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!

Good morning all.

Two turtle doves step aside, it's two Kim Joo-huns! With added beard!

I always love him in whatever I see him in! He definitely deserves to be an alternative Oppa! Great choice

I agree.

I am currently watching bursts of 1899 with DH, having seen different snippets with DS1 a couple of weeks ago. I feel like I’m doing a plot jigsaw, putting together fragments to guess at the whole. The number of sweaty males baring their torsos in the first couple of episodes would put a kdrama to shame. The Edwardian handlebar moustaches aren’t working for me though.

Yes! Kim Joo-hun, excellent alternative oppa and entirely age appropriate for me 😍

So, I had decided to endure DH's mockery and spend some of my Amazon vouchers on an RM funko-pop - price has however mysteriously gone up in the last couple of days, I was imagining all you filthy noonas clicking on leeloo's pic up-thread and adding to their collection 😂

I really want one now < sits on hands >

Rowdy i might give 1899 a go, based on that description 👍 DH and I watched the new Witcher thing on netflix and quite enjoyed it & good fun and no need to think too hard, very d&d/RPG esque 'gather your party and venture forth' type thing.

Started watching Bad and Crazy but can't really get into it, will persevere for another couple of episodes though. Also started Business Proposal which I love so far - I don't know how I haven't already watched it as it is right up my romcom street. Dipping into Ghost Doctor with Kim Bum and Rain oppa - enjoying it in small bursts.

Going to have to do some RL stuff like housework and laundry today I guess, back in work tomorrow 😭

Me too! He's lovely

I'm preparing myself for the most awkward social event of the season 😬
My lovely grown up step daughter is coming round but her (rubbish) boyfriend is too. Send me strength. Thankfully it can't go on too long as I've got a nightshift!

I'm happy to shove any number of turtle doves out of the way for this Oppa! 🫶

😆 TheGirl, why do I think there's an aibu in your future?

Thoughts and prayers for this evening TheGirl - fighting!

I get control of the TV this afternoon for kdrama. What next? I’m up to date with AOS and The Interest of Love. I’ve watched the first episode of Fabulous but I agreed with the stuffy boyfriend in ep 1: we’re not right for each other, fashion is trivial. I want something that will hook me in quickly.

I do like the educational aspect of our advent calendars 😁 Kim Joo-hun has entirely failed to register on my radar so far, but looking at his filmography that's not surprising as I haven't yet seen anything he's in 🤔

Hope you are surviving The Girl! When a nightshift is preferable to having someone visit, it must be bad 😬 Junior Saram and elderly relative both have heavy colds bordering on flu, so all the socialising planned for this week has fallen in the water. It would have been nice socialising, so 😕 On the plus side, Father Christmas gifted the one thing on my list, the Memories of 2021 boxset, so I'll be enjoying that with Korean tea/soju from the Dalmajung pixie cups when we're back to normal 😻 And I've had some unexpected extra study time. And have been enjoying All of Us Are Dead. Loving all the heartfelt '씨발's 😂

What is soju like? How strong is it?

It’s usually ~20% duc, though some of the flavoured ones are 16-18%. The plain soju has a really clean, fresh (absence of) flavour - a bit like watered down vodka. It’s frighteningly easy to sink a bottle at dinner with Korean food. 😄

Of the flavoured ones I like plum soju the best.

I occasionally have the flavoured ones in a whisky glass on ice. Sometimes drink plain soju on its own with a meal, but usually mix it with a Korean soft drink (am obsessed with Coco Palm in particular 😳) to make a cocktail. Goes very well with salty/spicy Korean food!

Lolling at the new guy/oddball on his Paradise date. His date can’t seem to get a handle on him because he keeps throwing her conversational curveballs. Funny to see her doing the running, but so perplexed. Boot’s on the other foot this week. 😂

^ Singles Inferno. Perfect dark, wet winter’s day telly.

Just caught up on the latest Single Inferno. Ep 5 in paradise is compelling viewing. I thought I was watching a soft porn movie when they showed the swimming pool scene, lamb to the slaughter came to mind.

I have the house and TV to myself this afternoon and after demolishing a family bag of cheesy puffs and a pack of soft liquorice I shall now continue to just snack all afternoon without bothering to cook. Bliss.

I’m interested in oddball bloke’s restraint and tactics: he’s very good at pulling back, doing small thoughtful acts and following enough of the female contestant’s lead to properly reel her in. Dong-Woo was far too pushy and just scared her off.

Cat just came home doing his mouse miaow. DH went to intercept him and came back with…. a large sausage-meat stuffing ball, not ours. 😂

I have been roped into watching 1899 this evening. It’s weird shit, for sure.

I'm really enjoying Summer Strike.
Just polished off the Black Forest Trifle and feeling quite full. Post Covid my taste is not fully back so the calories don't count 😳

boaty that made me laugh, a very seasonal choice! My boy once came through the cat flap dragging a long stalk of pampas grass from next door's dried flower arrangement.

DH tells me it was actually wrapped in bacon, so a naked pig in blanket. Cat was super pleased with his catch. This is not a first. He came home with a whole cold cooked chicken breast one summer. I hope to God it wasn’t someone’s dinner. 🤦‍♀️

🤣🤣🤣

Excellent work by your cat boaty! 🤣
My evening wasn't so bad because it turns out that DSD has dumped the rubbish boyfriend🎉🎉🎉

Excellent news! I'm sure you were silently fist pumping while giving tea and sympathy 😁