MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #36): The one where gluten-free and baguettes stopped being about baked goods. Best leave it at that.

[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
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!

Stick with it Bea! It's a hoot once you get a pace on it.

aha!!! I will continue then.....😁 Ta very muchly!! x

I found this interesting video on Kdrama CC
<a class="break-all" href="https://www.wired.com/video/watch/wired-news-and-science-korean-phrases-you-missed-in-squid-gamewww.wired.com/video/watch/wired-news-and-science-tardigrades" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">translating Korean

Don't know what just happened there. Trying again.
<a class="break-all" href="https://www.wired.com/video/watch/wired-news-and-science-korean-phrases-you-missed-in-squid-gamewww.wired.com/video/watch/wired-news-and-science-tardigrades" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cc

I give up! MN is playing up today.

my friends & I share dozens of posts/memes/clips everyday on various SM platforms.
This cracked me but no one will get it so posting here.

Fun clip Jin. 😄

I’m trying to find out the name of the Kingdom of Love location in Love is for Suckers. No luck yet, but this looks handy for itinerary planning: thetravelintern.com/k-drama-filming-locations/?amp

I think it's Love For Suckers is here boaty

Your link wins Betty! Some great locations on there (though mine has the jetty in Goblin).

Enjoying Reborn Rich very much! Maybe because it has the manhwa revenge/reincarnation theme.

bettys, me too, can't wait for the revenge to start!!

Enjoyed first two episodes of uri feathery stroker in your pocket's new drama yesterday - Summer Strike. He's a small town librarian who doesn't talk much 🥰 Slightly worried that there's going to be a tedious serial killer on the loose but whatcanyado...that's KDrama.

I've started watching a film round at Olga's On Your Wedding Day

SK currently playing Uruguay in the WC. I imagine Korean insta is all a-buzz.

On Your Wedding Day is fun.
I’m looking forward to Summer Strike - is it anything like Once Upon a Small Town?

Bit less fluffy than that Andante - Hometown Cha Cha Cha meets MLN meets When the Camellia Blooms maybe. The first episode all about her city life so still early days.

Thanks Pol - I’ll give it a go when we’ve finished Gaus Electronics.

Wow. I just fell down a total BTS YouTube rabbit hole. I'm actually embarrassed - I'm probably old enough to be all of their mothers' 😂. That Run dance practice video is playing rent free in my head fans self

I love that clip Jin! I bet they're hilarious!

Glad to see you've decided to carry on with Gaus Bea, it's bonkers and quite sweet once you get into it.

TheLoup I'm not a huge fan of LJS, but I loved him in W, despite the crazy wardrobe.

All I've managed to watch this week is one episode of Curtain Call, I want to finish off Through the Darkness but DH is ill in bed 😕

I might have a glass of wine and watch a cheesy Christmas film tonight, nothing is appealing to me 🎄

I'm going to start Reborn Rich at the weekend, my Korean teacher was raving about it last night.

I just realised, it's 1 week until the start of the advent calendar! There's still time to get your favourite Oppa behind a door 🎄

Just watched ep 14 Love is for suckers. The one where sexual harassment and abuse of power is presented as ... normal?🙄

I am disproportionately excited about the advent calendar 😁I mean I could look up photographs of random Korean actors all by myself couldn't I 🤔but it's the thought that we've all chipped in our ideas and then we get a nice little surprise each day to warm our cockles, just when the world is imploding with real-life Christmas madness 😱TIA Rowdy!

And then. I finished Somebody. I'm with you Migs, a firm 9/10. If not more. It's no HCCC (which I also loved), that's for sure. It is dark, graphic (though no worse than many Scandi noirs I would say), shocking in places. But it also has the odd moment of very dark Old-Boy-style humour, amazing filming locations, excellent use of music (first drama I've ever watched all the credits for because the music is so good). Explores interesting themes, some very pertinent to Korea. Stellar performances from all the leads. And I don't think the trailer does it justice. I'm edging towards favourite K-drama so far.

Saram, the outstanding quality for me was the ability of the director to maintain such a heightened level of tension for so long. In some parts it was excruciating, eg the scene where the shaman is bouncing on the reaping knives. I genuinely had no idea which way that would end as by then it was obvious that the drama wasn't shying away from anything. To my mind, the ending was a relative relief as by then I was anticipating a totally black FL storyline.
Brilliant casting and acting; I don't think I have seen any of the main actors before.

New kdrama favourite line: "His dick isn't limp!" 😜

I know I've already made several nominations but I forgot to mention Jang Ki Yong. He's currently enlisted, not due out until some time early next year. An advent photo to tide us over in the meantime would be much appreciated Rowdy.

I want Kim Young-kwang in the advent calendar now please @Rowdythree 😁

Seconded! A fine age-appropriate oppa choice!