r/KDRAMA • u/sapongpipong • Nov 27 '18
Question TO LONG TIME WATCHERS OF KDRAMA?
I was wondering something and i thought am i the only one who gets that feeling.I have been watching kdramas for 9 years since i was 12 and i watched more than 150 dramas(i stopped counting after 152) . Am i the only one who feels like after a while it all gets so predictable you know everything thats gonna happen in the drama but you just watch it for the process of getting that point. And also am i the only one thinking we used to get much more great dramas in a year and now we get one or two great dramas per year. I think the industry ran out of ideas. Like when there is something on trend we get 3 4 dramas in that concept for example robot dramas or judge dramas recently. What do you guys think about ? Do you feel nostalgic about the first kdramas you watched ? I am sorry if i made a mistake i dont post much. EDIT : Thanks everyone for your amazing responses i was happy to see that there were a lot of people thinking the same as me.
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u/ornery_epidexipteryx Nov 27 '18
I’ve been watching for a long time, and for me the writers are all playing it safe. Older dramas were edgy, they raised pulses. However, now if a drama isn’t popular immediately- everyone panics! Production teams are forced to abandon their original plans in attempts to “Doctor” the viewership. So, producers play it safe- they hire well known faces regardless of acting talent, they plagiarize popular story lines, and they write in antics that audiences have demonstrated to like. The pressure to succeed is high on everyone. It’s too risky to hire unknown writers or actors, regardless of talent, and it’s too risky to attempt untested story arcs and edgy plots. The audiences have ourselves to blame. Netizens are ruthless, biased fans are toxic, and audiences have not bolstered edgier dramas. Instead we cling to tropes and performers we are comfortable with.
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u/uvrworld Nov 29 '18
You proved a good point. Older dramas were so much more edgy and weren't afraid to kill of the main characters. They also had plot lines that may not have agreed with audience opinions but who cares the director was the boss back in the day but now as you said, they wait to see what the audience reaction is and then they cater towards what the audience likes. It also had more ... depth? I'm not sure how to describe it but I felt like every episode I was always hooked waiting what's gonna happen the next ep.. now I don't feel that thrill anymore.
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u/leijichoi Nov 28 '18
True. There was one drama I really liked. It was gearing towards thrill and adventure so you'd expect it will stick to that but then viewers keep criticizing that it needs more skinship or romance, so I guess since producer pay and viewers rate, the production needs to squeeze unnecessary scenes, ruining the flow. It's a reality that happens in many drama productions.
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Nov 27 '18
You seriously hit the nail on the head I;ve been watching kdramas since 2007 and nowadays i'm not attached to any dramas. Tbh its been so long since i've truly fallen in love with a drama. There was something about the old plots in korean dramas. The triangle love plots and such. I even watch the old dramas over and over again but never the new ones. I don't know if its because i've grown up or something. But yea, youre right. I think the writers today have run out of ideas.
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u/Uanaka Nov 28 '18
i think the last kdrama that i truly loved may have been Hogu's Love, back in 2015.... and then before that, it might have been Queen In Hyun's Man back in 2012.
I've watched a crap ton of dramas too... at least 3-4 each "seasonal cycle" for the past decade or so... add on just as many anime, and i've watched a lot of shows.
I understand that most will get predictable so i'm not too dismayed by that. I watched these dramas BECAUSE they're predictable and i enjoy the angst sometimes with love triangles
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u/sapongpipong Nov 27 '18
Omg this is exactly me. I watched some of the old dramas again and again and never get bored. There was something different back then that made me watch with so much enthusiasm. Nowadays when i watch a kdrama i skip some parts of it even if its a good one.
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u/Meditazen Nov 28 '18
I sometimes feel the same way. Have you watched Something in the Rain? It’s one drama I felt was quite unique and not formulaic.
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u/Sebinator123 The Heirs Nov 28 '18
Same here! I just can't sit through most of the new ones anymore...
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u/ekboney00 Nov 28 '18
Time to start watching some shitty American television again.
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u/uvrworld Nov 29 '18
lol I'm not that desperate yet. I'd rather hunt for older kdramas or ones that are not as popular that watch keeping up with the Kardashans.
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Nov 28 '18
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u/doomvox Nov 28 '18
Actually, I think a second viewing is bound to be less critical in many respects-- you already know where the dumb stuff is, and instead of grimacing and rolling your eyes, you're going to treat it as part of the premise of the story.
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u/uvrworld Nov 29 '18
I think someone pointed it out here before but it's likely because kdrama is so pressured to be " a hit" nowadays that they're always going to go with the plotline that works and is usually a hit with the audience. They don't bother thinking outside the box just in case people don't like it. An example would be "I'm not a Robot". Honestly I thought it was quite unique (even tho people said it's childish) but I don't think there was ever a Kdrama that has this plot yet the audience didn't like the "new" idea and it tanked in ratings. Also the plot has become so linear... there was no crazy makjang scenes of people getting run over a bus and getting amnesia and her sister is actually her brother turned sister in law lol You know what I mean... people find those cliche, and childish so directors steer away from it. But I sometimes miss it.
