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!

Lots of consternation about why the Times is even bothering report on a foreign boyband and mean comments about their appearance and styling. 😤

Yes, I agree. People are quite odd thinking that just because they haven’t heard if someone or something then they or it can’t be famous.
It reminds me of a story I heard many years ago: Ginger Baker of Cream enjoyed polo and a polo playing friend took the rock star to meet his quite elderly parents who ran a thoroughbred stud.
Apparently conversation didn’t go with a swing - Ginger Baker had never heard of Lester Piggott and his friend’s mother had never heard of Elvis Presley.

Boaty how is the fridge? Has the smell reduced at all?

Is anyone else thrown by the lovely cheery music in the intro to Our Blues being quickly followed by heart wrenchingly sad storylines?

You are way ahead of me pol, I have had to resort to Olga as IQ payment system wouldn’t let me pay so I can’t speed view during the boring bits (2nd couple v annoying as usual) I thought that creepy doll was gone for good!

Who was your favourite character who may not appear in Yumi 2? Was it the book editor? I liked him. I thought it’d have to be a 3parter

Hi All. It's been a while since I posted as really struggling to find anything decent to watch of late. I have 6 different drama's on the go currently and not a single one is pulling me in!! Still watching the K Vloggers but need a drama soon to get lost in.
Boaty I had a similar issue with Kimchi odour in my fridge and ended up pulling it all out to deep clean. Have a fresh bag of it ready to open but waiting until I can batch cook/use it over a shorter period of time. Speaking of which. One of my K Vloggers bought a new 'Kimchi Fridge'. Yep. This is a thing in Korea. They are fabulously designed with separate compartments for specific strength i.e., one compartment for storing gentle fermentation, one for ripened and all with individual Kimchi containers stored in their own self contained area with little doors to prevent odour. I wish I had the kitchen space or even consumption volume to justify having one :)

I don't mind the second couple in this one too much but would happily have skipped some of Mad Anorexic Astronomer shenanigans (which you may not have got to).
Yes, Babi seems to have nicked lovely bespectacled tsundere homebody editor date stuff. But I mustn't be too precious about it.

I have just started with Mad Anorexic Astronomer shenanigans she is infuriating 🤬

AAAARGH!!!!!!! Mad Anorexic Astronomer Is making my blood BOIL!! I almost can’t watch🤬🤬

Boaty how is the fridge? Has the smell reduced at all?

Not too bad thanks.

I’m a little off grid this weekend. If you all go bananas and fill the thread, can one of you start the next one? Thanks.

After saying I'd wait I've done the first 2 Yumi 2 and can see that Babi here is different from Webtoon and they've amalgamated his character/story with editor. Annoying, but now I know he's a composite and his own thing I can enjoy it more.
Have to go out DANCING now. Madness.

One of us will sort Boats. Hope everything is ok xxx

Aesops a kimchi fridge would be a dream!

We've just finished Reply 1988 and just waaaahhhhh. Change is one of my least favourite things but goodness me, they almost managed to make it attractive in Reply. I feel like I've been watching it forever.

One of us will sort Boats. Hope everything is ok xxx

All is good. Out of the UK with limited data so dipping in & out when I find a secure internet connection. Just praying I can find somewhere to download Alchemy wotsit tmrw

Good news. Have a lovely break!

Aw. PSJ is round at SHM's house admiring his Golden Boot.
The Golden Boot must win its own trophy for being Ugliest Trophy.

Reply 1988 stone cold classic Musique. Passing the tissues...

London or Seoul?

ML & FL in A Time to Fall in Love or Whatever keep saying "are you asleep?" (they are sharing a bedroom so that Faking Illness Grandma thinks they are making babies)
OF COURSE THEY'RE NOT ASLEEP ALL THE LIGHTS ARE ON & HE IS ON THE SOFA WEARING FULL PYJAMAS WITH SOCKS!!!!

Ep 21 and Mad Anorexic Astronomer has been replaced with Face Off Evil Bitch No Longer Twin Sister

🤣 I did a lot of yelling "JUST EFFING TELL HIM" at the phone this morning Bettys. I liked the non sequitur interlude for playful sexy sandwich nibble in between angsting.

pol I am now watching eps 23 & 24 RAW on Olga - don't really have a clue what they are saying but it doesn't matter really.

I noticed very little was actually eaten during the sexy sandwich nibble.

started Dine With Love - cdrama Viki... good so far... classic... chirpy office worker vs grumpy scary cold boss.... Oh dear I wonder what will happen...??? I can't possibly guess!!!! ....

I'm on the same one Bea! Great minds etc.

(Seoul I think FedUp)

PSA for the equally shallow - top notch snog in episode 3 Yumis Cells 2.

Dine With Love = it's good fluff! A very kdrama Cdrama if you know what I mean! It's quite cute! Worth a look if you want fluff!

@FedUpWithBriiiiick 🤣😉👌

I've finished MLN and I think it's the most gorgeous thing I've ever watched, Mr Gu in the last few episodes broke my heart though.
What do I watch next?

Do you have Viki yet Chikapu? If yes, Melo is my Nature for more Mr Gu in sexy-grumpy film director mode. My Mister on Netflix for same writing/production team, no Mr Gu though.