MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #38): Where we’re still reeling from the 2022 top 5 scoring Jdrama First Love v Alchemy of Souls kerfuffle. What can I say? Takeru Satoh broke our scoring rubric.

[boatyardblues]

A quiet corner of MN for serious addicts of Kdrama, or the K-curious. Most of our shows are on 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 a star 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)🌟
Somebody (Netflix, content warning: sexual & violence)
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)

‘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 ‘You May Also Like’
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)

Top Scoring 2022 Dramas
Courtesy of much-missed Hello’s kdrama spreadsheet, updated by thread regulars. Marks out of 10.

#1 My Liberation Notes 9.45

#2 Alchemy of Souls 9.10

#3 First Love 8.88 (Jdrama)

#4 Our Blues 8.83

#5 Gaus Electronics 8.75

Top Scoring 2021 Dramas
#1 The Red Sleeve - 10
#2 Happiness - 9
#3 Devil Judge - 8.75
#4 Squid Game - 8.6
#5 Navillera - 8.57

Top Scoring 2020 dramas
#1 Mr Queen - 9.4
#2 Parasite (film) - 9.05
#3 It's Okay To Not Be Okay - 8.88
#4 The Uncanny Counter - 8.50
#5 Once Again - 8.42

Top Scoring 2019 dramas
#1 Her Private Life - 9.40
#2 Melo is My Nature - 9.00
#3 tied: Crash Landing On You, The Crowned Clown, The Lies Within, and The Tale of Nokdu - 8.75
#4 Hotel del Luna - 8.50
#5 tied: Romance is a Bonus Book, and Search: WWW - 8.17

We are fans of all things Korean, so equally happy to talk about Korean cookery, language, current affairs, film and music when the mood takes us. A few of us are learning Korean, Japanese and/or Mandarin (some more diligently than others), so we swap tips and links to language resources. Basically, anything topical goes.

We often resort to acronyms and/or abbreviations of show titles or 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!

Working link to the last thread:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/4691544-mslattes-daebak-cybercafe-kdrama-addicts-37-the-one-where-fedups-big-birthday-could-tip-her-into-ajumma-territory-thankfully-filthy-noona-status-is-forever?page=1

I’ll ask MNHQ nicely if they can fix my broken link too.

Some more detail on our top ranked dramas for 2022 (courtesy of Betty’s superior organisation skills):

Crime/Thriller

Somebody 8.5

Historical/Period drama
Under The Queen’s Umbrella 8.5

Romance - lighter & fluffier
Business Proposal 8

Romance - heavier weight/more grown up themes
First Love 8.88

Slice of Life
My Liberation Notes 9.45
Our Blues 8.83

Gaus Electronics 8.75

Supernatural
Alchemy of Souls 9.10

Guilty Pleasures
Remarriage & Desires 8

Mad as a box of frogs
Sweat & Soap 7.75

Thanks for the new thread Boaty 💜

I'm 2 episodes into First Love, it's sooo good, thanks for the recommendation chingus. I also feel like I want to watch Titanic after it being mentioned in First Love and Reborn Rich 🚢😆

Day nine and a double helping of Lee Dong-hui. Is he weird? Is he sexy? Is he fashion? Is he a dork?

Yes.

Thank you for the new thread Boaty.

Thanks for the new thread boaty!

And to Fed Up for another excellent alternative oppa!

Hooray for shiny thread and 👏to elegant resolution to voting "controversies".
Ooh...now that's MY alternative oppa. Sexy but weird sexy.
Just finished Silent which would recommend to JDrama fans although it could have done with a good end snog frankly 🙄. But a very sweet , complex and sensitive exploration of relationships and deafness nevertheless. Two issues with it (other than its lack of lip action) - major deaf roles not played by deaf actors which I just don't think you would or should get away with here anymore. And writer in controversy for saying it's not a show that should be watched by foreign audiences as she's not interested in them but the whole show is ABOUT making connections despite differences 🙄🤷

Boaty cheers for the new thread 😃

FedUp loving the oppa choice 😍 I didn't recognise him at all! 😳

Pol I read the article you linked to. The whole moral judgement of victims thing is really 😬 I know that's by no means an exclusively Korean thing, but 😬😬 I must say, of all the Koreans I've met here (not many, I don't know any of them well and they're probably not very representative as they've left the country) the women have all been firmly in the badass camp and the men on the mansplainer/stuffy side. Except the smiley Mr Gu lookalike but sadly I didn't get to actually meet him.

