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!

Ooooooh

I liked the Cuban heels too, though I was slightly coveting them for me. Hard to pick a favourite in that photoshoot.

<weeps> yes pls

It would have to be owned between us @Rowdythree. To celebrate the 40th you didn't get to 😁

I am dangerously behind in updating the spreadsheet but I'll tell you this for free.

Parfait Tic! is utter shite.

Even for my low, low Jdrama standards. And that's saying something.

I watch 'em so you don't have to, chums.

And you provide great service to us all. 🙌

I'm happy to do a Mr Gu birthday timeshare with you my friend 😁🥂

@polkettle ok so I remember why I didn't give 60 Mins... a watch already. The opening scene of first episode. Can I get past this?

Just go on to the next episodeFedUp. It's unfortunate that the creepy dolls are in the first one. It's a mixed bag but there are some sweet/intriguing stories and nothing too objectionable.

Hold the press!!! (My excitement runneths over)
Seoul, a Korean restaurant is opening next week where I live...specialising in bbq meat cooked at the table and everything. 😋 Will I be a dipper or a pourer? 🤔 I'm only accustomed to Chinese chopsticks so does this mean I'll now have to learn to use metal ones and hold them Korean style? Oooh, the excitement at tasting Korean food that hasn't come from a Costco freezer!

New Webtoon Quality Abs on A Dark Haired CEO klaxon! 🚨🚨🚨 - No Marriage is Perfect.

Enjoy Migs!

Thanks for the klaxon Pol

Lucky you Migs! Report back!

I’m still wading through the nearly 200 episodes of Subzero, which is a cracking yarn and generous with the abs. If I’m frustrated that the royal marriage has still not been consummated, the crown prince must be close to exploding but hey.

Top tip pol I likey! Specially the twist of faked amnesia as well as all the other tropes.

Madly ffwrding through the gaming/space/hospital stuff in You Are My Glory to get to ep 16 where ex-gf has reappeared. I do like DD & Yang Yang BUT THIS IS SO SLOW and I appreciate boaty's point about time-saving however I am getting ironi8ng & paperwork done as a lot of it is just filler imo.

Had to watch 60 Minutes after the mention and boy those dolls are creep af.

Will be bingeing EAW later

Mass weddings are quite frequent in Pakistan as well. They are usually arranged by NGOs & religious organisations in deprived areas.
Couples get some household items & cash to start their new life together. Bride & groom also get the outfits (imagine 30* brides wearing same clothes, they do bring out individuality with hair & makeup).

Hello Chingus,
I am back from visiting family, it was so chaotic that there was no time for Kdrama.
dived straight back in to work so only managed to get up to speed with EAW.

Attorney Jung - don’t like where it’s going.

AW: I still think that they will part ways & she will move to USA for career not to get away from her mother.

DH is taking DC away for the weekend so it will be just me & AOS, I have accumulated eight episodes.

Welcome back Jin 👋

I really hope we don't see any noble idiocy in EAW! 🙏

I'm away camping now so it will all be concluded when I get back! I hope for a happy ending for all characters! (apart from the shit ones)

Wee bit 😒 at episode 14 of EAW.

Mad moralising dialogues about the power of prayer and how great law is. Quite odd.

Am very worried for Attorney Jung.

Gotta say I haven't loved the last 3 eps of EAW (although an improvement today for me as she had a bit of agency see). I just don't buy that she has anything much in common with Jungho and he's felt more like an infantalising caregiver.
In other news, episode 3 of KSS - I think the colleague's jumper with underarm cut outs definitely Daebak worthy...

I'm two episodes behind in EAW but I agree with you Pol, as much as I want to see Young Woo and Jun Ho in a happy relationship, I'm not seeing much of an equal relationship between them. At the moment, I'm not sure why he likes her as much as he does and I think he needs to treat her with more respect, rather than infantilising her. I am a bit behind though, so these issues might be addressed.

You’re not making me want to down Subzero and fire up the gogglebox folks.

I thought AOS was 16 episodes so started the binge watch but it's actually 20 episodes so 4 more to wait for. To fill the gap, I'm on my first ever webtoon Perfect Marriage Revenge, but why, oh why does my brain whisper "Dog UK" whenever I read Doguk?😂Is it pronounced Do guk?

After episode 1 of 60 Minutes... gave me the absolute heebie-jeebies, episode 2 is adorable. PLEASE NO HENTAI WEIRDNESS GOING FORWARD 🙏

I completely agree with @polkettle & @Rowdythree re: Young Woo and Jun Ho‘s relationship.
Ep14 was just average, my least favourite so far but I did like Woo’s telephone conversation with her dad.

In EAW I'm apprehensive about the turn in Young Woo and Jun Ho‘s relationship too and wonder how the writer will address it. Meanwhile Attorneys Choi and Kwon look like they're starting a hate to love one. But CEO Han! 👀