MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #33): So much good content airing just now our Filthy Noonas’ hearts are fit to burst like squashed frogs on a country road

[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, AppleTV and Disney+. There are also platforms streaming content illegally if you go looking. We don’t promote them as they are peppered with pop-ups of “Olga” and friends offering a good time, but we can point you in the right direction. We also dip into Japanese, Taiwanese & Chinese drama as & when.

The previous thread is here but our list is cumulative so includes recommendations and favourites from all previous threads.

Shows marked with a star 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. Writer/actor Simon Pegg referred to it fondly as “tonal chaos” - it’s part of kdrama’s charm. View the categories below as best approximate & ask if you need guidance about suitability for younger viewers.

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 Name (Netflix)
My Secret Terrius (Netflix)⭐️
Signal (Netflix)⭐️
Snowdrop (Disney+)
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)
Pachinko (AppleTV)
Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung (Netflix)
Tale of Nokdu (Viki/Netflix)⭐️
The King’s Affection (Netflix)
The Red Sleeve (Viki)⭐️

Romance - lighter & fluffier
Beating Again (Netflix)
Business Proposal (Netflix)
Coffee Prince (Netflix)
Dali & the Cocky Prince (Viki)
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)
Twenty-five Twenty-one (Netflix)⭐️
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)
Yumi’s Cells (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)/Rain or Shine (Netflix)⭐️
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, Netflix)⭐️
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)⭐️
Hospital Playlist 2 (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)*
On The Verge of Insanity (Viki)
Once Again (Viki)
Stove League (Viki)/Hot Stove League (Netflix)
Racket Boys (Netflix)
Would You Like a Cup of Coffee (Viki)⭐️

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)⭐️
Happiness (Viki)⭐️
Hotel del Luna (Viki/Netflix)⭐️
King: The Eternal Monarch (Netflix)
Kingdom (Netflix)⭐️
Kingdom: Ashin of the North (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)
In House Marriage Honey (Viki, Japanese)
In Time With You (Viki - Japanese)
Instead of Tipsy Why Not Get Drunk (Viki, Chinese)
Lost Romance (Viki, Taiwanese)
Love O2O (Viki, Chinese)
Million Yen Women (Netflix, Japanese)
Morning Call (Netflix, Japanese)
My Little Happiness (Viki, Chinese)
Put Your Head on My Shoulder (Netflix, Chinese)
Rinko Wants To Try (Viki)
Some Day or One Day (Viki, Taiwanese)
The Romance of Tiger & Rose (Viki, Chinese)
To Fly with Me (Viki, Chinese)
Tientsin Mystic (Netflix, Chinese)
You Are My Hero (Viki, Chinese)*

AVOID aka “the shit list” 💩

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

Posters’ Top Scoring 2021 Dramas
Courtesy of Hello’s kdrama spreadsheet, updated by thread regulars. Marks out of 10.

1. The Red Sleeve - 10
2. Happiness - 9
3. Devil Judge - 8.75
4. Squid Game - 8.63
5. Navillera - 8.57

2020’s top scoring dramas
1 - Mr Queen - 9.4
2 - Parasite - 9.05
3 - It's Okay To Not Be Okay - 8.88
4 - The Uncanny Counter - 8.50
5 - Once Again - 8.42

2019’s top scoring dramas:

1. Her Private Life - 9.40
2. Melo is My Nature - 9.00

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

1. Hotel del Luna - 8.50

5.= Romance is a Bonus Book, and Search: WWW - 8.17

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 sometimes resort to acronyms and/or abbreviations of show titles or favourite actors’ names. 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!

I have just watched ep 14 of MLN it's so so good. Such amazing writing and acting to convey so much emotion with so few words. I cried through about three quarters of it. Lots of little bits of info being revealed along the way.
I've just had to go and tuck DS in and tell him I love him because I'm an emotional wreak now 😭😭😭

Pol - Live is v good, I watched it in March this year. I remember wavering after couple of episodes but Boaty wisely encouraged me to persevere and I really enjoyed it.

Bettys I envy you bingeing MLN from scratch. I am going to try to save both episodes for Sunday but not sure I can resist..

I agree aesops. I'd love to be watching MLN for the first time again! I've a busy weekend of bday parties and hens dos ahead of me to distract from the finger itch to watch the last two eps!!