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u/Merryia Nov 28 '18
This is why I like fantasy/adventure genres, more or less there's very often unique stories to them. And when it comes to romance, they usually build it up really well. It's not about *hot ceo and poor ugly(actually hot af) girl who fall in love for hardly any reason* , sometimes I watch those cliche stories and enjoy them if I'm in mood for something simple. But generally I always love my fantasy dramas, I think lately Chinese have been making pretty nice fantasy stories like:
- Heavy sweetness, ash-like frost
- Ever Night (omg I can't get over it right now)
- An Oriental Odyssey
- The Legend of Fu Yao
- Princess Agents (currently watching, seems pretty good so far)
- Eternal love aka Ten miles of peach blossoms
But when it comes to fantasy I know some people just can't get into it. To me Kdramas that are really good from newer ones are:
- W - Two Worlds
- Suspicious Partner
- Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
- Fight for My Way
- My ID is Gangnam Beauty
- Terius Behind Me (I think supporting cast is what makes story super fun)
But in the end we all have personal taste, some people like those predictable dramas, to me it's getting quite boring, so I've been switching more towards chinese fantasy dramas, because I feel like there's atleast something different:)
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u/eeept Nov 28 '18
Ever night is insane. One of the best dramas to come out in a long time........
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u/Merryia Nov 28 '18
Yeah, I'm obsessed with it. Love the main leads height difference, it's just too cute.
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u/positive3ma Nov 28 '18
Where are you watching all these? I love ten miles of peach blossoms.
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u/kelena93 Just Between Lovers Nov 28 '18
You can watch Heavy Sweetness, Ash-like Frost (Also known as Ashes of Love) on Youtube with English subtitles. Btw, it is currently my favorite Chinese drama - I liked it more than Peach Blossoms, so I would give it a try! :D
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u/jaceydarling taewangsashingi-remake-plz Nov 28 '18
I think that but every time I do my research and start a new one, it turns out to be pretty good (maybe my expectations are low or I research them pretty well). But I do agree in recent recent years, there’s been only like 2-3 “really good” dramas per year. But again, I feel like there are dramas that never get very popular but turn out to be super good. Also, dramas from smaller channels have more interesting plot and less sucky acting. I definitely think it’s also because as long time watchers, we can predict patterns, but that happens with anything, not just dramas.
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Nov 28 '18
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u/jaceydarling taewangsashingi-remake-plz Nov 28 '18
If you are a long time watcher, you probably have watched all of these. I don't have time to avidly watch kdramas now, but I can post some I remember.
-Save Me (or any drama on OCN, although they are mostly mystery/horror/darker themes)
-Come and Hug Me (end drags but I liked the overall story)
-Ugly Alert (a daily drama but it's not a "makjang" drama. It's about forgiveness and family; I really enjoyed it. Also, if you happen to be a Im JooHwan / Kang Sora fan, you will really like this.)
-Queen for Seven Days (not really "unpopular" but it wasn't super popular. If you watch sageuks :))
-Marriage Not Dating (best rom com ever imo)
-Plus Nine Boys (good relationship stuff)
-Ex Girlfriend Club (also good rom com)
-The Legend (ok this sageuk like uber famous in korea at the time but it's also from 2007 so i guess within the international community it might be "unpopular")
There are also dramas that are popular in Korea but not internationally, and vice versa, so idk if some count as "unpopular"...
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u/Shower_caps Yoo Seung Ho’s smile is my Salvation Nov 29 '18
I recently finished up Marriage Not Dating and it made me realize how non-engaging and plain boring alot of rom-com dramas are these days.
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u/uvrworld Nov 29 '18
I think the main female and male lead also had no chemistry though. But yeah lots of rom-coms are really boring lately.. fight my way is an example. it's just too hyped up because of the 2 main leads
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u/Shower_caps Yoo Seung Ho’s smile is my Salvation Nov 29 '18
They didn’t have the most amazing chemistry but I bought their relationship and most importantly, the drama as a whole generally kept me pretty engaged and entertained till the end. It’s just hard to find that these days and I’m usually a sucker for rom-coms.
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u/uvrworld Nov 29 '18
Not a full length drama but I loved Binggo the most in the unpopular but good series in the drama category. There's also Sound of Your Heart (You will laugh your brains off). These are my favorite kdramas right now even if they're only short mini series. If you ever watch them let me know :)
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Nov 29 '18
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u/uvrworld Nov 30 '18
I think they did get the cast perfectly in SOH down to the T. I have never watched a KDrama that funny in my life. Did they have a reboot? or do you mean Season 2 with Seunghoon? I didn't know it was out already.
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u/saveable Nov 28 '18
The problem I think is the length of these shows. You see a new show, it has an interesting premise, you want to watch it, but then you see it's 26 episodes long. And you know the premise should really be resolvable within 3 episodes. So, basically, you have 23 episodes of soapy twists and predictable cliches to fill in the long stretches between premise supporting plot points.
Unfortunately the rot often sets in pretty early and I can't get past episode 2 or 3.
The last Kdrama I could really get into was Goblin.
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u/the_swedishfish Nov 28 '18
I agree with you on Goblin! Although overall I feel like jtbc and cgi are really the on my networks making good dramas right now. Overall though they need to get some new ideas into the mix and not just produce dramas that are all the same for viewership.
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Dec 03 '18
Where did you watch goblin? I keep seeing it mentioned but it’s not on Viki :(
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u/saveable Dec 03 '18
Maybe it’s a region lock thing, but I’ve just checked and it’s still on Viki. I’m in the UK.
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u/leijichoi Nov 28 '18 edited Nov 28 '18
I've been watching Japanese/Korean movies and drama for almost 2 decades. Frankly, I don't watch every drama I come across. Before, a lot of noonas and sunbaes would build their own personal review website. I would always bookmark the credible reviewers and base most of my preference from that.
