MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #27): The one where global smash Squid Game launches kdrama into the stratosphere. C’mon in!

[boatyardblues]

A quiet corner of MN for serious addicts of Kdrama, or the K-curious. Most of our viewing is drawn from Netflix and Viki, with a sprinkling of AmazonPrime. There are also platforms streaming content illegally if you go looking, but we don’t promote them as they are peppered with pop-ups of “Olga” and friends offering a good time, which gets in the way of the drama. We also dip into Japanese, Taiwanese & Chinese drama as & when.

The previous thread is here but our ‘Addicts Recommend’ list below is cumulative so includes recommendations and favourites from all previous threads.


Shows marked with an asterisk are more uniformly loved or admired. In categorising series, its important to note most Korean dramas have multiple strands - e.g. supernatural, romance and a thriller; crime series with fantasy elements. Genre-busting mash-ups are normal. Series that are tagged as dark may also have moments of comedy or the absurd, likewise fluff can have heavier moments. View the categories below as best approximate & ask if you need guidance, eg about suitability for younger teens.

Comedy (with a side order of absurd)
I picked up a celebrity on the street (Viki)
My Fellow Citizens (Viki/Netflix)
The Fiery Priest (Netflix)

Crime/Thriller

Come and Hug Me (Dramafast)
Graceful Family (Viki)
Healer (Netflix)*
Heartless City (Viki)
He is Psychometric (Viki)
I Hear Your Voice (Netflix /Viki)

Life on Mars (classy remake of BBC series, no major site yet)
My Secret Terrius (Netflix)*
Signal (Netflix)*
Stranger - 2 seasons (Netflix)
Suspicious Partner (Netflix)*
The Lies Within (Netflix)*
Tunnel (Netflix)*

Historical/Period drama (“sageuk”)
100 Days My Prince (Viki/Netflix)
Crowned Clown (Viki/Netflix)*
Mr Queen (Viki)*
Mr Sunshine (Netflix)
Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung (Netflix)
Tale of Nokdu (Viki/Netflix)*

Romance - lighter & fluffier
Beating Again (Netflix)
Coffee Prince (Netflix)
Don’t Dare to Dream (Netflix, or as Jealousy Incarnate on Viki)*
Gogh, The Starry Night (Viki)

Happy Once Again (Netflix)
Her Private Life (Viki)*

His Master’s Sun (Netflix)
Hometown Cha Cha Cha (Viki)
Love from a Star (Netflix)*
Lovestruck in the City (Netflix)
Monthly Magazine Home (Viki)
Pinocchio (Netflix)
Radio Romance (Netflix)

Romance is the Bonus Book (Netflix)*
Run On (Netflix)

She Was Pretty (Netflix)*
The Beauty Inside (Viki/Netflix)
The Secret Life of My Secretary (Viki/Netflix)
Thirty Not Seventeen (Viki) or as Still 17 (Netflix)
To My Star [BL] (Viki)
True Beauty (Viki)
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (Netflix/Viki)

What’s Up With Secretary Kim (Viki)*
Where Stars Land (Viki)*
You are my Destiny (Netflix)
You Make Me Dance [BL] (Viki)


Romance - heavier weight/more grown up themes
Another Miss Oh (Netflix)*
Because This Is My First Life (Viki/Netflix)*

Chicago Typewriter (Viki/Netflix)*
Crash Landing on You (Netflix)**
Descendants of the Sun (Viki/Netflix)
Doctors (Netflix)
Doom At Your Service (Viki)
Fight For My Way (Viki/Netflix)*
Go Back Couple (Viki)/Couple on the Backtrack (Netflix)
I’ll Go To You When The Weather is Nice (Viki)
It’s OK Not To Be OK (Netflix)

Just Between Lovers (Viki)*
Mad For Each Other (Netflix)
Melo is my Nature (Viki)/Be Melodramatic (other sites)
My Strange Hero (Viki)
One Spring Night (Netflix)
Red Carpet - film (Netflix, very adult content)
Romantic Dr Kim - seasons 1&2 (Viki)
Search: WWW (Viki)*

Something in the Rain (Netflix)
The Handmaid (film, Netflix - content warning: explicit sexual content)
The Package (Viki)

Straighter ‘Slice of Life’ dramas on universal themes
Hospital Playlist (Netflix)
Into The Ring (Viki)
Itaewon Class (Netflix)
Live (Netflix)
Misaeng (Netflix)*
Move to Heaven (Netflix)
My Mister (Viki/Netflix)*
My Unfamiliar Family (Viki)*
Navillera (Netflix)*
Prison Playbook (Netflix)*

Once Again (Viki)
Stove League (Viki)/Hot Stove League (Netflix)
Racket Boys (Netflix)

Supernatural/zombies/vampires/fantasy/sci-fi - lighter & fluffier
Extraordinary You (Netflix)
Goblin (Viki)*

