MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #37): The one where FedUp’s big birthday could tip her into ajumma territory. Thankfully filthy noona status is forever.

[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)
Little Women (Netflix)
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
Gaus Electronics (Viki)
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 Recommendations
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)
First Love (Netflix - Japanese)🌟
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.

So, current rankings @ 21.15ish today:

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

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!

Totally agree with you about Jang Uk in s2! 🔥 dark, brooding and sexy and in swishy robes too 😍

Good luck in the military Jin! Come back safe x

Haha polk , as the person that - without really knowing why - watched all of Shining Inheritance and 100 episodes of Beautiful World, Wonderful Life that sounds right up my street 😂

fistbump Rowdy. I think this is official filthy noona status for me, as I'm definitely in the maidservant Kim age bracket 😂

Definitely filthy Noona status for me too, he's not age appropriate 😜

Fistbump for also watching all 100 episodes of BW, WL 😆

I nearly gave up on BW, WL a lot of times. I just couldn't let it lie - I had to know how it all panned out 😂

I almost gave up on it too after the first few episodes, as it was a pretty depressing watch. I stuck with it though, and really enjoyed it. I've also gone back and watched all my favourite bits a second time (mainly Kim Jae Young) 😆

Very handsome advent Oppa this morning 💜

Yeah the start was so sad - it really made you emotionally connect with the characters though, that's what hooked me.

KJY as the soldier ahjussi 😍 daebak hot from 1st moment on screen. A few quite spicy kiss scenes as well (although they then inexplicably always go back to being awkward/holding hands for a few episodes). I also loved the character of the chairwoman/auntie, she was so over the top bonkers and evil. I wouldn't have lasted 6 months as her daughter in law, never mind 9 years!

I also admit to having re-watched my favourite parts 😂 I love the scene in the book store and the one where KJW lies down beside Kim Cheong Ah on the judo mat and says he loves her for the first time 😍

Sorry that was a reply for @Rowdythree - forgot to quote in my excitement at finding someone else who has watched it 😂

the one where KJW lies down beside Kim Cheong Ah on the judo mat and says he loves her for the first time 😍

I love that part too! ❤️ Is seemed so real, I felt so sorry for Cheong Ah throughout the whole show, she did amazingly to get through it, with the help of the love of Jun hwi 😍

The Chairwoman was bonkers, imagine having to live in a house with her as your mother in law, and imagine making your daughter in law divorce her husband when he's in a coma 🤣 crazy... All this talk of it is making me want to go back and watch some of it again!

Hooray for mindless watching of nonsense when you could be spending time in so many more more profitable ways! Hooray I say!!

Haha! Yes, the coma divorce so she would have to take alimony rather than become an heiress if he died 😂 also moving the ex-mistress into the house!

I loved Jun Hwi - the way he was so cut-off and reserved, but then once he realised he loved Cheong Ah he was just all-in can't live without her... Hehe it's making me smile thinking about it, I might have to watch some later

Good luck Jin!

@TheLoupGarou mention "moving the ex-mistress into the house" and suddenly I'm interested.😆

My Christmas cakes are in the oven; now need to chose between the hilarious Honey Bed Talk (a must watch for males imho) and Wednesday on Netflix while I wait for them to bake.

I'm still loving Reborn Rich and can't wait for Fri, Sat, Sun...🎼

I've just started watching Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life so I've been skimming the last few posts with my hands over my eyes trying to avoid spoilers! I'm hoping it's going to be my new What Happens to my Family (and not my new Empress Ki, which almost defeated me and to add insult to injury wound up with a really sad ending which WASN'T EVEN HISTORICALLY ACCURATE 😠)

I can confirm a 🐝 friendly ending Cobol

Sorry cobol! No more spoilers I promise.

Thoughts and prayers - it was a true addiction for me 😂

Ohhhh cobol. I've just found What Happens to my Family on Viki! It is so going on my watchlist (I have a job interview on Thursday to prepare for and an online exam so I cannot get sucked into anything before then 😂)

Omo, I'm wetting myself over the acupuncture scene in Honey Bed Talk 😂😂😂. This manhwa is excellent fun!!

Thanks for taking one for the team Pol AND making me laugh. 😂👌

I watched the whole of that speed skater/figure skater nerd poppet cdrama last Christmas for entirely mystifying reasons. It was so addictive even though the pacing would have given snails a run for their money. DH thought my ambivalence throughout was hilarious: “ And yet, here you are starting another episode…” I don’t start cdramas now. It’s not a healthy place for me to be. Hope has not trumped experience, I still hold out for narrative lift-off that never arrives.

I liked the crap shag story in Honey Bed Talk. The FL was much nicer to Mr Crap Shag than I would have been. I was so glad she found her voice eventually.

Thanks Rowdy and TheLoup for confirming BL,WL is worth carrying on with. The synopsis on Vicki made it sound like a lightweight romance so I was quite baffled by the first few episodes and kept complaining to DH it wasn't at all as advertised but somehow couldn't stop watching it. At some point I twigged it was a soap and checked the number of episodes and was like "how many?!!!!" but it was too late, I'm already hooked, I have to find out what the soldier ahjussi's brother did that he couldn't live with...😂

Haha cobol that was exactly my trajectory as well 😂