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 am always amused by how Korean mums and dads give their toddlers the most outrageous haircuts, presumably in the name of convenience.

The ones on Instagram with the triplets are particularly hilarious.

Maybe there's another reason for the mad wee bowl cuts. Answers on a postcard!

I love the little bowl haircuts, they look so cute! Especially when paired with some dungarees 🤗

Oh dear! I fell for it!...😳🤯😱 Though considering throughout all my kdrama watching years I've yet to eat a subway... I've not done so bad! (though kopika sweets are great to have in your bag now and again!!... Also I keep them in the car for long journeys! 😂😂)... I now look 25! Huzzah!..
🤦🏻‍♀️😂

I recommended Kahi to my DN and she loooves it! Says her skin actually looks "dewy". I like the blue sun block version too. Beauty products are top of my shopping list for when I visit SK next year. And the latest iphone as Japan has the cheapest iphone prices in the world.

MigsandTiggs how long are you going to Korea for next year? Are you travelling all over?

Andante, I'm probably going to be in SK for 10-14 days in autumn 2023 as I'm going on a Japan tour first for. Wendy Wu does both countries consecutively but I'm thinking of doing SK self-guided and booking tours locally. I've contacted both Inside Asia and Barrhead travel (local Scottish) for ideas. What do you think about self guided and how long do I need in Seoul? I'm prepared to be away for up to a month, including flying days.

And I plan to travel all over SK, except for Jeju Island.

<panics at thread post count> 😰

Our @boatyardblues is away this weekend. Can a sunbae deputise new thread creation duty?

We can't do that!! 😲😱... It's always been @boatyardblues@boatyardblues

It will seem weird if @boatyardblues doesn't do it! 😲😱... I'll feel all discombobulated!

MigsandTiggs
There’s loads to see in Seoul but on the other hand there is so much to see elsewhere in the country. I don’t know how much stamina you have for sightseeing but if you do two or three things a day you’d get a good variety of places to go and see.
Re going self-guided, street signs and signs at the stations are in English and Hangul, but in our experience very few people spoke English.
I can’t remember if you are having Korean lessons? I’d been learning for about 5 months when we went and although I was able to read the alphabet and say simple sentences, I found it hard to understand when they answered me in Korean so I wouldn’t have been able to understand directions.
Our guide took us to unpretentious and inexpensive restaurants and snack bars and the menus were only in Hangul (just thinking about the food makes my mouth water) but there translating apps in phones - and with that and google maps, going self-guided should certainly be possible.
We are also using Inside Asia and our agent is a nice woman called Holly.
So looking forward to hearing your itinerary.

I’m back online!! I will rustle up a new thread quickly. It might not me my best work & we’ll need to do proper updates next thread. Please hold…

You’re a star Boaty.

We’ve just started Stranger which someone recommended to dh, and we’re loving it.
It’s quite a contrast to Once Upon a Small Town.

Here it is, mad formatting and all: www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/4661062-mslattes-daebak-cybercafe-kdrama-addicts-36-the-one-where-gluten-free-and-baguettes-stopped-being-about-baked-goods-best-leave-it-at-that

As I’m back from the pub well-oiled, I’m glad it turned out OK-ish.

Mate you are a star!!! I was in quite the flap thinking I'd have to rustle something up and do all the lists and that.

Back to your frivolities!

Stranger is EXCELLENT. My DH loved it. It was his "gateway" drama.

I’ll leave it with you to close out the thread in an orderly fashion, FedUp. I’m off out soon for another day’s gallivanting.

What is everyone watching today?

It's a miserable rainy day here, so I'm going to cuddle up with my electric throw, a packet of digestives and go through my Viki watchlist.

Sounds like a good afternoon, FedUpWithBriiiiick what did you end up watching?

I am just finishing up Cafe Minamdang while my chicken is roasting away. But I always have the same problem in any programme when someone is struggling at close quarters with a baddie. Go for the eyes or the balls - I really don't know why they don't do this. A good squeeze or a poke and it might give them time to get away.

Sorry but I absolutely ROARED at this

www.instagram.com/reel/CjV3ITOom50/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

I just spun around on instagram reels all day. 🤣 Welp another Sunday gone.

Anyone else in a K drama slump?

www.soompi.com/article/1549434wpp/the-k-drama-slump-shows-to-watch-that-will-get-you-through-it

Unfortunately I've seen all of these recommended dramas, but it might help someone else in a slump.

Fedup, I'm watching Under the queen's umbrella on Netflix (I think it's getting this year's highest SK viewer ratings so far). V enjoyable so far.

Fedup I always end up doing that when I am about to go to bed. All of a sudden an hour has passed, how does that happen?

I've just discovered that they made a To My Star 2 so I've mostly been watching that today. Definitely my favourite BL couple, they're very loved up and rather sweet in it. A lot of the BL stuff can be quite formulaic but this one feels more like a regular romance, just with two guys. And, boy, do they go for it with the snogging! I think Yoo Yeon-seok and Seo Hyun-jin in Dr Romantic might still beat them for sheer enthusiasm, but it's a close run thing.