MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #34): July brings internal conflict. Make the most of sunshine and the long days, or keep on top of your kdrama? 🤔

[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)🌟
My Liberation Notes🌟
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)
Our Blues (Netflix)🌟
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.

The Red Sleeve - 10
Happiness - 9
Devil Judge - 8.75
Squid Game - 8.63
Navillera - 8.57

2020’s top scoring dramas
Mr Queen - 9.4
Parasite - 9.05
It's Okay To Not Be Okay - 8.88
The Uncanny Counter - 8.50
Once Again - 8.42

2019’s top scoring dramas:
Her Private Life - 9.40
Melo is My Nature - 9.00
Tied 3rd: Crash Landing On You, The Crowned Clown, The Lies Within, and The Tale of Nokdu - 8.75
Hotel del Luna - 8.50
Tied 5th: Romance is a Bonus Book, and Search: WWW

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!

@boatyardblues doesn't it seem like this role was just written for Kang Tae Oh? I do like that he always gives his most whatever drama he's in (have you seen Tale of Nokdu? 😂) But here he's just such a natural at it that like you I would be horrified if he wasn't like that in real life!

Damn it’s hot here, even in my darkened bunker. I’m going to take a proper lunch hour and flop on the sofa in our cooler lounge to watch Attorney Woo.

Ever heard of spontaneous combustion?

It's triggered by SSK. Fact.

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE

Also, no weekend post would be complete without expressing my love for Alchemy of Souls. Another thoroughly enjoyable episode tonight.

So many little things to enjoy!
Blondie Mage & Anime Princess
Master Lee experiencing his first crush
Crown Prince showing symptoms of being a nice guy

And SPECULATIVE SPOILER ALERT is the original Blind Mu-Deok really the missing sister and that is why Filthy Mu-Deok could open the secret door to Jinwayon?

And SPECULATIVE SPOILER ALERT is the original Blind Mu-Deok really the missing sister and that is why Filthy Mu-Deok could open the secret door to Jinwayon?

This was my reading & also why blind Mu-Deok got in Natsku’s way - she headed towards the energy source, as she could see energy.

Also, it means she’s royal enough to marry her pupil. 👍

After watching the last episode of Attorney Woo Dh keeps 'woah woahing' me, I need to ltb don't I? 🤣

I would be woah woahing my toe up his arse

My teen daughter just ruined Vincenzo for me!

She asked me to settle a debate she has with a friend about the 'baddie' and whether or not he is, in her words, fit.
I looked and then remembered she'd me mentioned the reveal of said baddie was a huge plot twist à la Vecna in Stranger Things... she was mortified. Her friend was meanwhile crying with laughter.

I'm going to have to wait til 2023 to watch it now. I will have forgotten by then.

Don’t say another word anonacfr! I still have the last few episodes to finish.

I’m loving Attorney Woo. Well, Kang Tae Oh mostly but it has a heart of gold. I loved her breakthrough in the 3 brothers case and how that played out. 👌

I've just madly scrolled past a reference to Vincenzo which we recently started on a tiny telly on holiday and are now enjoying back at home on our big screen for fear of spoilers. I'm also having to skip comments about Alchemy of Souls as I'm quite a bit behind now!

Thankfully the many posts about Extraordinary Attorney Woo appear to be safe to read, consisting mainly of the likes of "ooh I'm loving this" and other vague endorsements, or otherwise I'd have to stay away from the thread entirely 😂

Evening all! I hope you've all got ice lollys and fans and no strenuous activities planned.
I'm thinking of sleeping in our front room which for 360 days of the year is freezing and difficult to heat but today is only a bit warm 🥵.
I agree with everyone's comments on Alchemy of Souls it's just very lovely to look at as well as being really fun. I love that the elder female mage always has excellent graphic eyeliner!
And I was a big fan of Into the Ring , I love some local election shenanigans 😂

I'm also currently watching Into the Ring Pol, I'm on ep 7 and really enjoying it. I don't think I've seen either of the leads in anything before, but they're both very good.

I'm so hot, I couldn't even watch the TV! I started to watch Alchemy of Souls but I just couldn't concentrate on it 🥵🥵

Metheven I hope you're feeling better from covid soon!

I do need a bit of 'woah woahing' from time to time, to be fair Briiiiick 😁

Just finished Cherry Blossoms After Winter, a sweet little romance, nothing too complicated for my brain today.

I think we have been very lucky down in my neck of the woods, the weather forecast was only for about 28 degrees today, so much cooler than a lot of you I think. Mind you, for me 18 degrees is a hot summer, so quite pleased I couldn't go out in it. We are forecast thundery showers tomorrow, I might stand in the garden for a while to enjoy it.

I may start Alchemy of Souls soon, I was waiting for a few episodes to drop before I got stuck into it. Same with Extraordinary Attorney Woo and Cafe Minamdang. They all look great.

Oh no anonacfr that's awful, I hope when you do watch it, you will have forgotten. My memory is so bad, it would only take a week or so.

Thanks Rowdythree after a fairly rough day, at the moment I am feeling almost human. I don't look it, though 😂

Yes Kang Tae Oh is great and all but Attorney Woo’s boss is such a sweet boss.
till last week I though ML was living with his boy friend so shrugged off developing romantic feelings with kind nature.

@Rowdythree I have also abandoned AOS after 15 mins - it was too hot to enjoy it and I keep looking at Maid Kim & Me-duek’s clothes, they are padded and appropriate for winters.

Elder female mage & her daughter’s eyeliner is always on point.
there are very few female in drama (few female mages).
I think crown Prince will be a good guy (might die in the end) as Queen is a baddie here.

Is Uk’s dad dead or missing?

Missing I think, Jin - based on comments this week. I have started paying attention to new women on the scene as potential vessels for S2.

Argh. Attorney Woo is too adorable. I was only going to take a 30 min lunch break. Poor Attorney Woo (ATM case).

I hope all our Londoners are safe from all the fires!

Stay safe everyone

This!!

@bettys and all other ARMY

Playing BTS Island? I guess I could use some friends!

It's too HOT to play games....maybe tomorrow....

Luckily no fires in my part of London but it was 38.5 which is too HOT

It's so HOT all I've managed to do is read webtoons & I've just started Remarriage & Desires which I am thoroughly enjoying with a ginormous rosé spritzer.

Can whoever mentioned it upthread pls let me know if it wraps up ok and it isn't a bastard Netflix 2-parter? I would go look it up but it's too HOT

I’m off to attempt the woah woah episode of Attorney Woo again. The post work siesta god smiled on me so I missed a 25 min chunk. I saw enough to know the toe up woahing DH’s arse verdict up thread was spot on.