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'm loving that jpop diversion and all the alternative oppas thank you for your hard work FedUp <too tiddly after an enormous negroni to look up the Korean phrase> Byun Yo Han 😍

I've just finished binge-watching The Fabulous which I thoroughly enjoyed as a flufftastic bit of fashion nonsense with a romance and heart-warming friendships and a lovely mother-son supportive relationship that had me go 'awwww' in the final ep

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year's Eve whether you are adulting, poorly, out on the tiles or just chilling 💜

These lads cheered me right up. Am trying my best to manifest Jin's New Year wish 😂 - lol at J Hope with the bunny ears

@MigsandTiggs Next one to see is Wise mountain village life Hospital Playlist ⚠️ Don’t watch it empty stomach .

@bettys I have started The Fabulous, just finished ep1.
I now want fig bread.
I’ve found photographer’s intro a slightly d+++ move.

Thanks for the warning Jin, can't wait! 😳

bettys, I'm on ep2 of The Fabulous 😎

Happy NYE everyone! I'm experimenting with a limoncello martini and it's actually quite nice.

I've been ill and concentrating on my book pile (only 28 still to go 😂) so haven't been watching that much kdrama but I think I'm actually going to cry when AoS finally comes to and end.

I'm really enjoying Bad and Crazy, having as it does the age appropriate oppa of Reaper from Goblin (a favourite of mine) and Wi Ha joon from Little Women. It's really fast paced and a good mix of action and comedy. Not too much romance though which is why it's so fast paced I suppose.

I was hoping to have time for AOS today but I keep burning everything I cook today !
Happy New Year!!! ❤️

Happy new year, eonnis!!! I'm so glad I've spent last year and will enjoy next year with you xxx

Happy 2023 fellow noonas! Hope it's a good one for everyone 💜 We've been seeing in the new year with a friend and this. May look familiar to some of you 😂

Happy new year all! I’m waiting for DS1 to meet me at a friends so we can walk home together.

Happy New Year everyone! I'm based in Australia so actually halfway through new year's Day already.
I have not had much time to relax and watch kdrama this holiday because we've been toilet training our two year old and it's been all encompassing 😴 combine that with lots of family Christmas politics and it will feel like a break to go back to work on Tuesday! I have slowly been making my way through Hospital Playlist when I get a chance and am loving it. Glad I watched all the Reply series first so I could enjoy the cameos we've had so far.

Hope you all had a good new year's night!

Happy New Year dear chingus! May 2023 bring us 365 days of showering Oppas, swooning noonas, kimchi, anointed wounds, doom trucks, piggybacks and more 🥰 Saranghae!

Started Silent and it's 👍👍 (First Love type plot)

I love this wish for the New Year!

Happy New Year all. I've spent my holiday catching up with the thread.

Pleased people were positive about Reborn Rich as I've not started it yet, but heard it ended badly so I'm glad people disagree!

Sadly AoS is not on Netflix in Sweden where we're seeing family. I can't wait to catch up at home. I thought the plot twist would be infuriating but I think I prefer this season 🫣

Managed to get the in-laws hooked on Singles Inferno too. We have been very impressed by their jobs! Especially Nadine!

Day 7. Please don't strain your necks looking up at this giant Oppa. It's the Great Dane himself: Lee Ki-woo.

P.S. the dog in the photo is 5 foot tall. That's how long this long boi is.

Good work on converting your family sakura06 👌

Well, I was waiting ages for DS1 last night. We didn’t get home until after 2.30am. From his patchy account of his evening, the missing hour after we started texting him and his friend was spent throwing up at the party. I gave him one last hug to wish him a happy new year before we turned in and he hic-burped. For one horrible moment I thought he might barf down my back and was reminded of burping him after feeds as an infant. Thankfully he had nothing left to bring up so staggered off to bed.

Ah Lee Ki-Woo looking dapper in turquoise. Top work FedUp.

Look how he's grown out of his trousers already! His poor mother 🙄
I think you have focused quite a lot more on the Oppa than the Alternative this season FedUp. And I'm not complaining.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick loving the oppa + wholesome canine combo, thank you! 😍 Life will seem very dull when this festive season ends and the daily oppas are put away for another year 😔

@boatyardblues I went to bed last night wistfully imagining you and DS having a touching mother and son moment walking home together, maybe pausing to look at the stars and reflect on the year gone and the year ahead. But sounds like it was more like vomit Russian roulette 😁 I have all this to look forward to 😁

Given the attractiveness of all our Oppas, it's been a difficult process, tbh.

The alternativeness encapsulates anything that sets an Oppa apart from the crowd. Be it facial hair, height, age or visuals. We love them all!!

DS is 13 this week (yes, the day after me).

All this is now hurtling towards me like tequila-ridden vomit.

I know we all love to find new uses for kimchi, so here’s a beef and kimchi stir-fry recipe in today’s Times:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/35d2253e-7c6f-11ed-a3d2-203363978915?shareToken=d482e7edffa3fc53d63727ac3b0d2c92

He had 2 parental instructions when he went out last night:

1. Don’t get shitfaced
2. Keep in touch with Mum via text after midnight

Fail on both counts. 🤦‍♀️

Happy New Year Chingus 🥳🎉🫶

I overdid it on booze last night (first drink since early Dec) Feeling a little fragile so staying in all day and watching The Glory before switching to The Fabulous. DH making steak Fajitas and I'm chomping on some Corn Soup flavour Turtle Chips. WooHoo living the 2023 dream !!💭

Happy New Year eonnis! I'm still poorly so spent last night on the sofa watching BBC coverage with the kids and snoozing.

I do like a tall oppa fedup - excellent work on our alternative selection so far 🙂. A bright and wholesome choice for new years day.

Aww, our lovely long limbed Great Dane, great alternative Oppa again Briiiiick

Happy new year to all lovely Chingus and to those who are feeling poorly or fragile (including teenagers 😁) feel better soon 💜

I forgot to mention, when I saw my SiL over Christmas she mentioned all the Korean dramas she's been watching, which included Sweet Home, Extraordinary Attorney Woo and others I can't remember. I've just recommended AoS to her. 🤞🏻 I may have a real life K drama fan in the making 🙌🏻

Happy New Year Chingus
Here is to health & happiness 🥂

I have foolishly searched AOS on twitter & if tweets are true then we are in for a major shocker & turn of events.
Now debating to save today’s episode & watch it all together next Sunday.