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!

I don't think I'll ever quite get over Kim Jae-young in his soldier ajusshi get-up! I'm glad you liked it cobol 🙂

I’m quiet this weekend because I’m deep into An Hour of Romance. At ep 64 there’s an epic soju bomb set up at the office night out. It puts me in mind of the Hospital Ship one. The footnote says it’s boksoju, which is a cut above - raspberry liqueur, soju and beer. Sounds good. The body swap in the men’s bath house was funny. 😂 And no, I didn’t make a note of which episode. Props to the writer. It's a very classy webtoon.

Boaty ooooh I think I picked up some raspberry liqueur at H-Mart in New Malden 🤔

I love the product placement in Vincenzo. Totally feasible he'd turn down crap pasta but merrily chug freeze-dried instant coffee out of a little stick packet. ALL the Italians I know do that.

🤔😁

Coming soon to a High Street near you .... men in kilts skirts! I remember having a long skort like JHope's a loooong time ago.😆
fashionista.com/2023/01/jimin-dior-men-fall-2023-paris-fashion-week

For any ARMYs that haven't seen it - BangtanTV has a new episode

I really enjoyed the rest of DAYS - I might even have shed a few tears at certain points - don't tell anyone 😉

I liked DAYS Loup. I have rewatched it more than once. 🙂

DH and I got talked into watching the winter Love Island by our kids. Oh. My. God. They’re no Singles Inferno contestants! DH says he can feel his brain cells dying as we watch it. I can’t stop cringing. I’m pretty watching through my fingers.

pol I watched the first two episodes of Strangers Again - I think it's very promising so far, I'm kind of intrigued to see where they go with the main story.

Guessing ML never had affair TheLoup and there is some Noble Mystery Reason for their divorce.

Ha, I was thinking that too - I'm guessing the first love/OW had some circumstances that she needed rescuing from, or is a single mother/terminally ill or something. Noble Mystery Reason needs a trademark NMR™️.

Just so long as he's not terminally ill. I mean it doesn't appear to be that sort of show but we know you can never relax your guard for a moment with a KD.

Oh god, I didn't think of that! I did notice that FL made a reference to the ML's mother cutting him off, so perhaps there is some rich family shenanigans going on somewhere as well.....

I caught up with Crash Course In Romance last night and it is super fun. Who knew advanced Maths would be so entertaining?! The teachers idiosyncracies are amusing enough but he really could do with another few kilo's on him as he is super skinny. His high kicks are cringe funny but clearly so welcome for his pupils, that would not have been entertainment to keep me motivated for after school maths study😴

Also watching Love In Contract which is a little bit slow and not as well executed as above but is keeping me engaged enough. FL looks so different to when she was in Sec Kim, more filler/surgery I guess?

Looking forward to some more dropping on Netflix and VIKI soon as I seem to binge the good stuff very quickly if not timed each week.

Anyone watched Mouse? That is on my watchlist next so would be interested to hear any opinions - thanks.

Just caught up with the thread, congratulations Saram and Jin I hope you will be eating some delicious food soon!

Miggs great news about your trip to Japan!

Despite downloading many Kdramas for my holiday, I didn't get to watch a single episode, so now I'm completely behind schedule.

Just waiting to take off, so hopefully I can watch something on the way home, if my dc let me have 5 minutes peace!

@AesopsMables I watched Mouse and it was brilliant the first couple of eps... it was sooooo gruesome and genuinely frightening! Buuuut... it slowly sank into ridiculousness and i gave up... i was most disgruntled... it was soooo good and promised so much but it went very very silly... there's silly kdrama and then there's... "Oh Come On!!!!!!!???????"... so i didn't get to the end properly... i think i might have just watched snippets at the end ... but then again you might like it... give it a go but there is an epo where you go... please don't go in that direction...for the love of the kdrama gods... please don't go there.... they did! 😳

Island on Amazon Prime with the very very handsome Cha Eun Woo in priest garb... is only 6 eps long!!!!!! I've been refreshing and waiting all weekend and no new eps have appeared so i looked it up... and ep 6 was the finale!!!!! season 2 later in the year!!!! Damn You Amazon Prime!!!!! it was just getting going!!!! sigh!!!!

Bea I think season 2 of Island is out end of Feb, so not too long to wait for more Hot Priest action.

Aesops I have seen Mouse and am in agreement with Bea, it starts very well but I didn't like where it went. LSG is my top oppa and I watch all his stuff, but I ffw'd through most of Mouse....

My experience of Mouse echoes Bea and Loup’s. I like LSG so kept going for as long as I could but, man, it was bleak. And increasingly improbable.

I finally finished all 128 current episodes of An Hour of Romance. 💪 It’s great stuff. I’m frustrated to be on a weekly go slow now.

Hello chingus! I thought I would surface from my lurking to say that I’m having a great time following up all your recommendations and living vicariously through your Korean learning and holiday planning! I’ve been ploughing through the dramas at quite a pace and my favourites recently have been AOS S2 ( of course), Vincenzo, Nevertheless, Pachinko, Goblin ( love the relationship between the two MLS, wish they would do more together), WWWSK, Descendants of the Sun ( looooved it), Reborn Rich, and I’m now splitting my time between Wok of Love ( love Jang Hyuk), Crash Course in Romance and Doom at your service. As much as I liked the start of Crash Course, I think I’m going to wait until the rest of the episodes are out and binge it, I hate waiting between each one.

I’ve got a list of about 50 other shows to watch, including Island, Somebody, All of us are dead, Mr Queen. Frustratingly, as soon as I’ve finished one series, another five pop up so I don’t think I’ll ever get to the end of my list, but it’s not the worst problem to have!

Anywaym I’m going to sink back into lurking in the background now and let you get on with things, but keep up the good work!

Annyeong!

Lovely to have you pop by @GaladrielHiggins ! You have been exceptionally diligent with your cramming. 👏

Thank you! I barely watch anything but KDramas anymore. They are just so much better than anything we seem to produce. I’ve even abandoned Love Island which was my old guilty pleasure as it just seems so crass compared to the Korean approach to romance.

I would love if someone could Shane a link to the spreadsheet so that I could put in my votes.

Hello Galadriel!
I see you’ve got Mr Queen on your list - it’s absolutely fabulous and one of my favourites.
Have you seen Crash Landing on You? That was the first K drama we watched and we haven’t looked back.

Annyeong Galadriel!

Good cramming. Love to see it 👍

Hi @GaladrielHiggins 👐

Hello Galadriel 🙂👋 I would second Andante's recommendation of CLOY. It's the only K-drama to date I would sit down and rewatch tomorrow if I had the chance. Just wonderful.

I’ve just PMed you the spreadsheet link @GaladrielHiggins

Oh boaty can I have a spreadsheet link too?

Annyeong Galadriel! So many dramas to watch and so little time - enjoy.

I really liked All of us are dead and Mr Queen (although very different genres!)