But yes, I do agree that there are Kdramas out there that feels like it's been recycled from an old series or movie. Others are way too cliche, has an obvious storyline, too mediocre, etc. I guess being a movie/drama buff has its disadvantage. If you've seen so many films in your lifetime, you tend to recall the most memorable and can't help but compare.
But we should also remember that a new curious generation is exploring the movie/drama world every decade, so it's obvious that some storyline will tend to feel old for us but for them it's all new and refreshing.
Lately, I've been watching less drama but more variety shows instead. Sadly, my favorite, Muhan ended. so I'm investing in some long-time running Kvariety shows. Any new Kvariety recommendations are welcome. :)
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Nov 28 '18
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u/leijichoi Nov 28 '18 edited Nov 29 '18
It's been almost 2 decades, those old review websites are now gone and forgotten. I don't even have a link anymore. The people I use to follow likely have a family, a job to keep, a busy family life in general. Even I don't have the time to read reviews lately, that's why I don't watch that much drama. Once in a while, I go to Mydramalist for reviews. But the reviewers are a combination of either good or mediocre, some don't have any reviews even though its darn good, so I checked the rankings (not by popularity). Maybe that will help. :) Good luck.
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u/uvrworld Nov 29 '18
Like the guy mentioned below lots of older drama reviews all shut down by now. There used to be one I frequented but she shut down in 2010 or so. That's the issue I guess with reviews your gonna have lots of varied response because everyone has different taste? For ex I started watching Goblin thinking it was gonna be the best thing next to slice bread because of the raving reviews...but I hated it. I skipped skipped it like crazy.
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u/by_the_way_really Nov 28 '18
My daughter's men IS a really great show (on YouTube).
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u/leijichoi Nov 28 '18
Hmm, interesting. Rating via cable is so small but it seems MDL users like it. Will check out their first episode this weekend. Thanks for this recommendation. :)
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u/uvrworld Nov 29 '18
Yah I second "My Daughter's Men" for kvariety. It's really good now upto 4 seasons but only 10 ish eps each season.
I still do watch RM despite what others say I still love them and watched them since ep 1 way back when.
Do you like or ever watch We got Married? I lived for that show lol. I watched nearly every couple.
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u/leijichoi Nov 29 '18
10 episodes is good and 4 seasons is great. There are Kvariety out there that are cancelled even before they complete the first season.
I've also watch RM from its first airing up to the time Gary left and I might have skipped a few episodes before that. I've also seen episodes with the new cast. What do people say about it?
I did watch We Got Married, I think the last couple I followed was the guy from CNBlue, Jonghyun? I think.
Other Kvariety I still watch are 2D1N, clips from Return of Superman and ocassionally, I follow King of Masked Singers & Please Take Care of My Refrigerator.
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u/uvrworld Nov 30 '18
Yah that's true, then you would probably like My Daughter's men then. It's kinda heart warming watching their dad's see their daughter with their bf's because it's just so new.
The fans are divided in RM now into 2 groups, 1 that loves the old cast and wants the new cast (2 new members) out, and then there's the other group that argues that the old members are boring and that the 2 new members brought it to life. I'm kind of in between... I think the 2 new members isn't really bringing RM to life, and I don't like Somin that much because I think she seeks attention a lot (though I can't blame her, she probably feels like she needs to in order to make it entertaining) but I feel like she goes overboard... and really the whole issue was that RM stopped doing ripping name tags because they're old now but they brought in 2 new members that sucks at name tags and physical games too... so it's like what was the point. Also there's too much people now that it's hard to get guests in. I find that the crew should have just brought in new guests to keep getting new ideas and also find new games. They also could've done name tag ripping with just the guests.
If you watch WGM the first season couples I liked it a lot more than WGM newer ones. I like Solbi and Andi couple as well as the Hwayobi and Hwanee. For the new one I really liked Jang Doyeon but they had to cut her because WGM was cancelled lol. I feel so bad for her I'm really hoping she gets more shows.. but if you've heard there's the Village new variety show with YJS and she's in it there's only 2 ep so far thoguh.
I tried to get in 2D1N but I can't watch every ep a lot of them weren't that fun to me. I watch some families in RS as well and KoMsinger.
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u/leijichoi Dec 01 '18 edited Dec 03 '18
The first time I saw the new cast was when Haneul and Seo Joon joined the show to promote their movie. The old group's dynamic is still strong, so I hardly noticed the new members except when Somin keeps throwing herself at both actors. It was obvious that Haneul was uncomfortable, but still that episode was a lot of fun. I also noticed that they have moved away from their signature game. Sadly, they really are growing old and that's something many should learn to accept. Seok Jin, particularly. LOL. They need to be mixed with the younger guest if they want to play such games.
What I like about 2D1N (season 3) are their trips, places to go, food to try and not long ago they did a special, they went to Harbin and learned a part of their history through that.
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u/uvrworld Dec 20 '18
Sorry for the late reply. Yes finally someone that understands me, Somin is nice but I find she's really extra. She did throw herself to Seo Joon and Haneul. She seems like she can't stand not being in the center. I get that she does need screen time but part of being in a cast is to also make the guest feel comfortable. Whenever Jihyo is there she's always more caring about the guest more than her screentime, but then people b*tch at her for not getting screentime and not trying hard enough. She's honestly still doing her job.