I am not a Robot (Netflix)
Legend of the Blue Sea (Viki/Netflix)
Kiss Goblin (Viki, webdrama)
My Holo Love (Netflix)*
Orange Marmalade (Netflix)
While You Were Sleeping (Viki)*



Supernatural/zombies/vampires/fantasy/sci-fi - darker/more grown up themes
#Alive (Netflix)
Black (Netflix)*
Hotel del Luna (Viki/Netflix)*
King: The Eternal Monarch (Netflix)
Kingdom (Netflix)*

Mystic Pop-up Bar (Netflix)
Peninsula - film, Train to Busan sequel (Amazon Prime, iMovies)
Sisyphus (Netflix)
The Guest (Netflix)
Train to Busan - film (Amazon Prime)

W: Two Worlds (Viki & Netflix)*
Zombie Detective (Viki/Netflix)


Guilty Pleasures (for the joy, not the quality)
Bride of Habaek (Netflix)
Hwarang (Viki/Netflix)
My Secret Romance (Viki)
The Last Empress (Viki/Netflix)
Sassy Go Go (Netflix)



Mad as a box of frogs/uncategorisable

Strong Girl Bong Soon (Netflix)
School Nurse Files (Netflix)

Not Korean ‘You May Also Like’
Regulars also branch out into Japanese, Taiwanese and Chinese drama. The Chinese & Taiwanese stuff is much more variable quality-wise, so we’ve noted anything decent here:

Before We Get Married (Viki - Taiwanese)
Find Yourself (Netflix - Chinese)
Go Go Squid (Viki - Chinese)
Instead of Tipsy Why Not Get Drunk (Viki, Chinese)
Lost Romance (Viki, Taiwanese)
Love O2O (Viki, Chinese)
Morning Call (Netflix, Japanese)
My Little Happiness (Viki, Chinese)
Put Your Head on My Shoulder (Netflix, Chinese)
Some Day or One Day (Viki, Taiwanese)
The Romance of Tiger & Rose (Viki, Chinese)
Tientsin Mystic (Netflix, Chinese)
You Are My Hero (Viki, Chinese)*

AVOID, AVOID, AVOID aka “the shit list” 💩

Melting Me Softly
The Birth of a Beauty
Well-Intentioned Love season 1 (S2 is fine)

Thread Regulars’ Top Scoring Dramas of 2020
Courtesy of Hello’s kdrama spreadsheet, updated by/for thread regulars. Marks out of 10.

1 - Mr Queen - 9.4 (5 votes)
2 - Parasite - 9.05 (10 Votes)
3 - It's Okay To Not Be Okay - 8.88 (9 Votes)
4 - The Uncanny Counter - 8.50 (4 Votes)
5 - Once Again - 8.42 (6 Votes)

2019’s top scoring dramas:

1. Her Private Life - 9.40 (5 votes)
2. Melo is My Nature - 9.00 (5 votes)

3.= Crash Landing On You, The Crowned Clown, The Lies Within, and The Tale of Nokdu - 8.75 (4 votes)

1. Hotel del Luna - 8.50 (4 votes)

5.= Romance is a Bonus Book, and Search: WWW - 8.17 (6 votes)

We are generally fans of all things Korean, so equally happy to talk about Korean cookery, language, film and music when the mood takes us. A few of us are learning Korean, Japanese and/or Mandarin (some more diligently than others admittedly), so we swap tips and links to language resources. Basically, anything topical goes.

We have a few frequently used acronyms:

FL/2FL = female lead/2nd female lead

ML/2ML = male lead/2nd male lead
🥾

(boot, peach) = kick up the bum to go to bed


We also abbreviate titles if they’re long, but explained or with an obvious abbreviation. Some favourite actors & actresses have been abbreviated for speed/efficiency, eg Park Min Young (PMY). Don’t be afraid to ask for help/clues if we’re not making sense or have descended into acronym soup.

If you want to join us down the kdrama rabbit hole, welcome! Pull up a chair, say goodbye to early nights and get stuck in!

Guys I am so excited!! How I'm going to get through the next 18 months without exploding, I don't know! 😁

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-58828339

Easy

@FedUpWithBriiiiick we are all excited for you 🙂

@bettys

Daebak FedUp !! Have you booked independently or with a travel agent?

We used InsideJapanTours. Adapted the Zen & Now self guided adventure to add 2 days in Osaka.

More expensive than doing it all ourselves but waaaay less hassle and stress.

Great, thanks for the tip @FedUpWithBriiiiick !!

@bettys

Great, thanks for the tip *@FedUpWithBriiiiick* !!

They've been great so far Bettys. The consultant was very patient with me asking copious questions and making amendments etc, and said it was ok to book this far in advance because they are expecting a huge upturn in travel to East Asia, so worth getting on the ball!

Oooooh we were thinking of maybe next year....I'm looking at their website right now.....

