Classic kdrama level

[Lmangla]

It is May! many of you may have been watching kdramas for years but some are newbies. here's a poll to test your classic kdrama level. according to social experts, the hallyu wave really took off with winter sonata in 2002. for many, their tryst started with boys over flowers in 2009. we are going to be looking at top dramas from 2000-2010 to see how many dramas you know. (we will do the next decade in another poll). names were based on ratings and buzz. due to tech restrictions (this poll can only hold 60 names), the entire list cannot be accommodated.

 

* Please select the level (the poll is tech limited and cannot calculate the result for you); you can also share your result in the thread

 

Levels:

Kindergarten – I have never heard of these dramas (less than 15 names)
Middle school – I actually watched a few (less than 25 names)
High school – I know and have watched many of these dramas (40 names and more)

 

so here's the full list (10 per year); do you know enough classics to be a master?

Level: (graduated)

Give me a diploma! - 50 names and more
Give me a Masters! - 75 names and more

 

* Check the full list -- it might have some of your favorites that were not included in the poll (for tech reasons):

Spoiler

2000==

All about eve (2000)
mr duke (2000)
popcorn (2000)
Juliet's man (2000)
Great great (2000)
Emperor Wang Gun (2000)
Honesty (2000)
Secret (2000)
Nonstop (2000)
Tomato (1999)

 

2001==

Autumn in my heart (2001)
Beautiful days (2001)
Hotelier (2001)
Empress Myeongseong (2001)
Delicious proposal (2001)
Life is beautiful (2001)
Guardian Angel (2001)
Law firm (2001)
Four sisters (2001)
Sangdo (2001)

 

2002==

Winter Sonata (2002)
Successful story of bright girl (2002)
Glass slippers (2002)
My love Patzzi (2002)
We are dating now (2002)
Loving you (2002)
Romance (2002)
Miss mermaid (2002)
Ruler of your own world (2002)
Shot for the stars (2002)

 

2003==

Dae Jang Geum / Jewel in the palace (2003)
Summer Scent (2003)
Attic cat (2003)
All In (2003)
Stairway to heaven (2003)
Damo (2003)
Love letter (2003)
My fair lady (2003)
Let's go to school (2003)
Punch (2003)

 

2004==

Full House (2004)
sweet 18 (2004)
Save your last dance for me (2004)
Lovers in Paris (2004)
Sorry I love you (2004)
Snow white (2004)
She is nineteen (2004)
Love story in Harvard (2004)
Emperor of the sea (2004)
What happened in Bali (2004)

 

2005==
Sassy girl Choon-Hyang (2005)
Green Rose (2005)
My Girl (2005)
My name is Kim Sam Soon (2005)
Be strong Geum-soon! (2005)
Biscuit teacher and star candy (2005)
Lovers in Prague (2005)
Wonderful life (2005)
Love to kill (2005)
Sad love story (2005)

 

2006==

Goong (2006)
Unstoppable High Kick (2006)
Vineyard man (2006)
One fine day (2006)
Spring waltz (2006)
Which star are you from (2006)
Hwang Jin Yi (2006)
What's up Fox? (2006)
101st Proposal (2006)
Bad family (2006)

 

2007==

Coffee Prince (2007)
Goong S (2007)
Hello! Miss (2007)
Jumong (2007)
Golden bride (2007)
I hate you but its fine (2007)
Thank you (2007)
Time between dog and wolf (2007)
Bad couple (2007)
Queen of the game (2007)

 

2008==

East of eden (2008)
Temptation of wife (2008)
Who are you? (2008)
Hong Gil Dong (2008)
Gourmet (2008)
You are my destiny (2008)
Women of the sun (2008)
Yi San (2008)
Last scandal (2008
Winter bird (2008)

 

2009==

Boys over flowers (2009)
Smile you (2009)
Queen Seondeok (2009)
Shining inheritance (2009)
Iris (2009)
Return of Iljimae (2009)
My fair lady (2009)
Sons of sol pharmacy (2009)
You are beautiful (2009)
Accidental couple (2009)

 

2010==

Chuno (2010)
Giant (2010)
My girlfriend is a gumiho (2010)
King of baking (2010)
Cinderella's sister (2010)
Coffee house (2010)
Personal taste (2010)
Playful kiss (2010)
Fugitive: plan B (2010)
Secret garden (2010)

 

 

tag your chingus here! show off your level and let us know what are the classics that you keep coming back to. was it one of these classics that started your kdrama journey? what is it you enjoyed or didn't enjoy about these classics? was there not enough shower or abs scenes? kekekek... what made you giggle about them? the truck of doom? the random bouts of amnesia or some terminal disease? let us chat about have some fun.