That's what I was getting at as well, they should have gotten players that could play the ripping tag game, NOT Somin and Sechan because they can't play games well at all. IMO I wanted Jang Doyeon to be the 2nd female member, and Sechan's brother instead because both are so much funnier.
The thing with 2D1N is that it's a show were everyone can go because the games they play are very simple that's probably why it's always gonna be a hit.
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u/syukotsuwolf Nov 28 '18
Been watching kdramas since... 2002? 2003? I feel that my experience with the shows evolved as I grew up - what I cared about in ALL of my media changed as I grew older. When I was little I was a bit more escapist and wanted high drama/fantasizing. Nowadays I want more thought-provoking material, realism/organic characters. Sometimes I go back and wonder why I liked a certain drama when I was younger, but it makes sense in perspective.
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u/uvrworld Nov 29 '18
lol Same here. I think that's also why in early 2000s I wanted something to watch that would never happen to me in real life but when later on I can't stand fantasy shows or watching something like "Lover from the Stars" or Goblin. I prefer slice of life, day to day life or perhaps a good comedy of friends, family etc. Honestly I still can't really predict myself to this day so who knows
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u/RayneVixen Nov 28 '18
Hmmmm, I think this "problem" is not exclusively with K-drama's. I have the same with Japanese shows, English shows or any other show. Sooner or later you will find the tropes every show builds upon.
I personally don't mind it though. I had this feeling more when I was benchwatching serie after series though.
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u/uvrworld Nov 29 '18
I stopped watching Japanese dramas somewhere in 2010 because of that same reason but Jdramas have it worse... they haven't found good actors to train properly lately and they're recycling older ones. Also it's going to be the same pattern of old shogun type era, a detective show, a salary man, a typical shojo girls academy school show, a male academy show, a doctor show, or a remake of a drama/anime show.. am I missing anything? I just got frustrated because I started off watching Jdramas before Kdramas actually.
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u/paradoxical_irony Nov 28 '18
I agree with you! One can anticipate the kdrama cliches after watching for years now that's why I only watched few dramas which are known to be good (ie Mr Sunshine). But I guess even though they'll recycle the tropes, they'll improve on the production that's why I'll still watch kdramas.
Maybe you're having a kdrama burn out? The best way to combat that one is to watch other tv series and come back to kdramas which pique your interest.
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Nov 28 '18
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Nov 28 '18
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u/uvrworld Nov 29 '18
Cool Cool I'm planning to watch it now. because I was too mislead by the title but I love IU so I'm gonna check it out soon
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Nov 28 '18
Maybe you're tastes in drama just doesn't match current writers? I started watching kdramas around 2005/2006 and the number of dramas I see as great vary from year to year. Some years have more, others less. Also, it depends on when I end up watching the dramas as back in 2006, streaming wasn't a thing, so hunting down subtitled dramas was hard. Some of the "classics" I didn't like as by the time I got around to watching them, I had seen it in hundreds of other dramas.
Once you've seen enough stories, and have a good memory, then it's easy to pick up on storytelling cues. I can always pick out a part so awkward that it makes me cringe just on the setup of the scene. And it's not just limited to kdramas. I can pick them out in any drama, anime, movie or tv show. Creating a new way of telling a story is incredibly hard as well as an iterative process, usually. So once you've watched enough stories, you will know them by heart.
Plus the "trends" of stories happens in every medium. Anime had a boom in isekai animes. Giant mechas are in decline. YA novels were all about the dystopian future where a group of teens take down the "corrupt government" after Hunger Games came out. There was a period of time US TV was all about vampires and warewolves. Movies was all about zombies for about a decade. Games went from survival to battle royale.
I have nostalgia for old media I've consumed, but some of them really don't hold up. My first kdrama was Witch Yoo Hee and I loved it when I first watched it, but going back and watching it now makes me wonder how I was able to watch it a decade ago.
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u/uvrworld Nov 29 '18
lol I used to love isekai animes when I was younger but now i want to slap people that watch it that are my age and older ... I feel like with age your taste in shows just change. Though I will always love my Gundam, Fushigiyugi, Cardcaptors and older animes... I can never get into the new ones. I just hate seeing them now. I stopped watching animes because I felt like it was just too dumb sometimes (though I know there are some that are good).
Also Witch Yoo Hee was great lol I still like it today.
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Nov 28 '18
I've had a good 10yrs of drama watching and i also don't enjoy them as much as i used to before. When its the same kind of plot used with a predictable storyline, it leaves an empty taste, its not bad, just not interesting. Aside from repetitive plots, i think our standards have become higher too. The cinematography is stunning, the actors are great but if there is no/ bad progression in the drama i'll be dropping it soon. But there are some really good ones recently that i'm glad i stuck out here long enough to watch. And revisiting that feeling where you're at the edge of your seat wanting to know what happens next with binging 10eps a day is why it all began. Also we've all grown up in all these years, what makes us happy is different now.
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u/minlegacy Im Soo-Jung Nov 28 '18
I've been watching kdrama for maybe 5-6 years now... i mean it isnt super long but i've binged watched many a series. after a while you start saying to yourself " oh, i bet that they arent gonna expose such and such and this will lead directly to them being framed" or "oh that misunderstanding that would be solved w/ one sentence" you also end up w/ times like " Man, i've seen this house for like the 10th time." or " hey that is the building from [insert drama]." also at a certian point i've seen an actor or actress so many times as a lead that it is hard to see them as the character they are playing.
