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!

pol - thank you for the offer. I am in London tomorrow and Friday so unfortunately I cannot make it. Hope you can get a refund if not

All caught up on Our Blues and it's all piecing together now why the travelling salesman is so nasty to his mother. It's been a good show if what somewhat overshadowed by MLN in my opinion.

Green Mothers Club is still keeping my attention, it's giving me Big Little Lies vibes due to the increasing suspense undercurrent in a strive for domestic/scholarly perfection.

Back to work today 😫 I may have to make some Jeon for dinner as an excuse to open a bottle of Makgeolli.

Tickets were free so all good. Would like to see the film though so annoyed to miss it. I'll hand them back tomorrow unless anyone else sticks their hand up for them this evening.

It looks like a great film but unfortunately I am out on Thursday.

Catching up on Shitting Stars it's gone a bit dreary. I want Taekwondo/ex-bodyguard manager to get together with soup shop guy

Just watched 1st episode of A Nation of Broth OMG - I want to eat all of it. Portion sizes are mahooooossive.

Intresting show, made me think my own food culture. Gravy/broth type food is popular in winters and mainly preferred by females. Men prefer dry/grilled meaty dishes.

Yoongi should do one food travel type show.

That’s very kind, Pol, but I’m stuck in the country.

Hello folks, just checking in. I've not managed to watch much recently, but I'm almost up to date with Our Blues which I still love, I'd love to live on a little island 💙

I was hoping to watch the final episode of Marriage, Not Dating tonight, but DD1 was feeling nervous about her exams so we watched some Business Proposal for light relief. Hopefully it took her mind off the nerves slightly 🤞

Shame about missing out on the film Pol, I wish I was closer.

Still thinking about Mr Gu too much 😂🔥

I’m still watching but on a very slow burn as I keep falling asleep on the sofa half way through things.

I see the bright red phallus lighthouse had another outing on Woori last night. The design may be dictated by functional needs, but there’s no way the designer didn’t know what they were doing.

The Big Red Knobhouse.

I'm not following that light... 😳

Identifiable.
www.instagram.com/reel/CeYVGcsAIlY/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

Hello everyone 👋 and welcome @Chikapu

I've not watched much the last few days due to actual socialising with actual people outside of my house 😲

I have started watching sh**ting stars and it pretty entertaining so far!

I've finished Marriage, not Dating I really enjoyed it, both the ML and FL were fab! I need another similar lighthearted romp to watch. Maybe I'll go back to Shi**ing stars, I watched the first two episodes then stopped 🤔

Sh**ting Stars trundles along nicely enough but it’s not must see telly.

I'm on episode 3 of My Liberation Notes and loving it so far. How has everyone got such beautiful skin, I keep pausing to look at it 😂

I'm caught up on all my dramas, so watching some anime to fill in the gap until Saturday.

Tried to watch Oh My Boss! on VIKI but the FL is the actress from Incurable Love and she gives me the shits.

Any decent C-dramas out?

Hello Chikapu! (Good name)

Yes they are all beautiful people, aren't they?

I'm all caught up too! 🍻

Hello chikapu, sorry I missed you before 👋

Back from a couple of days away (one lovely and one really rubbish) so think I might drown my sorrows/celebrate being home with a couple of glasses of soju. Went to see Fascinating Aida in Exeter, who were bloody funny, if anyone gets the chance to see them, do take it, they are brilliant.

I finished Healer which I thought was lovely, but found the last episode was a bit rushed. Again, as with most kdramas when filmed in winter, some very nice knitwear. Beautiful JCW too.

I started Happiness which is free on Viki, because I do love a zombie. Enjoying it so far.

Eve (Viki) is chock full of dastardly people doing dastardly deeds and is quaite racy, as a previous poster said. I watched it wearing ear pods and the huffing & puffing was very loud. 😂No less than 3 sets of abs on display in the first 2 episodes.
Nice to see Lee Sang Yeob playing a goodie for once (he doesn't show his abs)

Nice to see Lee Sang Yeob playing a goodie for once (he doesn't show his abs)

That was quite the rollercoaster of a sentence. Sudden rise in interest levels followed by a slump. 😆

I’m caught up with Woori but not making much other progress. Busy week too. 😞

Welcome! @Chikapu
After @boatyardblues posted about fps, I did a deep dive on how kdramas are shot and one of the things that popped up is the common use of filters when filming close ups, to give the illusion of perfect skin. I was always so in awe of their beautiful skin! Just finished Sound of Magic and noticed that in it, you can actually see bumps and even what looks like a (chicken pox ?) scar on the the male actors' faces, but not the females. In other words, normal skin.😁After learning about filters, it was really noticeable.

@Metheven Happiness is excellent! The ML and FL are both kickass dreamboats 😍

@MigsandTiggs intresting about filters not surprising though. I should go down this rabbit hole too (in the name of research).

J-hope going solo to music festival in USA 😱. Boys already preparing for military departure.
I have a feeling there will be major announcement after their album release.

Do you think they will all go at once? Or will it just be in stages to allow them to explore solo stuff? J-hope and Jimin gearing up for solo careers, I think.

I will miss my WWH Jin for 2 years 😢

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap so glad to hear it is good, I need something I can get my teeth into 😂