Hello, K-fan world! I’m Lady G.
My foray in the Wonderful World of Kdrama started in December of 2012. I was eager to see the new movie “A Werewolf Boy” playing in Manhattan. Long story short – I loved it, cried, and nearly booed at the bittersweet ending. I ultimately loved it and came home dying to know who this adorable Song Joong Ki was.
I revved up Google and was immediately taken to a website called Drama Fever. (Sadly it has gone out of business as of 2018)
Wow! Drama Fever was filled with tons of Korean…Dramas? What’s that? Back to Google. Oh how cool! Foreign Television programs. Back to Drama Fever, and I clicked on “Nice Guy.”
Fast Forward to the present, and I’ve seen over 100 dramas, counting many Japanese, a smattering of Taiwanese, Chinese and Thai. It would probably be closer to 200 if I count how many shows I started and stopped. If fans are interested in what I like to watch, here are my Drama list pages for
Korean Dramas & Japanese Dramas
Please don’t pay too much attention to my ratings, I don’t always keep up. But if it’s on my list, it means I watched the drama in full and most likely enjoyed it.
I also watch many Korean and other Asian films, but the dramas suck me in the most. They’re far different from American Television. In 2012 I was at a loss. I had literally quit TV. I found solace in watching classic shows from the ’60s-’90s. I was burned out from fan-fiction writing since 2006. For once I wanted someone to tell ME a story.
Kdramas blew my mind so far that I rarely turn on my American stations anymore. For years if I wasn’t watching Kdrama, Jdrama, or Asian movies, I read or wrote and brainstormed ideas for them, blogged, and listened to the marvelous soundtracks every day. (Well, before you think I was cuckoo, that’s in between everything else I have going on in life!)
I’d slowly ingratiated myself into the Kdrama fandom. I tend to do that sometimes with my…ahem…obsessions and have participated in many exciting ventures. I’ve had the privilege of writing blog post reviews both here at The Fangirl Verdict and most recently become a permanent writer for Stuck on Hyuk. A blog dedicated to the great actor Jang Hyuk. I’ve always liked reading many of the Korean themed blogs out there and still keep up when time permits.
I’d gotten to a point where I felt lost watching something in English. I expected subtitles to pop up because my brain expected to hear Korean, and the English sounded foreign to me. It’s incredible how much you pick up by watching the dramas and listening carefully to dialogues. To me, language is first about sound. (Unless of course you use Sign Language.) I think Hangul is beautiful, and I hope I can take the time to seriously study it. Learning a language is fun, challenging, and expands the mind!
If you’d like to know more about my different online activities, check out these sites I run:
Voyagers Guidebook: The Ultimate Picture Fansite
My Voyagers Guidebook Youtube page.
Like reading Fan Fiction for sometimes obscure American Retro Television shows? Check out:
Mrs. Phineas Bogg’s Fanfic Page and G~of the Rivers
Thanks for taking the time to read about me.
~Lady G.
Hello Lady G,
A little while ago I was reading Kfangurl’s fantastic n awesome review of one of my favorite retro dramas “All About Eve”. There she has mentioned that your blog on the drama gave her the necessary push to put it higher on her watch list. She even quoted a snippet of the blog.
So, i now am very interested in reading the whole blog. Where can I read it? Could you please help me as don’t know where to get it? Your help is really appreciated.
Thank you !!
Thank you for your comment on my old “About page!” I think it needs a refresher, but I haven’t written for this blog in years. I am still a Kdrama fan (unfortunately, I can’t give them as much attention as I used to!) and a friend of Kfangurl.
I never had my own KDrama blog, so I went back and re-read her post. She meant my comment inspired her. I made many long, long comments on the Fangirl Verdict before I became a contributor with my stories. She was quoting one of them, Lol. I was always writing, ranting, and raving about this or that. It’s been about 6 years, so I have to remember where the original AAE comment was. I still love that drama. I will check and get back to you if you still want to read it.
Thank you Lady G. for your quick response. If it isn’t a great hassle to you then I definitely want to read it. Or else it’s ok. Taking a note of my comment by you is enough for me.
Thank you.
Hello to both of you !
I am a big fan of your work and dedication to this blog, I would love to hang out with you one day on a nice terrasse and chat about kdramas and k-actors for hours 😍.
I was wondering if after all these years, you went back to some of the first reviews and were like: « oh wow, what was I thinking 🤔 !?! ». After many years of watching kdramas, I felt like my tastes have changed/evolved so much that I wonder how I managed to finish a certain drama, or the opposite, how I did not see the gemme hiding behind.
Cheers !
Hi there aliaghiba, so glad you enjoy the blog! 😀 To answer your question, yes, my drama tastes have evolved over time, so there are definitely dramas that I used to love, that I just don’t enjoy anymore. Oddly, I don’t think that applies in any serious way to the reviews posted, coz I happen to have changed my opinion on shows like Secret Garden (loved it, now I can’t even get through E1!), and I never did get around to reviewing Secret Garden! 😆 Since we’re on the topic, I thought you might find this post interesting. 😉
I followed your link and read through the post like it was brand new. It had great explanations and tips. But it turns out we had a lengthy conversation back in 2013 on it! haha.
