I definitely understand why you think that! What would be your reaction if a drama you watched had bad background…
No, I don't stop watching if the drama is good. Plus, I don't listen really BGM while I watch, but if BGM are good, they jump at my ears. Most of the time, as if by chance, my favorite dramas get the best BGM too. I listen songs as if it was BGM during a drama. You get many different cases. Some Songs can be bad (I don't like music), but be ok as BGM. Also, some Song can be very good, but very inaccurate as BGM. I reported many case like that in the forum thread created by Sunset.
If there is only one good song, I'm happy. But overall, I think Background music is more important than songs. As an example, drama "The last empress". I don't remember any song from this drama, but background music was very effective.
It's almost impossible to answer your questions "how is the male or female lead introduced" because there's too much drama. I'll limit myself to one drama: IRIS. Both characters are very well introduced. The difficulty for the script is very high. The story must make us believe in a love story in less than two episodes, and only with a few scenes. This is because quickly, the script talks about spy story, action scenes, etc.. So, the time is very limited, but yet the meeting between the characters must be completed quickly because without delay, the story will use that later. Fortunately, the director had first made a story very close in cinema, the film "Shiri". He used his experience and knowledge of the screenplay to arrange it all within the imposed deadlines. So they are two very well introduced characters, with only a few scenes. It must strike very hard, very right, and immediately! The scene in the amphitheatre for example, where there is an indirect confrontation between the two characters.
So interesting article. Only 10% of drama have the "rich guy/poor girl" trope, and even less (because it's only a 7/2 statistic after that). As a cliché, it's more a cliché in our mind than real about all dramas.
Rules of the second male lead: - Super nice guy, not arrogant or jerk. - Wait for the girl since X years. - Have argument or fight with main male lead. - Finaly, don't play dirty, and help main female and male lead, and give up the girl.
Historical drama is my favorite genre. And often my lifesaver when I've been disappointed by too many other dramas. I have a 50% less chance of dropping a historical drama. The narration is more classic and is very solid. I just finished "Six Flying Dragons", which is in my top 3 historical kdramas now. Knowing that I had seen "Three with deep root" before, and it was fascinating to see the prequel, written by the same writers, with a lot of facts and real historical characters.
I had another one (and maybe others after). "Psychopath Diary" was unexpectedly excellent. I don't know why I watched this, I had no expectation, just luck. It turn to be the most funny comedy kdrama to date.
I dropped "Blade", with actress Shin Se Kyung.All actors was bad in this drama, and she was terrible in this (lot…
This actress has no luck or listens to bad advice because she has often played in rather bad dramas. However, she is good in historical dramas. In "Queen Seon Deok", she plays a princess in the first episodes. Unfortunately, she is replaced by a less attractive actress, for only a few years age difference in the story. But at the time she was a rookie actress, the producers preferred not to take any risks. Otherwise, she is very cute, and I like her expressions. I think she's more lively than Park Min Yung, in the same style.
Mine are: 365: Repeat the YearHeart to HeartHo Goo's LoveSecretSomething About 1 PercentMarriage Not DatingOne…
I dropped "Blade", with actress Shin Se Kyung. All actors was bad in this drama, and she was terrible in this (lot of overplay). So, when I watched "The Girl Who Sees Scents", I was very plaisantly surprised. One of the best role of this underated actress.
I'm posting some unpredictably good drama. Nine Time Travel. https://mydramalist.com/6081-nine-nine-times-time-travel I saw it because I know the writer, but otherwise I could have dropped the drama quickly. The first episode is slow and full of seemingly unimportant situations. Almost nothing happens, then the second episode is slightly less boring. Gradually, the drama takes off and by Episode 4, it reachs cruising speed and becomes an exceptionally intense drama.
lolololol! Me too, i didnt finished "descendant of the sun"... and I don't care. I didnt finished many dramas, just stuck ONE hour before end. I don't know why... Not bad dramas, even. Just I don't feel it anymore and I started to watch another drama. Hotel del luna, I know why, I tried to watch last episode. I stand this 30', no more. Suddenly, this drama I liked while I binge watched it sound different after 1 month pause. All articifial and ugly superficial, boring, I couldn't watch that. I stopped the final episode after 30 minutes and never watched the end.