I'm also looking at 2023 Briiiiick, I didn't know I could book this early! I might start looking too. I don't think I book my flights this early though. 🤔

I've just had my first private Korean lesson on italki! It's with the same teacher I had previously, but that was a group class, through a local language education service. I feel like I've forgotten everything I learned previously 😣 my brain hurts now, as I've gotten out of the habit of studying. I'm full of fresh motivation and optimism I can do it though! 💪

Fedup that will be amazing!

Rowdy I’m starting lessons next month. Which aspect do you find the hardest thing about learning Korean?

A RL friend has got into kdrama as she loved Squid Game and the film The Call and has asked for recommendations - yay!!!
I have been going through the header list - didn’t we have a film section? Has it been amalgamated into the other topics?

@Andante57

Rowdy I’m starting lessons next month. Which aspect do you find the hardest thing about learning Korean?

Andante, I find using subject and topic marking particles difficult, I always get the topic and subject muddled up, or forget to put them in the sentance all together! Also the spelling, my tutor is going to start giving me weekly spelling tests 😬 it's an enjoyable language to learn though, but it definitely doesn't come easy to me.

Rowdy that sounds difficult even in English!
It won’t come easy to me either, but I just want to learn enough to say a few words of appreciation and thank you etc when we go there next year.

I'm sure you'll be able to do that Andante! Are you starting lessons with a tutor?

Yes, I’m meeting her or him once a week for 1.5 hours. That will be more than enough - I also have music theory lessons and sometimes my brain seizes up after 45 mins of hard concentration.
I know exactly what you mean when you say your brain hurts!

That sounds great! You'll learn lots doing 1.5 hours a week! 👍

Betty- Little Forest (film) was on YouTube with full English subs but keeps getting zapped because of copyright claims. That’s a great entry level Korean film.

Sorry just back into the house there, no flights booked yet. They open 11 months in advance. Bit trickier from the island of Ireland, probably need to fly from Dublin via Amsterdam, Paris or Helsinki.

Thanks boaty I’d forgotten about Little Forest

Friend likes dark & twisty so we’ve both started Beyond Evil. I’m impressed with Yeo Jin Goo as he is so different in each drama he does. It hasn’t grabbed me yet though I’ve only done the first episode.

We're up to ep5 on Beyond Evil now, I'm totally hooked on it and I can't wait to find out who dunnit! Each episode, my mind changes about who the culprit is 🕵️🧐

@FedUpWithBriiiiick we used insidejapan pre covid and it was well worth it! Some of their ideas were a bit coo coo (walking tour of Kyoto at 5pm with a four year old) but they really did take the hassle out of everything.

Thanks for the recommendations for restaurants, we had a great time at Yori and had SOJU for the first time! It goes down dangerously easily, right?!

Dh and I haven’t chosen our next binge yet, but as a palate cleanser he’s going to do Squid Games while me, a coward, does some house admin.

[quote FiddlefigOnTheRoof]@FedUpWithBriiiiick we used insidejapan pre covid and it was well worth it! Some of their ideas were a bit coo coo (walking tour of Kyoto at 5pm with a four year old) but they really did take the hassle out of everything.

Thanks for the recommendations for restaurants, we had a great time at Yori and had SOJU for the first time! It goes down dangerously easily, right?!

Dh and I haven’t chosen our next binge yet, but as a palate cleanser he’s going to do Squid Games while me, a coward, does some house admin.[/quote]
Oh that's cool!! Glad you enjoyed your trip!! Yes an evening walk with pre-schooler is a no-no!

I'm glad DS will be 13 when we go, but nervous for any 'feet dragging "muuuhuuuhm"' behaviour 😂

How can he though??? IT'S JAPAN!!

These kind of holidays are wasted on kids, honestly. We’ve done some epic trips and there were a few points when I thought we should have left them at home with relatives like my DPs did with me & my sibling. But still we do it, eh?

I nearly bought some of that Kopiko candy in the Korean supermarket yesterday out of idle curiosity, but desisted. I won’t be derailed by PPL!

Also joining my thread sisters in Japan trip envy. It sounds ace!

@boatyardblues

These kind of holidays are wasted on kids, honestly. We’ve done some epic trips and there were a few points when I thought we should have left them at home with relatives like my DPs did with me & my sibling. But still we do it, eh?

I nearly bought some of that Kopiko candy in the Korean supermarket yesterday out of idle curiosity, but desisted. I won’t be derailed by PPL!

Obviously we wanted our boys on our big trips, but the odd tantrums and frequent grumbling when we were [insert somewhere amazing] was annoying.

I’m confused by the wedding in Dr Tsundere Nurse Bobbins (I cannot remember the proper title). Was the mother estranged from the daughter? Her reaction at her mother’s arrival was odd. Do children stay with their fathers if there’s a divorce in Japan? There was a distinct lack of excitement and welcome, almost as if the mother was gate-crashing her own daughter’s wedding.