Ask An Ahjumma ~ Spring Episode
MDL's Ask An Ahjumma
Season 2: Episode 0 - Better Late Than Never
Hello there MDLers! Here we are, your favorite ahjummas! We have come forth bringing gifts of baked goods and wholesome vegetables, along with our advice and wisdom. If we seem a bit taken aback in the above picture, it is because we were so surprised to discover some unanswered questions from back when the Ahjummas were on hiatus. So, instead of waiting for new questions to arrive, we have decided to have a special episode in order to reply to these. We hope you enjoy it!
" Hello Ahjummas,
I am a crazzyy fan of korean serials and have watched about 30 serials so far, but now I am out of serials. Please suggest me a good romantic comedy. Friendship, teenage, this type of drama. My first serial was Boys Over Flowers and until now I haven't found its replacement. Help me ahjummas.
Thanks,
CrazyyyyLover, I love Korean romantic comedies too. They're so much fun until someone's birth secret comes out or an evil Omma gets her surveillance photos back. You have some rom com gold just waiting to be discovered on your plan to watch list. Kill Me Heal Me, Marriage Not Dating and Warm and Cozy are all perfect. GO WATCH THEM NOW!!! In my book, Can You Hear my Heart, Protect the Boss and Cunning Single Lady, also on your PTW list, would not be a waste of your time. BUT if you're really looking for that Boys Over Flowers vibe, I'd highly recommend looking into dramas from other countries. You're more likely to find what you're searching for there. BOF was highly popular in Korea but it's really not typical of the Korean rom com genre in a lot of ways.
Thailand: I Wanna Be a Superstar. Here's my review https://mydramalist.com/profile/cityhunter83/review... . This is a great show and a lot of fun and doesn't take itself too seriously.
Taiwan: Down With Love. Another personal favorite. This is a good review: https://mydramalist.com/profile/chaoticlolita/revie...
China: Shan Shan Comes To Eat. People love this show so much that all the positive reviews are like short novels. https://mydramalist.com/profile/Ashvy/review/12473 Give it a try, it's easy to fall in love with.
Japan: Of course I could tell you to go check out Hana Yori Dango but I won't. After the lush production value of Korea's Boys Over Flowers, Hana Yori Dango felt like a theater school production to me. Not awful, but just not up to snuff. (direct your hate mail to GooJunPyo@terribleperms.com ) Instead, I'm going to suggest Last Cinderella. Peep at the review https://mydramalist.com/profile/haha63/review/8380.... This one feels a little weird right at first, but that's pretty much gone by ep. 2.
Unfortunately, no matter how good my recommendations are, it's unlikely that you will ever get back that sense of ultimate delight and wonderment you felt the first time an Asian drama washed over you in all it's exotic glory. Some things in life are fleeting, but that's why we should keep chasing them.
~City Ahjumma
" Hi Ahjummas, I'm looking for some recommendations for Japanese dramas, but I'm not sure whether I have come to the right person or not since you seem to be focusing on Korean dramas more than Japanese ones. I might be wrong, though. ^^ But, if you do have an interest in Japanese dramas, please let me know as I have tons of questions to ask. :P
Thank you,
bluesilhouette,
I have a definite interest in Japanese dramas, and will be willing to answer any questions as well as I can! :) As for recommendations, it really depends on what you like. With that said, I will always recommend Nobuta wo Produce; it's funny, sweet, and sometimes painful. It's all wrapped up in a heartfelt package that appeals even to someone like me, who usually avoids dramas that have too many "feels". ;) Yamada Taro Monogatari is another sweet one that should also make you laugh.
Want something that'll just make you feel happy?-- Juhan Shuttai! fits the bill.
If you're more into serious suspense themes, Bloody Monday and Mirai Nikki will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Want romance?-- good luck, with J-dramas; but Love Shuffle should help out, and Sekai Ichi Muzukashii Koi is adorable. Second Love is also good for mature audiences who want a serious, semi-realistic story.
If you're in the mood for mystery, try the Galileo series.
For comedy, Fuben na Benriya and Kisarazu Cat's Eye are hilarious!
Psychological: Subete ga F ni Naru gets more screwed up the further you watch it, whereas Liar Game is lighter but still gives you something to consider.
Serious detective/cop dramas: Unfair, Ishi no Mayu, Mozu.
Straight-up drama: My Girl, Bara no nai Hanaya. The list goes on.
~Nihon Ahjumma
" Dear Ahjummas,
Can you recommend me a drama where main female character ends up with the guy who was her friend from the beginning, or he was nice to her? I saw enough dramas with bad jerks and I'm tired of them. Please recommend me something. Like Reply 1997 (actually all dramas of this series), Ex-Girlfriend Club or The Time We Were Not In Love - these dramas come to my mind when I think about it.
Thank you,
Klaudia "
Dear Klaudia,
Hmmm..Believe it or not, that is a rather tough one. The male lead with a bad attitude is one of, if not the, most popular kind of role in most dramas. I am a real sucker for male leads like that, but like you, I have seen it so many times that I am quite sick of it. Luckily, though, I can give you a couple of recommendations with ‘Nice Guy’ male leads.
Good Doctor is one I really enjoyed. Joo Won plays a doctor with savant syndrome, which is an autism spectrum disorder. His character was never a jerk. On the contrary, he is probably the sweetest male character I have seen in Dramaland. He develops a crush on Moon Chae Won’s character.
Another one I can wholeheartedly recommend is One More Happy Ending. In this drama, our female lead is a divorcee who used to be in a Kpop girl group when she was younger. She now runs a dating service for other divorcees. After she gets dumped by the man she is dating, she unexpectedly meets our lead male, who misinterpreted her diving into the ocean as a suicide attempt. As fate would have it, they actually used to be childhood friends, but due to an unfortunate situation, their friendship was cut short. He is now a photographer for a tabloid and a single father. However, he has always been in love with her. Add to the mix his doctor best friend, who is also in love with her and you have certain tension! It is both a very romantic drama and a hilarious one. (*^_^*)
~Little Ahjumma
We hope you have enjoyed this special edition of Ask An Ahjumma. We will be back with Season 2: Episode 1 very soon! Until then, please send in your questions to us via PM to AskAnAhjumma here on MDL. Goodbye for now!