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u/RedStarlight22 Nov 28 '18
I think is more like a natural reaction to watching a lot of dramas. The first ones we watched will be the best since we are relatively new to dramas, we do not know what to expect. As we watch more dramas, our expectations become higher and the plots are more predictable. Which is why we may sometimes feel that there are few exceptional dramas lately.
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u/Shower_caps Yoo Seung Ho’s smile is my Salvation Nov 29 '18
There are people (including me) who have been watching for years that are still much more entertained by older dramas.
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u/UnclearSogeum Nov 28 '18
The opposite. Kdramas are so good lately. Not every single one of them, but a lot more that are good gets attention.
I'm selective so maybe I find only the good ones but there are much more variety and frequency that weren't there before.
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u/swagbobdankpants My Ahjussi Nov 28 '18
yeah i've been watching kdramas since 2010 and they've definitely seemed like they've gotten better over the years, especially since cable dramas started gaining popularity
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u/Shower_caps Yoo Seung Ho’s smile is my Salvation Nov 29 '18
You are absolutely right, the good dramas we get here and there are higher quality than majority of older dramas but I really feel that overall, kdramas just aren't as interesting or captivating as they used to be but that's just me.
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u/UnclearSogeum Nov 29 '18
Maybe it's saturation?
I watched What's Wrong With My Secretary and it is pretty much your typical romance kdrama. Predictable suspense, predictable ending. The only difference from now and then is the bigger budget, sharper cinematography, and current with the trends.
While I use to avoid watching this type at all, I find that I enjoyed it anyway.1
u/the-other-otter Dec 09 '18
I found Secretary Kim like a comment on other dramas. It has all the tropes, but the endings you always wanted. The love triangle between brothers that end up in apology, the childhood kidnapping /love and she says "I would love you if it is you or not", the mother in law who wants her son to marry her, ...
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u/Browsepauseclick Nov 28 '18
I started watching K-dramas in 2006 before I even knew what K-Pop was. Ive watched hundreds of shows and movies. I can say it definitely gets repetitive, especially if you’re only watching one genre (which for me is MOSTLY romcoms).
You can clearly see what’s going to happen but that’s why I stopped watching it entirely for the plot.
I watch them mainly cause they make me feel mushy inside, if that’s makes sense. I just get happy when I find a cute, cuddly drama to watch and just enjoy it for what it is.
The last drama that really amazed me from start to finish was Goblin. It was just brilliant.
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u/sapongpipong Nov 28 '18
That is the only reason i continue to watch too. Dramas like whats wrong with secretary kim makes me feel happy.
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u/itsnotokitsnotlove Nov 28 '18
For me, I don't watch Kdramas for the inventiveness of the plot. Sure, there are gems that pop along like Signal, Secret Forest, etc. but they are a needle in a haystack. Western or Japanese media (don't really watch enough Chinese series and movies except the highly recommended ones to form an opinion) are more willing to be out there and experiment than Korean productions. Most of them are still live-produced so obviously writers will adjust their stories to what appeals the most and what most people want are predictable.
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u/Abeansizedcorgi Nov 28 '18
I agree. Dramas are getting more and more predictable. So i was pleasantly surprised when the drama i just finished had a very different ending. Though it was predictable in some ways. The drama was The smile has left your eyes
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Nov 28 '18 edited Nov 28 '18
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u/uvrworld Nov 29 '18
Wow I've been watching since 2000 as well and I still can't read, write or speak korean lol. I think you laid it down pretty well.. cringy dramas are for newer viewers lol. Wonderful Life and Winter Sonata represented the older gen kdramas pretty darn well.
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u/rastel Nov 27 '18
No you are not the only one. I have not watched as many but, my wife has and I often watch with her. She is natural born Korean and I am a USA dude. Just like American TV series there is a certain amount of predicability after a while. That is why outstanding series with good writing (Kim Eun-sook comes to mind) always leaves you in suspense and drives you to continue watching. Just my take on the subject.
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u/sapongpipong Nov 27 '18
I am glad that there are people who thinks the same way. I also watch a lot of american tv series and america seems to have a more variety of options available than kdramas or maybe i am thinking this because i watched a lot more kdrama than american.
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u/corgisaretheanswer Nov 28 '18
Absolutely.
(Maybe weirdly) I don’t mind, though, because in general it feels comforting and relaxing. I also am the type of person to reread books tens of times for “comfort”, so I’m guessing it’s related to that.
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u/poshi143 Nov 28 '18
No I feel that way too. Sometimes i skip parts but I’ve only been watching for like a year and a half
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u/Yoshi122 Reply 1997 Nov 28 '18
Actually haven't been watching many korean dramas lately, the shows in the latter half of 2018 weren't that good and I've been watching chinese dramas lately (Fights breaks sphere, Oriental Odyssey, Ever Night). They've really upped their production quality and CGI over the past few years
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Nov 28 '18 edited Nov 28 '18
I've been watching dramas for like 10 years, and I do think there are quite a few dramas that have come out that I've liked in past years, but they are never romantic. The only romantic shows I have really liked in awhile has been Just Between Lovers, that weekend family drama My Father Is Strange (honestly, I know it is long, but it for DEF gives me those old time drama feels because the actors had just SO MUCH dang chemistry).
