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!

I almost missed the puppy news … I am scared of all animals but if one day I’ll pluck some courage, I’ll have a pet dog.

AOS - I hope they don’t cancel next week’s episodes (as it’s Christmas Eve & Christmas).
It is getting interesting, I love flustered Seo Yul … he is adorable.
I don’t want them to drag it any further, Uk should find out tomorrow. I suspect they will end the episode on it & we will count days till next two episodes.
Happy ending, no deaths & a good smooch, it is to much to ask for?

Hi all, just back from a lovely dinner at Sarang in Golders Green. If anyone is in that are, highly recommended. I had spicy tteokbokki and kimchi ramyun. The family had the bbq. All with soju of course and lots of lovely sides.

Sounds fabulous!!

Sounds lovely!

I couldn't wait for strictly to end and watched AoS. Aargh can't wait for next episode.

I really love Maidservant Kim - she is just great. Dang Gu is too precious for words and poor flustered Yul as well. I'm wondering about how they will play out the whole thing - will we have a big reveal? How is Uk going to react? Or is it going to be no one knows the truth about each other for ages? They can't spin it out for too long surely as there's only 10 episodes in the series....

I fear for the ending tbh 😭

Hello chingus! Long time no see, but I’m glad I haven’t missed all the oppa advent - and I’ve enjoyed catching up on it. ☺️

I hope everyone is well and looking forward to Christmas?

My k-friendly news is that I’ve been (slowly and badly) learning Korean on Duolingo - I’m on a 117 day streak, so if you need someone to clarify ‘ant’s egg or chicken’s egg? (As obviously it’s a very valid concern when someone offers you eggs). Then I’m your noona! I had a great time at the Hallyu exhibition at the v&a and hopefully will take the kids to see it over the Xmas hols. Oh and my little dd (who’s been helping me out with Duolingo was watching ’the haunted house’ cartoon on Netflix and it turned out to be Korean. She gave it a go watching it in Korean with the subtitles, but it was too fast for her to keep up.

I’ve just finished the secret life of my secretary, which was fun and now need to find something else to settle into. ☺️

Long time no see leeloo! Congrats on that Duolingo sprint. I couldn’t get on with it so I am impressed with your staying power. 👏

Mr Binn has eaten at Sarang. I don't know if they have a plaque though 😉

Oppa advent day 18

It's Song Joong Ki looking like he's in an indie band

So cute!!! Deffo indie band vibes.

Good luck with the pup pick up today!

Very cute, I love the touselled hair and the 90's vibe!

Is puppy pickup today? Good luck!

Surely a tasteful signed photo on the wall at least?!

Song Joong Ki is a little too young and pocket-sized to make my oppa list but Rowdy found a lovely pic of him.

i have been warming to SJK with Reborn Rich and todays indie Oppa advent pic has nailed it.

Plus - PUPPY!!!! Hope all goes well with settling in 🐶

Song Joong Ki without the cheeky grin just doesn't look like Song Joong Ki to me. Is that really him looking all sultry in a chunky knit sweater? I didn't know he had it in him.

You'd have thought the manager would have wanted to put their arm around his cardboard shoulders for a selfie wouldn't you TheLoup? But they're obviously souls of discretion there
Cosy oppa!

While we wait for next episode of AOS.
Elle shoot 🔥

I've got to say Song Joong Ki doesn't really do it for me either, but I do like him with his longer tousled hair. Here another pic from the same shoot

Puppy news! We have bought him home, he's currently fast asleep and soooo cute 🥰

Awwee envious of puppy cuddles hope Roland is a good hyung 🐶

Could someone who understands Sheets take a look at the spreadsheet? I have added a couple of dramas and done the A-Z bit but I think rows V, W & X (LarryUnderwood, Migs & Saram) are not updating when the order is reshuffled as their scores are a bit out of whack. The top green line doesn't extend that far - I don't know if that means the format is different for the last 3 rows 🤯

Thanks Boaty - I had a free super Duolingo trial through o2, so that helped a lot! My learning has sadly trailed off without the unlimited free lives. 🙈

🥰🥰🥰 Song Joong Ki is gorgeous anyway, but even better with curls!

I’m not so sure about the 2nd pic - all the clothes are too big on him. I’d offer to help him get changed though. <selfless> 😇

What did the waiters say? 🤭 were they surprised to see a cardboard oppa? And did he get a seat at the table or have to stand in the corner like a cardboard security service?

Btw, what service is reborn rich on? I can’t find it?