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!

Yayaaa today’s oppa was my request. He was 🔥 in Little Women.

Last two oppas (specially the one on p8) you have to be careful opening the thread in office.

AOS ep2 - man, it’s getting interesting. Jung Uk refusing to carry her becz it’s waste of energy….hahaha
Is it me or Seo Yul looks pale & unwell. They will kill him isint it. I feel for him, s1 - he kept quite & same gonna happen now. Give this poor chap some happiness.

Can’t wait for next two episodes.

Mine too 😂 I started it expecting a nice light romance. It was worth it though, it's one I still think about often

I'm worried about Seo Yul as well..... so handsome and good. I'm afraid of some sort of noble sacrifice storyline. I'm slightly shipping him with Heo Yeom's healer granddaughter, she's also a bit too good to be true ....

Liking today's oppa Rowdy! 🙂

Have the last episode of Hotel Del Luna lined up for tonight. Have really enjoyed it! I can see why IU is so popular. But a great ensemble cast too! Much preferred the reincarnated guy in long-haired-rebel mode (strong 9) to present-day curtains mode (though hardly touched with the ugly stick, 5 or 6 on the oppa scale). I haven't watched any historical K-dramas apart from Kingdom (only one Mr Saram has enjoyed, to date 🙄) so guess it's time 😁 Starting Alchemy of Souls (S1) tomorrow! 🥳

Which reminds me, I've long wanted to share this photo from one of my geek Korean history books, showing that handsome Korean men with amazing hair and natty accessories are not just a 21st-century thing 😀

Son is a fan of Hospital Playlist.
If I ever switch to supporting Spurs, it will be because of this one reason.

That's fascinating Saram ! It goes all the way back to Hwarang which I am now thinking is obviously what they really looked like 🤭

Loved Wi Ha Joon in Little Women. I didn't see the appeal when I'd only seen him in Romance is a Bonus Book and then suddenly watching LW I was like 'ohhhhhh I get this now'. Maybe he needs a bit of a dangerous role!

He's great in Squid Game too as a bit of danger.

He plays the git of a younger brother in Something in the Rain where his favoured ‘little prince’ son character was really unlikeable. I’m glad he’s getting roles that allow him to show a softer side now. I think he’s a versatile actor.

I think that might be why I'm not very keen on him, Something in the rain is my last favourite drama, and his character was not nice. It has obviously stuck with me 😬

On to final episode of the season of Tale of the Nine Tailed Fox... no, no, I'm fine - just have something in my eye... (sniff)...

There's S2 but a whole new story line and whilst I would like to continue I feel a breath of fresh air is needed.. something light and easy on the heart.. (postponing AoS, Love Between Fairy, Untamed for now). Hmm, 'Oh My Venus' (might just inspire me to lose a few inches), or Yumi's Cells?

Oppa advent day 14

Modelling some lovely knitwear it's Kim Young Kwang

The new season of Singles Inferno looks very interesting. Koreans are so competitive and I'm looking forward to reddit comments from foreigners, once again.

Not sure why the photo appeared twice 🤷‍♀️

KYK looks very cosy rowdy, I want a sweater like that ❤

Mmm cosy ❄️💜

KYK looking very handsome and cosy ❤️

Finally a properly dressed BOGOF oppa! I'd even go so far as to say that scarf may be unnecessary with the roll neck.
Final episode of TYD delivered the keynotes of the series in spades by delivering a major multiple casualty gas explosion and a brain injured ML in the final 7 minutes of drama having previously wasted 10 or not one but two song lyric wistful montages. On to my next CDrama morning hit... Might do Lighter and Princess which is getting good snog reviews.

Btw I don't think I've broken it to you noonas that Kim WooBin has reached out to me on his totally kosher private account and values my fanship wants to get to know me better. So you know, packing my bags now.

But the biggest Insta news is the RETURN of Mr Binn!

www.instagram.com/tv/CmJEYbuD9qU/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

Gosh what with Cosy Knitwear Advent Oppas, Mr Bin & manhwa to catch up my early morning tea in bed is busy busy!

Thanks for the ‘Honey Bed Talk’ recommendation! Another good thing about the Bato comments is that you chance on (yet more) manhwas when they post pics with sauce. Currently reading isekai BL ‘I Became The Lousy Side Top’ 😂 So far it’s sweet & baguette free but you never know …..

Good for you pol, you might have a stowaway in your bag!

alas, one can only dream 😂

I started watching the Forbidden Marriage on Viki last night and am really enjoying it - some very funny bits

Morning all.
I thought I was following Mr Binn but it seems not so I've just followed again.
And another unfamiliar advent oppa this morning. Apparently I've seen him in Pinnochio but I don't really remember surprisingly. I guess it's hard to make an impression alongside Lee Jong Suk.