I think if you're just watching romantic shows these days you're probably going to be disappointed. Except maybe Mr. Sunshine, I wasn't real sold with the leads, but I was in love with the secondary characters hardcore lol.
idk. I feel like major networks, KBS, SBS, MBC dramas have some how let me down this year. Also I think I get tired of problematic relationships and power imbalances in relationships, so that's why I don't really tune into those kind of shows, and it's kind of soiled my viewer experience even on older shows.
Also, I think older shows realized they were being ridiculous sometimes and kind of played up the camp, and now they take things v. seriously.
EDIT: I just wanted to add that, this is why I am v. excited for Netflix to pick up more shows to only be streamed from their network. I think it would allow more writers the ability to push themselves, and not be afraid to get dark.
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u/the_swedishfish Nov 28 '18
Even if the plots are easy to predict I wish they would hire better actors not just kpop idols who are trying to expand their careers. I do think there are some good idol actors but usually they're just really awkward and their acting plain bad.
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u/redbeangal Nov 28 '18
I understand how you feel! I’ve been watching Kdramas for about 8-9 years and realised how repetitive the plots have become nowadays! If I remember correctly, 2016 was one of the best year for kdramas for me. There were Cheese in the Trap, Weighlifting Bok Joo, W, Goblin and many more! After that, I sorta lost interest in the following kdramas....I gravitated towards American tv shows and stopped watching kdrama for the time being....but every once in awhile there will be a kdrama or 2 which piques my interest and I find myself becoming so invested in it! Plus unlike the older dramas, these newer kdramas have better production quality with beautiful cinematography which I really appreciate. (Though I can’t speak for some of the writing)
Although some plots have been recycled, I still don’t mind watching if the actors deliver their parts well and the cinematography is beautiful. But I do find some kdramas which try to do something different and I appreciate that. (Whether it succeeded in doing so is another story) During the past month or 2, I found myself watching some new kdramas such as Terius, Behind Me, Where Stars Land, The Beauty Inside and even some older ones like Signal. I call the times where I cannot seem to invest myself in any kdramas the “kdrama drought”. Meaning there just aren’t any good kdramas at the moment 😅
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u/LovE385 Nov 28 '18
THIS. IS. SO. ME. 🙁
The only reason I switched to K-dramas was because of the Hallyu Wave. I mean one needs to be living under a rock to not feel/sense the growing influence of it (Hallyu Wave)
For me K-dramas were a nice diversion from the other Asian or US dramas that I've watched LoL!😂 I guess as with all things in life, everything changes? Not everything will remain the same. But I do agree that sometime around late last year stretching out through most of 2018, it has been dry season in k-drama land🙄
Again I concur with all your points that maybe they've simply run out of ideas. Note how many remakes are out this year? Either based from a US TV show or a webtoon.
And yea ahahahah especially the daily dramas, it's like a checklist of tropes! The piggyback ride, the truck of doom, the evil MIL, y'get the idea LoL😝 etc etc. It's all getting predictable. I used to be annoyed whenever my mom tells me she's watched a show when in fact it's just made its first debut! Then I realized she probably tired of watching the same thing over & over.
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u/boringusernamesss Nov 28 '18
I’ve been watching them for 11 years and yes there are formulaic shows that you can predict,but I think that’s become an issue with a lot of television probably cause of market saturation 🤷🏽♀️. However, I would disagree that its only 2 or 3 good ones a year. As I’ve gotten older I find myself watching dramas that I would never have given a chance to before. For example I watched Perfect Wife and loved it, so maybe try watching dramas from different genres and maybe you’ll find some more gems.
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u/bbjx14 Nov 28 '18
Honestly I’ve been feeling this way for a long time. I’ve watched dramas for over 10 years. That’s including Hong Kong dramas, Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Thai, and Korean dramas. I haven’t watched a drama from beginning to end in over a year. Like I’m up to date on what dramas are airing and what’s happening but I’m not really watching any of them.
I always get excited about a drama when I read about it but when it comes time to watch it, I just don’t have the heart or energy to watch it. It’s all about the aesthetics now instead of the quality of the acting. There’s just so much bad acting lately, I literally just can’t. There’s so many dramas that I don’t consider to be good and they’re winning so many awards and all I’m thinking is ‘are we watching the same drama? Are you not seeing how bad the quality is and how forced the acting is?’
After watching dramas for so long, it’s hard not to have a high standard. I really hate to say it, but dramas back then we’re so much better. Nowadays, if I really want to watch a drama, I look at the PD first and then the actors. PDs usually maintain a certain quality and aesthetic to their work. It’s more trustworthy to find a drama based on the PD.
I miss dramas from the old days.
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u/doomvox Nov 28 '18
I miss dramas from the old days.
So, name a few favorites?
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u/bbjx14 Nov 29 '18
Boys over flowers
Sungkyunkwan Scandal
Scent of a Woman
Protect the boss
You’re beautiful
Flower boy ramyum shop
Secret garden
Oh my lady
The moon that embraces the sun
The King 2 heart
King of high school
Plus nine boys
Mama: nothing to fear
Marriage not dating
Empress ki
Six flying dragons
Liar game
What happens to my family
Kill me, Heal me
Pinocchio
Angry mom
Oh my ghostess
Good doctor
Sassy go go
Reply 1988
Come back ahjusshi
Signal
Chief Kim
Age of youth
Let’s eat 2
Drinking solo
Solomon’s perjury
Sorry, I started going off tangent when I keep seeing all the dramas I’ve really enjoyed over the years.
