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!

What's this website that everyone is reading the Manhwa etc on please? I have read some previously but most of the sites I've seen only allow you a few free chapters before you have to pay, or other restrictions etc.

Ach I posted to recommend a manhwa as being gluten-free and fun but then it suddenly went full-colour textured baguette so I asked for my post to be deleted to save your eyes.
Note to self: read more than the first few chapters before recommending.

What manhwa is that cool screenshot from FedUp?

Rowdy, thanks for the link. I like both horror and thrillers and from the list have only seen Train to Busan, so quite a few to work my way through.
Pol, dunno what was in the spoiler for Big Mouth, but I would give the show a good 7.5+. Lots of twists and turns, a very feisty/competent FL and not as brutal as Insider.
Manhwa, Which Alpha would you ... is actually very interesting and rounded in showing the Alpha/Beta/Omega conflicts in that world. I also got a whiff of Handmaid's Tale, albeit with the Alpha childbearing capable females being dominant. Forget the smut, the storytelling is just so good. I also liked the artwork.
Oh, I would also give it an extra point for the comments!! One person said there were so much bright, white lightsabers about they thought they were in Star Wars😂

Iwillshine, it's mto.to. I think it was from Fedup

Does sound like a good thriller Migs The spoiler I saw was to do with the FL...(I'm a low stakes happy ending kinda girl)

Thanks for posting this Migs. I was trying to explain it to DH earlier. He just rolled his eyes and said it sounded like a vehicle designed to deliver smut at regular intervals. He’s not wrong, but I thought it was a cut above the rest too.

I read Summer Solstice Point earlier too which seems to have been written by a grown-up and drawn by someone who understands what a real woman looks like with her clothes off. A surprisingly gentle, thoughtful noona romance.

Thankfully the news about Grid and the chance to admire racehorse legs SKJ before he starts his military service persuaded me to climb out of the gutter. I think the show could do with a rocket under it in ep 1 pace-wise. I’ve never seen a damper squib near-apocalypse-averted scene, though DH and I said we preferred the muted muted Korean “phew, close shave” style murmur to your classic US whooping, hugging and backslapping scenes. SKJ is better once he and forensics woman start having more scenes together. It’s warming up but it’s treading an awfully fine line between gripping and a misfire. I’ve seen the first 2 eps so far. 🤞 it stays the right side of that line.

@boatyardblues I loved Summer Solstice Point, was just coming on here to tell you about it.

Great minds etc etc

Ha! Yes, it’s not often the word cervix crops up in a manhwa. 😄

I must admit I didn't like the Alpha/Omega manwha. There's not much I baulk at, but that was one.

I think I've corrupted many a mind on here. I will self reflect.

...

NAAAHHHHH 🥖🥖🥖

We're a long way from the ✨SHALALAs✨

One helping of baguettes enough for me (although we won't talk about my E inclusive fanfic habit...) but delighted your site of FILTH also has the shalala Tapas content FedUp. Burning through You're Perfect for Me and Bom's Espresso this morning.

Migs were going to start working our way through the list tonight, we'll probably watch one film a week. We've already seen The Wailing so we're going to watch the number 8 film I saw the Devil tonight which has Lee Byung Hun as the ML.

I'm also reading Summer Solstice Point on the filthy site. It's quite sweet

@boatyardblues yes! The grid! It's intriguing but just taking its time to get going!! They've hooked us with all the unanswered questions... Buuuut! You need to give a few answers to keep you interested... So far it's... What the flip is going on!!??... But skj? 🤩😍☺️😂👍🏼💜🤦🏻‍♀️

Also started the good detective..
It's good and very thrillery... But also just as confusing as the grid!! 😱😩🙈

I think I need some kdrama fluff True Beauty Stylee! 🙏🙏🙏😍☺️

@FedUpWithBriiiiick I first read about the alpha/ beta/ omega concept in fanfic and it gave me the ick!! But now I've read so much it's become completely acceptable 😂😂😂 although I definitely prefer non traditional dynamics.
Also it's really hard to read filthy manhwa in public compared to fanfiction. 🤞 No one pops up behind you when the phonescreen is full of naked chests and white baguettes 😂

Also it's really hard to read filthy manhwa in public compared to fanfiction.

So true! I also had inner cringe that filthy manwha might have temporarily popped up on my phone when the receptionist at the gym scanned in a QR code for me on their system a couple of days ago. 😳 Thankfully when I checked my open Safari tab was on a boring page. 😂

Oh my God, Today’s Webtoon has given me the rage. Gluten-free (TM Pol 👏) and then some! It was lovely ‘n’ all but c’mon people!

Yes I'm super happy to see the SHALALA content on there that Tapas frustrated me with. There's some Manta content too but it seems to be at the same point as the app. Still, good to see without forking out for a subscription if you don't want one.

I keep telling you people to watch Sleepeeer Hit! instead! Gluten expectations are managed right from the outset. Low stakes, slice of life goodness.

The Which Alpha manhwa is only my 3rd, but I have a friend who is a writer and I wish I could discuss the rules of that world with her. I think that what irl we would consider rape isn’t rape there, for example, and I’m interested in seeing how the single spontaneous change from beta to omega would affect the world order. Would it be possible to create more omegas this way/is the process is replicable? Would the unusual background of the FL influence the mindset of the omega class and change beta jealousy? Maybe I’m overthinking it, but I find the story rich for development. AO3, here I come! 😁

I’m in England all this week with nothing to do except watch movies and read manhwas work on my online course.

Let's get to the point - is there snogging in it FedUp?

I started it last night FedUp
FL is super cute, I'm not sure it's a hit though but will persevere past ep 2

There is not.