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!

boaty, I feel your pain! I tell my friends that's why disinfectant was invented.😀

Yeah, there are times I’m thankful we have a lot of hard flooring. Mouse and bird crime scene cleaning is easier.

I’m too busy reading utter toot on Bato at the mo to watch kdrama. I’m finding the concept of one beefcake alpha chap getting another beefcake alpha chap pregnant via anal sex mystifying. Where does he bake his bun? There’s no oven. 😂 The omegaverse or whatever it is called is bonkers silly.

Share the title!

Smyrna & Capri. You asked! 😂

Thanks, will ck it out; looks like the authors are quite famous.

Just spotted this in the Bato comments. Kind of sums things up when I read these types of manhwa

Thanks for all the exam love chingus! Now I just have to find time to study for it 🤔😂 It's a dedicated Korean language school staffed by real Koreans. We all know what their study/work ethic is like, so the high expectations shouldn't come as a surprise 💀

Luckily no Xmas shopping to do here - I plan ahead disgustingly early and this year had everything wrapped by the end of the first week of December (smug). The Saram household Covid episode threw me a curveball though, so I've only just this evening had time to finally buckle down and write the cards (not so smug, as I need to get up in 6 hours from now). Mostly for the UK, so I expect they'll receive them in time for Easter 🤔

@MigsandTiggs Sorry you had a rude awakening when you got home. But glad you made it in one piece! I agree that cats are evil 😁brilliant, funny, cute as well, but essentially furry little Satans. Hope the boiler gets sorted pronto. Otherwise, wear a cat 😍

@Rowdythreepuppy is adooooooorable 🥹

Oh @MigsandTiggs hugs for you. I hope AOS will cheer you up.
I wonder if we will have a legit witness 😆

I have food shopping to do & decide on dessert course for Christmas. We are not hosting this year (phewww) but I do have house guests atm. It’s past midnight, I have work tomorrow yet I can’t sleep without my daily fix of Kdrama. Social life really gets in my way.

Thanks for the good wishes everyone, I'm back in work now but thankfully much much less hungover than yesterday.
I also didn't win the trip!!
I did manage about half of ep 3 of AOS2 which was excellent 😍
Hope your boiler gets fixed asap Migs!

Oppa advent day 20

Yes please, I room have that coffee Go Kyung Po

Migs, I'm glad you got back safely! I hope you've recovered from your epic journey and the cats have redeemed themselves by giving lots of cuddles.

Well as expected its very difficult to keep an eye on subtitles and on a puppy! I did how watch AoS2 ep 3 at 4.30am when the puppy decided it was play time. I can feel a sore throat coming on too so today could be a very long day.

I think Alchemy of Souls has been my favourite drama of the year, I'm not usually a fan of fantasy shows so I'm surprised by how much I've enjoyed it!

Yes please, I room have that coffee Go Kyung Po

Gah typo, I will have that coffee... You know what I meant ☕

Goodness Oppa - what HAVE you been up to in that shirt? (must cut my nails...)

😆 I didn't notice the sleeves in my bleary eyed state!

Go Kyung Po! ❤️

Oppa, next time you are using the shredder just remove your shirt entirely! We don't want any more sleeves getting ruined ... And yes please, I will have a coffee 🤣

Good one Rowdy!

Lovely pic Rowdy! Just the right side of bonkers.

I think a wee trip to the cinema is due, ARMY chingus! 💜

https://instagram.com/stories/bts.bighitofficial/2997040414814866576?utmsource=iggstoryitemmshare&igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

I see you've met my evil cats Go Kyung Po. Did they unbutton your shirt too? Hang on, I'll get you a refill while you recover!😄

Boiler engineer and cleaner come this morning, garage door reset last night and two floofs kept me company in bed. House should be back to normal soon and I'm on booze EmergenC and Max Cold/flu sachets .

POL! STATIONERY ALERT!

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BQ99L57F?geniuslink=true

@Rowdythree You have excelled yourself! Best photo of GKP I've seen yet! Thank you! 😍

And @FedUpWithBriiiiick YES YES YES! I could only see part of that concert live because of crap internet connection issues. Am already working out whether I can manage to go more than once, it was stunning. I would definitely buy it if it comes out on Blu Ray, too. TAKE MY MONEY BIG HIT 😂

A little off-topic, but this has helped cheer me up after the shit news about Terry Hall. Much loved in this house, as a solo artist as well as with The Specials. Last saw them in June, where they were on tremendous form.

Hope everyone feeling a bit manky in the last push before Xmas gets through it ok with Kopiko, Lemsip and knitwear-clad advent oppas ❤

😍😲 Great find FedUp! I may have to buy for my chingu.

I am in bed with Covid. No biggie as I am relishing the down time (for now)

Just watching the next episodes of Singles Inferno and I have to say the first two couples in paradise is fabulous viewing. Their careers!! Not spoiling it but just to say it makes Love Island look even more shite.

Poor you Aesops! I hope you aren’t feeling too grim and I hope the rest of your household are waiting on you on hand and foot.
However, looking on the bright side, there’s a glut of excellent K viewing at the moment.

I haven't watched reality tv shows except for Singles Inferno. The 2 couples in Paradise are 👀 but I've always wondered why anyone would join such shows, risking potential rejection and humiliation in such a public way.
Seul-Ki and Dong Woo - she's a challenge for him. The other couple is just compatible white bread for now. And yes Aesops, interesting careers all round.

The hotel is properly luxurious and I want to move in for a year or two..

AoS ep 4 ending gave me all the feels. I think S2 is shaping up to be even better than S1.

Anyone else watching Trolley on Netflix? I've just finished ep2 and fans of gritty thrillers will like it. I do!