shows and more. Be sure to check out our sidebar for helpful info and resources!
We are an actively moderated community. Please read The /r/KDRAMA Guide to familiarize yourself with how things operate, resources and more before posting.
Full subreddit rules can be found here.
Policies on content, conduct, On-Air discussions, OSTs, encouraged and discouraged topics can be found here.
If you spot anything while browsing the subreddit that breaks the rules that we've missed, please send a report. Here's a guide to our reporting categories to help understand when you need to report something.
r/ KDRAMA basics - read guide before participating.
Check our FAQ for answers to our most commonly asked questions!
Check our Drama Resources for helpful info and links to find more helpful info.
Chat with us on Discord!
See our Discussion Resources for guidelines and tips for common types of discussion posts.
Want to flair you post? See our full Post Flair Guide.
Learn how to do basic formatting and spoiler tags.
Drama | Airing | Start | End | User |
---|---|---|---|---|
Love Scout | FS | 01/03 | 02/08 | writtenpoeticsins |
Squid Game Season 2 | Th | 12/26 | Netflix Drop | sianiam |
Namib | MT | 12/23 | 1/28 | GodJihyo7983 |
Check In Hanyang | SS | 12/21 | 02/09 | jakgem |
Light Shop | W | 12/4 | 12/18 | meepmochi_ |
Parole Examiner Lee | MT | 11/18 | 12/24 | J-Midori |
The Tale Of Lady Ok | SS | 12/01 | 01/26* | meepmochi_ |
Love Your Enemy | SS | 11/23 | 12/29 | meepmochi_ |
When The Phone Rings | FS | 11/22 | 01/04* | writtenpoeticsins |
Marry You | SS | 11/16 | 12/15* | J-Midori |
The Fiery Priest Season 2 | FS | 11/08 | 12/20* | writtenpoeticsins |
Iron Family | SS | 09/28 | 01/26 | mahnahmaanaa |
HEIRS, OBVIOUSLY
Ask for recommendations in /r/kdramarecommends, see their Getting Started Guide and Recommendations 101 for tips to craft a useful request.
Check out the Recommendations Archive for existing recommendations based on genre, trope, and themes. Access our official curated recommendation lists on MDL here.
2024 Drama Release Schedule You can find current drama air times and dates, as well as info for upcoming releases. Check back often as dramas end and premiere.
For a full list of known legal streaming sites, check our Where to Watch
Any self-post asking where to watch or find a drama is not allowed.
WEEKLY POSTS:
Monday Madness (Monday afternoon) Free-for-all thread, you can post about anything.
Kim Tan's Talk Time (Tuesday) (Tuesday Afternoon) Free-for-all thread, you can post about anything.
Who, What, Where Is It? (Wednesday Morning) Our weekly thread for the identification for the all the people, places and things seen or heard in Korean dramas.
What Are You Watching (Wednesday Afternoon) Our weekly post to discuss what we are watching this week, not limited to Korean dramas.
Throwback Thursday 2.0 (Thursday morning) Our weekly post specifically for the older dramas on your watch list.
Kim Tan's Talk Time (Thursday) (Thursday Afternoon) Free-for-all thread, you can post about anything.
The Thursday Round-Up (Thursday Afternoon) Weekly automated post with links to commonly used resources and discussion posts.
The Weekend Wrap-Up (Friday Afternoon) Our weekend's free-for-all thread, you can post about anything.
Late To The Party (Saturday Morning) Discuss those dramas you were late to board the hype train on and wished you started earlier.
Eun Sang's Sleepy Sunday Soliloquy (Sunday Morning) Free-for-all thread, you can post about anything.
MONTHLY POSTS:
Top Ten Korean Dramas (7th) A monthly post for those of us who love making lists of their favourite dramas. Don't forget to tell us why!
Dramas I Have Dropped (28th) A monthly post to discuss the dramas that didn't win you over in the past month. Let us know why they didn't work for you and who you think would enjoy them.
QUARTERLY POSTS:
Released on the 1st of January, April, July and October
Best OST A quarterly discussion of the OSTs that are on our play lists.
Streaming Services A quarterly discussion of everything related to legal streaming services.
Note: /r/KDRAMA measures time in KST (UTC +9)
Weekly dedicated discussion posts hosted by community volunteers for currently airing dramas. All content for airing dramas with On-Airs should go into these weekly posts. For full details, see our Rules.
To start an On-Air for an upcoming drama, read our On-Air Policy
Premiere Week Introduces dramas premiering that week.
Mod Announcements Newest Mod Announcement posts from the mod team.
/r/KDRAMA
Hello everyone! Have you been sleeping well or have you been up all night binging dramas?
Eun Sang's Sleepy Sunday Soliloquy (ESSSS) is a free for all thread, in which almost anything goes, don't diss The Heirs or break any of our other core rules. General discussion about anything and everything is allowed - including monologues!
Who is Eun Sang?! Good question. To the uninitiated among us who haven't watched the seminal masterpiece, The Heirs, she is r/KDRAMA's first lady, Kim Tan's main squeeze, Cha Eun Sang. She is a lady of few words, but many, many tears.
Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are using Markdown and not Fancy Pants Editor, the easiest way to create spoiler tags is to use > ! spoiler content ! < without spaces to get >!spoiler content!<. For more detailed guidance on spoiler tags and when to use them, check our Spoiler Tags Tutorial.
Just In Case Resources
FAQ and Netflix FAQ | Glossary | Latest On-Airs and On-Air Roster | Rules and Policies | Where To Watch aka Legal Sites | Everything In Our Wiki aka Wiki Homepage | Get Recommendations For Your Next Watch
Cast: Park Hyung Sik, Heo Joon Ho, Hong Hwa Yeon, Gong Jiho
“Buried Hearts” will tell the story of a man who manages to hack a political slush fund account worth 2 trillion won (approximately $1.5 billion) and the man who kills him without knowing he’s been hacked—thus accidentally losing the entire 2 trillion won.
“Haunted Palace” is a fantasy historical romantic comedy that delves into the tale of the Eight Feet Tall spirit that bears a grudge against the king, a female shaman who opposes it, and an Imugi.
Yoon Gap (Yook Sungjae) is the son of a concubine who rises to become the royal inspector at Gyujanggak (the royal library in the Joseon Dynasty), only to be possessed by the malevolent spirit Imugi.
Yeo Ri (Bona) is the only granddaughter of a revered shaman who grew up under immense expectations to follow in her ancestor’s footsteps. Although she has inherited shamanic powers, her destiny takes a twisted turn after becoming entangled with Imugi.
King Yi Sung (Kim Ji Hoon) seeks to reform the Joseon Dynasty for a stronger nation and confronts the Eight Feet Tall spirit. Alongside his loyal subject Yoon Gap and accompanying Yeo Ri, he tries to unravel the secrets surrounding the spirit.
