Eleison

It sounds like they might be more your speed. I happen to really like this one, but "to each his own." 😏

Maybe that's it.

Yeah, it's actually really helpful! Sometimes a drama will do well unexpectedly when the writer has nothing else famous (or every now and then a strong writer will write a flop), but for instance, look at these dramas and their screenwriters and you will see patterns of popularity and success:

Kim Eun Sook: The Heirs, Descendents of the Sun, The King: Eternal Monarch, Goblin, The Glory, Secret Garden, Mr. Sunshine.

Park Hye Ryun: Castaway Diva, While You Were Sleeping, I Can Hear Your Voice, Start-Up, Pinocchio, Page Turner, Dream High.

Park Ji Eun: My Love From The Star, The Producers, Legend Of The Blue Sea, Crash Landing On You, etc.

Kang Eun Kyung: Gu Family Book, Dr. Romantic Seasons 1, 2, and 3, etc.

Lee Woo Jung: The Replys, 1994, 1997, and 1988 (and 2 Days and 1 Night reality TV show), Hospital Playlist, Seasons 1 and 2, etc.

Jung Bo Hoon: Racket Boys and Prison Playbook

Kwon Hye Joo: Go Back Couple, Hi Bye Mama, Welcome to Samdalri, etc.

Choi Ah Il (with other collaborators): Mr. Queen, My Demon, etc.

Jin Soo Wan: Moon Embracing The Sun, Kill Me Heal Me, Chicago Typewriter, and Twinkling Watermelon, etc.

Hwang Jin Young: Rebel: Thief Who Stole The People, My Dearest, Part 1 and 2, etc.

Kim Young Hyun: Arthdal Chronicles, Parts 1, 2, and 3 and The Sword of Aramun, Six Flying Dragons, and Tree With Deep Roots, etc.

All the best as you search for new dramas! :)

Oh good! They're all a little different from each other, but each has the same emphasis on a meaningful theme and have adorable, endearing characters you can root for. Start-Up and While You Were Sleeping have the same director as Castaway Diva, so they're beautifully filmed (Start-Up was/is controversial since most people wanted the 2ML to end up with the FL, so be warned, and it also was a bit tougher for me to get through because it's a lot about the destructive nature of lying, even well-intentioned lying; it's hard to watch the fallout when the truth is revealed!). Her older dramas like I Can Hear Your Voice and Pinocchio have lower production value so I think that turns some people off, but the stories are still so interesting that I didn't mind. Dream High is decent, too, (it's fun just to see all the famous actors and singers in it before they became huge (it has Ok Taec Yeon, Kim Soo Hyun, IU, Suzy, etc.)) and Page Turner is super short (3 episodes). I Can Hear Your Voice and While You Were Sleeping are in my top 5 of all time. Anyway, they're good stuff. :) Enjoy!!

I actually haven't see it yet! I've seen clips and portions but never all the way through. I need to see it.

Such a bummer. 🤨 They must take great delight in aggravating people!

I feel like Kdramas are known for their chaebol plots/settings. I think it's what they're most known for and it's their most reused trope that Kdrama lovers never seem to get tired of. 😂 The chaebol plots feel like modern versions of Jane Austen plots; they have mimicked the disparity of the classes seen in her stories, but the Western world has a lot less of the class disparity now so there's less realistic fodder for the huge income/class gap in Western cinema/TV, I think. It definitely still crops up sometimes, but it feels like less and less of a thing.

It's also giving some Reply 1988 vibes at certain points. :)

Huh, interesting. I've been seeing people mention burners and stuff on multiple comment threads now, and claiming people are making accounts just to hop around and rate things weirdly. I'm not sure what to think, and it would be frustrating if this is the case. For me, it's a waste of time to police and chase down people who are apparently just children (cause that's how they're acting; "Why try to reason with people who cannot be reasoned with"?), but it is frustrating to watch scenarios unfold because so many involved are acting very immaturely, getting all sensitive and defensive and mean. Again, it all feels very childish.

Just because someone doesn't like a drama (or just because they love it) doesn't mean they're automatically a "burner." But without even a second thought some people just pounce with name-calling and rudeness if someone posts a comment they don't agree with and call them a "burner." You can try to dialogue with them and try to help them see things from another angle, but people like/dislike what they like/dislike. Trying to change that is largely a fruitless endeavor.

But I suppose this IS the internet, so maybe it's too much to ask that people disagree kindly. *sigh* Sometimes this site feels like a microcosm of modern society: "You have to respect my opinion but I don't have to respect yours." 😔

You can maybe just keep that in mind when you see ratings/discussions about dramas with really buzz-worthy actors who have fanaticical followers, haha. Just take some of the enthusiasm as fan service rather than truly thoughtful feedback on the quality. Also, track directors and screenwriters because you might start to see dramas you like due to who directs or writes them. I've noticed that more the deeper I get into the Kdrama world; screenwriters/directors are a big part of how good the drama ends up being.

And then when, "Surprise!" we (and him) found out she liked him back and his confession didn't go to waste. 😂 I've never seen a confession happen like that in a Kdrama yet; it was unexpected. Where their interest aligned so beautifully and the timing was perfect. 😅

We've got a long way to go and it's slice of life, so it won't have the pace of a more conflict-heavy or romance-heavy plot.

Yes, she has to be one of the most egotistical narcissists I've seen in a Kdrama, and SO jealous of Sam Dal. The fact that the boyfriend could cheat on Sam Dal with a girl like that just shows what a bug he is.

In my top 10 out of all I've seen, probably. :)

Yes, he isn't embarrassed about it either. I'm excited to see the tight-knit nature of the community as the story progresses. Small towns can never escape gossip (I think it's what fuels their existence and it's probably what keeps them going 😅), but when everyone is called upon to rally for each other I bet we'll see them come together.

Yeah, there is something that looks or feels different about him in this drama, and I can't quite put my finger on what it is? It might even just be his haircut, I don't know. 😅 When I saw clips and trailers for Lovestruck In the City I almost didn't recognize him because his hair made him look SO different.

Anything else by this screenwriter is excellent and you'll probably enjoy it, too. Start-Up is a little controversial, but still good. My favorites are While You Were Sleeping and I Can Hear Your Voice. They are much longer so there's a lot more story developed and their pacing feels more like typical Kdramas. Glad you enjoyed it--it's a good one!

Yes, true. I wonder if they'll show her realizing that? Right now she's pretty caught up with her own problems but I imagine some of her arc will be to start focusing on others (I hope so, at least). Hopefully she'll pluck up the courage soon!

Very much so! 😂

Thank you! Apparently just needed to Google it. 😋 Fascinating that Jeju has had a semi-matriarchal family structure--no wonder the men seemed so passive in this show!