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 pondered tapping up a couple of posters on that thread for this one, but it seems pretty bleak."
I rtft including all the links.
Clearing my head with Wolfstone (Celtic Rock) now.

Shameless handbag PPL in tonight’s Love in Contract. 😱

I liked the posture improving seat insert PPL.

That was also shameless. 🤣

Enjoying Love In Contract still but obscurely disappointed by PMY's current choice of RL BF

Annnnnnd now white middle aged male actor 1 of 3 makes his entrance. This guy is more wooden than Park Hae Jin in Forest but inexplicably gets cast again. (Still Love in Contract).

I'm saving all my LiC watching until tomorrow night.

I am patience personified 😇

Pull the other one FedUp. 😂 But well done. 👏

Thank you so much my virtual chingus for virtual fingerheart, friendship vibes, bottles of soju, whisky, gin, bubbles, kimchi pancake, and honey butter chips. Soothing back pats and a supply of home cooked side dishes tied up in a cheery yellow satin cloth.

You all have made me so happy & filled my heart with joy. You all are the BEST !!!!

@polkettle, @Saram13, @LarryUnderwood, @Andante57,@Rowdythree @boatyardblues, @TheGirlWithTheArabStrap,@MigsandTiggs @bettys (sincere apologies if I have forgotten anyone)
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Very interesting conversation around hierarchy in Korean society, the immense pressure on people to perform and conform. To be on the right side of the fence. Escapism through dramas.

I will check out Qoura for more.

Thanks for the drama recommendations to get back on track. I am thinking about starting Love in Contract & Little Women.

How is If you wish upon me going? I stopped it once this girl turned up, It was getting bit too much for me. Will resume it if it got Bea friendly/satisfactory ending.

I’m glad you are feeling better JinBhoot.
The Quora article sounds interesting.

Glad to hear your spirits were raised JinBhoot.

I am enjoying some riotous tonal chaos in filthy manhwa Gwang-an. It’s a Joseon court/palace intrigue with the crown prince as ML and his erstwhile concubine as FL. FL has a touch of the Red Sleeve FL’s iron will. The court politics are dirty and the sex is dirtier still. The tonal chaos cones from the meticulous use of courtly terms, with English and Hangul versions given and extensive explanatory footnotes. The footnote font is miniscule so I have to stop and zoom in to read it, but it’s worth it because they are so informative. I kept scrolling past it previously because the title panel gave me the ick but the artwork is good, the story is decent and the women’s bodies are fairly realistic. The prince is your typical Mr Universe beefcake, which is in no way realistic with his sedentary palace lifestyle.

I will finish If you Wish... today Jin. The drama has been in the okay category - some plot bonkersness and too much syrup and I've done quite a lot of other things while half watching it BUT I've really liked Wookie and 1000 Roses in it and their characterisations and relationship has been lovely and nuanced and nonsense free throughout. It will be 🐝 for sure apart from the death of the terminally ill character but I'm sure it will be a healing death...🙄

I'm glad you're feeling in better spirits Jin ❤️

I've just finished the vet programme, I loved it, it felt like a big hug. If it had been set at Christmas time it would have seemed like a Hallmark movie 🎄😍 I need a new gentle programme to watch now.

So glad you're feeling better @jinbhoot! The Filthy Noonas always rally round a chingu with crys of "fighting!" and gentle back pats. 💜

Glad you're feeling better Jin 💜

I've just fallen off my bike on the way to work and hurt my arm!! Im waiting in A&E for x-rays but apart from it really hurting I'm mostly thinking that I can go home soon and catch up on ^Little Women" 😂
Worth a minor injury for a day off work watching kdrama lol!

I've just fallen off my bike on the way to work and hurt my arm!! Im waiting in A&E for x-rays but apart from it really hurting I'm mostly thinking that I can go home soon and catch up on Little Women" 😂^

Atta girl!!! (Hope your arm is OK. 🤞)

Oh no TheGirl! Hope you're the perfect amount of poorly and it's not too painful. Also hope the Oppa of your choice available to blow on the sore parts.

Apparently I have a sprained wrist and a chip in a bone in my elbow 🩻 and it just needs to be rested (oh no!!). It hardly hurts as long as I don't move it so perfect for sitting on the couch ☺️

Ah TheGirl hope it doesn't hurt too much but gives you just enough recovery time to catch up on Little Women !

Ach TheGirl! You poor thing!! Plenty of hot sweet tea for the shock, and dramas for the comfort x

Poor you, TheGirl.
Have you been seen yet?
Hope you’re ok

Oh no thegirl! Hope you're not in too much pain, K drama on the telly, a blanket to snuggle under and a cup of tea sounds the perfect way to recuperate 💜

@JinBhoot glad things are looking up 💜

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap ow that sounds deeply unpleasant 😬 Even if the perfect excuse to binge-watch dramas 🤔

I'm really enjoying both Forecasting Love And Weather and Hotel Del Luna. Objectively Song Kang does absolutely nothing for me at all, but I love everything I've seen him in so far. Even if the characters he plays are often superficial and smug and he seems reeeaaalllly boring in real life. Sorry mate. Definitely chingu-joned ('joned' rather than 'zoned' in honour of the Korean j's instead of z's - if anyone's wondering take a listen to J-Hope's Safety Zone 😀) But frankly I'm not sure he'd even make that. Harsh, I know 😁

At the opposite end of the spectrum, have really enjoyed seeing Yoongi (BTS) meeting some of his basketball heroes in Japan ?today 😃 The little 'it's an honour' aww Yoongi 😻

In other exciting news I met and talked to real Koreans yesterday PARTLY IN KOREAN. OK, REALLY partly, let's not over-egg it, but I did ask a few questions and they understood and I understood some random things they said. The owner of a new food place here in town and her friend. The owner even asked if we could get together and speak Korean while my daughter reads aloud for hers 😮 'she could call you eonni' she said 😯 But we live too far away 😭They were slightly puzzled that BTS were the reason I got into Korean stuff, but after a discussion involving the words 'eomma', 'noona' and 'ajumma' they concluded it was 'joh-a' (good) and that age was just a number 😁 They were more into H.O.T. (1st generation K-pop) and Seo Taiji and Boys 👌

Thanks for the good wishes, I'm back home now and all caught up with Little Women so dramatic!!!! I'm loving it! The next episode also looks action packed
Yoongi looks extra tiny with those baseball players 😍