Cast: Namgoong Min, Jeon Yeo Been
“Our Movie” follows the story of a film director experiencing a “sophomore slump,” losing momentum after a successful first project, and a terminally ill actress who finally tries to live as the main character at the end of her own life.
Based on the French thriller series “La Mante.”
Tells the story of a woman who has been imprisoned as a serial killer for a long time. As a series of murders that mirror her distinctive style unfolds, she is approached by the police to assist in solving the cases.
Jung Yi Shin (Go Hyun Jung) is a serial killer nicknamed Mantis who brutally murdered five men 20 years ago.
Cha Soo Yeol (Jang Dong Yoon) is Jung Yi Shin’s son and a police officer who is all in for solving the Mantis copycat murder case.
Cast: Yoon Kye Sang, Im Se Mi, Kim Yo Han
Set in a high school rugby club, “TRY: We Become Miracles” tells the story of young people, who are all in for playing rugby, facing the world and becoming miracles themselves.
Joo Ga Ram (Yoon Kye Sang) is the contract coach of Hanyang Physical Education High School’s rugby team. Joo Ga Ram, who was called the hope of Korean rugby, hits rock bottom due to a drug scandal and retires under the stigma of a drug addict. Three years later, he returns to his alma mater’s rugby team as a contract coach and becomes the center of a storm.
“Human From Today” is a fantasy rom-com drama that tells the story of gumiho (nine-tailed fox) Eun Ho who, unlike the traditional gumiho that bewitches men and eats their livers in hopes of becoming a human, lives a carefree life while avoiding good deeds and men for fear of becoming human. However, her life takes a turn when she unexpectedly becomes human after an unexpected accident involving a narcissistic star soccer player who suddenly enters her life.
Eun Ho (Kim Hye Yoon) is an eccentric Gen Z nine-tailed fox who has no interest in becoming human. Enjoying eternal youth and the fun parts of human life, Eun Ho avoids good deeds and prefers small mischiefs. However, an unexpected event disrupts Eun Ho’s otherwise predictable life.
Kang Si Yeol (Lomon) is a world-class soccer player known for his confidence and drive. As a top striker for a renowned international club, he has achieved every notable milestone in his career, making him a star who outshines his team. The ultimate narcissist, Kang Si Yeol fears only one thing: losing muscle. His seemingly perfect life is thrown into chaos when the nine-tailed fox Eun Ho arrives, bringing unexpected upheaval.
Drama: Squid Game
Network: Netflix
Originally aired: September 17, 2021, Friday at 17:00 KST
Episodes: 9
Director & Writer: Hwang Dong Hyuk
Cast:
Streaming Source: Netflix
Drama Synopsis: Hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children's games. Inside, a tempting prize awaits — with deadly high stakes. (Source: Netflix)
Previous discussions:
Conduct Reminder: We encourage our users to read the following before participating in any discussions on r/KDRAMA: (1) Reddiquette, (2) our Conduct Rules (3) our Policies, and (4) the When Discussions Get Personal Post. Any users who are displaying negative conduct (including but not limited to bullying, harassment, or personal attacks) will be given a warning, repeated behaviour will lead to increasing exclusions from our community. Any extreme cases of misconduct (such as racism or hate speech) will result in an immediate permanent ban from our community and a report to Reddit admin. Additionally, mentions of down-voting, unpopular opinions, and the use of profanity may see your comments locked or removed without notice.
Spoiler Tag Reminder: Be mindful of others who may not have yet seen this drama, and use spoiler tags when discussing key plot developments or other important information. You can create a spoiler tag by writing > ! this spoiler ! < without the spaces in between to get >!this spoiler!<. For more information about when and how to use spoiler tags see our Spoiler Tag Wiki.
Thread Purpose: This thread is being posted in light of the premiere for the second season of Squid Game airing next week! The purpose of this thread is so that everyone has a place to talk about the first season of Squid Game from those who are watching it for the very first time or those who are doing a rewatch in preparation for the second season. This is also a place for those to talk about their theories/excitement before the season airs next week.
I've included some links to earlier discussions of the series that you may like to look through to see how our community reacted to the drama when it originally aired (note: our community was about a quarter of our current size back then ~250k subscribers).
A single-log bridge romance that unfolds as Seok Ji Won and Yoon Ji Won, who were born on the same day and with the same name and have been enemies for generations, reunite after 18 years.
Seok Ji Won is the executive director of Seokban Construction and the new chairman of Dokmok High School. Seok Ji Won is a naturally cheerful guy who has been able to do anything since he was young, whether it be studying or exercising. Seok Ji Won left his hometown and school due to family circumstances, but after returning home in glory as the chairman of a foundation, he meets his 'great rival' Yoon Ji Won who used to growl at him just by making eye contact, again after 18 years.
Yoon Ji Won is a physical education teacher at Dokmok High School's Creative Experience Club. Yoon Ji Won is a girl who earned the nickname 'Dokmok High School Mad Dog' during her school days. She cannot tolerate injustice and must find and correct bad habits and unreasonableness to feel better. As she experiences the ups and downs of life on her way to adulthood, the 'Mad Dog' inside her that had been quietly sleeping begins to emerge again when she reunites with Seok Ji Won.
Gather around everyone and let's talk about the things you spotted this week while watching dramas! This is the place to share if you spotted any of the following:
Truck of Doom^TM and other tropes you love/hate
Easter eggs and notable references to other dramas, artwork, poems, books, etc.
Fun or interesting background details in a scene (e.g. in the set, props, clothing, background music, location, etc.)
Ramyeon, soju, fried chicken, and other foods/drinks
Puns, idioms, and other interesting tidbits about culture
A Kim Tan Worthy Sweater^(TM) and more!
Share your love or frustration or rage or annoyance or amusement at seeing these things. You are not limited currently airing Kdramas or even Kdramas at all but please be mindful of spoilers.
Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are using Markdown and not Fancy Pants Editor, the easiest way to create spoiler tags is to use > ! spoiler content ! < without spaces to get >!spoiler content!<. For more detailed guidance on spoiler tags and when to use them, check our Spoiler Tags Tutorial.
Just In Case Resources
FAQ and Netflix FAQ | Glossary | Latest On-Airs and On-Air Roster | Rules and Policies | Where To Watch aka Legal Sites | Everything In Our Wiki aka Wiki Homepage | Get Recommendations For Your Next Watch
One day, her family learns that she can regain her vision with an expensive surgery they could never afford. However, her grandmother, An Gil Rye, finds something unfathomable in the hills while picking wild herbs. Could this be something that lets Da Rim see the world again?
Any users who are displaying negative conduct (including but not limited to bullying, harassment, or personal attacks) will be given a warning, repeated behaviour will lead to increasing exclusions from our community. Any extreme cases of misconduct (such as racism or hate speech) will result in an immediate permanent ban from our community and a report to Reddit admin.
