MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #35): Autumn - season of mists, mellow fruitfulness and Woolly Wookiee oppa

[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 an asterisk 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
Alchemy of Souls (Netflix) 🌟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)
Sweat and Soap (Viki, Japanese)
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.

1. The Red Sleeve - 10
2. Happiness - 9
3. Devil Judge - 8.75
4. Squid Game - 8.63
5. Navillera - 8.57

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

2019’s top scoring dramas

1. Her Private Life - 9.40
2. Melo is My Nature - 9.00

3.= Crash Landing On You, The Crowned Clown, The Lies Within, and The Tale of Nokdu - 8.75

1. Hotel del Luna - 8.50

5.= Romance is a Bonus Book, and Search: WWW - 8.17

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!

I’m sorry about Her Majesty but I hope she can enjoy K drama on Celestial Netflix.

Bea I’m sorry I don’t know anyone who could help re lodgings for your dd. I wonder, could the German Embassy put you in touch with an agency or something as there must be a lot of young people needing somewhere to live abroad.
Does anyone else find that that boy who does Random Korean Facts on Instagram really, really annoying? Maybe I need to work on my tolerance.

thanks @Andante57 ... i think she'll just have to perservere on all the official sites etc... i'm surprised the uni doesn't seemt o help a little more ... oversubscribed i think... i just thought on the off chance someone knew someone....😫😅🙏

Andante, is it the one whose catch phrase is "Simple"? I'm ok with him so far.

Migs - yes, and he makes sort of ‘pah’ sounds.
He reminds me of my ex husband and I think that’s affected my opinion of him.

Pol - I know right?! It is so good to have a show on the go which is making me look forward to finishing work to binge this weekend.
I am on episode 5 already (work slow today 😉) Desperately trying to suss out the relationship between ML and Director as to why he got the internship. No spoilers please !!

"He reminds me of my ex husband and I think that’s affected my opinion of him."
Perfect reason to dislike someone!! 😂

@AesopsMables ooh enjoy Miseang it's great!

@Andante57 I like your reasoning too 😁The 'Simple' guy kind of annoys me as well, but whenever one of his reels pops up on Instagram I do watch it anyway, and usually enjoy it despite myself. What does that say about me? 🤔

In other news, I'm apparently a pixie (see previous comment about Dalmajung BTS merch) as I was inspired by @Bea 's tales of collecting and went ahead and bought the tea cups anyway 🙌😂I couldn't resist. I'm really obsessed with Korean tea, and love autumn best of all seasons, so can picture myself sitting down to watch a K-drama on a dark evening and enjoying using them and refilling them frequently. Curious as to what Mr Saram will say about it. I literally got the side-eyes, and perhaps a raised eyebrow - difficult to tell from that angle - when he spotted a Yoongi enamel pin on the Shelf of Happiness the other day. Raise away I say! 😂

I do like mykoreandic on Instagram - I think he’s really funny.

I envy you all your merch. Dh bought some fridge magnets of IU and I wanted to buy some of Ji Chang Wook but I was too embarrassed in front of the guide. I should’ve had my wits about me and said they were for my daughter.

I love the idea of a Shelf of Happiness Saram

😂😂... Well done @Saram13 ...I actually caved and got the tea cups too.... Just been given a gift of money so thought how lovely to use it on the tea cups! 10% off abs free shipping! How could I resist!! 😍😂😂

This one is one of my favourites... I've never seen it available anywhere else. Its based on the persona album and bought it when Weverse was Weply! 😂😂😂 It's soo pretty! Box as well! 😂😂

@Andante57 not magnets...

but you can stick them on the fridge!

Misaeng is compelling viewing. It's refreshing to not have a protracted love storyline too. I'm just loving Manager Oh's character he is just so human. I want to line all the resource team men up and slowly castrate them.
Going to sail through lots of episodes tonight 💨

Can’t you use the cups for soju instead? If telly is to be believed lots of Koreans drink water from mugs. Soju is just funner water. 🤷‍♀️

Bea I love those photos! Maybe I should order two lots, one for the fridge and one for my bedside table.

@Bea yay tea cups 🙌😃love that mug too!

@polkettle here you go! (But I'm not sure the whole photo is showing....?) I had to evict Mr Saram from his cosy sofa corner to take it 😂poor devil. No room for the tea cups when they arrive 😱

Very nice shelf Saram 😍

Great bookshelf Saram. Our naughty parrot has ruined all the books in the upstairs bookcase.

@boatyardblues good call! I do however have these for soju. Bit cheaper than BTS merch 🙈 at 50 cents each from a thrift store. Thrift store is where BTS merch will ultimately end up, Mr Saram would say darkly 😁

Evening all.

I can't believe I got to episode 12 of Dr Romantic before I realised Dr Kang was Dong-Mae! Yes, he looks different with short hair, but not that different and as soon as I realised I just couldn't figure how I didn't see it before. Anyway, I quite enjoyed it, sort of a Korean version of House.

I also ended up rewatching W : Two Worlds Apart after it was mentioned recently, as I'd mostly forgotten it. LJS did sport some pretty "interesting" outfits, including a black suit with multi-coloured piping and a denim shirt with applique birds, but no black top with single white sleeve so I've no idea which unfortunate actor that was, or if it was even a kdrama.

I've finally finished Empress Ki as well (real history meets hysterical daytime soap). It was both awful and wonderful, but mostly awful. JCW overacted his little socks off as a flawed, paranoid, drunken emperor with a soft spot for our eponymous heroine. There was a lot of blood and a lot of nonsense and a lot of hours of my life I will never get back. Ah well. I have the final episode of AOS to watch tonight and then I'll have to start looking for my next hit of kdrama crack.

Good shelf Saram! Now I need to know more about your naughty parrot Andante 😍

I like how ^Little Women* has turned bookkeeping into the most badass career choice
Watched first episode of Youth Actor Retreat last night which was low on events/gossip. Hopefully the bantz will ramp up.

I've fallen into a manga/manwha hole.

Must. Get. Out.

Why FedUp? Stay there and we'll chuck you down a sarnie and thermos from time to time.

Finally finished AOS 👍