 

tagging some friends from other threads @angelangie @LyraYoo @bebebisous33 @Jillia @Berou @stroppyse @triplem @YoungatHeart_ @Go Seung Ji @LavelyShai @phikyl @packmule3 @Ameera Ali @Lawyerh @cenching @kokodus @partyon @nrllee @rolisrntex @Ldy Gmerm @thistle @celebrianna @LeftCoastOppa @maribella @chococarmela @tulip06 @Sushimi @calledtoteach @sgfan @brooksmom @africandramalover @ktcjdrama @dramaninja @marrez1 @jeijei @tas82 @joccu @nana4ever @kiefshi1056 @sasha1818 @Takingthehighroad @dulceres @yukiyukiku @sadthe1st @lolly84 @Sejabin @staygold @Dhakra @rocher22 @kaykafisyah @kdramafan1 @shana0127 @maribella @hahanzyy @000231846597 @oktatwork ......

Edited May 1, 2020 by Lmangla
clarifying level result

[yukiyukiku]

i did the poll, but im confused with the result

it didnt show me my level...juts the poll %

perhaps im missing a step, but i cant go back now

[Lmangla]

so had watched a few kdramas before but the one that really sucked me into kdramas was this one: bright girl's success. it was cute, funny, emotional and the romance was surprisingly grounded.

 

 

funny fact: it was jang nara's early role and she was too shy to kiss jang hyuk. so the PD cheated in the kiss scene with a far off camera angle and just turn of the head! LOL. we finally saw them kiss in fated to love you and she hilariously said that she wasn't sure why she was so shy then.

 

 

 

[Lmangla]

15 minutes ago, yukiyukiku said:

i did the poll, but im confused with the result

it didnt show me my level...juts the poll %

perhaps im missing a step, but i cant go back now

the poll is kind of limited in its tech capabilities -- so it won't automatically calculate your result %. so I had entered the level for those who wanted to share (you basically have to manually know how many you clicked on). but you can share your level, the classics you loved with a post here on this thread. ...

 

 

11 minutes ago, angelangie said:

 

hahahha what is heard but never watch? 

 

there is another that i love and u dont have it 'Snow White'   

kekeke... there are many who have never watched any of them; bad fashion choices, no hot oppas! LOL... but they may still be aware of these names. thats why I mentioned heard but never watch just in case. the full list has snow white (2004). I am betting you are a master level. aren't you?

[mocha]

i've only watched boys over flowers 

[joccu]

so my level is high school. The first K-dramas dramas that I watch were Full house and boys over flowers.  I have to thank Rain(BI) for introducing me to Kdramas.

[Lmangla]

2 minutes ago, Sushimi said:

2000-2004..I’m still at the age of single digit so nope. I failed in drama school. 

time to move up levels? hahahah...

[partyon]

@Lmangla What a fun poll! Question: How come Something Happened In Bali is not on the list? I would definitely call it one of the most memorable / shocking dramas of 2004.... 

[Lmangla]

here are dramas from the classic list that can be defined as: I am losing my brain cells but I can't stop watching.

 

classic: Boys over flowers (2009)

when I first heard the title, I was kind of confused by the name. first, most girls aren't that crazy over flowers anyways and so wouldn't their choice be boys anyway? yea, this is what happens when your brain is too logical. if you know what is the story behind the drama's name, let me know. so I had vaguely watched meteor garden but I had been kind of bored and not impressed. anyways, I checked out boys over flowers. even though the plot was sheer stupidity, you can't help but be charmed, laugh and keep watching.  lee min ho's hair -- did anyone else wonder how long it took to style those curls? waaah, he really was so much fun to watch!

 

 

 

 

classic: winter sonata (2002)

the synopsis made no sense to me and so I had put off watching. finally, out of curiosity, I checked it out and understood why it was the drama that made people fall in love with kdramas. the plot, I repeat is ridiculous. hahahaha... you keep thinking "why am I watching this nonsense story that makes no sense" but you are enjoying yourself too much to stop. LOL.  the cinematography is really beautiful and if there is a soundtrack that makes you think of winter, this is it.

 

 

what would be your pick for classic dramas with nonsense plots but really addictive watch?

[Lmangla]

17 minutes ago, partyon said:

@Lmangla What a fun poll! Question: How come Something Happened In Bali is not on the list? I would definitely call it one of the most memorable / shocking dramas of 2004.... 

lack of space as the poll cannot show more than 60 options and so I had to trim the list; what happened in bali is in the full list -- those have top 10 dramas from each year. and yea, I never watched something happened in bali after I heard of the ending. I was like "what? nope, not watching that!"