Additionally, mentions of down-voting, unpopular opinions, and the use of profanity may see your comments locked or removed without notice.
Spoiler Tag Reminder: Be mindful of others who may not have yet seen this drama, and use spoiler tags when discussing key plot developments or other important information. You can create a spoiler tag by writing > ! this ! < without the spaces in between to get this. For more information about when and how to use spoiler tags see our Spoiler Tag Wiki.
Previous Discussions: Episodes 1-8, Episodes 9 & 10, Episodes 11 & 12, Episodes 13 & 14, Episodes 15 & 16, Episodes 17 & 18, Episodes 19 & 20, Episodes 21 & 22, Episodes 23 & 24
Which dramas did you watch this month and would you recommend them to others?
Welcome to our monthly YES!, NO!, Maybe thread where you are invited to share short (or long) reviews of dramas you have watched this month and a final "verdict" of whether you would recommend the drama or not.
Our suggested format/structure for comments is:
Drama Name
Good Things: about the drama
Bad Things: about the drama
Interesting Things: about the drama
Verdict: of whether you would recommend the drama or not
You are not limited to Kdramas, feel free to discuss non-Kdramas or movies too. We strongly encourage you to share your MDL profile so that others can compare their tastes with yours to get a better understanding of preferences and dislikes, which will help in understanding if the feedback provided is applicable for them.
Please remember that every individual watching goes in with their own life experiences and biases so not everyone will see the drama in the same light or enjoy it in the same way.
Just because someone did not enjoy a drama that you loved is not a slight against you as a person.
When participating in this discussion please remember that whilst dramas do not have feelings, human beings do. Be kind to one another.
Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are using Markdown and not Fancy Pants Editor, the easiest way to create spoiler tags is to use > ! spoiler content ! < without spaces to get >!spoiler content!<. For more detailed guidance on spoiler tags and when to use them, check our Spoiler Tags Tutorial.
Just In Case Resources
FAQ and Netflix FAQ | Glossary | Latest On-Airs and On-Air Roster | Rules and Policies | Where To Watch aka Legal Sites | Everything In Our Wiki aka Wiki Homepage | Get Recommendations For Your Next Watch
Did you finally get the chance to see that one drama? Want to rant/rave about it? Do it here and see who else is late to the party like you!
This is our weekend check-in to talk about what you have been watching lately.
As you are well aware it's easy to be late to the party so please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are using Markdown and not Fancy Pants Editor, the easiest way to create spoiler tags is to use > ! spoiler content ! < without spaces to get >!spoiler content!<. For more detailed guidance on spoiler tags and when to use them, check our Spoiler Tags Tutorial.
Just In Case Resources
FAQ and Netflix FAQ | Glossary | Latest On-Airs and On-Air Roster | Rules and Policies | Where To Watch aka Legal Sites | Everything In Our Wiki aka Wiki Homepage | Get Recommendations For Your Next Watch
Drama: When the Phone Rings
Director: Park Sang Woo (Terius Behind Me & The Forbidden Marriage)
Screenwriter: Kim Ji Woon (Doctor John & Hyde, Jekyll, Me)
Network: MBC
Premiere Date: November 22, 2024
Airing Schedule: Every Friday and Saturday
Episodes: 12
Duration: 60 minutes (per episode)
Streaming Sources: Netflix
Cast:
Summary:
Baek Sa Eon comes from a prestigious political family, and he became the youngest presidential spokesman in Korea. His background also includes time spent as a war correspondent, hostage negotiator, and main anchorman. He married Hong Hui Ju 3 years ago. She is the daughter of a newspaper proprietor. She has mutism due to an accident she had when she was little. She works as a sign language interpreter in court and on television.
Sa Eon and Hui Ju got married largely due to convenience. For the past 3 years, they haven't communicated with each other or have meals together. They pretend they are a happily married couple. One day, Hui Ju is kidnapped by an unidentified person. This changes their marriage life.
Adapted from the web novel “The Number You Have Dialed" (지금 거신 전화는) by Geon Eomul Nyeo (건어물녀)
Conduct Reminder:
We encourage our users to read the following before participating in any discussions on : (1) Reddiquette, (2) our Conduct Rules, (3) our Policies, and (4) the When Discussions Get Personal Post. Any users who are displaying negative conduct (including but not limited to bullying, harassment, or personal attacks) will be given a warning, repeated behaviour will lead to increasing exclusions from our community. Any extreme cases of misconduct (such as racism or hate speech) will result in an immediate permanent ban from our community and a report to Reddit admin. Additionally, mentions of down-voting, unpopular opinions, and the use of profanity may see your comments locked or removed without notice.
Spoiler Tag Reminder:
Be mindful of others who may not have yet seen this drama, and use spoiler tags when discussing key plot developments or other important information. You can create a spoiler tag in Markdown by writing > ! this ! < without the spaces in between to get >!this!<. For more information about when and how to use spoiler tags see our Spoiler Tag Wiki. Please be reminded that spoiler tags must be used when discussing the original source material in consideration for those who haven't read it e.g. (novel) >!spoilers for novel!< (drama) >!spoilers for drama.!<
Drama: The Fiery Priest Season 2
Director: Park Bo Ram (The Fiery Priest - Assistant Director, Through the Darkness)
Screenwriter: Park Jae Bum (The Fiery Priest, Vincenzo)
Network: SBS
Premiere Date: November 8, 2024
Airing Schedule: Every Friday and Saturday
Episodes: 12
Duration: 1 hour (per episode)
Streaming Sources: Disney+
Cast:
Summary:
Kim Hae Il is a hot-tempered Catholic priest with a burning sense of justice. He heads to Busan to pursue a drug case which originated in Gudam-district, Seoul. Helping him in his pursuit are Prosecutor Park Kyung Sun, Detective Gu Dae Young from Gudam Police Station, and Detective Gu Ja Young from Busan.
Conduct Reminder:
We encourage our users to read the following before participating in any discussions on : (1) Reddiquette, (2) our Conduct Rules, (3) our Policies, and (4) the When Discussions Get Personal Post.
Any users who are displaying negative conduct (including but not limited to bullying, harassment, or personal attacks) will be given a warning, repeated behaviour will lead to increasing exclusions from our community. Any extreme cases of misconduct (such as racism or hate speech) will result in an immediate permanent ban from our community and a report to Reddit admin.
Additionally, mentions of down-voting, unpopular opinions, and the use of profanity may see your comments locked or removed without notice.
Spoiler Tag Reminder:
Be mindful of others who may not have yet seen this drama, and use spoiler tags when discussing key plot developments or other important information. You can create a spoiler tag in Markdown by writing > ! this ! < without the spaces in between to get >!this!<. For more information about when and how to use spoiler tags see our Spoiler Tag Wiki.
Welcome to our series of posts highlighting information and resources available within our subreddit. In this post, we introduce our Glossary which contains some of the most commonly used terms in and about kdramas, and our KDRAMA 101 which has a section on honorifics and kinship terms.
