MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #39): February sees the Filthy Noonas warmed by the smouldering embers of Jin’s leather trousers

[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 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 Forbidden Marriage (Viki)
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 (Netflix)🌟
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)
Sell Your Haunted House (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)
Meet Yourself (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 Makanai (Netflix, 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

#2Alchemy 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've just realised the TL;DR to my post should have been:
Money talks; morality walks.

@boatyardblues I also had a Korean hotdog recently, was very excited as it was found at a most unexpected place (and matched my dietary requirements). In excitement forgot to take photo.

This explains Yakult popularity
link

Nothing can explain yakult popularity. It's HEINOUS 🤮

That's really interesting Jin, I like Yakult although I'm not sure of it's probiotic properties!

boaty and migs I was rather horrified by the results of that survey. That acceptance of/recognition of homosexuality was SO low in SK. I'm reading up on Sang Young Park (openly gay young Korean novelist) at the moment, in preparation for the interview/book launch I'll be going to in a few weeks' time. He's from a devoutly Christian family in Daegu. In one interview (I've linked to it below, well worth a read) he said his Mum asked for lots of copies of his book to give to her church friends and he kept putting it off as one of the lead characters is gay and he wasn't sure how she would take it. Next time he visited her, there was a copy borrowed from the local library on the table. Her only comment was along the lines of, well, shame to pay for one if the library has it 😁(Shades of Yoongi commenting on J-Hope's launch snacks. Maybe the good people of Daegu are known for being parsimonious 😁) No issue at all. So I wonder if people, when asked for the purposes of a survey, will say they don't accept homosexuality. But are more flexible if someone they know is?

Sang Young Park interview

And then the documentary. I wasn't overly taken with the interviewer or the overall approach (I would have liked WAY more context about the J-pop world, and I thought he was too busy pushing his own agenda and giving his own opinion rather than giving people room to speak). But the main takeaway seemed to be that most victims didn't recognise what happened to them as abuse. Not just because of the power dynamics in this particular case, but because there still is still alot of denial of homosexuality in Japan and an unwillingness to address darker issues. Interestingly, that contradicts the results of the survey, where Japan had a relatively high score (compared to SK) for acceptance of homosexuality.

TheLoup My country apparently wasn't included in the survey. I'd say acceptance is generally high, certainly in the major city I live in. But at the same time, there have been more and more gay hate crimes reported here in recent years. Just a few streets from us, a home displaying the rainbow flag was firebombed last summer (fortunately no-one was injured). I'm afraid that can be attributed to increased polarisation between different population groups. And if you live in the more conservative/religious areas outside of the big cities..... good luck.

boaty That corndog looked GOOD! One of our local Korean places does them, including a vegetarian version. But it's just mozzarella all the way through, rather than a meat-free sausage + cheese, so it's very heavy. The crunchy outside and sauce are 👌though.

jin that Yakult thing was really interesting, thanks! I've passed it on to other chingus.

A friend sent me this video yesterday. My Korean teachers all follow this channel. They do have some good things sometimes. And this is particularly genius 😁

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-64048793

I made the corn dogs a couple of years back for DD's birthday as we were obsessed with them when we had them at Bunsik in london... they were incredibley yummy! Had to buy a 2kg block of Mozzarella as you can't just use the regular mozzarella!!!! 😂

Saram13 Re the difference in attitudes to homosexuality between South Korea and Japan I can't help wondering if it's because South Korea is about 30% Christian (with Catholics making up about 10% of that) compared to Japan which doesn't have a sizeable Christian population and is mostly Buddhist if people are religious at all. As a fan of supernatural shows I find the almost equal mix of Christian, Buddhist, and non believer in South Korea makes for a very wide and entertaining variety of fantasy shows but it undoubtedly has some more negative effects in real life, such as with the attitudes to abortion and homosexuality.

@Saram13 that video is hilarious, they are trying so hard to be polite 🤣

"new experience" 🤣🤣🤣

🤣🤣 oh dear.

Did anyone see Yoongi's bday live? I missed it (stupid work) apparently he had his guitar and sang & JK, Hobi and Jimin were proposing in the chat....

Bea - your corndogs look epic. What are the cubes on the bobbly ones? Spud? I had the choice of cheese only or cheese and beef (weiner sausage). I’m not a veggie & wanted to try the most outlandish version so went for cheese and beef. I could live with just the cheese. As you say, it’s the crispy coating and the sauce that makes it.

I’ve never had a pickled egg. I now feel I should try one just once.

The final paragraph of this article explains why cdramas are so damned chaste and wholesome.

Censorship forces lingerie shops to use more strapping models.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/d11a27da-bdd3-11ed-b52d-512231a0c9aa?shareToken=ad275deded2c78ef24c2b45e3aec8e2f

FedUp interesting article! Really struck a chord with me as I used to watch and love the Bollywood films shown on BBC2 on ?Sunday mornings when I was a kid 😀 does anyone else remember those?

I have corndog envy Bea 😁

Cobol yes I think the difference between attitudes in SK and Japan very likely has alot to do with the different religious landscapes. What you say about the fantasy shows also makes sense. My current teacher (they don't quit in horror 😂 each teacher stays teaching the same level while the pupils - hopefully - progress) is Christian and attends the Korean church here. She's not that into K-dramas, but does like SF and fantasy.

I've never wanted to try a pickled egg more than now (have had plenty of fish and chip shop pickled onions and polystyrene cups of mushy peas in my time). I reckon the ATEEZ boys would be up for a laugh with us and Gong Yoo down the pub. Lots of 'new experiences' for them there, especially around closing time 😁

TheLoup I've just seen clips from the Yoongi birthday live. Will watch properly tomorrow at some point. Threw clothes on in haste this morning without thinking of the date, but the jumper at least was appropriate 😁 Please note, too, the Daechwita lanyard 🤩😂

Saram #stylegoals - a bangtan lanyard for my work pass is the merch I didn't know I needed ❤️ someone take my money!!

I'm up for the pub with Ateez and Gong Yoo, but I would rather die than eat a pickled egg. A sugar encrusted beef and cheese corndog sounds questionable as far as delicacies go, but I would sample one in the name of new experiences < adventurous mode >

Yoongi's birthday cake and cat balloon both awesome - DD got cake envy.

Haha! I've just got to the bit in Divorce Attorney Shin with the drunk living room noraebang 🤣

I need to get back into my kdrama viewing. #manhwarotsettingin Divorce Attorney Shin sounds fun.

I caught a bit of You & Yours on Radio 4 at lunchtime today. They had a feature about large, organised tout/ticket reselling gangs using bots to flood ticket sale sites and jam up access for genuine fans while the touts sweep in and buy up lower priced tickets (more profit) in batches. 😕

TheLoup still no DAS release date here. But it is listed as available soon. Which generally means another 3 or 4 weeks to wait...

The lanyard is by Shiinapop. A young Canadian graphic designer. She has her own website and is also on Etsy and Instagram. She's not a relative and I'm not on commission 😁

A lanyard treasure-trove! Thanks 💜 I'm spoiled for choice .....

Excellent jumper and lanyard 😍

Any other Bollywood fans there is a really good documentary series on Netflix called The Romantics worth checking out.

Saram I used to love those Bollywood films that were on a Saturday or Sunday morning - I used to watch them with my mum!

FedUp I will have a look for that documentary 🙂👍