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!

It’s Sung Dong Il, Rowdy’s crush of shame. The Korean Dennis Waterman references his ubiquity and manner of schtick more than a physical likeness.

But could you imagine what Suga must have looked like half an hour later?!! RM on the other hand seemed like he could handle the cask strength stuff like a seasoned drinker! They were both adorable.❤

I agree they were both adorable 😍

@boatyardblues Ah thanks! Oooh I like a bit of Sung Dong Il myself Rowdy 👀

In the case of Chinese Terry Nutkins it was definitely physical appearance rather than overall bearing (if I remember correctly he was taking people out with uzis rather than enthusing about sealions).

@boatyardblues @polkettle Thanks both for your webtoon recommendations - will see how I get on! I've just started a new job and need something to do at lunch time instead of being able to watch dramas while I eat / while the 2 year old naps. Invesitgating the world of webtoons seems like a good plan :)

I want to hear from Reply 1994 fans please - I am 14 episodes in, thinking about dropping it.. or just fast forwarding through most of it to see how things play out. I am finding it is dragging in a way that neither 1988 or 1997 did. Is it worth perservering?

I do want to see the 1997 cast cameos which I know are coming... but I could just skip to them.

I really liked it AmVa but you're a long way in to not be feeling it so maybe call it quits 🤷. Obviously I spoiled who the husband was in episode 1 and enjoyed it much more for that - the 'mystery' is tediously overplayed. I have a big soft spot for Trash.

I’ve got started on Under the Queen’s Umbrella and found myself scoffing at the idea that Prince Uiseong’s concubine mother could actually be his mother due to the stupid casting. Well, mydramalist says Chani (Prince U) is 22. He’s 30 if he’s a day! No effing chance he’s 22. Ok Ja Yeon, the actress playing his mother claims to be a more truthful sounding 33.

@polkettle At this point it doesn't even feel like a love triangle! Na Jeong has been into Trash since the beginning and ... she still is. Chilbong confessed and then nothing happened. I do like the Trash / Na Jeong relationship, but since they're together so early I predict many episodes ahead of just stringing out the drama. Might just check out the Seo In-guk cameo and then move on 😄

Aghhh you're going to see Ateez? Soo lucky! Where are they playing? (I moved from London last year so if they're at Wembley or the 02, dayum! They were my first idols and then came along SKZ (my main idols), followed by some BTS, BTOB, FT Island (Lee Hong Gi's vocals..) and N Flying - I have a real eclectic mix on my phone. My musical background is classical and opera from the age of about 5 so I really appreciate a good belting song and arrangement.. these Koreans can really sing their hearts out.. such emotion that I'm often in tears at the unadulterated pureness of harmony and lyrics.

I can't remember what my first kdrama was now... I'm into fantasy/supernatural (vampires are my passion) and historical genres (absolutely loved Moon Lovers - oh my broken heart!). And I'm an absolute sucker for deep voiced, tall, floppy haired Korean guys (but wouldn't overlook Jongho or Changbin! ;-)

I've got a lot of Kdrama to explore and loving the journey so far, and being here - one hopes to be guided down the path a bit further :-)

@TheLoupGarou DHs and Kpop don't really go do they, haha! Mine is tone deaf and just doesn't appreciate the genre, but then he's not really into music per se. It's.... sigh.... a solitary passion.

I've just finished Love is for Suckers and I have to agree with boaty - how is he allowed to just jump back in to neurosurgery after doing Botox for a few years?!?!
I really enjoyed the first half but not so much the rest.

I've v v excited for Alchemy od Souls 2 at the weekend

I felt like my ears were burning, and low and behold, my secret crush on Sung Dong Il has been exposed 🤣 nice to see I'm not alone Saram!

Welcome @Gottabesomethingbetterthanthis@Gottabesomethingbetterthanthis no more Billy no mates, you're with friends here

More Reborn Rich this weekend! 💖

boaty, give Chani a break for now. A few more rounds of plastic surgery and he'll be playing a middle schooler in no time! 😂

I'm sorry but the cop friend in the wheelchair in Somebody is THICK AS FUCK.

Haha Rowdy I am imagining your house has a full sized cardboard cut-out of Sung Dong Il, and perhaps a few cushions with his face on, a la Her Private Life.

TheGirl Love is for Suckers really tailed off I thought - I found myself skipping through a lot of the later episodes. I usually like Choi Siwan but I wasn't that keen on him in this. I'm sure neurosurgery is basically like riding a bike anyway 😂

Oppa advent day 9

It's Lee Min Ki in his pants!

Oh Rowdy! You are really spoiling us. That’s a great pic of Lee Min Ki. ⭐️

Ooo 10/10 for Lee Min ki - I love this picture. Is he holding a broom? Casually dressed for some housework... Good morning!

Scaffolding pole I think, Loup.

Good lord. LMK really needs some of that outdoor wear now.

What a Friday morning treat!

Dare I believe a pole dance is coming up? Be still my beating heart!!
Wonderful pic of a sultry Lee Min Ki, Rowdy. 👏

Just remembered the old Calvin Klein ads: "Nothing gets between me and my Calvins" ... which presumably is the case here 😂

I think he's having house renovations and is casually leaning on the scaffold pole whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, after just getting out of bed

He didn't look like that in MLN! I had to look him up! #RecognitionFail. Jumper looks cosy but has he thought this outfit through? It's going to be a bugger for getting marks out. And the sleeves might get caught in the cement mixer 🤔