Lol. Time flies, doesn’t it! 2013 feels like SO LONG ago!! 😆
Hello Aliaghiba! I’m so sorry for the late, late response. That’s so kind of you. It would be fun to chat with fans over “coffee Americano” or Bubble Tea, or those delicious looking Ice-cream shakes nobody seems to ever finish in Kdrama! With a nice big slice of the Korean fruit cake too. haha.
Since Kfangirl wrote most of the reviews, she can best answer that question. I see she did! In 2014 I wrote a guest review on here for Gong Yoo’s “The Suspect.” Your comment reminded me of it and I went back to read it. I think my writing has definitely improved since. I am also happy with the Dream-Drama stories I wrote so I wouldn’t change them.
Now for the Kdramas … There are certainly Kdramas I that I could never watch again, and there were some I watched 3x! Sometimes I’d watch a drama simply because I loved the actor, and I’d force myself through it even if I didn’t like it. But those days are over. I just simply move on if a drama doesn’t capture my interest after the good old 3 strikes you’re out. My mind’s been on a huge K-drama hiatus and I haven’t seen anything new in a long time. I don’t have the same energy/focus as I used to when I could binge 4 episodes at a time. Fatigue often gets me. It drives me crazy. But I am currently watching two – “Tell Me What You Saw” and “The Item.” I need to get back to them because I actually haven’t even turned on my TV in over a month. I’m pretty much watching short films on Youtube and commentary most of the time these days.
I’m a fan of mysteries and crime Kdrama more than rom-com. It’s my favorite American TV/film genre too. I know eventually, there are one or two Kdramas I may watch because for whatever reason I refused to watch them when they aired. Sometimes I get so stubborn and if a show has too much hype I’m like “Nah, it’ll be fine. I don’t need to watch.”
I remember being new to Kdrama and I would gobble up everything I saw because I was thrilled and enchanted with their style of acting and storytelling and of course their looks. But then my preferences and tastes kicked in and I started to notice the repetitiveness, and the annoying drama tropes or the irritating leading characters (usually female for me, unfortunately.) And as time went on and became limited I became more choosy. But I can say that I am truly a forever fan of Kdrama now. I’m very grateful to have discovered it and made so many online friends and have discussions like these.
Are Kfangurl and Lady G the same person?
Hi, no, Kfangirl runs this blog and writes most of the content. We became friends through my comments online and eventually, she allowed me to share my Kdrama story ideas and we developed a section for them. It was a lot of fun and I hope to go back to it someday when I have the time.
Hi Lady G,
Thank you for your clarifying. I look forward to your future posts.
Cheers,
Oscar
Hey, Lady G.! I’m quite new myself in the Dramaland and really new on this blog, so I wanted to say hi too!
Congratulations on your awesome drama ideas! I’ve had so much fun reading them, especially the tale of the three brothers 🙂 . I haven’t watched Chuno or School 2013 yet (but I am surely getting there), so I’ll re-read your ideas for Chuno Remake and School 2013 Sequel as soon as I watch the original shows 😀
I started out with j-dramas, especially since I really like japanese and I wanted to learn it, but I dropped them for a couple of years because Real Life (kfangurl’s words 😛 ) kept happening. Then I stumbled upon k-drama Secret Garden, really liked it and went on to You’re Beautiful. Then I got derailed again 😛 Now, I am a proud watcher of at least 2 k-dramas (for now, cause I’ll get back to j-dramas soon 😛 ) a week 😀 I have to admit that I would have probably dropped the journey again because I really get busy at work, but talking about the dramas here with other fans and especially with kfangurl is too much fun <3 !
Anyway, Keep up the good work and I just became a fan of your stories <3 !
Hi again! I think you will love this blog. There’s so much to read and look at at. Kfangirl is a wonderful writer and her reviews are awesome.
Chuno is a remarkable drama! So good and one of my favorites. The ideas for Chuno 2 and School 2013 are from Kfangirl. I just added a few bits to the Chuno one. That’s how our blog partnership gradually formed, me goofing off with my very first sorta dream drama starring Gong Yoo. I still Wish that one was real!! And then he first official one starring Kim Woo Bin because he’s Kfangirl’s bias. Loved writing that one because of the sci fi time travel romance aspect.
That’s great you like Japanese dramas. I gradually got used to them and now I love them. Also like Cantonese dramas too. My favorite Jdrama actors are Kitamura Kazuki, Kimura Takuya, Abe Hiroshi. (Yeah, the older guys! Lol)
I’ve become like a Kdrama ahjumma since I wrote this page. But I’ve mellowed out in watching because Real Life definitely took precedence in the last year. So I didn’t master the Korean Language or Hangul like I hoped. LOL. But I understand so much more now.
