r/KDRAMA Challenge List

Challenge #1: A drama featuring Lee Min Ho

Watched with: Let's Rewind Feb-Mar

Completed: 13 April 2021 

Thoughts: This drama will probably go down in history as my least favourite of Lee Min Ho’s dramas (not counting any of the commercials pretending they are dramas). It’s main problem was that it was way too long. Sadly the fun episodes did not outweigh the tedious ones. Glad that I watched it with Let's Rewind otherwise I probably wouldn't have made it through.

Challenge # 2: A drama from the r/kdramarecommends community official recommendation lists

"What To Watch When You Don't Have Much Time On Your Hands "

Watched with: -

Completed: 21 December 2021 

Thoughts: A refreshing modern webdrama.

Challenge #3: A drama off the r/KDRAMA or r/kdramarecommends banner

Watched with: u/LcLou02

Completed:  20 June 2021

Thoughts: Overall I liked this a lot, the acting was great and the story was really interesting. Life’s comment that, “when you take into account the actual story of Sado, you're left with either a twisted whitewashing or a hopeful fantasy. And that's effed up.” is completely true about this one.

Challenge #4: A drama that begins with the first letter of your user name

S - sianiam

Watched with: Let's Rewind 

Completed: 3 July 2021 

Thoughts: I expected more tracksuits and more body swapping fun. This might be sacrilege but it’s definitely not my favourite Kim Eun Sook drama. It was an okay watch, but I feel like I would have liked it a lot more a few hundred dramas ago.

Challenge #5: A drama that references a real historical event in Korea

Watched with: my family

Completed: 9 June 2021

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this one, it was just the right length. It didn’t destroy me half as much as I expected it would in the end. But fortunately I’d had more than a decent cry fest watching Move to Heaven so it was alright.

Challenge #6: A drama featuring character(s) who speak in dialect 

Busan dialect

Watched with: Let's Rewind

Completed: 28 January 2021 

Thoughts: I watched this one pretty early in my drama watching and my memories were fairly weak, but I’m glad to have done a refresher on it. 

Challenge #7: A drama that  takes place in a location other than Seoul

Set in the seaside village of Gongjin.

Watched with: -

Completed: 18 October 2021 

Thoughts: Contained a lot of elements that I love in dramas and overall a really enjoyable ride. I think I’ll be listening to a few of the OSTs for a long time. 

Challenge #8: A drama that features one of the top 10 locations in 2020 on KDL

Seongdong Detention Centre

Watched with: Weekly binge

Completed: 22 August 2021

Thoughts: It was a decent drama but I think forcing myself to watch this with the binge when I wasn’t in the mood for it was not the best choice.

Challenge #9: A drama that is an adaptation or a remake

Adaptation of webtoon Navillera: Like a Butterfly

Watched with: my family

Completed: 28 April 2021 

Thoughts: I loved everything about this drama.

Challenge #10 A drama where the main story doesn't involve romance

Watched with: -

Completed: 22 May 2021

Thoughts: I drawed this one out over a few months but it was pretty fun.

Challenge #11: A drama featuring great friendships

Watched with: -

Completed: 10 August 2021 

Thoughts: I loved this drama. It was great to see youth played by a group of talented young actors rather than a bunch of twenty somethings. I loved watching their friendship grow as the series went on.

Challenge # 12: A drama with a lead actor/actress you haven't seen in a leading role before

Choi Kang Hee 

Watched with: -

Completed: 10 April 2021 

Thoughts:  Just a nice uplifting drama full of quirky characters. If you are considering watching it, give it a few episodes to warm up as it doesn’t have the strongest start.

Challenge #13: A drama by a renowned screenwriter 

Hong Sisters

Watched with: my family

Completed: 5 November 2021 

Thoughts: Overall, it was a light and a little bit quirky rom-com in which I could switch my brain off while watching.

Challenge #14: A drama directed by a renowned director

Shin Won Ho

Watched with: my family

Completed: 17 September 2021 

Thoughts: I love drama and miss it and its beautiful characters so much. This season was a little lacking in Uju but otherwise hit the spot.

Challenge #15: A drama by a writer or director whose works you haven't watched

Park Shi Hyun

Watched with: -

Completed: 5 February 2021 

Thoughts: I loved this a lot and hope the writer has more up their sleeve.

Challenge #16: A long-format drama (at least 50 hours)

Watched with: -

Completed: 30 September 2021 

Thoughts: Will probably go down in history as my quickest long-form watch at 27 days. I really enjoyed it. Had a moment where I thought I might rage quit due to the storyline but pushed through. Would have liked slightly tighter sibling bonds but overall it was a solid family drama.

Challenge #17: A short-format drama (under 10 hours)

Watched with: -

Completed: 6 January 2021

Thoughts: I'd been meaning to watch this one since it aired and had great reviews. It was a really good watch, I like web-dramas like this that are a little bit meatier in plot and episode length. The four main characters stories were well thought out and acted. This also had an  excellent OST. Danny gave me major baby Yoon Doo Joon vibes.  Really enjoyed this one now I just want to watch a pile of web dramas as good as this!  

Challenge #18: A drama in a genre outside of your comfort zone

horror

Watched with: my family

Completed: 29 March 2021 

Thoughts: I watch pretty much anything, so I went with a genre I typically avoid in horror. I watched Sweet Home which is made up of things that I think are not for me as a viewer; monsters, gore, dark visuals. Thankfully, I was wrong and really enjoyed it. It was a short and engaging watch. It didn't give me nightmares.

Challenge #19: A drama with a rating less than 7.5 or with less than 5000 viewers on MDL

7.1 & 4743 watchers at time of watching

Watched with: -

Completed: 14 March 2021 

Thoughts: I think it's rating it pretty fitting but some viewers could find it fun albeit a little dated. I mostly loved revisting Haeundae where I spent some time on my trip to Korea.

Challenge #20: A drama featuring a profession or lifestyle different to your own

Watched with: Weekly Binge

Completed: 14 June 2021 

Thoughts: I have a history of dropping Lee Joon Gi dramas so with the help of the Binge Crew I started this and it was pretty good. I definitely didn’t love it as much as most of r/KDRAMA seems to, but I 100% agree that Lee Joon Gi was fantastic in it and Eun Ha deserves all the egg tarts.

Challenge #21: A Baeksang Award winning drama 

Watched with: my family

Completed: 6 October 2021

Thoughts: Very much deserving of its award, I’m glad to have watched it!

Challenge #22: A pre-2010 drama

Watched with: Weekly Binge

Completed: 29 April 2021

Thoughts: It was fun to rewatch this one with the binge. I was shocked to learn along the way the correct spelling of Jeremy is Jermy.

Challenge #23: A drama you have been putting off watching

Watched with: Weekly Binge

Completed: 30 October 2021 

Thoughts: I originally watched the first episode back when it aired but I found the vibes way too stressful. That feeling didn’t continue throughout. It was quite different to what I expected in terms of psychological stress and fear. Not scary to me and not my thing. The last episode was exciting though, I kinda wish it had a similar tempo throughout. I didn’t love it but it was okay.

Challenge #24: A rewatch of a drama you have previously watched

Watched with: my family

Completed: 23 January 2021 

Thoughts: It was even better the second time around, I’m glad it held up.

Challenge #25: A drama that is not Korean  

Chinese drama

Completed: 7 February 2021 

Thoughts: I loved it a lot. It was like the perfect family drama crack and I binged the heck out of it.

Watched 26/12/2022 

Sageuk My Review