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!

Yes this constant Covid/viral infection cycle is damned tiring. We've been the same since September too!

Also...

MARRY ME, VAMPIRE YOONGI!

Thanks all for your sympathy. It’s the sinus pain that’s the worst. 😭 DH has gone to Boots for his flu jab and is going to ask the pharmacist if there’s anything that’s safe for me to take with my other medication. The decongestants we already had at home weren’t. It’s miserable.

Thoughts & prayers for the Saram household. Hope your COVID troubles resolve swiftly.

I’ve just had the Netflix email telling me AOS2 is out, so I’m about to relocate from bed to sofa.

Fans of the bromance between Lee Dong Wook and Gong Yoo and of the actors in general, last night I watched LDW's foray into chat shows - when his first guest was GY. Each video is just 5 or so mins long and full of humour, deep conversations, relevations and celebrations. The vulnerability of them both comes across when they are on their fishing trip together chatting about their careers, love and friendships. An absolute joy to watch.

Side note: Listening to GY, I'm not into astrology however when I learned he was Cancer the crab, it was obvious. He talked how he had a difficult time handling popularity after Goblin and hid away for a couple of years.. went back into his shell, as it were. Incidentally.. despite his fame, he comes across as an introvert and I was not surprised to learn further that he is an INFJ - same as myself, also an introvert; and having watched this chat show and listened to him as he wore his emotions on his sleeves frequently, I understand him so much more.

LDW is simply his usual adorable self.

Lee Dong Wook - Because I want to Talk - 36 episodes -

sorry.. not good at uploading links.. but check out the above You Tube videos.

Thanks for those links Gottabe.

I’m pausing AOS to say mage Park Dang-Gu is greatly improved by dark hair instead of his awful dye job.

Hello K-drama people. I've been watching a few years, but not an expert like you guys! I think Kingdom was the first TV series I saw. Just finished S2 of The Good Detective, I like the balance between the two leads. And the soundtrack!

@Gottabesomethingbetterthanthis we could do that whole Korean introduction with MBTI lovefest thing! I'm ENTP and yes, I enjoy debating the hind legs off a donkey.😁

Thanks Gotta - the LDW/GY bromance was the best part of Goblin! I'll enjoy watching those.

boaty i haven't watched AoS S2 yet, but I'm glad to hear Dang Gu has fixed his hair, it was kind of immersion breaking for me in S1 😂

If I remember rightly I think I'm ENFP .... It's been a while since I've done one of those tests

I'm (re)watching Hwarang today and NO ONE CAN STOP ME 😂

Oh, my sweet Taehyung 😍

I did Myers Brigg properly with work in my 20s and can’t remember the result. I did an online version a few years ago and got ESFJ.

I'm pretty sure I got ENTJ when I did Myers-Briggs yeeeears ago in work.

It is a load of aul bollocks though.

ESFJ - Generous and reliable, people with this personality type often take it upon themselves – in ways both large and small – to hold their families and their communities together.
Sounds like you, with us, boaty!

Fedup, what can I say? 😜I used to administer tests based on M-B and there is a degree of usefulness in using the results for self awareness. It's also a good icebreaker when giving talks. In my last job, appraisals also included how you were addressing your "weaker" areas re your personality type!😱
I take it lightly, like shamanism! 😎

Hi duc748 👋 Welcome and do join in with the chat.
Kingdom was fab!
I have dragged myself away from Vampire Min Yoongi to watch Reborn Rich . I know I shouldn't be but I am quite amused by the awful aunt's antics

@duc748 I am half way through the second series of The Good Detective and really like it and the music. I agree, they have an interesting dynamic.

Welcome @duc748 ! It’s positively jumping in here this weekend. 😄

After AOS I switched for some Goblin recapping. Gong Yoo! 😍 To be honest, Yoo is just about keeping me the right side of sanity. I ended up blubbing over dinner because the painkillers had worn off and my sinuses were so painful. DH came back from his flu jab with a saline nose spray - it was a hard no from the pharmacist on decongestants. 😔

Thanks for the welcome! Not sure what to try next, I see people talking about Goblin, is it on Netflix?

Goblin is on Viki (Rakuten). It’s pretty cheap to subscribe.

Thanks!

@duc748 welcome! I'm up tonight with dd who has bronchiolitis - cough central here.

What kind of stuff do you like watching? I bet between us we can recommend enough of any genre to keep you going for the next few months 😂. I agree Kingdom was brilliant.

Viki is well worth the subscription - loads of old classics as well as new stuff.

Viki’s subtitles also include helpful explanations for some idioms and historical references etc.

I was looking forward to today’s Check in to my heart on Manta after last week’s closing panes. It was OK.

In other news, my scepticism about the saline nasal spray was misplaced. I seem to have turned a corner. 🙌

I do love a good nasal rinse.

Oppa advent day 11

Because I'm late, and because its snowing and because I couldn't choose which picture, here's the gorgeous Kim Jae Young