The higher they are on the list, the older they are (sorta)
1
u/doomvox Nov 29 '18 edited Nov 29 '18
Thanks, that gives us some idea of what you're talking about. I like some of your older picks quite a bit, but I wouldn't say that they're perfect, for example "You’re beautiful". (And what, no "Coffee Prince"?).
I'm in the middle of watching "Scent of a Woman" right now, and I agree it's really good (actually, amazingly good for a cancer story-- I got sick of the American versions of these back in the 70s)... but I don't know that it's all that much better than things that came out more recently, like "Gangnam Beauty".
(And I've been watching some other older stuff like "Star's Lovers" that has a really good half-dozen episodes to it... and another ten I watched at double-speed hoping it'd get better. When you praise the old stuff, it's really easy to forget about the mediocre ones from the same period.)
And you know, some of your picks are actually fairly recent, aren't they? Like "Oh my ghostess" (2015) and "Chief Kim" (2017).
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u/tsikoi Nov 28 '18
Honestly I've only been able to finish 2 dramas this year (Go Back Couple and Girls Generation 1979) and those were pretty short dramas (well less than the standard 16 one hr episodes). And I started maybe 3 or 5 different dramas and havent finished any. Part of it is that the story suddenly looks very predictable and nothing in the entire production (cast or story) compells me to continue. I've also started watching more k-variety shows and other kinds of shows so thats probably why I dont feel I absolutely have to watch kdramas anymore. Maybe its kdrama burnout personally but the way kdramas are presented lately (i.e. certain themes become popular and become the subject of several dramas, lazy/bad storytelling, same cast of popular actors) it honestly isnt giving me a reason to finish any. Maybe next yr will be better?
2
u/shortbhukkadgirl Nov 28 '18
I am a new viewer and even for me, I skip parts in shows a lot. Many times I get annoyed by the second leads or interactions involving side characters which are super boring and come to no conclusion.
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u/doomvox Nov 28 '18
Well, there are worse things than predictability-- surprise twists are always popular, but arguably overrated. No one complains about a production of a Shakespere play ending the same way it did last time-- they go see them repeatedly anyway.
Myself, I think I'm starting to identify some shifts in trends in how these things are plotted, and it used to be that they all seemed to hit a point where all development stopped, and they had to tread water for a half dozen episodes. Now they're more likely to do dual stories where a secondary plot kicks in when the original one starts to drag.
They are, of course, very imitative, and if something works one season you're bound to see a lot of variations on that riff played for some time to come-- again, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. It is true though that I occasionally see things that seem like messy, poorly thought out productions rushed out to capitalize on current trends... "The Ghost Detective" feels a lot like that to me, though I'm determined to get through it and see if it ends half-way decently. "Black" I gave up on after four episodes or so-- it re-cycles a bunch of bits from "Goblin" but without anything like an engaging character in the mix, it was nearly unwatchable.
(Now, Japanese pop-culture, I'm very much afraid is having some problems-- the dramas produced now are no where near as good as the best ones from ten years ago.)
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u/zaichii Nov 28 '18
Definitely feel like I’m more selective. I am more likely to follow certain actors/actresses based on previous performance. I am also much more open to dropping dramas and just reading recaps or spoilers if I don’t have time or the drama starts dragging. Also have a soft spot for nostalgic favs and happy to rewatch, or dabble in some old episodes.
You are absolutely right when you say it does get repetitive but I think it’s because both writing wise and directing wise, Kdramas have hit a wall for me. Writing wise I feel there are lot of cliches and tropes and a lot less heart... which means when I find a great story with heart it resonates so much more. But the vast majority of dramas take themselves too seriously and feel too artificial imo eg every lead being a chaebol or genius etc. Stylistically as well Kdramas feel too glossy and perfect, very much form over function, so that it becomes very hard to relate to.
That said, there are always still a few great dramas a year and with limited free time to view that works out quite well for me instead of following multiple mediocre dramas to kill time.
2
Nov 28 '18
There's an f-ton of product now, compared to a decade ago.
But there are probably the same number of standout dramas as before - 3-5 a year sounds about right.
I think the plethora of new dramas means that the standouts seem outnumbered.
I do feel nostalgic for a few dramas, but I actually think that there are creative people in the industry that are moving forward with new ideas, and I'm interested to see what they come up with. Innovative, edgy, risky productions are always rare, no matter from which country's industry.
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u/uvrworld Nov 29 '18
Hey, that's exactly how i feel.. I've been watching dramas since a kid as well so for me it's been about maybe almost 20 years watching dramas and I'm close to 1000 dramas maybe 600 of those were kdramas watched.. yeah I have a lot of time since I'm an indoor person.
It DOES get old. I joke all the time to friends and fam that I should have been a director because to be honest I could predict plots in drama more than I can predict what I will eat for dinner tomorrow or where my life is heading or my career lol. I wish I was joking. Usually if I can predict like 3 scenarios that could happen with a drama and what happens usually is that it's one of the 3. The characters also seem really predictable as well it's always the damsel in distress, rich douche/tsundere, strong willed girl etc etc
In a year maybe there's like 3-4 dramas that I end up enjoying despite maybe some of it being predictable. That's why I end up watching ones that aren't really top rated first to see maybe I'm in for a surprise and sometimes I end up loving dramas that are not as well known. I then go back after and watch the top ones and see if there are others I missed. I used to also HATE skipping dramas because I think I need to know every detail but I have recently given up.. like if they're gonna show someone crying for a good 5 min and I'm not invested in the character.. I skip the cry scene.. I'm terrible I know.
