2023 r/KDRAMA Challenge - heartstringcheese

1. A drama that has one or more tropes that are used in The Heirs.

Chaebol with two moms/birth secret

2. A drama which subverts a trope

Subverts the trope of the innocent/hardly dated FL

3. A drama that was referenced in another drama

Most of the main cast have cameos in Reply 1994

4. A drama chosen by the Wheel of Chance: Food

Jajangmyeon (black bean noodles) - episode 10 has a funny scene where some vampires want to be movie extras but are required to eat a bowl of black bean noodles. I was happy to get this food because I love Jajangmyeon!

5. A drama chosen by the Wheel of Chance: Tropes

Ends up at a playground after a few drinks. This happens in episodes 5 and 8 of Call it Love.

This trope was very difficult because it was a little too specific. It's easy to find kdrama scenes that happen on a playground after dark, but it's less common for a character to drink beforehand.

6. A drama chosen by the Wheel of Chance: PPL

Restaurant: SUBWAY. They've dialed back their aggressive kdrama advertising, but I still found Subway PPL in a 2023 drama.

7. A drama chosen by the Wheel of Chance: Locations

Hospital: Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary's Hospital - CKU

SML is a doctor so there were several scenes filmed at this hospital.

8. A drama with a main lead that started off as a child actor.

Park Eun Bin has been acting since she was seven. 

9. A drama staring a well known supporting actor

Choi Deok Moon has dozens of support and guest credits, and is in 5 dramas on this list!

10. A drama starring one of the actors from your first drama

Jang Hyuk (Fated to Love You)

11. A drama starring an actor who has previously won the Baeksang best new actor or actress award

Jang Na Ra (Successful Story of a Bright Girl, 2003)

12. A drama starring an actor who is a member of a Kpop group

EXO member Suho is the SML

13. A drama where two of the main or support cast have been co-stars on multiple occasions

This was Jang Na Ra and Jang Hyuk's second full length drama together

14. A drama with an OST by an artist who has been nominated for or won a MAMA Award for best OST

Wonstein's "Your Existence" was nominated in 2022

15. A drama with a multigenerational cast

Middle school badminton players, their parents and coaches, and grandparent-like neighbors.

16. A drama where one of the main cast shares your zodiac sign

Han Ji Eun is a Gemini

17. A drama where the college alma mater of a character was a plot point

ML being a top lawyer SNU grad was significant to the story

18. A drama with a dream interpretation

The classic chestnut conception dream

19. A drama with minimal or no romance

Basically zero romance. It's all time travel, secrets, and suspenseful violin music.

20. A drama with a main or supporting character that is an athlete

Two former national team handball players and one current hockey(?) player

21. A drama featuring disguises or false identities

FL has a false identity and pretends to channel the spirits of the deceased

22. A drama which features a character seeking revenge

Jae Young wants revenge against Sang Woo after he fails a class and can't graduate on time

23. A drama with at least one animal pet

Cute dog named Huchu

24. A drama you always wanted to watch but for some reason have not watched yet

I love small town dramas. I love Gong Hyo Jin. I was just putting it off because it was 20 episodes long. I'm so glad I finally committed because I really really loved it.

25. A drama whose poster you liked at first sight

I just scrolled through MDL until I saw a poster that stood out to me and this was it.

26. A drama from a screenwriter or director whose works you have previously enjoyed

Lee Eun Jin also directed The Law Cafe and Sassy Go Go

27. A drama found by searching existing recommendations

Recommended here on a request post I made a while back

28. A drama inspired by a review, recommendation or comment on r/KDRAMA or r/kdramarecommends

Review post here 

29. A drama suggested by a fellow KDC participant

Recommended here on the February Check-In discussion 

30. A drama whose title is a direct translation of the Korean title

31. A drama with an episode which received less than 2% overall viewership rate from Nielsen

I think the highest was 1.2%

32. A single episode drama

33. A long form drama

34. A drama with less than 500 watchers on MDL

Only 192 completed watchers on January 14th

35. A drama that is at least 10 years old

Aired in 2005

36. A drama which fits a challenge from previous KDC years

2022 challenge 22

A drama with a main character that is over 40; Oh Hyun Jin is a new mother at 42