I like finding older Kdrama gems too ad wind up watching them more than new releases. But I’m always playing catch up.
thanks so much for your support. 😄
Actually, I like this blog so much it’s the only one I come to always 😛 And I agree, kfangurl makes the whole watching and understanding dramas so much more fun and accessible 🙂
I have so many dramas I want to watch! I actually have sticky notes with the names all over my laptop background :)))) I’ll take the time and watch all the dramas kfangurl has recommended so far and the ones on her favourite list. If you have some recommendations too, I’ll gladly receive them 😀
I like japanese dramas especially for the language, but I have’t watched any lately because I am so taken with the korean ones 😛 And I’ll make sure to check the actors you’ve mentioned 😀
Is ahjumma the right term? Maybe Unni would be better 😛 ? I know how Real Life can get in the way of our virtual loves sometimes… Right now, I don’t have an actual plan to learn korean, but I am keeping my ears open and I am trying to pick up as much as I can 😛
It’s been my pleasure reading your joint work so I’m supporting you for myself as well 😛 ! And do recommend dramas you find interesting 😀
Have a lovely week 🙂 !
Hey Lady G,
Welcome to the blog!! This is a little late but I read this blog to find new recs for k-dramas haha (I trust the reviews quite a bit) so thanks and keep up the work! Sending virtual coffee and cookies.
I popped up to recommend two J-dramas haha, since you watch(ed?) some of them, and I noticed that they weren’t on your list. They’re quite good and quite well rated by other sites though (I watched them and enjoyed them). The first is Liar Game (I read the flash review on here, and it wasn’t /that/ good, eep! I haven’t watched the Korean version but the J version was what got me into J-dramas, so, longer comment on the flash review side haha. Really good casting. Really, really good casting and charisma and use of colours to create atmosphere.
The second is Love Shuffle, which also features the male lead from Liar Game (Matsuda Shota), who’s not really a lead this time, and takes a refreshing look at relationships and sex and fidelity, but really is about friendship, I think. Quite feel-good, though sometimes a little illogical. But very-feel good haha. I picked up quite a lot of silly sayings (not sure what the correct word is) from it, such that when I see other people online using it I feel a sense of community. Yay, Panda!
in any case, welcome and I hope you enjoy drama watching!
Hello Chameleonboater!
Thank you for the warm welcome even if it is late. I appreciate it and I’ll enjoy your delicious cookies and coffee. 😀 I can’t say it enough, but Kfangurl’s reviews are completely trustworthy, she puts a lot of heart into them. Even when she doesn’t love a drama, she can still find something good to say about it. That’s where I struggle with review writing. I could rant and rant and be spoilery. Which can be a downer for readers looking for something to watch. She has this writer’s flair for making you interested in a drama without giving away anything important about the plot. Her and I tend to have very different drama tastes, but her reviews are very enticing and I’m usually willing to give something or other a chance. (When my drama plate is not already full! 😉
I heard a lot of comparison between the Jdrama Liar game and the Kdrama remake. I had high hopes for the Kdrama version, it looked really interesting and mysterious and I love Shin Sung Rok. However I still haven’t made it past episode 8. I frankly found the games confusing and boring. I don’t know if that makes me dumb…I was never very good with games. lol But also some things were not gelling with me, even though I liked the three lead actors. I’m willing to give the J-version a shot. Right now I’m watching Samurai Cat/Neko Zamurai, Kitamura Kazuki is one of my absolute favorite Japanese actors and it’s an adorable series if you ever get a chance to pick it up. They also made a movie, and are in the middle of filming a 2nd one.
I can’t say it’s not good, but something like Love Shuffle doesn’t appeal to me. I have a more particular taste when it comes to my Japanese dramas. I tend to stick with the crime-mystery shows like Galileo, Ataru, etc. Sometimes I go for the manga based ones if they’re not too whacky. But I’ll still look it up based on your recommendation. 🙂
Thanks again! And continue to enjoy your drama journey too. A lot of stuff is going on in “Real life” so I’ve kind of been missing from the blog, but I have this huge dream drama in the works for my next post. If you’ve read my first 2, I thank you for your patience. lol
Take care,
Lady G.
My first time reading about Lady G. and loved it — I saw my first Kdrama in late winter 2012, “Miss Ripley,” on Netflix and like Lady G. now want to watch nothing else. I have been hooked a bit longer, but she has learned and seen so much more of it than this 82-year-old. When Netflix did not have some I wanted to see, I began to collect dramas and movies, and then discovered Dramafever, so I do not have to spend so much to get my “fixes.” Wish I had someone to study Korean with!
Hello Miss Ann! It’s so nice to see a comment on my page. Thank you. I was just asking other fans about buying DVDS, there are a select few I’d like to own. But they are so costly. Otherwise, I use Drama Fever, NetFlix, SoompiTV, and Viki. Unfortunately my Korean studies came to a halt for a while, but I’m slowly getting back to it. It’s a fun hobby. I recommend using Pimsleur language learning discs, and there is a great book called “Korean for Beginners” that also has a CDrom to listen to on the computer and cd player. You may be able to get these at your local library.
If it interests you, I finally made a drama list! Here is the list of Korean dramas I’ve seen, maybe something will spark your interest to watch.
http://mydramalist.com/list/W47M6NLv
Take care! All the best to you and many more years of fun drama watching. 🙂