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!

Jin, how are Sell your haunted house & Police University going? Both caught my eye on Netflix.

I've watched both Migs. Police University is the classic starts brightly and then runs out of steam as it chases nonsensical plot KDrama. Likeable enough if you want to pass the time but not top of the list.
Sell Your Haunted House much more fun - Jang Nara does great moody kickass in leather trousers.

We’ve watched How to Sell your Haunted House. I only quite liked it but dh loved it.
I haven’t watched Police University but I have seen Rookie Cops on Olga’s. It was quite enjoyable and some of the actors are very good looking.

I’ve still got the last episodes of Sell Your Haunted House to watch several months down the line. I gave up on Police University about 3 episodes in. I just wasn’t feeling it.

I’m really enjoying I See You (webtoon) on Manta. It’s wryly funny, I love the grim reapers playing hooky loafing around FL’s flat and the pared down style of the artwork.

Thanks Pol, Sell your haunted house will be my next watch.

Same feedback as @polkettle

Police Academy - fun start but struggling to engage audiences, I have watched till episode 9 and kinda lost interest.
Sell your Haunted House: about to start ep8, it is interesting so far. Not like your usual ‘bringing closure to spirts’ troop.

I flopped on the sofa. The sun’s moved round and I’m too lethargic to get up and drop the blinds. Hurry up autumn!

I hear ya Boaty. It's muggy as hell and I'm not able to concentrate on watching any shows for too long here. Apart from EAW I've nothing new to watch that piques my interest. Now re watching BTIMFL as it's timeless and lovely. Bring on cooler weather and some new dramas 🙏

We had rain this morning. It was lovely. Now it’s all humid and sticky, even if it’s a bit cooler.

Thanks for the Lady & The Butler recommendation. I am making full use of my bottomless Manta sub. 👍 I’ve made more use of it in the last few days than I did in a year of my (now cancelled) Economist subscription. The Economist needs more abs & flirting. 😄

😂 Too right. And the London Review of Books...

Liking moody tattooed Grrr...
(Although not helping cool me down because we have still had NO rain 😠)

Our house is hotter than hell and we’ve been sleeping on a blow-up mattress in the garden for the past few nights. It’s heavenly - staring up at the stars in the cool night air.
Every weather app says it’s raining where we are but not a drop so far.

DS just told me that the girls* at his work want to meet me because of my major kdrama addiction. They are intrigued apparently. 😂

• He has a summer job where most of the staff are sixth formers on minimum wage.

K-curious? They're ripe for conversion Boaty - welcome them to the cult fold.
Relieved to see Sung Dong-il's face lift has bedded in a little since Ghost Doctor but it's still a distraction.

I should have explained: the girls also love kdrama and are intrigued that someone their Mums’ age is into it.

I have successfully turned a neighbour. She messaged me a long list of all the shows she's watched in the last 3 months. There are some on there that even I haven’t watched. I think she may be keen on JCW because the K2 was not on the list of suggestions I sent her & she has also watched Healer & Suspicious Partner. 😂

My manicurist and I had a conversation the other week about EAW as she is a fellow K Drama fan. Woman sat next to me was intrigued and somewhat bewildered at our enthusiasm. She asked what she should watch and we both replied at the same time "what genre?" Then gave her a couple of romantic comedy recommendations. She has since been in the salon asking for more recommendations!
Fighting ✊

New drama alert Love in Contact
as name suggests it’s our favourite genre CONTRACT MARRIAGE eeeeee 😁

Yes please 👍

Top alert Jin ! I’m keeping my fingers crossed that 2ML (I think he was the hot assassin from 100 Days ) will get the girl but it’ll prob be the baddie from Chicago Typewriter who isn’t my cup of tea at all.
I blame my fixation with black robed long haired angst ridden assassins😎

✨SHALALA✨

Aaah Dong-Mae! The one who started it all!! 😍

There has to be a ✨SHALALA ✨category in the Daebak awards

For those (possibly just shameless me) who like to keep up to date with the dating gossip.
www.koreaboo.com/news/hoyeon-jung-lee-dong-hwi-couple-double-date-hyeri/

The hot assassin from 100 Days My Prince is pretty hot in non-assassin mode as well. I'll definitely be rooting for him over Reply 1988's Sun-Woo.

SSK has sent my fanny a-galloping with this montage of heck. Courtesy of @polkettle and her keen eye.

https://twitter.com/emmabvideos/status/1559499611441713152?s=21&t=UiqDKNA4BEnZEtpoHrF22_g

Ooooh it has the steamy scenes with Bae Doona from Sense8 which is where I first spotted him, and which led me to kdrama <happy sigh>

Dh and I have been watching Sense8 recently, I have found it quite strange seeing Bae Doona speaking English, it's like my two worlds have collided! I didn't know I could expect a steamy scene with SSK! I will keep watching in that case, I'd run out of steam with it a little.

There was a lot of humping in Sens8. It was the least interesting thing about it, though I remember the sexyAF German thug and prim Indian bride being one of the more interesting pairings. I liked Bae Doona in it a lot. Her character was hard as nails.