Our Glossary wiki page has three parts:
Drama Title Abbreviations -- A collection of abbreviations of drama titles that fans often use in discussions. The general convention is to take the first letter of each word in the title. The entries are arranged alphabetically.
Fandom Terms & r/KDRAMA Terms This section includes (English) terms used to discuss different aspects of kdramas such as writing, production, characters, tropes, fandom terms, etc.. It also includes certain terms that refer to inside jokes within our subreddit community.
Korean Terms and Concepts -- This section includes common Korean terms, phrases, and concepts that are often seen or heard in kdramas.
We tried to include explanations on usage and examples from popular dramas to help illustrate the terms when possible. You will find many links sprinkled through the definitions, these link to pictures or gifs illustrating the word being defined. Additionally, the Korean terms are linked to their Naver dictionary entry (has pronunciation) when possible. Disclaimer: We are not fluent or native speakers of Korean, this glossary is compiled based on years of experience watching kdramas (and maybe some lessons) do not use this as an official dictionary.
Below are a selection of the most commonly used terms, more terms are available in our full Glossary page.
Fandom Terms & r/KDRAMA Terms
BTS when used in reference to dramas stands for Behind The Scenes -- referring to clips that show what goes on behind the scenes of the drama. BTS material is often officially released by the production as promotional material for the drama, often showing funny interactions between cast members or bloopers during filming. If the reference is for kpop, then it stands for the boyband Bangtan Boys.
CRACK (alt. drama crack or crack drama) when you watch a drama so addicting you simply cannot quit it and instead let your life fall apart while you watch just one more episode.
FIL Father-in-law. Often portrayed in two extremes -- the doting fool or the abusive patriarch of the family.
FL Female Lead
KIM TAN is the lead male in r/KDRAMA’s favourite drama, The Heirs. He’s kind of the worst but he has great sweaters so it balances out. “Kim Tan” is used in three ways on r/KDRAMA; 1) when referring to Lee Min Ho’s seminal character in The Heirs, 2) when referring to Automod (alt. Tan Bot) - “Kim Tan is feeling very triggered by my post”, “S***! Tan Bot just ate my post”, 3) In place of “God” or other deities - “For the love of Kim Tan!”
KONGLISH Korean-style English, sometimes defined as English loanwords in Korean language which aren't easily understandable to native English speakers. They're commonly created because of mistranslations, non-standard abbreviations and word combinations and applying new meanings to English words. Common examples include "hand phone" (mobile phone), "rinse" (hair conditioner) and "webtoon" (webcomic)
MIL Mother-in-law. The richer she is, the more likely the poor FL will receive an envelope of money.
ML Male Lead
OST Original Sound Track -- refers to original soundtracks from a drama. See a more detailed explanation of What are OSTs and information on how to find them.
OTP Stands for one true pairing. The official couple so to speak. Can be used to refer to non-romantic couples or even between a character and a thing.
PPL or product placement is a way in which our beloved dramas are funded, often super in your face. Wonder why every character drives the same car? PPL. Wonder why our poor female lead inexplicably has a Dyson hairdryer, 44 jackets and the newest Samsung phone? PPL. Some dramas do it better than others and some are straight up hilarious.
QUALITY - when the Weekly Binge watched Drinking Solo in 2018, thanks to Ha Suk Jin’s skillful portrayal of the embodiment of High Quality Trash the crew became obsessed with using the term “quality” to describe anything and everything. This lead to a tongue in cheek look at the posts found on r/KDRAMA known as A Beginner's Guide to Quality and r/KDRAMA being released and changing our vocabulary forever.
SHIP - as in "I ship So and So together" - fandom speak for thinking two characters should be a couple (though not necessarily in the romantic sense).
SLS or Second Lead Syndrome is a term every romcom kdrama fan is familiar with, even if they don't know the exact term. It's the feeling you have when watching a romcom and rooting for the female lead to pick the second male lead (and she never does). You know the second male lead character type: he's not pushy, rude, obnoxious nor demanding, doesn't ignore the female lead's feelings and doesn't grab her hand and drag her around like a rag-doll. There are no forced kisses. He isn't trying to control her every movement and is not an entitled borderline psychopathic abusive little s***.
TRUCK OF DOOM is a kdrama trope in which a character is suddenly hit by a truck while crossing the road (or less commonly driving through an intersection). One second the plot is developing nicely and BOOM someone gets hit by a truck out of the blue causing widespread viewer rage. It's used to get rid of a minor character, help set up a revenge storyline or just add drama and sense of urgency (see kdrama rule no.6: "All kdramas need to have a hospital scene."). Also a neat way of introducing another famous kdrama trope: AMNESIA. It was ridiculously popular in the 2000s and early 2010s and seems to be making a comeback as "car of doom" in recent dramas.
TSUNDERE Japanese term which describes the process in which a character who is initially cold or hostile slowly warms up. In Korean dramas this process usually comes as a result of the tsundere character (generally the male lead) falling for the opposing lead and causing them to become a better person overall.
Korean Terms and Concepts
AEGYO (애교) Acting cute, usually refers to when adults (or at least teens) put on a cute act. Widely accepted thing in Asia that may feel off putting to others.
AIGOO (아이고) a sigh, used to express frustration and exasperation.
AJUMMA/AHJUMMA (아줌마) an older, married Korean woman, sometimes translated as "aunt". Generally nice but incredibly dangerous when angry. Can also be used as an insult for younger women.
Typical look: short and permed hair, wearing a head visor or hat outdoors, colorful top (mismatched patterns, sparkles, have a fondness for very ugly sweaters, never expose their skin) and either wide black pants or crazy flower-patterned ones. They're usually very short, but surprisingly strong.
Typical behavior: usually move in groups, often found sitting in random places and eating pre-sliced fruit while wearing garish pro-mountain climber ourfits.
Main attack patterns: forcing their daughter to marry any elgible bachelor taller than 175cm (5'9"), making sure you have "eaten enough", nagging about marriage to their sons, commenting on how vulgar modern clothing is, snarky comments.
AJEOSSI/AHJUSSI (아저씨) a middle aged man. Basically the equivalent of 'sir'. Can also be used as an insult for younger men. See our Kinship Terms explanation for more details on use of this word.
ALBA/PART TIME JOB/ARBEIT (알바 (shortened form) | 아르바이트 (full form)) means part time job and is a German loan word (arbeit).
APPLE/ APOLOGY (sagwa - Hangul 사과) - apples are often given in place of apologies in Korean dramas by immature characters to break the tension. This is done because the word for apple and apology (사과하다) are homonyms (same spelling and pronunciation, different meaning).
BANMAL (반말) -literally means half speech- familiar speech, used between good friends or when someone in a higher position is speaking down to someone in a lower position (position could depend on age/rank/power/etc.). Often translated as impolite speech. See our Honorifics Speech explanation for more details.
