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!

Advent day 15!

No way!

Thanks TheGirl - I wish my skin was as smooth as his 😂

@TheLoupGarou I follow him on IG and he seems a bit obsessed with the gym so I think the amazing skin is down to a boring life 😁

This ramen Advent calendar is a perfect pairing with our daily oppas

This is sadly the conclusion I have come too. Hot abs =/= fun dinner date.

😂

That. Is. Amazing!

I definitely want one for next year!!

I googled the ramen advent calendar. DS will be at uni next year and it would be such a good gift. Sadly no UK stockists appeared. 😟

My pick for 2022 dramas- Extraordinary Attorney Woo; Somebody; Our Blues.

I'd like to ask for some recommendations, please. I've just been going through K drama on Netflix, and am just amazed by how many I've seen! Even where the title didn't ring a bell. But going to More Episodes and seeing those red lines...
Anyway, any thoughts on A Korean Odyssey (long eps, though), Flower Of Evil, Abyss, Iris, and Moon Embracing The Sun?

My pick for 2022
Slice of life: My Libration Notes
Sageuk: Under Queen’s Umbrella
Surprise entry: Alchemy of Souls 1
Feel good: Shooting Stars

duc there is a lot to like about A Korean Odyssey - good ensemble cast and it starts strong, lots of funny moments - it flags a LOT in the final third but I would say it's worth watching still.

My 2022 picks -
Sh**ting Stars
Alchemy of Souls

Obviously it’ll come down to scores, but are we going to allow First Love a special mention after our top 5 scoring kdramas this year? It was so good.

Well. Now. Hmmm.

As the top J-Drama consumer, I would rather it as the toppa most of the poppa most in the "Other" list.

But as a good trade unionist, I will bow to the majority 😁

That's so disappointing! My DH and my DD (who's also off to uni next year). Would love these!

I still need to watch First Love, but I fear my drama viewing may be even less than it is now with the arrival of a new puppy on Sunday 🐶 😬

I’ve decided to do an advent box with 24 parcels instead, many of which will be wild-flavoured ramen from my local Chinese/Korean supermarket. I’m thinking a box of mochi for 24th.

Re: Singles Inferno, I’m currently #TeamYoong-Jae. I will reserve final judgement until the new bloke is revealed on Tuesday.

How did I miss the new puppy news? Exciting!!!

I’ve decided to do an advent box with 24 parcels instead, many of which will be wild-flavoured ramen from my local Chinese/Korean supermarket. I’m thinking a box of mochi for 24th.

Good idea! I need to file that away in my memory for next year (I'm bound to forget 😆)

@duc748 I liked Iris. Not the sequel so much tho. I've watched Moon embracing the sun, it's ok.

@Rowdythree A new puppy!! Love 💕 🐶

Thanks, MigsandTiggs.

PUPPPPPPPYYYYYY!!!!! 😍😍😍

cough just got a bit distracted there 🤔😁

Aesops thanks for the link to that show! Looks intriguing. Strictly speaking, Mr Saram has a different cultural background (nowhere near as extreme as Korean-European, but still). Even the small cultural differences we have took some getting used to in the beginning. Actually moving to Korea wd be hardcore.

I lasted about 3 minutes into series 1 of Singles Inferno. Couldn't get into it at all. One of the guys from it was a backing dancer in the K-pop concert I saw back in the summer. Shirt was removed at the end. There was ALOT of screaming 😂 and several films got sent round the Korean class app group by the friends I went with. Teacher was also a fan 😁

Top shows of 2022 for me (no specific order) are Our Blues, My Liberation Notes, Somebody (but think that's just me and Migs 😁), probably Little Women. Currently watching AoS 1 and First Love, good tips chingus! I did find it a major adjustment to be hearing Japanese instead of Korean, but it has been worth persisting.

boaty, what happens if something marmite like Somebody (I'm guessing it's a real love or hate one) ends up with a really high score because only a couple of people have watched it and are enthusiastic?

Good point re Somebody Saram. Perhaps a warning that it has disturbingly violence and morally ambiguous main character? A strong stomach, marmite required section? NSFA. (not safe for aesops)🤔

I forgot to include Twenty five, twenty one in my pick list.

Reborn again. I cannot tell you how good this is. Machiavellian. Excellent plotting. Surprises. I think this will be in my top five when it finishes.

Oppa advent day 17

It's lovely eyes Lee Junho

Seeing Junho has reminded me of The Red Sleeve which is not getting mentioned in people's 2022 faves but garnered a lot of love earlier this year.