Or you know like W Two worlds. That was one over hyped thrash
I don't know because I watched this drama by chance in 2017. I just saw Lee Jong Suk in the cast, and said myself "why not ?". I almost didn't watch any drama during 2016, and had no idea what was hyped or not. Maybe it's the best solution, if you don't know that, you just watch the drama and like it or not like it alone.
Right now it's on-hold (ep04) because I prefer binge-watch after the broadcast. Too slow paced: the only negative point, according to my personal taste. On the other hand, the drama benefits from a successful atmosphere. Good actors, good direction, very good photography, narrative clarity. The fantastic theme is well treated. The real bonus is the world of railways. It's the first time I've seen that in a drama. On the Soompi forum (pages 12 to 15), I posted articles about where the drama takes place. I even found a Korean blog that found the shooting locations.
this post reeks of racism. Geez, it's 2020, get with the times, stop the ignorance. All koreans look alike? Who…
Time has a role to play. I've been watching kdramas since about 2010. My list is not as long as the list of those who have been watching dramas for so long, but I have a lot of other things to do in life. However, watching 150 dramas in ten years gives a better memory of the actors than watching 150 dramas in one year (add to that the ones that have been dropped or on-hold). I know most of the actors, even the secondary actors (even if I can't remember their names).
In kdramas, the secondary actors are always the same and are often excellent. It's like a big family, and you feel at home when you see them. A lot of supporting actors are easy to recognize because they have a very distinctive face that fits stereotypical roles. Some actors always play the role of bad guys of a certain type for example. Some subscribe to historical dramas, and even take over the same type of role. For example, the actress Kim Sun Kyung, who often plays the queen dowager.
Sometimes I don't recognize them right away if the context is completely different. For example, this actress is in the drama "The world of the maried", and plays a rich bad mother-in-law. I didn't recognize her right away because she didn't have Joseon's hairdo anymore, and a very different style. But her voice gave me a clue. I was delighted when I discovered the truth (I like this actress, she's perfect to play some kind of scruffy characters).
1 
Plus, I don't listen really BGM while I watch, but if BGM are good, they jump at my ears. Most of the time, as if by chance, my favorite dramas get the best BGM too.
I listen songs as if it was BGM during a drama. You get many different cases. Some Songs can be bad (I don't like music), but be ok as BGM. Also, some Song can be very good, but very inaccurate as BGM.
I reported many case like that in the forum thread created by Sunset.
But overall, I think Background music is more important than songs.
As an example, drama "The last empress".
I don't remember any song from this drama, but background music was very effective.
I'll limit myself to one drama: IRIS.
Both characters are very well introduced. The difficulty for the script is very high.
The story must make us believe in a love story in less than two episodes, and only with a few scenes. This is because quickly, the script talks about spy story, action scenes, etc..
So, the time is very limited, but yet the meeting between the characters must be completed quickly because without delay, the story will use that later.
Fortunately, the director had first made a story very close in cinema, the film "Shiri".
He used his experience and knowledge of the screenplay to arrange it all within the imposed deadlines. So they are two very well introduced characters, with only a few scenes. It must strike very hard, very right, and immediately!
The scene in the amphitheatre for example, where there is an indirect confrontation between the two characters.
Only 10% of drama have the "rich guy/poor girl" trope, and even less (because it's only a 7/2 statistic after that). As a cliché, it's more a cliché in our mind than real about all dramas.
https://youtu.be/jDJTk1vgqAQ?list=OLAK5uy_mdKN_meBUL5xvMfhC3xXVdsFAfcQuBsr4&t=85
Used with scenes with real historical events, wooooooo!