CALL (kol 콜) - is Konglish used when agreeing with something or accepting a challenge, often translated as "okay" or "deal".
CHAEBOL/CHAEBEOL/JAEBEOL (재벌) generally refers to (extremely) rich people in dramas. More accurately, it refers to family owned or controlled conglomerates (think Samsung). See this article for more information.
CHEMI/KEMI (shortened form of chemistry - 케미) - chemistry between people. Can be used for flirting or team building.
CHIMAEK (치맥) is a combination of chicken (치킨) and beer (맥주), ordered together as a set, for further information, please refer to this drool-inducing post.
CIDER (Soda - 사이다) general name for soda but can be used to describe a situation that feels good and fresh. Sometimes used in response when a person makes a refreshing comment or says something that everyone was thinking but was afraid of verbalizing. Opposite is "goguma" - sweet potato.
DAEBAK (대박) used to express amazement and happiness when something unexpected happens. Translated as "amazing" or "jackpot".
FIGHTING/PAITING/HWAITING (파이팅 romanized as pa-i-ting | 화이팅) is Konglish which is often translated as "You can do it!" or "Come on!". It's used to boost someone else's morale, primarily during sports events and when the other person is facing a difficult challenge (an important test, a scary boss male lead etc). Can also be used as self-encouragement and then it's translated as "I can do it!" or "Let's go".
GEONBAE (건배) means "cheers!" when drinking. Can be seen in dramas used when consuming non-alcoholic drinks or even food too.
GOGUMA (고구마) literally means sweet potato but can be used to describe feelings of frustration. Often accompanied by the motion of hitting one's chest while lamenting a frustrating situation.
GO STOP (고스톱) is a Korean card game played with hwatu cards -- the little red rectangle cards with pictures on them. See this blog post for a bit more information.
HAGWON/HAKWON (학원) generally refers to educational academies where students attend to receive extra lessons -- akin to after school tutoring services. Can also refer to specialized academies that prepare its (adult) students for certain professional tests such as the civil service exam, the bar exam (lawyer), the police exam, etc..
HANGEUL (alt. Hangul) (한글) the written Korean alphabet or in classier jargon: the Korean phonemic writing system. See our Introduction to Hangeul and the Korean Language for more information.
HANJA (한자 漢字) the Chinese characters Koreans used to either denote the meaning or to represent the sound of the Korean words; widely used pre-invention of Hangeul, still used today for names and in advertisements, trademarks, and signboards. Additionally, Hanja are sometimes used in writing when the author wants to clarify the meaning or to avoid potential confusion or vagueness in understanding the meaning of the words. See our Introduction to Hangeul and the Korean Language for more information.
HEOL (헐) another expression of surprise and shock, used when you can't believe what's happening. Not necessarily for a good surprise, is often translated as "wow" and accompanied by a frozen facial expression.
HOESIK/COMPANY DINNER (회식) is a common facet of Korean office work life where coworkers will go out together and eat dinner and drink alcohol. Sometimes, a second round of karaoke follows.
HUBAE/HOOBAE (후배) a person who is more junior or younger in an organization, usually school. See our explanation of Addressing Others for more detailed explanation.
JONDAEMAL (존댓말) is honorific speech (also called polite speech), which includes both the deferential and the polite speech levels, and indicates that the speaker views the listener with respect and is honoring the listener. 존대 (jondae) literally means respect. See our Honorifics Speech explanation for more details.
MAEKJU/BEER (맥주) is beer. See our Alcohol in Korea introduction for more details.
MAKGEOLLI (alt. makkoli 막걸리) is a traditional Korean alcoholic drink made by fermenting rice (or wheat) that is unfiltered. It has a milky, opaque color and a low alcohol content of 6%-13%. See our Alcohol in Korea introduction for more details.
MAKJANG DRAMA (막장 드라마) is a genre of drama which features outrageously ridiculous plots that can't possibly happen in real life - it's just one crazy plot after another. There's birth secrets, evil mother-in-laws, cheating husbands, revenge, social injustice, kimchi slapping, fake identities, trucks of doom, miraculous rebirths, screaming, crying and hair-pulling. Over-the-top is the name of the game and suspension of disbelief is sorely needed if you want to enjoy this type of kdrama. See this post for more detailed explanation. The term makjang itself is often used to describe a certain narrative element or tone of a drama as extreme. As in "The twist in ep. 12 is so makjang!" or "Kim Tan is such a makjang character!"
MAKNAE (막내) is a term used to refer to the youngest person in a family or any other grouping of people.
MUKBANG (먹방) Food porn/shows about people eating. Full term eating (먹는) broadcast (방송). Basically the entire Let's Eat series.
NUNA/NOONA (누나) Korean term that means older sister, used by men. Today it also applies to women you admire/respect and love interests. A romance kdrama sub-genre called "noona romance" is focused on storylines between a young man and an older woman. See our Kinship Terms explanation for more details about its use.
OMO/OMONA (어머 alt. "omona" 어머나) is an expression of surprise (usually pleasant) when seeing someone you didn't expect, receiving something or hearing unexpected news. Most commonly used by kdrama Ahjummas.
ONE SHOT (원샷) -- drinking up the entire (shot) glass/bowl of alcohol in one go.
OPPA (오빠) Korean term that means older brother, used when women refer to a man older than themselves. Traditionally it was used only between actual relatives, however currently it is also used between romantic couples or when talking about a man you admire/respect. See our Kinship Terms explanation for more details about its use.
Orabeoni (오라버니) An older way of saying the same word. It is a lot more formal and most often seen in sageuks (historical dramas).
POJANGMACHA (포장마차) refers to the street stalls that sell food and alcohol. Sometimes translated as "pop up bar".
RAMYEON/RAMYUN (라면) is ramen...is instant noodles...is cup noodles.
라면 먹고 갈래? (ra-myeon meok-go gal-lae?) Want to have ramen before you go? Korean version of "Netflix and chill?" AKA asking the person to stay the night for some good times.
ROCK PAPER SCISSORS in Korea is 가위바위보 -- 가위 scissors -- 바위 rock -- 보 cloth = paper (the Hanja is 褓)
SAGEUK/SAGUK (사극) are historical dramas, that is dramas set in historical periods.
SELKA/SELCA (셀카) - selfie. Full term 셀프 카메라 (self camera).
SKINSHIP (스킨십) - literally physical contact (skin to skin contact). Can be in a romantic context but can also be between friends. See this Hanmadi Korean Language blog post for more detailed explanation.
SOJU (소주) is a distilled alcoholic drink most commonly packaged in green glass bottles or sometimes in paper juiceboxes. Most soju has an alcohol content of 16% but soju with alcohol content as high as 50% can be found. See our Alcohol in Korea introduction for more details.
