Now that I am having to keep up with recapping two dramas, my Weekly Top 5 Countdown, and my Fashion Fails, it has been a while since I have been able to get back to what I truly love, giving less known drama suggestions to other kenthusiasts. There is nothing more satisfying than suggesting a hidden or less known drama to someone who is searching for something new to watch. So I decided to take a few moments and jot down some of my favorite current airing dramas and then past dramas that I think have a similar feel or concept.
If You Like Gap Dong: You might want to give an awesome (and less well known drama) White Christmas a try. Starring: Kim Woo Bin, Sung Joon, Lee Soo Hyuk, Baek Sung Hyun
White Christmas is what I think Gap Dong was going for in concept before all the crazy writing twists and bad female characters interfered. What happens when a normal person is put into the situation where they can do unspeakable things. Or as White Christmas's psycho puts it, "are killers born, or are they created?"
SYNOPSIS: This is my go to drama when I want something well written and super
suspenseful. This drama takes us to Susin High School, nicknamed
"Prison High," it is an elite school attended by the top 1% of students
in the country. Stuck in the middle of the mountains with no outside
influences the only thing that the students do is study and wait for
Christmas break to leave for a week to visit their families. This
Christmas 7 students and a teacher remain and are confronted with a
killer among them who is interested in finding out if monsters are
created, or if they are born. With one of the best up and coming cast
of young actors, it is an amazing drama that feels reminiscent of a good
Agatha Christie murder mystery. White Christmas Trailer
If You Like Hotel King: You might enjoy "Scandal: A Shocking and Wrongful Incident" Starring: Kim Jae Won, Ki Tae Young, Jo Jae Hyeon, Park Jung Chul
This has a similar storyline involving revenge against fathers and birth secrets. Superbly acted by all the men in the drama (females were just kind of there as plot movers) it is one that truly pushed my emotional buttons.
Synopsis: Devastated and feeling wronged for the death of his son, Ha Myeong Geun kidnaps Eun Joong and when he comes to his senses and tries to return him, he finds another child substituted in as the kidnapped heir. Eun Joong is raised by his "adopted father" with a steadfast idea of right and wrong (ironic isn't it), and grew up to be a policeman. Shocked to find out the
truth that the father he loved so much was actually his kidnapper he decides on what his idea of family is and comes to terms with the horrible actions of both his kidnapper father and real father. Scandal Trailer
If you like Witch's Romance: You Might Enjoy I Need Romance 3 Starring: Sung Joon, Kim So Yeon
I know that INR3 is not really an old drama, but when I was thinking of which drama felt the most similar, this is the one that comes to mind. If you want some suggestions for other older woman/younger man themed romances feel free to check out this old blog post of mine with other noona drama suggestions http://thecrazyahjummas.blogspot.com/2014/03/flashback-friday-noona-edition.html
Synopsis: Shin Joo Yeon is a 33-year-old fashion marketing director at a home
shopping channel company. She's developed a tough prickly outer shell in
order to succeed in the workplace, and has almost given up on the idea
of true love after countless failures in the relationship department.
Joo Wan is a 26-year-old songwriter and carefree spirit who returns to
Korea after seventeen years living abroad. Up until the age of 9, he
was
practically raised by his mom's friend and her daughter, Shin Joo Yeon.
She only remembers him as a kid she was forced to play with him when her
mom was busy, while all his early memories from bath time, to play
time, to learning how to tie his shoe, include her. Upon meeting again,
he aims to heal Joo Yeon's jaded sense of romance (synopsis from MDL). I Need Romance 3 Trailer (for the shorter trailer go to this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIA4FadGYOc)
I hope that these suggestions help in your next drama pick. However if you are looking for some other style of drama feel free to ask me in the comments or on our FB page https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-crazy-ahjummas/336988683021748?fref=ts Since I am always happy to give out opinions for new and old dramas.
As I was searching for a drama to watch this week in commemoration of Halloween I realized that there are just not a lot of truly scary kdramas. There are a plethora of Korean horror movies, but when it comes to kdramas it is a highly overlooked genre. Is it because of the censors? Probably since they even blur out knives because of public sensitivity. But whatever the reason, it took some work to come up with a list that might give you some chills and thrills. Soul (aka Possessed)
This is probably the scariest out of the options. Only 10 episodes, it is a fast paced scary ride full of murders, ghosts, and truly messed up concepts of justice. We see sweet Ha Na ( Im Joo Eun - Wild Romance, Whats UP) witness multiple murders including that of her twin sister. Upon going a little crazy, she emerges possessed by her sisters vengeful spirit and is used by profiler Shin Ryu (Lee Seo Jin - Damo, Gye Baek) to murder people who had escaped justice. If you want the in your face scare, then this is your drama. I often jumped because of the ghosts and I would personally not watch this before bedtime. However it does have slight jumps and holes in the plot so don't expect a masterpiece when it comes to the script.
SOUL TRAILER:
Vampire Prosecutor (seasons 1 & 2)
I know that if you were judging from the title alone you would assume that this is either super cheesy or something via twilight. However viewers are surprised to find a really solid crime drama behind the weird title. And although this is not a traditional scary drama like Soul, it does have its suspenseful moments. And even better then that it has Yun Jung Hoon (I summon you gold, Can love become Money) playing Prosecutor Min Tae Yeon. And he is all kinds of gorgeous, amazing, charismatic, stick a bow on him and give him as a present, hunk of Korean male. Through two seasons we follow him on his quest for justice against both the living and the undead.
Vampire Prosecutor Trailers:
White Christmas
This is my go to drama when I want something well written and super suspenseful. This drama takes us to Susin High School, nicknamed "Prison High," it is an elite school attended by the top 1% of students in the country. Stuck in the middle of the mountains with no outside influences the only thing that the students do is study and wait for Christmas break to leave for a week to visit their families. This Christmas 7 students and a teacher remain and are confronted with a killer among them who is interested in finding out if monsters are created, or if they are born. With one of the best up and coming cast of young actors, it is an amazing drama that feels reminiscent of a good Agatha Christie murder mystery.
White Christmas Trailer:
The Masters Sun
One of the biggest hits of 2013, The Masters Sun is the story of Tae Gong Shil (Gong Hyo Jin - Greatest Love, Pasta) who's life is falling apart because she is able to see Ghosts. When she discovers that the ghosts disappear anytime she touches Joo Joong Won (So Ji Sub - Ghost), she becomes determined to stay close to him regardless of the costs. While this drama has its share of spooky pop out at you ghost, it is more a romantic comedy then a horror drama. So if you are looking for something of a lighter scary nature then this is a safe bet. It has a sweet romantic story from start to finish and I truly enjoyed all of the characters.
The Masters Sun Trailer:
Sign
Sign is a tightly written medical investigation drama about forensic doctors solving murder
cases. While from first glance this looks like any other murder/medical drama it starts to surprise you from the beginning and as you delve into the murder of an Idol Star which leads to the hunt for a cunning Serial Killer. Some of the best suspenseful moments in any kdrama I have watched to date where in this show. The OST creates a mood of frantic energy which just heightens your watching experience. Be sure to stick with this drama to the end since it has one of the best dramatic endings that I have ever seen. I literally forced my mom to finish this one because it is that good.Sign Trailer:
Hope these help you in your quest for some good kdrama thrills. Have a Happy Halloween! Sincerely, Kmuse