- Super nice guy, not arrogant or jerk.
- Wait for the girl since X years.
- Have argument or fight with main male lead.
- Finaly, don't play dirty, and help main female and male lead, and give up the girl.
And often my lifesaver when I've been disappointed by too many other dramas.
I have a 50% less chance of dropping a historical drama.
The narration is more classic and is very solid.
I just finished "Six Flying Dragons", which is in my top 3 historical kdramas now.
Knowing that I had seen "Three with deep root" before, and it was fascinating to see the prequel, written by the same writers, with a lot of facts and real historical characters.
"Psychopath Diary" was unexpectedly excellent.
I don't know why I watched this, I had no expectation, just luck.
It turn to be the most funny comedy kdrama to date.
But for me, it was not unexpectedly good.
I was already guessing it would be a good drama. ;-)
In "Queen Seon Deok", she plays a princess in the first episodes. Unfortunately, she is replaced by a less attractive actress, for only a few years age difference in the story. But at the time she was a rookie actress, the producers preferred not to take any risks.
Otherwise, she is very cute, and I like her expressions. I think she's more lively than Park Min Yung, in the same style.
All actors was bad in this drama, and she was terrible in this (lot of overplay).
So, when I watched "The Girl Who Sees Scents", I was very plaisantly surprised.
One of the best role of this underated actress.
Nine Time Travel.
https://mydramalist.com/6081-nine-nine-times-time-travel
I saw it because I know the writer, but otherwise I could have dropped the drama quickly.
The first episode is slow and full of seemingly unimportant situations.
Almost nothing happens, then the second episode is slightly less boring.
Gradually, the drama takes off and by Episode 4, it reachs cruising speed and becomes an exceptionally intense drama.
Me too, i didnt finished "descendant of the sun"... and I don't care.
I didnt finished many dramas, just stuck ONE hour before end.
I don't know why... Not bad dramas, even.
Just I don't feel it anymore and I started to watch another drama.
Hotel del luna, I know why, I tried to watch last episode.
I stand this 30', no more.
Suddenly, this drama I liked while I binge watched it sound different after 1 month pause.
All articifial and ugly superficial, boring, I couldn't watch that.
I stopped the final episode after 30 minutes and never watched the end.
I just saw Lee Jong Suk in the cast, and said myself "why not ?".
I almost didn't watch any drama during 2016, and had no idea what was hyped or not. Maybe it's the best solution, if you don't know that, you just watch the drama and like it or not like it alone.
Be careful, it could be a flabby slob like Goblin.
Too slow paced: the only negative point, according to my personal taste.
On the other hand, the drama benefits from a successful atmosphere.
Good actors, good direction, very good photography, narrative clarity.
The fantastic theme is well treated.
The real bonus is the world of railways. It's the first time I've seen that in a drama.
On the Soompi forum (pages 12 to 15), I posted articles about where the drama takes place.
I even found a Korean blog that found the shooting locations.
However, watching 150 dramas in ten years gives a better memory of the actors than watching 150 dramas in one year (add to that the ones that have been dropped or on-hold). I know most of the actors, even the secondary actors (even if I can't remember their names).
In kdramas, the secondary actors are always the same and are often excellent. It's like a big family, and you feel at home when you see them. A lot of supporting actors are easy to recognize because they have a very distinctive face that fits stereotypical roles. Some actors always play the role of bad guys of a certain type for example. Some subscribe to historical dramas, and even take over the same type of role. For example, the actress Kim Sun Kyung, who often plays the queen dowager.
Sometimes I don't recognize them right away if the context is completely different. For example, this actress is in the drama "The world of the maried", and plays a rich bad mother-in-law. I didn't recognize her right away because she didn't have Joseon's hairdo anymore, and a very different style. But her voice gave me a clue. I was delighted when I discovered the truth (I like this actress, she's perfect to play some kind of scruffy characters).