I would have happily volunteered to help with the measuring.
twitter.com/tangerinebysheh/status/1530037405490679808?t=0nOnkLrn85mSHXiG0dxeGA&s=19

It's still very early days for me and Our Blues, haven't warmed to any of the characters yet. Decided to give Taxi Driver a go and really liking it so far. Hopefully it will be the distraction I need once MLN ends!

Me too … so plan was to ration the episodes and watch 15 &16 together BUT I have watched 3 episodes today (it’s only 12:25pm).
oh my ep14 … the little things afterwards (don’t want to spoil it). It was done perfectly, I have been in same situation & writer has done justice to the emotions.
About to cry but big sister’s comment about lot of work (can’t say more -spoiler) made me chuckle & oddly lifted my mood.
I think ep14 is the best.
I want to know more about office affair or is that it?

@boatyardblues, @bettys & @Bea
I stumbled on a thread from 2018, it might be the first time you guys met/interacted. 😊

😱😱😱... 2018!!!.... 2018!!!!...ahhh! When we were the Three B's 😂😂😂

The heady days! Before I bit the bullet and got viki subscription and watched What's Wrong With Secretary Kim on YouTube in 20 minute slots with ads every 10 mins! 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️... I must have been truly dedicated to Vice President Park Seo Joon! 😂😂😂... Though I think I got so fed up... I got viki in the end! 😂😂😂

God! I think for about a year we stayed up all hours binge watching everything!! 😂😂😂 Thus the need for 👢 🍑 kick up the bum to go to bed emoji was needed! 😂😂😂😂

2018 sounds about right! 😂
I switched to kdrama after watching Sense8 - which also had Son Seok Ku in it from 2017sp I saw him first ner!! 😝

Yeah, 2018 was when I found kdrama and when Betty, Bea and I found each other. The rest is history. I am always heartened by the merry band we have now. There’s much less hazard when we disagree over a show. Back in 2018 I was the lone dissenting voice on WWWSK (not a fan of the Chairman’s behaviour in that!). We made it through somehow but it reminded me of tales about lighthouse keepers falling out and having to make the best of it. 🤣

Jin sent me the original thread where Betty and I decided to “get a room” and start our first kdrama thread. I got warm fuzzies reading it. Thanks Jin. 😘

www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/3277351-Netflix-Subtitled-Gems

Aweeee I just read the original thread too! Thanks for the link 😊How lovely to think that four years later we are still here and have made lots of chingus along the way 😆

You've got me wondering when it was I discovered this lovely thread? Think it may have been 2yrs ago or a little more. Such a great community with supporting Chingu's 💕
I have just started Marriage not Dating as it was mentioned favourably earlier on here. It's cute.
Now going to dip into Welcome to wedding hell

Happy Weekend and MLN finale all!!

Omg!! I'd completely forgotten we'd started off there!!... Good Morning Call!! 😂😂... Yes! That was the start if of it all! I'm still fascinated by those little warming tables they all sit at with their feet under and a huge quilt! 😂😂😂😂😂

Ahhhh amazing!! The original kdrama addicts meeting for the first time!!!
I started lurking pretty soon after this because at least one of you was still watching Mr Sunshine 💜

Just coming back to add that I love the bafflement about the coffee ppl 😂

It was mad TheGirl. Of course, now I’m used to PPL I love how outré it can be. I still think having the sponsor’s web address on the wall in a period drama set in 1905 is a special kind of bananas. 😱

Totally bananas! The money they spent on Mr Sunshine could definitely have worked in the coffee ppl without having to refer to a web address 😂

No idea what's going on here but it's quite the early morning start to a Saturday.
www.instagram.com/reel/Cd-YOGUBTfY/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Who knew Seo Yi Sook had such an impressive set of pipes?

So many supporting mum and dad actors there!

Aesops, I'm watching Marriage not Dating, I'm on episode 11, it's very bingeable

Is anyone watching MLN today? Or saving it for a double bill tomorrow?

Ideally I should be saving it for Sunday but I am sure I will be on Netflix at 3dit.

I'm behind with this thread, it moves so fast at the moment!

So what is everyone watching once MLN and Sh**ting Stars ends? We've got quite a lot of Our Blues to go which I'm happy about. It is amazingly written, the episode with the two female friends/enemies was one of the best things I've seen on TV in a long time.

What is that new netflix one about marriage like?

Ooh, and London-based chingus - any korea related recommendations? We have a blissful two child free days in central London starting today.

I'm on the train now and a bit fed up that MLN doesn't appear until 3pm, I should've saved an episode of something.