Btw - every day I share Oppa/Alternative Oppa love with my s-in-law and pal and pal has been inspired to some sterling work if her own...
Black polo neck Oppas, Bespectacled Oppas and...just a LOT of KHN because why not?

Thanks for the new thread Boaty. And for the use of the word "kerfuffle" 😁

Thanks to FedUp also for the alternative oppa. He's, er, very niche 😬

Absolutely sterling work by your chum, Pol.

Rowdy and I will have to up our game next year 💪

I think it's fair to say that is Lee Dong-hui was an ice cream, he'd lick himself.

😂 perfect description FedUp
But his cats on their own would feature on my AO list. I might need to do a Best K Pets collage...
Too right Saram - even I get queasy sometimes about enjoying the jealous/protective man KDrama fantasy when the reality is so present and toxic.

I'm feeling completely uninspired by the current Kdrama offerings so I'm taking a new years detox and watching a few old favourites starting with Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo.

Anyone else?

Lee Dong-hui. Is he weird? Is he sexy? Is he fashion? Is he a dork?

All of the above 😍

pol has your pal considered oppas-fully-clothed-or-otherwise-in-the-bath ? It is an area crying out to be explored.

Her work is much appreciated and indeed you can't have too much KHN

Excellent work from your chingu pol, and I fully agree about the need for exploration of the clothed vs in bath/shower angle 😂

Thanks for the shiny new thread boaty and also fedup for today's oppa - I might have to start making my own collages when the 12 days are over!

I started watching Island on Amazon prime last night - can recommend for anyone that likes supernatural shenanigans, no need to think too hard. Lee Da Hee with a fab wardrobe, brooding Kim Nam-gil as a demon slayer and Cha Eun Woo as the most distractingly gorgeous priest I've ever seen (and I've sat through a lot of mass).

Happy New Year chingus! Here's to many more awesome dramas in 2023!

Pol I'm here for the best K-pets 🤩 save more photos of Yeontan to my phone than I do of Taehyung 😁 #Priorities

Although the latest photos from his photo folio shoot (and the ones Yoongi posted a while back now) took me right back to the heady days of Rufus Sewell as Ladislaw in Middlemarch, if anyone else remembers that 😍

Thanks for the new thread boaty. What can I say fedup? Today's alternative Oppa is certainly.....alternative?😳

On the other hand, who's the gorgeous bad boy oppa with the cigarette hanging off his lips in pol's friend's collection?

"Pol I read the article you linked to."
@Saram13 Please send me the link, as I can't find it.

@MigsandTiggs It was on p. 38 of the previous thread. Cutting and pasting doesn't give a clicky link and can't quote I don't think as on a new thread. But this should work: Article on molka crime in South Korea

@Saram13 thanks. I just did a search for victim blaming in SK and came across a report on Gov't curriculum guidelines for sex education in schools which blames the rape/sexual harassment victim because the male has spent a considerable amount on a date!! Unbelievable 😤

guidelines

This one Migs? Choi Jin-Hyuk.I am told. I have made representations for more

That molka article makes me want to wear the same underwear and never be fully disrobed for the duration of any trip to SK. If I get an underwired bikini set I can just shower in my underwear for the duration, right?

With reference to the article and attitudes within. This is a jaw dropping read which makes every KDrama plot pale really.
www.koreaboo.com/news/jang-ja-yeon-case-death-suicide-full-story-recap/