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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

1000 replies

boatyardblues · 14/05/2022 21:13

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!
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FedUpWithBriiiiick · 21/05/2022 21:49

AesopsMables · 21/05/2022 21:32

MLN I'm so confused? Why is FL shitty manager's affair using her name? It was a sad show tonight 😢

The Curse of K-drama Episode 13.

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polkettle · 21/05/2022 21:50

I think he's setting her up - creating a fake message trail on his computer to out her as his mistress Aesops. Or maybe the real other woman is. It was sad although still laughed out loud at car chase.

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FedUpWithBriiiiick · 21/05/2022 22:35

Future Diary season 2 TWISTS-A-GO-GO.

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Saram13 · 21/05/2022 23:05

Andante Really glad to hear your trip was such a success despite the ropey start! It sounds amazing!

Jin 👀 Ooooh! That's the kind of random connection that would pop up in one of my mad BTS dreams 😂

I have two very unimpressive and distinctly tenuous degrees-of-separation examples to offer. But since we're sharing. My colleague's friend spotted one or more members of BTS out and about in a shop in the centre of our city when they were last on tour here. 2018 I think. And, when I see Japanese Breakfast live in October (fingers crossed it doesn't get postponed again), I will hopefully be mere metres from someone who, apart from being a talented musician and writer in her own right, has spoken with and had her photo taken with the chaps.

It's not much, but I'll take it 😁

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boatyardblues · 21/05/2022 23:52

I have major trip envy after reading Andante’s posts. Great pics too. Thank you.

Tonight’s MLN was sad, though I also found the wacky races funny. After seeing the grind of Gu’s work life you can see why he enjoyed the peace of his work at Sanpo Sinks and the countryside.

We went out earlier to see Everything Everywhere All The Time. It was the most enjoyable and thought-provoking film I’ve seen in a while. We all loved it. It would rival any kdrama in its tonal chaos and sheer narrative batshittery innovation. Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis and the husband were all terrific. The costume designer(s) must have loved coming up with the daughter’s wardrobe. 😂 Highly recommended.

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FedUpWithBriiiiick · 22/05/2022 00:31

boatyardblues · 21/05/2022 23:52

I have major trip envy after reading Andante’s posts. Great pics too. Thank you.

Tonight’s MLN was sad, though I also found the wacky races funny. After seeing the grind of Gu’s work life you can see why he enjoyed the peace of his work at Sanpo Sinks and the countryside.

We went out earlier to see Everything Everywhere All The Time. It was the most enjoyable and thought-provoking film I’ve seen in a while. We all loved it. It would rival any kdrama in its tonal chaos and sheer narrative batshittery innovation. Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis and the husband were all terrific. The costume designer(s) must have loved coming up with the daughter’s wardrobe. 😂 Highly recommended.

THE HUSBAND IS SHORT ROUND.

SHORT ROUND!!!

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sakura06 · 22/05/2022 08:33

@Andante57 your trip sounds amazing! Do you have a non-identifiable Instagram about it? Sorry your departure sounds stressful. When I went in 2009 I was nearly denied boarding for lack of visa but it wasn't actually required then thankfully.

DH and I were in a bit of a K drama slump, but started Sungkyunkwan Scandal on Viki which has sorted us out! Plus, it has my favourite, Song Joong-Ki!

Feeling a bit burnt by 25/21, we're waiting for Our Blues and My Liberation Notes to finish before embarking!

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boatyardblues · 22/05/2022 08:43

I’ve just read an interesting article about declining birth rates in advanced Asian countries. The graphic surprised me.

It cites a few reasons:

Rich, baby-averse Asian countries in the region have three things in common. First, their people rarely have children outside marriage. Only around 2% of births in Japan and South Korea are to unmarried mothers, the lowest levels in the oecd, a club of rich countries. In wealthy Western countries that figure is typically between 30% and 60%. In China, the few who become pregnant out of wedlock are often denied benefits. The region’s decline in births has closely tracked a decline in marriages. The age at which people commit to a lifetime of entanglement has also been rising, further delaying child-bearing.

Also the high cost of education, including expensive shadow education/tutoring, and high housing costs. South Korea, whose fertility rate of 0.8 is the lowest in the region, correspondingly has a house-price-to-income ratio (the number of years of income needed to buy a home) of 16.6, the highest in the oecd after New Zealand.

(I can’t get the link to paste but it was published 19th May)

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
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JinBhoot · 22/05/2022 09:29

@Andante57 Welcome back, your trip sounds wonderful. How was the weather?
Is there a website of Hanok guesthouse?
Was it like JCW’s Hankok from Lovestruck in the city?
How expensive is trip to S-Korea? Is it more like Japan or Singapore or Thailand? It’s been over a decade since I have been to that side of the world.

