Posted on 11/21/2018 7:05:44 PM PST by Republican Wildcat
On October 16, a shocking blow was dealt to the K-drama streaming world when Warner Bros. Digital Networks shut down DramaFever without warning. Formed in 2009, the site licensed international television content with a particular focus on Asian television shows, and Korean ones in particular.
Popular around the world, K-dramas and Korean variety shows have a sizeable audience in the United States, and DramaFever was one of the most popular access points due to its substantial catalog. While not the only site dedicated to bringing Asian content to Americans, its sudden closure has been met with surprise and disappointment from fans, many of whom report being caught off-guard by DramaFever’s demise mid-watch.
...
DramaFever’s primary competitor for years has been Viki. Founded in 2007 and launched publicly in 2010, the Asian television streaming site is currently owned by Japanese company Rakuten and closely operated alongside the English-language outlet Soompi, which predominantly focuses on the Korean entertainment world.
Viki, according to its brand and communications manager Clara Kim, has around 10 million users throughout the Americas with more than 5 million based in the U.S. A media kit on DramaFever's site before its shutdown said it reached around 20 million viewers.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
A big plus - these shows, at least the ones I have watched so far, don't appear to have any hidden agendas in them to promote the leftist political agenda of the day like too many US shows I have tried to start watching only to have to just drop many of them or be disappointed like with shows like Timeless where pointless plots are inserted just to push an agenda - looks like the writers of these Korean shows just want to entertain people regardless of their beliefs (what a concept!).
Anyone else tried "KDrama" before and have any recommendations? If you want to get started and try these as well, if you are into Action / Adventure or Crime Drams I would recommend the series "Healer", "The K2" (this one can be a bit graphic in the violence in places), "Fireman", and "Moorim School".
I can't speak for other types of Korean dramas like purely romance dramas (I guess equivalent of Hallmark or Lifetime shows)...those are not my cup of tea to watch or offer an opinion on.
Two KDrama series that both my wife and I particularly enjoyed were “Signal” and “Tunnel.” They are both kind of crime drama/time travel series and I was sad to see them end they were so good.
As per your participation on 2ndDiv’s devoted kimchi threads. A Korea-related topics Ping! :)
Are these ‘dubbed’ or subtitled?
Heard lots of good comments about the Korean shows.
It is one of the highest-rated Korean dramas in history, and is also considered one of the most significant. Written by Song Ji-na and directed by Kim Jong-hak, it aired on SBS in 1995 in 24 episodes.
A depiction of the tragic relationship among three friends affected by the political and civilian oppression of 1970s and 1980s Korea, the series mixed politics, melodrama, and action. It recorded a peak rating of 64.5%, the fourth highest of all time, and launched its leading trio of Choi Min-soo, Go Hyun-jung, and Park Sang-won into stardom. Its reenactment of the Gwangju Uprising (interspersed with archival video footage) has been called one of the most realistic and memorable moments in Korean TV history.
(Wikipedia)
They are subtitled. As AW said, you get so absorbed in the story, you get used to it quickly.
Thanks much for the reply.
Gee, I hate subtitles.
There’s a BIG market for dubbing international media. Hope someone considers making a buck at doing it for such content.
Subtitled.
Once I got used to that, I believe I would prefer it to dubbing - more natural feeling to hear them speaking in their actual voices vs. another actor talking over them.
Some terms to know - the word “Ajumma” is a formal term to call a married or marriage-age woman, “Sunbae” is a formal term for someone who either holds a senior position or was simply there before you, “Hoobae” is the opposite. They really have no English equivalent which is why they are often not translated and just appear in the subtitles as those words. I was confused at first - I thought they were a person’s name but then when multiple people were being called that I had to look into it.
https://www.viki.com/tv/23730c-healer?locale=en
https://www.viki.com/tv/33954c-naked-fireman?locale=en
https://www.viki.com/tv/27773c-moorim-school?locale=en
https://www.viki.com/tv/31865c-the-k2?locale=en
here are direct links from the website if you are not able to use an app to those shows I mentioned above.
Signal and Tunnel - I believe I saw those on that app. Thanks for the tip! I will try to check those out.
FYI, these are the shows I have watched and really enjoyed so far that I mentioned above:
https://www.viki.com/tv/23730c-healer?locale=en
https://www.viki.com/tv/33954c-naked-fireman?locale=en
https://www.viki.com/tv/27773c-moorim-school?locale=en
https://www.viki.com/tv/31865c-the-k2?locale=en
I really enjoyed one of the plotlines in “Healer” where they have to take on the political establishment and have to use alternative media to get their message out as the establishment keeps blocking news from getting out in their MSM and even spread fake news.
And that power couple in “The K2” has to be at least loosely based on Bill and Hillary Clinton (although again...that show has a few scenes that are just graphically violent...that doesn’t bother some folks - but just a word of warning)
K-Drama is more realistic than Bollywood.
Indian movies have beautifully choreographed dance routines and songs. If you love musicals, you’ll love them. Its an art form.
I love both.
Really, truly, appreciate yoour comment.
I’d, personally, rather have a mediocre dub than a better subtitling.
I’ve put up with subtitles for some foreign classic films, but.
Seems to me someone would find a profit in dubbing foreign media that is so widely praised.
Dubbing is difficult to do because matching spoken English dialogue to foreign mouth movements is complicated.
Easier to follow the original with subtitles.
I would much rather watch with subtitles. When the lip movement does not sync at all with the words said, it drives me nuts and is difficult to understand.
Well, just give it a try for these shows. :-)
once you get into the storyline you truly do stop thinking about it. The trick is to glance down and read quickly then look back up to watch them speaking to each other.
I tend to go for the comedies, and Rom-Coms more.
My favorites are:
My Love From Another Star
A Gentleman’s Dignity
The Master’s Sun
It’s Ok That’s Love
Goblin
” glance down and read quickly then look back up “
Alright, just can’t stand that.
I’ve heard so much praise of thesee foreign shows... someone should dub them! Gotta be money to be made.
Howdy folks - just pinging you to this as another source of shows for the genres we have discussed liking on other threads, plus a place to have the same kind of shows without having the left-wing political narratives thrown in at random to tarnish what otherwise would have been perfectly good shows like is being done with too many shows these days domestically.
You might like Pinocchio and City Hunter if you like crime dramas.
There are “societal messages” In the shows. A lot of characters had simple, small, and cheap weddings and discussed how there was no need for an extravagant wedding.
I took some Netflix bait about seven years ago and haven’t looked back.
I tried a suggestion on that platform and for the first time in my life marathoned a television show.
I like the16 to 20 episode format. I like a lot of the rom coms and that they tell a finite drama. I think too many American shows start out okay and then devolve for the sake of drama.
Come on...just try. LOL. :-)
Thanks for the suggestions - I will keep an eye out for those as well.
I have to agree with your comments on the format as well - you have a definite storyline that doesn’t get muddied up over time (nor threatened by possibility of cancellation which prevent the storyline from ever being concluded).
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