SOME/SSEOM (썸) is shortened from something and is used to describe a flirtatious relationship where there is clearly something between the two people but no clear romantic relationship has been established. A period where a couple is not officially dating yet but they’re almost there. Can also be used to describe a fling. This concept is captured in the kpop song Some by Soyou and Junggigo (sometimes used as BGM in dramas).
SOMAEK (소맥) is a mixed alcoholic drink created by mixing soju (소주) and beer (맥주) together.
SEONBAE/SUNBAE (선배) a person who is more senior or older in an organization, usually school. Upperclassman. See our explanation of Addressing Others for more detailed explanation.
YEOBO (여보) is a term of endearment used most often by married couples to address each other. See our Kinship Terms explanation for more details about its use.
EONNI/UNNI (언니) Korean term that means older sister, used by women addressing another woman. Today, besides siblings, it's most commonly used when trying to butter up a senior woman. See our Kinship Terms explanation for more details about its use.
DRAMA TITLE ABBREVIATIONS
APOYM A Piece of Your Mind | BOF Boys Over Flowers | BTIMFL Because This is my First Life
CLOY Crash Landing On You | DDSSLLSS Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol Sol | DOTS Descendants of the Sun
FFMW Fight for My Way | FOE Flower of Evil | HDL Hotel Del Luna
HPL Her Private Life | IC Itaewon Class | IOTL It's Okay, That's Love
IOTNBO It's Okay To Not Be Okay (Also titled It's Okay to be Psycho) |LOTBS Legend of the Blue Sea
MLFTS My Love from the Star | ROY Record of Youth | SFD Six Flying Dragons | SITR Something In The Rain
SWDBS Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (Also titled Strong Girl Bong-Soon) | TKEM The King: Eternal Monarch
TOTNT Tale of the Nine Tailed | TWDR Tree With Deep Roots | WFKBJ Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
WOTM World of the Married | WTCB When the Camellia Blooms | WWWSK What's Wrong With Secretary Kim?
WYWS While You Were Sleeping
See a commonly used term or drama title abbreviation missing from our Glossary page? Drop a comment below.
If you have any additional questions about the information in this post or our Glossary, feel free to leave a comment with your question/feedback.
Another Friday, another weekend -- welcome to the Weekend Wrap-Up! This is a free-for-all (FFA) discussion post in which almost anything goes, just remember to be kind to each other and don't break any of our core rules. Talk about your week, talk about your weekend, talk about your pet (remember the pet tax!). Of course, you can also talk about the dramas and shows you have been watching.
This is also the space to share content that would otherwise not qualify as self-posts under our rules -- like rumored casting news and discussions about non-kdramas.
Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are using Markdown and not Fancy Pants Editor, the easiest way to create spoiler tags is to use > ! spoiler content ! < without spaces to get >!spoiler content!<. For more detailed guidance on spoiler tags and when to use them, check our Spoiler Tags Tutorial.
Just In Case Resources
FAQ and Netflix FAQ | Glossary | Latest On-Airs and On-Air Roster | Rules and Policies | Where To Watch aka Legal Sites | Everything In Our Wiki aka Wiki Homepage | Get Recommendations For Your Next Watch
Welcome to r/KDRAMA, a community where kdrama watchers gather to discuss their favorite dramas!
This r/KDRAMA Guide is an automated weekly post that introduces our community features, resources, rules, and answers some FAQs. Use this guide to help you navigate around our community and find resources easily!
Full Rules and Policies
We are an actively moderated community, please review our full Rules and Policies before participating in our community. Content and conduct that violates our Rules and Policies will be removed.
Note that the sidebar rules widget in New Reddit contains only a very abbreviated version of our full rules, please do not rely on them to contest any moderation actions, use our full Rules and Policies.
Browsing the Subreddit
Our subreddit is most optimized for browsing on desktop in New Reddit where we make maximize use of the sidebar to share the most updated information and resources (eg. schedule of On-Air discussions, links to most commonly used resources and featured posts), we encourage newcomers to view our subreddit on desktop to see all the information. Additionally, due to problems with official Reddit mobile apps, some of the links we have in the sidebar or posts do not work on mobile. If you are having trouble accessing links, please switch to desktop access.
We strongly recommend browsing our community feed sorted by new to see the latest discussion posts.
To view all resources in and information about our subreddit, see our wiki.
Note: /r/KDRAMA measures time in KST - Korean Standard Time (UTC +9) so all references to time or date relate to that time-zone.
##Participating & Posting In Our Subreddit
###Participating
Our community strives to be a friendly and safe space where our community members can participate and enjoy discussions about kdramas. To that end, we ask participants to be kind to each other, by remembering the human both behind and on the screen -- including the actors and actresses and staff members that makes the drama. Harassment, threats, bullying, personal attacks, racism, hate speech, and other similar negative behaviors are prohibited in this subreddit.
There are consequences for what you post. Remember that others do not have to tolerate insults, harassment, racism, sexism, or any other types of negative behavior. While we are not a support subreddit, we aim to be supportive of each other in our love for kdramas.
Before participating within our subreddit, please read our conduct Policies, Rules, and Reddiquette to understand what type of civil behavior and discourse is expected in our community. Also read our When Discussions Get Personal for explanations and tips to maintain civil discourse within our community and elsewhere in life.
Let's all live by the Korean proverb 가는 말이 고와야 오는 말이 곱다 -- If the outgoing words are beautiful, then the incoming words will be beautiful, too.
###Posting
New to our community and daunted by our Rules and Policies for posting? The best way to start your interaction with our community is by participating in our scheduled posts or On-Air Discussions. There's at least one per day of the week so that there is always a post you can participate in. These posts are very friendly and community-oriented -- a great way to dip your toe into conversations without the pressure of making a post. This will help newcomers to our subreddit get a better feel for the style and type of discourse in our community, which may be much more actively moderated in comparison to other spaces.
Scheduled Recurring Discussions
Our scheduled posts consists of two types: themed and free-for-all. Themed discussions cover a variety of topics frequently discussed by kdrama watchers. Free-for-all (FFA) discussion posts are our general chat discussion posts where as long as you abide by our conduct rules and Reddiquette, you can share whatever you like, including content completely unrelated to kdramas. See full detailed explanations of our scheduled posts.