I have started MLN & best thing is the hot weather. It’s done so brilliantly that I can feel it (I am searching flights to visit my parents in summer when temp will be 45-50o with 90%+ humidity, It will be alright).
Mr Gu has said only few words in the first few episodes. So many scenes are without dialogues yet so enjoyable with super acting.

So my BTS’s choreographer friends- I confronted their sister who I speak to on weekly basis and she goes ‘darling boys (not BTS) are big deal for outsiders but not for us’ 😂
BTW I found BTS link while watching their latest YouTube video & some one commented under it about BTS songs. I did a little bit digging & it was on the website 😆.

@sakura06 recently I have watched that drama as well. I think all of them were early in their career at the time hence the big cast.

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Andante57 · 22/05/2022 10:04

JinBhoot yes! The Hanok hotel we stayed in in Seoul was in the Bukchon village as was JCW’s house in Lovestruck in the City. It’s called Bukchon Binkwan by Rakkojae.
The place we stayed in at Hahoe is called Rakkojae Andong, Hahoe so owned by same company. They were both lovely and manageresses at both places were really nice.
There was another traditional house to stay in near Hahoe called Okyeon Jeongsa which was very romantic.
There are reviews and descriptions of all these places on Trip Advisor.

The weather was warm and sunny while we were there but a jumper was needed in the evening.

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Andante57 · 22/05/2022 10:08

Re cost I think Korea is more expensive than Thailand. However there are countless small family run restaurants and snack bars - some with just 3 or 4 tables - where dh and I had delicious dumplings or noodles + side dishes, kimchi etc, for £10 - £15 for the two of us.

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sakura06 · 22/05/2022 10:14

@JinBhoot Definitely enjoying the star-studded cast in Sungkyunkwan! I love Park Min-Young and Yoo Ah-In is giving Goo Dong-Mae vibes as Geol Oh. The subs on Viki have been a bit dodgy in places with some bits not translated but it's not impairing my enjoyment. I was sad to read about the actor who played Ha In-Soo though. I remain intrigued as to why there were so many women disguised as men dramas in the late 2000s!

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FedUpWithBriiiiick · 22/05/2022 10:18

I think Pol's ajumma detective skills are rubbing off on you, @JinBhoot! Good sleuthing. 🕵️‍♀️

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FedUpWithBriiiiick · 22/05/2022 16:03

Our Blues 14: what are those circle bruises all over Eui-hui's back? Cupping?

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FedUpWithBriiiiick · 22/05/2022 16:09

Good to see people with disabilities represented in K-drama. I think that's the first time in 5 years of watching.

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Rowdythree · 22/05/2022 17:14

Andante thank you for sharing some photo, it looks and sounds beautiful, I also have trip envy. I need to know though, did you see any usual drama tropes in real life? Any gangsters, envelopes of cash being pushed across a table, or Chaebols being chauffeured around?

I had an email this week from BA offering us a refund from our cancelled flights to Seoul in 2020 and I took it, so now I feel like I'll never get there 😞 Also the flights must have been really cheap, not sure I'll get them at that price again 😂 it had been so long since I booked, I couldn't remember how much I had paid.

I've got part way through MLN ep13 today, now I hear its a sad one I don't want to finish it! Hopefully things will improve on ep14! I've spent way too long thinking about Mr Gu whilst doing the gardening today 😁

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boatyardblues · 22/05/2022 18:38

I've spent way too long thinking about Mr Gu whilst doing the gardening today

It’s worth watching ep 13 to see Mr Gu in smart attire. The baby on the sofa scene was really good, not that anything but the bar tender’s comment about a bird flying in was perfect. I had to go out half way through ep 14 so I’m praying for a pivotal moment in the second half.

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boatyardblues · 22/05/2022 18:39

I should have added that thoughts of Mr Gu powered me through today’s housework and ironing pile.

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Rowdythree · 22/05/2022 18:44

I've just finished watching it, the baby on the sofa scene was really good, the way he was looking at the baby 😁 the car chase was fun too, but overall a sad episode 😢

I need to walk the dog now, so ep 14 will have to wait

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polkettle · 22/05/2022 18:44

Aigoo. Not much in KDrama makes me cry but a pan of burnt rice being emptied in MLN did the job.
SUCH A GOOD SHOW. Even when it's sad. Need to rewatch episode but I don't think Yeom spoke for the entire episode until the present day right at the end. Amazing.

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Rowdythree · 22/05/2022 18:56

It's such a good show, I don't want it to end!

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FedUpWithBriiiiick · 22/05/2022 19:01

Such a good good show. Expected nothing less from the writer of My Mister. And the directing is great too.

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anonacfr · 22/05/2022 19:06

What's MLN... 😳

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polkettle · 22/05/2022 19:15

My Liberation Notes @anonacfr

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FedUpWithBriiiiick · 22/05/2022 19:37

Awww Shitting Stars (narf)^^ is lovely. Fluffy story with nerd poppets.

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