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!

Hello @Cocoisablessing ! 👋 Welcome aboard. 😄 We’ve got quite the party vibe going this evening with all our new arrivals and delurkers.

Thanks @boatyardblues . I’ve been watching k drama for a long time….from Hyun bin in secret garden to Kim Jung Hyun from Mr Queen. 😅

Or should I say Hyun Bin from My name is Kim sam soon

I can't keep up with all the newbies!! Welcome all!

Yep…we are increasing proportionally

Should I say exponentially

Welcome newbies and lurkers!

I've finally managed to catch up on Ep3 of Alexander Armstrong's South Korea on C5. No amount of sesame oil or gochujang sauce could make me eat something that had been chopped up yet was still trying to make a run for it (octopus). And raw 🐎 liver when horses are running around outside!!!🤐
I'm not sure where all that stands on the scale where eating the brain of a live monkey, with a silver spoon, is the extreme. Don't even ask how that is done.😢

Reborn Rich is starting to deliver twists and turns, much to my delight.

I was a bit disappointed overall with UTQU ,as it had started so well with interesting storylines. The FL overacting "brightness" was annoying but she did improve in missus mode. There was too much jarring wokery. Saying that, it was enjoyable, but squandered the potential it had to be better.

Aha!! He is!! I was wondering this too! I'm loving the Queens Umberella!... I'm on ep 6...it's tripping along very very nicely! 😍😊

@Saram13 luckily I have my own front room /office (it's like a lady's parlour! 😂😂😂) where I can stash all my ill gotten gains... Cokodive love me! 😱🙈... My favourite is my RM Bungeoppang Wind Chime which dh always walks into when he comes in! 😂😂😂😂... I've told dd1, if I pop my clogs she has to look after all my stuff as there's some very collectable photocards amongst them! 🥰💜😱... Dh would just give them all to charity! 😫

@Rowdythree aww! I loved Coffee... So lovely and calming and very well done!

Hello to all the newbies!! I can't keep up! 😂🙈🫰

@Cocoisablessing welcome 👋👋👋 the more the merrier!

Look at him! So much Wes Anderson whimsy.

www.instagram.com/reel/Cl-TzfvJx4T/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Ooh lovely. I needed that FedUp.

I have been awake since 5ish with sinus pain, a hacking cough, sore throat and earache. My whole face hurts. My plans for Christmas shopping at the nearest Christmas market are in tatters. It’ll be a miracle if I make it out of bed today. 😔

Ach feel better soon Boaty! This viral thing that's been going round really knocks you for six.

Oppa advent day 10

It's baby Oppa Kwak Dong Yeon

Top roll neck action there, Rowdy. He’s so young! (25) Classy portrait. 👌

Feel better soon Boaty

He is a youngster! I wasn't sure about including him, but he just about made the cut. I think he was in last years calendar too, but I didn't know his age then 😆

Rowdy you are just right to include him. Like our Lee Jae-wook, he's a prestigious talent for such a young age.

Baby oppa is perfect viewing for a wintry Saturday viewing. 😍Loved his cheeky face in Vincenzo. Good going Rowdy!

Sorry you're not well boaty, my dil caught that bug just after she had covid recently. Have you tried EmergenC immune boosting sachets? Available at Boots, Amazon etc I've knocked back two a day when needed.

I haven’t tried those sachets Miggs but I’ll give them a go. I’m on day 10 of this, whatever it is (not COVID). It’s mostly rumbled on at a 4-5/10 intensity - feeling crap enough to bow out of social commitments and my regular exercise schedule, but not enough to fell me. Today feels different.

Ahh no boaty that sounds horrible hope you feel better soon
Good job our advent Oppa is warmly dressed this morning, its snowing where we are! ❄️❄️❄️

Hope you feel better soon, Boaty

Phooey Boaty. Sending Oppa of your choice to your doorstep with satsumas that he will hand peel and feed you segment by segment with a tiny fork.

Get well soon boaty and thanks for today's oppa rowdy.

I've a bit of a hangover today. Going to decorate the Christmas tree and do a comfort-watch of something, maybe Hwarang or Shining Inheritance....

Hello all newcomers! 🙂👋

Rowdy top oppa photo choice!

Sorry you are feeling rough boaty. It's been snotty noses and coughs all round here since the end of September 🙄. Frequent tests done and nothing, but Mr Saram and Junior Saram have just hit the Covid jackpot and I may be joining them, will do a test in a mo 😬

But before I slip off into Hades, anyone with an internet connection needs to check out the photos Yoongi just posted on Instagram 😳 He is doing his damned best to turn me into a filthy noona 💀😱😃