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!

You can get one month free if you've never done it before. It's probably available at Olga's too.

Great. I’ll hold fire to see whether your admiration for it is sustained.

I started the Korean Money Heist earlier. It is excellent but I was so shattered I kept nodding off. I will have to rewatch the last 30 mins tomorrow.

Marigolds in 4 Minutes is quite sweet.

A big thumbs up for the sexy love clone Victor and his no nonsense flirtation methods in It Was All You (manhwa, Webtoons). 👏 Shades of My Holo Love but the 3D studmuffin haptic version. 🤣

Have started Extraordinary Attorney Woo It's quirky and easy to watch. FL has autism which brings a different dynamic. I would be interested to understand if the portrayal of the condition resonates with people who have/know someone who is autistic?

Like Juvenile Justice which was excellent even though quite brutal in parts, it focuses on a different case each episode.

The portrayal is unrealistic in my experience (the hand and head movements are more spot on).

Of course, autism is a spectrum, but I think the autistic genius who is high functioning as portrayed would be a very rare thing.

Is anyone watching Dear M? Only tried the first episode but it's not doing anything for me. (On the bland side and FL is trying too hard to be endearing imo.)

Finally finished Lost. Should definitely be on the radar of My Mister and MLN fans, although it lacks some of their humour which makes it pretty melancholic viewing in places. Very much a one episode at a time one for me. But despite some weighty themes, it also has moments of real loveliness, complexity and warmth and concludes satisfactorily. And all the performances in it are stellar. Definitely worth a trip to Olga's or a free month of IQiyi.

Started Why Her it's very good so far. Making my blood boil though as it's a legal/political drama full to the brim with sexism, nepotism, abuse of authority, and slimy lawyers. FL is a shit hot lawyer who is going to sort them all out I'm sure👊

Also caught up on Ymis Cells 2. It's easy but very similar to the first series.

I'm thoroughly enjoying Why Her Aesops, but yes, it does make my blood boil, I'm really looking forward to everyone getting their just desserts at then end 😁

I'm loving Extraordinary Attorney Woo, I wish I could binge watch it! The next episode isn't out until Wednesday! 😱

Quirky I considered Dear M but hadn't gotten around to it yet, are you giving up, or going to give it more time?

Just done first episode of EA Woo and agree it's charming. The portrayal of autism is heavy on tropes but at least it's (so far) an uncomplicated and positive celebration of neurodiversity in the workplace 🥰 I suspect the writer has watched Atypical though...

Also CGI whales a welcome step up from CGI tigers

Definitely a step up Pol! I love whales, but not nearly as much as Young Woo. I am enjoying learning lots of whale facts though 😁🐳

I get loads of random Korean language learning accounts suggested on Insta. Screenshotted this one because it’s topical. 😄

I’m enjoying Alchemy of Souls so much. Jung So Min is always good value and I have a soft spot for her anyway, but the pairing with Lee Jae Wook is brilliant. They can both bring the funny and the serious. The chaste tea running gag made me laugh.

Loving the Chief Editor in Yumi 😂 It really is very faithful to toon. Which makes me think it has got to be curtains for Babi after all.

hello chingus.
I know I’ve asked this before but I can’t remember which thread and the find facility on here is no longer very efficient.
Anyway, dh is going away for several days for work and I wondered if any of you could recommend a Korean film or films that aren’t violent or disturbing or too sad.
I’ve seen Little Forest and On my Wedding Day.
It would be too mean on dh to start a new series without him!

Sorry Andante, I haven't watched many films that aren't zombie related. 🧟

I've just been listening to the podcast about the drama My Lovely Sam Soon and now I really want to watch it, it sounds brilliant! Has anyone watched it? It's not available in our region on Viki 🙁

Andante If you haven't seen it Miss Granny would be my top tip. It's really funny and touching. The Bros is also quite fun and What Happened to Mr Cha is just bonkers with Cha In-pyo playing himself in a sort of slapstick spoof of his fading fame - impossible to describe really, you'd have to watch it to get what I mean, but I highly recommend it.

@Rowdythree , I watched MLSS. I still laugh when I remember the drunken karaoke antics but rate it a 6/6.5 It was one of my first kdramas. I might rate it differently now that I know more about cultural contexts etc.

Ooh Chief Editor <scurries off to Viki>

Anyone looking for a delightful fantasy? I can recommend Jinxed at First ongoing on Olgas. In one way it’s like slice of life for a fairytale character. The innocence of the FL….ahhhh! Ace acting.

Jinxed at First has popped up on Viki too.

I can't shake off the Captain Scarlet image in my mind's eye now when watching KinnPorsche - thanks pol 🙄

Next week’s preview of Alchemy of Souls has me intensely frustrated that it is weekly airing. Want it all now! 😠