Weekly Scheduled Posts | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
AM | - | - | Who, What, Where Is It? | Throwback Thursday 2.0 | - | Late To The Party | Eun Sang's Sleepy Sunday Soliloquy (FFA) |
PM | Monday Madness (FFA) | Kim Tan's Talk Time (FFA) | What Are You Watching | Kim Tan's Talk Time (FFA) | Weekend Wrap Up (FFA) | Things I Spotted This Week | - |
:-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: |
Monthly Scheduled Posts | Top 10 Kdramas (7th) | Kdramas Made Me Do It (10th) | Refund My Time (14th) | Yes, No, Maybe (21st) | Dramas I Have Dropped (28th) | - | - |
- | For all the list makers among us. List your favourite dramas - you choose the number and the category. | Share our joy and embarrassment at all the things Kdramas “made” us do. | Lament about a drama we wish we'd never watched -- one that makes us want a refund of our time. | Present a short review and a "final verdict" on whether we would recommend the dramas we've watched this past month to others. | Discuss the dramas that didn't win you over in the past month. | - | - |
:-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: |
Quarterly Scheduled Posts | Best OST | Streaming Services | Make A Wish | Watching Habits And Advice | - | - | - |
- | 4th of March, June, September & December | 11th of January, April, July, & October | 1st of February, May, August & November | 25th of March, June, September & December | - | - | - |
- | Discussion of the OSTs that we love and just can't get out of our heads. | Discussion of everything related to legal streaming services. Share your experiences and ask for help finding the best one in your region. | Share one's aspirations about dream or alternate casting, remakes, adaptations, and creative writing. | For reflecting on one's watching habits and advice for how to choose which dramas to watch. | - | - | - |
:-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: | :-: |
Biannual Scheduled Posts | Share Your Kdrama Related Resource | - | Check Out Our r/KDRAMA Resources | - | SPOTLIGHT ON | - | - |
- | 18th of March & September | - | Posted on a 6 monthly cycle | - | Posted on a 6 monthly cycle | - | - |
- | Share, promote, and discover other subreddits and resources related to kdramas. | - | Series highlighting various resources of our subreddit. | - | Series which highlights dramas of certain genres / themes. | - | - |
On-Air Discussions
On-Air Discussions are dedicated weekly discussion posts for currently airing dramas. They are hosted by volunteers from the community to create a dedicated space each week to discuss what has happened in that drama for that week. On-Air drama discussions reduce clutter on the front page of the subreddit by centralizing discussion and all related content, such as news updates, previews, interviews, behind the scenes videos, etc.. For currently airing dramas with On-Air discussions, no other discussion posts are allowed, see our full Rules for details.
A schedule of current On-Airs can be seen in our sidebar. See the latest On-Air discussions and here is our On-Air Discussions Roster, which links all our previous On-Air discussions.
Want to learn more about our On-Air Discussions system? Feel passionately about an upcoming drama and want to host its weekly On-Air Discussions? See our full explanation, guidelines and policies on On-Air Discussions here.
Drama Reviews
We welcome well-written detailed drama reviews. Reviews should be for completed series only -- that is the series has finished airing all of its episodes and the reviewer has watched the entire drama. Reviews where the reviewer has not fully completed the drama will be removed. For those that just want to write a short blurb about a drama, feel free to share in any of our weekly discussion threads instead. See our tips on how to write a helpful review.
Reviews are moderated according to our moderation guidelines for reviews for content. Other rules and policies, such as On-Air or review megathread rules, still apply. Notably, reviews are subject to moderation for frequency under our Rehashed Discussions rule.
Fanart And Memes
We have a Designated Day, currently every Tuesday from 00:00-23:59 KST (UTC +9), on which we allow our members to attempt to share one (1) self posts of either qualified Fanart or Memes on r/KDRAMA. Fanart and meme posts are not permitted outside of Designated Days. Please review our Designated Day rules fully before submission.
News
We are not a news oriented subreddit though they are permitted as posts with restrictions on type of and source of news. Please fully review our Rules and Polices on news items before submission. If you are seeking to be kept updated with any entertainment news other than official casting news, we strongly recommend you seek out other sources beyond our subreddit such as Soompi.
OST And Promotional Material
We only allow official OSTs and promotional material (previews, teasers, posters) in our subreddit with restrictions on frequency and airing status of dramas. Please fully review our Rules on OSTs and promotional material before submission. There are post title requirements, please follow them.
##FAQs
###About Subreddit
Why Is My Post Not Showing Up?
Our subreddit has certain filters in place to identify submissions that potentially require moderation action.
If you have made a post and it does not immediately show up in the community feed, it is possible that the post has been filtered out. Please DO NOT make reposts or immediately contact the moderation team for review of your post. Filtered posts automatically enter our moderation queue and will be reviewed by a moderator. Please allow at least 24 hours for moderation action to be taken. If no further moderation action has been taken on your post (either approval or removal with notice) after 24 hours, please contact the moderation team via Modmail for assistance.
How Do I Seek Clarification About Or Contest A Moderation Action?
If you have received a removal comment from a human moderator (not AutoModerator) and wish to seek clarification or contest the removal, reply to the comment left by the moderator. Do not send private messages or chats to individual moderators about moderation actions, we consider such behavior moderator harassment. See our Policies for more information.
Note, do not reply to AutoModerator comments, the moderation team does not receive notifications for replies to comments left by the Automoderator.
What Are Moderators And What Do They Do?
Moderators are users that help manage a subreddit community by moderating the content that is allowed in the community, establishing and communicating relevant rules and policies, and engaging with other community members. More Detailed Explanation
How Do I Customize My User Flair?
Customizable user flairs are enabled in our community (the little banner following usernames). User flairs are subreddit-specific and can be used to show off your personality or favorite dramas. Our User Flair Guide shows you how to set your user flair on desktop in both Old and New Reddit.
How Do I Make Spoiler Tags?
Hate being spoiled? So do we, which is why we ask our community to use spoiler tags abundantly in order to prevent this. Reddit formatting allows for a few different ways to create spoilers. See our Spoiler Tag Tutorial to learn how do make them.
How Do I Format Things In Markdown?
Need help formatting? Want to know how to do italics and super^scripts and bold things? Check our Formatting and Markdown Guide.
What Are The Dramas In The Banner?
Info here.
Where Can I Find All Subreddit Resources?
On New Reddit sidebar, we have linked the most used resources. Otherwise our wiki landing page has links to and brief explanations of all the resources in our community.
Is There A Subreddit Discord?
Yes, here.
###About Kdramas
Where Can I Watch Kdramas?
See our non-exhaustive list of legal streaming sources from around the world where you can watch kdramas. We also have a list of popular official Youtube channels for webdramas.
Please note that linking, mentioning, or promotion of any illegal sources (eg. non-licensed streaming sites, torrent sites, personally uploaded videos, download links, etc.) is strictly prohibited and will result in an immediate ban. Promotion includes soliciting users to PM for links to illegal sources.
What Dramas Should I Watch?
If you are looking for your next drama, check out our sister sub r/kdramarecommends, the single best place to ask for kdrama recommendations. You can ask for recommendations based on your preferences or you can ask if a drama you are considering is worth watching. Check their Getting Started Guide before you post to familiarize yourself with that sub, and their Recommendations 101 to help you craft the perfect recommendation request post. If you don't know where to start or want to browse past recommendations, check out the awesome What to Watch Next wiki for our complete archive of recommendations gathered over the past years.
Note, drama recommendation requests are not permitted as self-posts in r/KDRAMA. Posts will be removed and redirected to r/kdramarecommends.