[partyon]

9 hours ago, Lmangla said:

lack of space as the poll cannot show more than 60 options and so I had to trim the list; what happened in bali is in the full list -- those have top 10 dramas from each year. and yea, I never watched something happened in bali after I heard of the ending. I was like "what? nope, watching that!"

 

lol It's actually a pretty good drama, and it has some of the most famous leads: So Ji Sub, Ha Ji Won and Jo In Sung.

Jo In Sung was especially memorable with his crazy antics scenes...

It was probably one of the most talked about dramas in the forums the year it aired, so I was just surprised it wasn't on this list.

Despite the ending (don't look it up if you don't know) I think it's definitely worth a watch. There have been discussions during the last few years that a remake is in the making, but I am not sure anyone of the younger generation actors can capture Jo In Sung's complex character as well as Jo In Sung did.

 

EDIT: In my opinion, the ending fits the drama.

[Lmangla]

2 minutes ago, angelangie said:

lols i put myself in middle school hahahhaa......well i didnt go for oppa then.....it was so hot for oppa u know....it whether the drama appeal to you or not

am dying of laughter on reading "too hot for oppa" ... but I get what you mean. I am too fickle. even with an actor I like, I can't be bothered to watch or keep watching if the drama doesn't interest me. I am not a good fan

[dramaninja]

I be honest I dont know the vast majority of these,But In my defense I am a young man of 30. 

[Lmangla]

25 minutes ago, dramaninja said:

I be honest I dont know the vast majority of these,But In my defense I am a young man of 30. 

LOL ... does being a master mean we are.... ajummahs?

 

 

don't break our hearts; the lockdown is tough enough!

[sadthe1st]

omo i’m really shocked i fell into the kindergarten range  i must say that during the 2000’s singapore actually imported more japanese dramas than korean dramas.. i vaguely remembered watching this jap drama series Power Office Girls where the actresses were in white and blue uniforms.. as for kdramas.. i know autumn in my heart and winter sonata were super popular but i wasn’t too caught up with it

Spoiler

song hye kyo kept calling song seung heon oppa.. and i felt goosebumps at that time hahaha no way!!

i remembered there was another kdrama Fantasy Couple or something.. by Han Ye Seul.. her fiance has a fish called.. Nemo.. no! haha not Nemo.. i forgot the name, but the plot to murder her was cos of that fish  of cos, Secret Garden was an all time favorite too! i love Ha Ji Won with her stuntgirl image and Hyun Bin in that blue bling bling trainer jacket haha! then after that its all about Park Shin Hye..

Kdrama really has evolved over the years.. (that makes me feel old now) hahaha and i really appreciate this forum too!! 

[partyon]

11 minutes ago, Lmangla said:

LOL ... does being a master mean we are.... ajummahs?

 

Hey, nothing wrong with being an ahjumma! We can love all our "oppas" - even the ones that are younger than us.  

 

 

 

[000231846597]

To be frank, although I know most of the dramas here, I did not watch a lot of them because of the genre. Even I was interested in some of these, there were no local tv stations broadcasting them, and often times the video rental store don't have them too. [That was way before online streaming was available.]

 

EDIT: The only 3 Kdramas above that I don't know:

• Popcorn (2000)
• Loving You (2002)
• Emperor of the sea (2004)

 

Edited May 1, 2020 by 000231846597

[Lmangla]

3 minutes ago, sadthe1st said:

i remembered there was another kdrama Fantasy Couple or something.. by Han Ye Seul.. her fiance has a fish called.. Nemo.. no! haha not Nemo.. i forgot the name, but the plot to murder her was cos of that fish  

this sounds so hilarious but addictive... reminds me of picasso from gracious family. I have forgotten most of the drama but still know the name of the fish.

 

tagging @Ameera Ali and @Lawyerh who loved picasso!

 

[partyon]

5 minutes ago, Lmangla said:

this sounds so hilarious but addictive... reminds me of picasso from gracious family. I have forgotten most of the drama but still know the name of the fish.

 

BEST.FUNERAL.EVER.

 

[Lmangla]

3 minutes ago, 000231846597 said:

To be frank, although I know most of the dramas here, I did not watch a lot of them because of the genre. Even I am interested in some of these, there were no local tv stations broadcasting them, and often times the video rental store don't have them too. [That was way before online streaming was available.]

I actually ended up discovering youtube and other streaming sites because of kdramas. this was back before people even knew what youtube was! there were some really great fan streaming sites that no longer exist and I caught many of those classics because of fan efforts to make it available. sometimes the subs were a little off but there wasn't much to complain when people are putting their heart. those were the days when streaming dramas took real dedication because the net connection was so sloooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww....