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 to say a big thank you to polkettle for the introduction to real life abs right in front of me Korean Contemporary Dance. An all round excellent evening 😄😎

Aw I'm delighted at the IRL meet up 🥰

Ahh I'm so excited about the Pol and bettys meet up!! Love it 😁
No dramas for me this weekend, I went to a wedding yesterday and I'm about to drive to Devon to go to another one today 👰
Happy Birthday Methaven!

It was big fun ☺️ Although hoping to read a review this morning to tell me clever things to say on what it was about and what I thought about it...
This new YA novel sounds great for those with KPop interested teens.
www.achuka.co.uk/blog/idol-gossip-a-k-pop-dream-come-true-by-alexandra-leigh-young/

Fabulous news on Pol & Bettys meet up! Hopefully we can all get together one day in time?!

I've had an arid spell for a couple of weeks with viewing. Happily back to the screen watching both Yumis 2 and Money Heist - Korea. They compliment each other nicely.
MHK not my normal genre. I was completely hooked right from the first minute of viewing, bloody marvellous 👍🏽

It was big fun ☺️ Although hoping to read a review this morning to tell me clever things to say on what it was about and what I thought about it..

Absolutely!! I’ve found that a lot of the imagery has stayed with me, I keep seeing it.

pol this is the image from The Ring that I was talking about

I’m still watching and boggling at Sweat & Soap. I find it quite sweet that her sweat gives him such major horn his interest has cheered her up no end. They seem sexually compatible at least, which is more than can be said for a lot of kdrama couples. Not so sure about him chasing her around the office and into storage rooms to press her against walls for a sniff. 🤷‍♀️

Ooh yes! The abs ability of hair to dance is definitely a big take away from last night. And I am thinking about it all a lot so it has done its Art job. Have decided the broken petals being wrapped in the suit jacket was clearly a commentary on tension between career and traditional female roles and necessary compromises/regrets.
When you have finished S&S Boaty you can add your thoughts to mine and FedUps about the possible significance of all the different metaphors and how they might relate to different acts on the sex smorgasbord. See that's also Art 😁

I'm so annoyed 🤬
Have watched all 6 episodes of Money Heist Korea this afternoon and expected it to end satisfactory. All episodes were excellent and edge of seat, even had the most naked and steamy sex scene I've ever viewed on a kdrama (ep 6) Phwoar🔥

SPOILER 🚨..
It cuts off just when you think it's concluding. Leaves you hanging by a thread for the next series.
NOT HAPPY

^It cuts off just when you think it's concluding. Leaves you hanging by a thread for the next series.

NOT HAPPY^

Ah thanks for the warning Aesops, I was going to start that. Hate it when I'm not expecting that. May have a quick peak at S&S first, am getting FOMO.

Good luck with S&S. I managed 15 mins then had to leave it 🤢🤣

I’m puzzled at why she needs to take her blouse off and sit topless in her (pretty) bra in a toilet cubicle to deodorise. Can’t she just loosen her blouse at the waist and fumigate with an upward spray like the rest of us (near- combusting peri/menopausal women)? She would stop gassing her poor colleagues at the mirror too. When the dry ice comes billowing off her in the credits, it takes me back to the office pre-pandemic. Homeworking has been great. 😄

The weird acid trippy implied sex montages? Not a clue, but they seem to be enjoying themselves so 👏.

I am at a lovely wedding!!! I am getting merrily tipsy!! I am boring people with tales of good kdramas and planned trips to Japan!! STOP ME!

Why would we try to stop you FedUp? Keep spreading the word. I’ve set my neighbour off down the rabbit hole. Last I heard she was gripped by Squid Game but had independently cracked through 3 sageuk and 2 contemporary dramas.

I just got to the love motel sex scene where all the fruit and flowers were tumbling out the end of the bed. Bananas? OK. But the rest? 😯🤯😱 then 😆😂🤣😂🤣

That banana belching bed was my favourite one Boaty. They become increasingly inventive... It's a nuts show.

Sweat and Soap was in equal measure bonkers and adorable. I liked it

They are basically sexy-pervy nerd poppets. I thought it was hilarious saying his first name was such a relationship breakthrough when they’d already been boffing like rabbits. Cultural differences, eh? Different strokes for different folks.

Check out my Insta for drunken wedding fun 👍

If you see it's had a lot of plays that'll be me trying to work out what the track is....Celebration?? Good Times?? Looks like a fun night!

Rather enjoying the sexy-pervy nerd poppets but have taken a break after the belching banana bed after the 'phew I'm glad he's totally upfront with her' confessional to watch Money Heist - 30 secs in & like Aesops I'm hooked (nothing to do with the BTS mention obvs)

Waaaah. Why can’t I see the wedding fun?

I can Name That Song. It's 'Le Freak'! You look smokin' FedUp

For some reason I’m not seeing FedUp’s reel on my feed. 🤷‍♀️ Just wall to wall oppas, Korean language content and Instagram cats.