Is There A Site For Tracking Dramas?
A popular site used by many kdrama watchers for tracking dramas is MyDramaList -- the site has profiles of dramas, actors/actresses, and drama reviews/ratings.
I'm New To Kdramas, What Basics Should I Know?
For new watchers of kdramas, we strongly recommend taking a read through our basic FAQ, our KDRAMAS 101, and our Glossary as a starting point to get to know and understand kdramas better.
Hello and welcome to Kim Tan's Talk Time (Thursday)!
This is a free-for-all discussion in which almost anything goes, don't diss The Heirs or break any of our other core rules. General discussion about anything and everything is allowed.
This post is mysteriously sponsored by California Almonds and Mango Six's Mango Coconut. Take a moment to appreciate our main man Tan before the week is over and get your talk time on.
Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are using Markdown and not Fancy Pants Editor, the easiest way to create spoiler tags is to use > ! spoiler content ! < without spaces to get >!spoiler content!<. For more detailed guidance on spoiler tags and when to use them, check our Spoiler Tags Tutorial.
Just In Case Resources
FAQ and Netflix FAQ | Glossary | Latest On-Airs and On-Air Roster | Rules and Policies | Where To Watch aka Legal Sites | Everything In Our Wiki aka Wiki Homepage | Get Recommendations For Your Next Watch
Welcome to our Spotlight On post series where you can share your picks of dramas that deserve the spotlight! Each Spotlight On post is focused on a genre or theme, as you can see in the post title. Based on this genre/theme, you are welcome to share your views about dramas you have watched that fit the topic of this post, which is:
Netflix Productions
Dramas exclusively produced by and for Netflix.
What is the difference between "Netflix Original" and "produced by Netflix”?
Netflix Original: Netflix will label any drama they have exclusive streaming rights to in a certain region as an Netflix Original in that region even if Netflix is only licensing the content and was not part of the production process.
Produced by Netflix: these are dramas that Netflix financed and produced (examples include Kingdom, Love Alarm, My Holo Love, Extracurricular).
Quick tip to distinguish between a licensed Netflix Original and Netflix production:
All episodes released on the same day worldwide = Netflix production (the topic of this post)
vs.
Episodes released weekly concurrent with its airing schedule in Korea OR the drama finished airing in Korea but is still unavailable on Netflix = a licensed Netflix Original
For more info, check out Netflix’s Help page on licensing and the article The Four Types of Netflix Originals.
You are invited to share short (or long) reviews of dramas you have watched that fit the topic of this post and an explanation of why you think the drama deserves the spotlight, including whether you would recommend the drama or not.
Our suggested format/structure for comments is:
Drama Name
Good Things: about the drama,
Bad Things: about the drama
Interesting Things: about the drama
Spotlight On Because: explain why you think the drama deserves the spotlight, including whether you would recommend the drama or not.
We strongly encourage you to share your MDL profile so that others can compare their tastes with yours to get a better understanding of preferences and dislikes, which will help in understanding if the feedback provided is applicable for them.
Please remember that every individual watching goes in with their own life experiences and biases so not everyone will see the drama in the same light or enjoy it in the same way.
Just because someone did not enjoy a drama that you loved is not a slight against you as a person.
When participating in this discussion please remember that whilst dramas do not have feelings, human beings do. Be kind to one another.
Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are using Markdown and not Fancy Pants Editor, the easiest way to create spoiler tags is to use > ! spoiler content ! < without spaces to get >!spoiler content!<. For more detailed guidance on spoiler tags and when to use them, check our Spoiler Tags Tutorial.
Grab yourself a knee rug and a mug of hot chocolate, it's time to reminisce those old time dramas from days gone by of pre-2019. Maybe you were around when they aired for the first time and want to take a trip down memory lane by watching them on the box. Maybe it's your first time through.
This is our weekly discussion exclusively for those older Korean dramas on your currently watching list. We don't want to hear about the currently hyped dramas here, so please keep it to the older stuff on your watch list.
Reminder, we advocate the use of legal streaming sources wherever possible. Any comments mentioning illegal sources will be removed and links will lead to bans as per our rules. As it is very hard to find many of the really old dramas rather than asking users "where are you watching?", we suggest you instead ask "did you find a legal source?". See our policies on streaming sites and VPNs here.
Crazily enough not everyone has watched these classics yet so please remember your spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are using Markdown and not Fancy Pants Editor, the easiest way to create spoiler tags is to use > ! spoiler content ! < without spaces to get >!spoiler content!<. For more detailed guidance on spoiler tags and when to use them, check our Spoiler Tags Tutorial.
Just In Case Resources
FAQ and Netflix FAQ | Glossary | Latest On-Airs and On-Air Roster | Rules and Policies | Where To Watch aka Legal Sites | Everything In Our Wiki aka Wiki Homepage | Get Recommendations For Your Next Watch
A weekly thread to talk about all the things that we are watching! You are not limited to Korean things, feel free to talk about other dramas/shows you are watching.
Find all the latest What Are You Watching posts here.
Here are the latest On-Air Discussions.
Find a list of our related sub-reddits for more in-depth discussions of non K-drama content here.
Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are using Markdown and not Fancy Pants Editor, the easiest way to create spoiler tags is to use > ! spoiler content ! < without spaces to get >!spoiler content!<. For more detailed guidance on spoiler tags and when to use them, check our Spoiler Tags Tutorial.
Just In Case Resources
FAQ and Netflix FAQ | Glossary | Latest On-Airs and On-Air Roster | Rules and Policies | Where To Watch aka Legal Sites | Everything In Our Wiki aka Wiki Homepage | Get Recommendations For Your Next Watch
Welcome to our weekly identification thread. This is the themed post for all identification questions and requests, including dramas!
Before posting in this thread please take a look through our discussion resources - who/what/which is this section which outlines ways in which you can work out many of these requests for yourself.
You can ask here for help identifying the following things: Dramas, Actors, Product Placement (either product or brand), Drama Locations, Clothing, Accessories, Music (OST or background).
Please provide a picture if possible (upload on imgur) and include as much contextual information as you know (e.g. source drama, broadcast year, episode number and time stamp, etc.).
Once you have found an answer please edit your original comment to state "SOLVED" in bold caps at the top so people don't spend time trying to help unnecessarily.
Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing major plot points or anything you think should be redacted. If you are using Markdown and not Fancy Pants Editor, the easiest way to create spoiler tags is to use > ! spoiler content ! < without spaces to get >!spoiler content!<. For more detailed guidance on spoiler tags and when to use them, check our Spoiler Tags Tutorial.
Just In Case Resources
FAQ and Netflix FAQ | Glossary | Latest On-Airs and On-Air Roster | Rules and Policies | Where To Watch aka Legal Sites | Everything In Our Wiki aka Wiki Homepage | Get Recommendations For Your Next Watch