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!

Ah I'm so pleased you enjoyed it too TheGirl - both a lol and a furious nod book. And I loved the BC appendix.
The mismatch didn't bother me Rowdy because all performances strong but a lot of friends have reported it jarring.

I've just spent the last 30 minutes determined to beat Mic Drop on Beat Sabre on the occulus... Its really difficult, but I did it eventually 🙌🏻

I just had to ask DH to explain this sentence to me. He said he has Beat Sabre and I can have a go at the kpop tracks on his occulus. That’s my weekend sorted. 😄

You'll have fun Boaty! It's really addictive 😂

I’m not sure about fun. I don’t do aerobics classes because I’m too uncoordinated. It will be good blackmail material for other members of my household.

Is anyone watching The Fabulous on Netflix? I thought I'd give it ago as the trailer had a glimpse of topless Choi Minho 😊
I've just had to pause in shock as it the opening scene the fl has just woken up to the aftermath of a one night stand and there is a condom wrapper on the floor 😲 how modern!! And also the most neatly dropped on floor clothes ever, they must be ppl 😆

TheGirl I loved The Fabulous ! and I did a 😱 at the condom wrapper too 😂

A lot of the Bato chaps are diligent about bagging their baguettes before they go out to play. I vaguely recall reading that condoms were a v popular contraceptive method in SK, more so than in other developed countries.

..and they always seem to be XL or even XXXL 😂

Was the first time I've seen one in a drama I think? I've made myself go to bed after 2 episodes. It's surprisingly addictive!

Part of the patriarchal society? "Slutty" for girls to be responsible for contraception and imply they might enjoy sex rather than having to be vanquished by a "pervert"?

Don't say I never do anything for you. It's a fan service.

Day 11. The Dennis Waterman of South Korea: Song Il-dong

Wehey, what a silver fox 🦊😅 thanks Briiiiick

Is it really Christmas at all until we've had the only half sexy pic of SDI? 😍

DWofSK = BACK OF THE NET 🤩 Great day to a long day of work. Mood successfully lifted! 😁

Pol sadly I think you're spot on there 😬

And looking very dapper he is too! I'm here for the strict sunbaenim vibes ...

Gah great start!

You may remember I went to a makgeolli workshop back in November. I strained it after a couple of weeks. But didn't dare to drink it 😂 It's been lurking in the fridge for 4 weeks. I decided this week it was now or never (it's now at the far end of acceptability time-wise for fresh makgeolli). Verdict: smelled, tasted and looked like makgeolli, and it hasn't killed me yet 😁

I think Migs you were wondering if it would be worth making it yourself. Well a large bottle of 'pulp' only produced a tiny bit of finished product. So to make it worthwhile, you'd need to make it in large quantities. That would be quite pricey in terms of rice, you need quite alot. This cd be an issue space-wise. And it's messy. It's less sweet than shop-bought stuff (but you can add flavours etc.) And the specialist yeast you need to make it has to be ordered online (there is apparently only one supplier in Europe). Too much faff to do it again off of my own back, but would definitely do another workshop!

boaty I think you had a question about the sediment in shop-bought stuff. Answer still pending. The organiser I've been chatting to online is not the person who did the workshop. She said she'll ask her next time she sees her!

Same!

You may remember I went to a makgeolli workshop back in November. I strained it after a couple of weeks. But didn't dare to drink it 😂 It's been lurking in the fridge for 4 weeks. I decided this week it was now or never (it's now at the far end of acceptability time-wise for fresh makgeolli). Verdict: smelled, tasted and looked like makgeolli, and it hasn't killed me yet

I felt the same about the batch of kimchi that I made a while ago. I’d used fermented prawn paste as instructed and developed THE FEAR that it was going to make us all poorly because of the stinking prawn paste. I bottled it (lost my nerve, not a preserving aside) and used it all up in kimchi jjigae so it had a thorough heating through before it passed our lips. It smelt and tasted legit though.

YEOOOOO

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64173018

Stowaway option! 👍

What going on here? Yoongi in a whole new direction?

www.instagram.com/p/CnByUi4J-ws/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

@FedUpWithBriiiiick I'm pretty sure the album will be a considerable step away from previous solo work. I was thinking more 'traditional' singer-songwriter stuff (cf Elton John moment at the start of that live performance of Yet To Come). But maybe it will be more experimental...? These are just beautiful photographs. And I can see a shoulder surgery scar 😳 (Mr Saram would say it's been added for effect 😁)

In case anyone's curious 😁 Also honorable mentions for the overall styling (very cutesy, but somehow they get away with it), brilliant fan chants and use of lightsticks, and Namjoon's knees ✌

Yet To Come live - comeback stage

Fedup,you've managed to find the pic of Song Il Dong looking his best, elegant even. 👏

Saram, thanks for the makgeolli update. I'll file it in the "only make in country where rice is grown" folder!

I've finished Pachinko and it seemed so incomplete that I now want to read the book. Anyone done this and recommend?
It was good though and Lee Min Ho redeemed himself from the embarrassment that was Eternal Monarch. Strangely, I now find him totally🔥

There's two more series coming for Pachinko I think Migs and yes - the book worth reading and will complete the story if you can't wait (although in some ways I found the series more satisfying and the earthquake for instance is not actually in the book).