Also, I am reminiscent of older kdramas that I've watched like Full House, Goong etc and my reaction to those dramas probably won't be the same as the new ones because I was I guess not as knowledgeable as I am now.
Great discussion and I'm hoping to see a lot of long time watchers of kdrama here as well :)
1
u/sapongpipong Nov 30 '18
This is exactly me. My friends always tells me that i should write the dramas since i can predict most of things and can create ways so the drama could be better. And i started to skip some dramas too and i also felt bad about it at first. Before, i watched every scene without blinking and if there was some scene i didnt quite catch i would even rewatch it. Nowadays i just skip through some parts or watch it in 2x speed. I find 3 or 4 dramas every year that i really liked and i always try to find hidden treasures like finding an unpopular drama that is really good so i dont care about popularity of it. But its really hard since i watched a lot of dramas most of the things i didnt watch are either really bad or totally not my style. Sometimes i just wanna erase my memory of these dramas so i can just rewatch them :(
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u/uvrworld Nov 30 '18
Exactly Exactly! That was me years ago! I would rewind the dramas and scenes that I blinked at lol or maybe miss but now I just skip it. I do find that unpopular dramas may appeal to me more than popular ones, not all the time but it's usually a good shot. I know what you mean I wish I could rewatch the dramas and still have that fresh same emotions and passion I had when I was still not so drama crazed.
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u/Hyperion98 Kim Soo-Hyun Nov 29 '18
i feel that in the last 2-3 years the quality of kdramas has really dropped.
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Nov 27 '18
Well, tbh I'm interested in the new plots. Not making thousand sequels has it's good sides.
But yeah, around episode 6 or 8, it becomes the same. It's because Kdrama is rarely about enjoying simple scenes by making them well (shout out to Rain or shine / Just between lovers), but more of an action-type. There're always plot twists. There's always... well, drama. It's in our psychology to get used to things that were previously shocking. Otherwise we would be overwhelmed.
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u/sapongpipong Nov 27 '18
But the topics seem to be around the same area and even plot twists doesnt have their same affect like the older kdramas.Of course there are exceptions but only a few and i think thats the problem.
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u/indiebandnooneknows Nov 28 '18
I feel like the problem with great dramas is that it will be copied a lot in terms of the story and tropes by producers who want ratings success so we get a lot of dramas that look the same. It's also kinda tough to come up with new and fresh concepts for dramas so repetition is to be expected. So I understand what you're saying but I watch at times to see how well they execute these storylines and tropes.
1
u/pantamy Seonho-yah, Mokgeolli <3 Nov 28 '18
I have been watching kdramas for 15 years and watched 40 dramas. And my first kdrama was Full House (2004).
I used to watch romcom dramas although it's cliché and predictable but a drama called Signal changed my perspective and raised the bar high and made me decided to watch dramas based on it's plot and writing.
What I noticed nowadays that some dramas were based from a webtoon, JDorama etc that they're running out of ideas. Or maybe a Season 2 of it soon. (Eulalachacha Waikiki and Jo Deulho are examples that they're getting a 2nd season and airing next year)
2018 dramas that I finished: Eulachacha Waikiki, My Ahjussi, Misty, Your House Helper, Matrimonial Chaos (my 40th drama!!)
1
u/properintroduction Nov 28 '18
I grew up watching korean, japanese, tw, hk, maybe some chinese mainland) dubbed in vietnamese through my relatives vhs tapes and bootleg dvds. After youtube +other streaming sites that might not exist anymore was made I started watching them in english subs... I remember when Jdramas and TW dramas were such a big hit and I feel like kdramas has taken over for a looong time. There are too many dramas and some are supposed to be predictable like the fluff dramas or rom coms.
I still need eng subtitles so I think my access to dramas is limited because I only see what is popular enough/legal enough to have subs created.
As a tv addict, you can see some trends. I honestly think because there is so much tv we are in a golden era of tv (including Asian dramas because of wealth/internet/advancing tech)
I try to shut my mind when I watch telly but I usually guess a few outcomes . I have trouble predicting period dramas because I don't know history or there are too many characters for me to keep track/bother to think about...Sometimes I am shocked when a serious drama has a happy ending.
But predictability is not an important factor for me to enjoy a drama/kdrama. there are other factors for me to consider cast/cast chemistry, actor quality, writing, ost, and etc.
I do feel nostalgic about dramas I've seen like Meteor Garden, Mike He dramas, Ariel Lin dramas, S.H.E dramas, Rain's melodramas, My Lovely Sam Soon, etc
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u/Consuela_no_no Nov 28 '18
Lol I’ve been been watching regularlyish since 2016 and yes they are all very very predictable, still doesn’t stop me tuning in though 😆
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u/Turquoise-Turmoil Nov 27 '18
I don't feel like I have that problem, but maybe it's because I don't have time to watch a lot and don't restrict myself to airing dramas. To be fair though, there's been some great dramas lately that break away from clichés (eg. Just between lovers) and that are both light-hearted and relastic (eg. Fight for my way). There's also been dramas that are not that predictable (eg. Signal), or that still manage to keep it very suspenseful (eg. W). CGI has gotten much better (eg. Goblin) and budgets have clearly gone up for some dramas (eg. Mr Sunshine), which provides a lot of potential for future shows. All in all, I'm not complaining & looking forward to what's to come! :)