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!

Why can't I screencast Viki??? My phone doesn't offer the option...

You need a method to do it anona - I use a Chromecast but others available.
So, I see beautiful Ryu Wotsit was at Wimbledon "with" (at the same time and sitting next to) Krystal. I wonder if he's split up with Hyeri...

I always thought Ryu and Hyeri were a bit odd as a pairing. Slightly unhealthy dynamic. She more into him than he into her.

Example

Aah, I really liked them in Reply, I hope he's not an arse towards her 🤨

I feel less bad I wasn't in town to offer him a cup of tea now.

He doesn't deserve your hospitality Pol!

I also agree with bettys predictions for Alchemy of Souls. I'm really enjoying it. It's all very lovely to look at. The obsessed with ML girl is a perfect anime princess, as well as a silly moo 😅

Also in exciting news, a new person started at work and they love BTS, K-pop and k- drama 🥰
I only realised when I clocked her BT21 Army phone case while doing her induction.
We've had limited opportunity to compare notes but she has Viki and loves Fight My Way. She's only 21 though so don't want to freak her out with too much Filthy Noona chat.
She did say it was the best induction ever though 🤣

Well spotted TheGirl! She's definitely too young to be a Filthy Noona™️, but I'm sure you will be a lovely unni to her!! 🥰

Does anyone else follow Spurs on Twitter? They're on a trip to Seoul at the moment, and visiting Bukchon Hanok village and dressing up in robes. Cute 🤗

I don't follow Spurs, just Son, so have seen some pics of then arriving. I'll have to go and find the dressing up pics 😁

I only follow Spurs for Son, I'm not interested in their football 😂 they had a huge welcome at the airport when they arrived in Seoul though!

Great news about a fellow Kdrama/BTS fan at work Thegirl, it's like we're in a secret club, great when we find a fellow member.

Hello chingus,

It's been a while, definitely time for a periodical check-in ! As always, I'm following and enjoying the thread 😃 even if real life (and computer availability, side-eyes gaming Mr Saram 🤔) gets in the way of commenting.

As usual I'm several light years behind, but well into MLN and Our Blues now and really enjoying both. Things really do run behind here, not all episodes of Our Blue are up yet so when I run out I will probably go really old-skool and finally get round to watching Reply 1997 or Itaewon Class.

@TheGirl I spotted a teaching assistant in DD's class wearing a BTS hoodie, so engineered an opportunity to show her my HouseofPins Namjoon bag (think some of you are familiar with her stuff) and have a chat. It always feels good identifying another ARMY 😊

@Boatyard I was out with my Korean teacher and fellow students at the weekend. We had dinner and did karaoke, includings lots of BTS and other K-pop, in both English and Korean 😁I put Gin and Juice in the playlist and none of them had heard of it (all born after it was released 😂). Prompted by this reminder of our age gap, I asked my teacher and a young guy whose wife is Korean about the whole noona/ajumma thing. (I thought I was firmly in the latter camp, age wise.) They both immediately said no, it was a matter of famiilarity, not age. So if you know an older woman well enough to chat to her informally (and/or do Snoop Dogg together at karaoke), she's definitely a noona, not ajumma.

Some of us will be going to see SUNMI together next month. Really enjoying her latest release! Distinctly pop-y, but worth checking out.

And finally - same classmates have persuaded me to join Instagram so I can stalk follow the 7 as they embark on new activities. I'm really loving Namjoon's account. And I was enormously proud of myself being able to read Yoongi's comment on his story (is that the name? the short kind of film that appears if you click on the profile photo?) without looking anything up. OK, it was simple, 'I'm tired', but good to know four months of intense study weren't for nothing 😂

I finally got round to Attorney Woo and love it! Eagerly awaiting new episodes now.

Anyone watching 'Cafe Minamdang'? I only saw a bit but not really on board yet. Perhaps I will give 'Alchemy of Souls' a go instead as so many of you are enjoying that :)

Thanks for noona/ahjumma insight @Saram13 . So, from what you are saying, we need to be working on familiarity with our idols? 👍 A task I am happy to take on. 😄 Who are the threads favourite picks for an evening of noraebang?

Count me in! Not sure Yoongi would be up for noraebang🤔. Unless we get him leathered on Diamond White early on 😁

Omo!
I've met Andrew Garfield, that means I'm only two degrees of separation away from a Reply 1988 star! This is very exciting.

Life has been a bit busy lately, but I've read (almost) all of the hundreds of comments since I last posted.

I have managed to totally binge all of Sweat and Soap, which is truly a show that could only have been made in Japan. I loved it.

I'm still on Woori, around about ep.8 but I'm finding it a bit samey at the moment.

Alchemy of Souls is really starting to pick up the pace now I think, we're nearly up to date and I'm enjoying all the totally ridiculous magic far too much. I do wonder what the point of blond mullet guy is though. His sole job seems to be to hang around looking slightly dopey. He never really does anything unless it's connected to the anime princess girl (thank you TheGirl for that spot on description). I wish I had a cave full of magical items.

Anyone else watching Cafe Minamdang? We just started it and it's delightful to see my fave out of Reply 1997 in a drama again. It's also the funniest kdrama I've seen for a while.

Saram I reckon Yoongi would be up for a bit of noraebang, I refer you to Run BTS episode 28. He truly let loose there on New Face by Psy...

@Saram13 I do know House of Pins, I have the t-shirt version of your bag. I love it!

Calling ARMY! Permission to Dance: LA and^^ a new documentary coming to Disney+ UK this and next year respectively! 💜

What the what now???
Alchemy of Souls is filming pt 2 and there may be a different FL? 😩

according to the font of all knowledge Soompi

I'm watching Cafe Minamdang @MusiqueAutomatique and enjoying it especially as we're starting to find out a bit more of ML's back story. Not sure how I would feel working with someone (the tech wizard) who never seems to wash or tidy up tho. 😁

I suppose this is a consequence of Naksu being in a host body. Are all the chaps besotted with Naksu or Mu-Deok? If Naksu moves house, does the desire remain?

@MusiqueAutomatique 😁

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap Ah yes, now I remember 😊

@FedUpWithBriiiiick A friend from the course mentioned the concert going to Disney+, but I assumed it would be the Seoul one (which I saw and enormously enjoyed at the time). Double bonus points that it's the LA edition, which I haven't seen.

I've looked up Cafe Minamdang and Alchemy of Souls - had assumed they were on Viki as hadn't seen anything on Netflix. They will in fact both be coming to Netflix Europe next month (those pesky translations holding the release up again, I assume). Thanks for the tip!

Returning to Our Blues - and apologies if I missed this in discussions at the time. I was intrigued by the amazing art that featured in episode 15, so went googling and found this: Interview with Jung Eun-hye. There is a trailer for the documentary on YouTube (in Korean only).