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!

Which platform are you watching Matrimonial Chaos on FedUp? I have a feeling I might have already seen it if it’s a few years old.

Viki. It's funny, I love Bae Doona, but never noticed this one before. It's from 2018.

It was on Viki a while back when I watched it. It’s a bit of a hidden gem IMO

Also getting in to Purple Hyacinth 👍

Yes, I have watched Matrimonial Chaos - I sought it out to deal with Son Seok-Koo/sexy-grumpy director withdrawal after Melo. He’s definitely found a typecasting groove that suits him. 🤣

And he should never deviate from it.

Only more nude scenes would be fine.

Hello all,

It's been a while since I posted as have been focusing on real-life stuff (yeah I know). Including my Korean exam! Which I passed 😃 So I'll be going up to the next level in September, together with 4 chingus from my class. Hwaiting!

Now things are a bit quieter I've got back into dramas. Approaching the end of Strong Girl Bong Soon, which is just wonderful. Next stop MLN! Looking forward!

Before I forget, hello Chikapu 👋🙂

The online talk by Elisa Shua Dusapin a few weeks back was really interesting. She has a new book out in English this summer, The Pachinko Parlour (translated from the original French, by the same translator) so I'll definitely be checking that out.

I'm loving the new music on 'Proof', and really enjoying hearing old favourites in a different context. I'm really curious as to the contents of disc 3. My copy should be arriving in 2-3 weeks' time. Am very impatient 🙈😂

JinBhoot, I'm interested to hear what you think about the future course of things for the chaps re: solo careers and the military. Can I ask where you pick all this up? I'm a total social media dinosaur. Don't have Twitter, Instagram etc. but maybe it's time. I'm sure it would all be out there if I cared to look.

I've also been enjoying exploring other Korean music through Spotify. Really like Code Kunst, Lang Lee, The Black Skirts and Land of Peace.

Korea really is the gift that keeps giving 😄

Why thank you! Thank you! My royalties should pay for a round of soju!.. However I thought it was Wembley at first... But not so sure now as there is a twitter debate! Oh well! I'll believe its me! Singing my heart out from row J on the floor With my Chimmy headband and ARMY Bomb! 😂😂😂

Ahh Bea! I'll definitely believe it's you! 💜

Hi Saram! Hope the real life stuff wasn't too stressful.

I'm so jealous you're getting to watch MLN for the first time. It's a gem.

I wish BTS released vinyl. ☹️

Friday night diversion into Fire Island - gay Asian American Pride and Prejudice on Disney plus. And it's very KD cute (although also pretty non KD explicit)!

Do yousens have a Gonk mask to wear? I don't think so.

I am Gonk Queen.

FedUpWithBriiiiick I am so jealous, where did you get that? I wanted a cat one as soon as I saw the grandfather in Business Proposal wearing one.

Saram - congratulations on passing your Korean exam. What level was it and what sort of questions were you given?
Did you type it or was it hand written? My Hangul hand writing is terrible.
My teacher hasn’t set me a test yet - maybe she doesn’t want to humiliate me!

Anyway, well done - I’m impressed.

Sounds good.

I’m totally lost in Blue Hyacinth. I’m sad to say I caught myself saying “hubba hubba” aloud for the first time ever about the drawing of an attractive young man. I’m not even watching kdrama, so basically a fail as the OP. 😂 I’m sure you guys can keep the show on the road til I resurface…

Good to see you around Saram & congrats on your hangul success! 👏

Eve is giving me all the feels😍I can't get over the perfect pacing of this melodrama. Maybe I'm overreacting after the mediocrity of Love all, Play and Racquet Boys that I just finished, but it's a proper adult drama. Ep3 added self harm, vaginoplasty, murder, a contract marriage....
I'm off to watch ep4 now 🤓

I’m totally lost in Blue Hyacinth. I’m sad to say I caught myself saying “hubba hubba” aloud for the first time ever about the drawing of an attractive young man

👊I'm with you there boaty 😂

Boaty Blue Hyacinth is sounding amazing! I need to find more time around the bangtan/work/stress to it in more webtoons 😍

Just spotted I’ve been calling it Blue Hyacinth in my last few posts. It’s Purple…

Sainsburys.

Although my skin looked good after, I was disappointed the mask dried out a lot when it was on my face.

I am slogging my way through Kill Me Again... It's great but taking a while to get there.. It's full on skullduggery and intrigue and double crossing! The ending pay off and satisfactory conclusion should be epic as there are soooo many bad 'uns! If the ending is not 🐝🐝 I'm FLOUNCING!... 😱😳😳... have to admit I skippitydoohdahed to ending for glimpse to assure myself it was good to proceed!... forgive me oh chingus!! 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

I was pondering this morning whether we need an offshoot webtoon thread but I kind of like having things all in one place. Would it help the non-webtooners if we tag webtoon-related posts with an obvious (webtoon) type tag at the beginning of a post so you don’t spend ages looking for the “hot new show” on streaming platforms and/or can scroll past?

I also like having everything Daebak Café related in one place, whether it's webtoons, kdrama, cdrama, kpop etc etc PLUS it's bad enough navigating the shite MN update without having to go find another thread.

Not sure what would be a good tag or maybe symbol....maybe 😈or ✍ or #manhwa ..

I agree too. I like everything in one place, be it music, language, food or culture. We love it all!!

That's the best thing about this thread, the convo is so open and varied.