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!

That's exciting about the exchange programme Saram! I hope this weekend's meetup goes well. Well done on your successful lunch ordering as well.

My local uni does Korean language classes, in person and online - I am itching to sign up, but I need to wait until after my final exam for my programming module before I take on anything else extra!

I'll just leave Kim Woo Bin here The man is 80% cheekbones 😮

TheLoup ooooh roll on your finals so you can get stuck in to learning Korean 😍

I don't know what it is with the speaking. Well I do I guess. When I first moved here and learned the local language I could speak it reasonably well long before I learned the nuts and bolts of grammar etc. Because of how I was learning it (picking it up informally from friends and family). With Korean it's the opposite - strict grammar drilling and learning by rote more or less from day 1, but almost no opportunity to chat freely (unlike in my dreams). Ordering food is ok as we learned standard phrases for that. The rest really is excruciatingly bad.

Well done in your Korean conversation Saram, so brave of you! Your exchange programme sounds brilliant as well, how exciting!

Briiiiick I'm so excited for your holiday, are you sure there's not room in your suitcase for me? 🧳

Rowdy in for a penny, in for a pound 😁 my course chingu's signed up for it too. So I'm not totally alone 😊

Am preparing for this week's class. Wtaf?! I hope this chapter also includes the key vocab 'mansplainer' and 'piss off' 🤔 (ok to be fair there is a different practice dialogue where a woman suggests the same to a man, but...)

I googled ‘kominka’ off the back of a translator’s note in a manga about traditional Japanese house building techniques. You can build a whole house without a single nail! This article is good:

www.tsunagujapan.com/simple-yet-beautiful-japans-traditional-homes-kominka/

I love those houses boaty - I remember once taking a cultural geography course at uni that looked at traditional building styles from all over the world and then looking at the different biomes and weather and building materials etc, it was super interesting and I still remember bits of it (20 years later! ).

Saram I'm chuckling at your dialogue book - even the guy in the pic looks a bit taken aback in an "oh shit, I wasn't expecting an honest answer" kind of way 😂

Hope you have an amazing trip FedUp!! I have spent quite a bit of time in Japan (actually lived there as a baby and then went back quite a bit growing up) and it is amazing. So jealous of all the food you'll be eating 🍜

Jealous of everyone's travels - this year we are heading back to the UK for a visit, but now we are back living in Aus I feel like our next international trips need to be a bit closer to home... Say South Korea?? 😁😁 although kind of wish I could go without my toddler...😅

I've been watching and greatly enjoying Suspicious Partner - I don't know why I am still pleasantly surprised by the detail and depth of kdramas. The description of SP made it sound kind of comical, but going into the long-term impact on the FLs life from the murder accusation is done in a way that I think lots of American shows would have glossed over?? Maybe I have rose-tinted glasses on still and am inclined to just think everything about kdramas is better.

Also loving the chemistry between the two leads!! You know it's good when just one person walking towards the other with intent is enough to make you swoon.

Sure you're only wee, I could pop you in my carry on!

Pol - damn you! That manga you posted about a couple of pages ago has eaten my evening. The slow burn is delicious. I hope the pay off is rewarding. I love the gay colleague character who loves cooking. 🙂

Following the travel news and I'm off to Tbilski next week - no great food, no kdrama actors to stalk but excitement galore after the government tear gassed protestors against a proposed bill! 😳 Is this what they call "disaster tourism" even though things have cooled down a bit?🤔
Depending on google translate as I don't even know how to say "help!" in Russian.😰
And no, my next trip after that isn't to Ukraine!😁

Ooo episode 12 of Our Blooming Youth was a good one - plot happened! Even minor 'romance' development! I have developed 2ML syndrome, the kind and heartbroken sergeant gets my vote, despite his powers of perception being sadly lacking. Dude. YOUR FIANCÉE IS RIGHT THERE, SHE IS JUST WEARING A MANS HAT.

AmVa SP is great - I was totally addicted to it and watched in a mad binge. It was a great balance of all the different elements, well paced story and fab chemistry between the leads. I loved the relationship between all the supporting characters as well.

Another fan of Suspicious Partners here, I watched it very early on in my Kdrama addiction, and watched it several times back to back because I loved it so much 😆 I'm kind of jealous that people are watching it for the first time, I think I need a rewatch.

Thanks Briiiiick, I won't be any bother 😁

Our Blooming Youth finally story is moving, is it 16 or 20 episodes?
I want FL to be with sergeant, crown prince should bow out nicely.

Suspicious Partner early k-drama days, I like ML in his sleek prosecutor hair style & glasses are definitely for show (he don’t need reading glasses at this young age).

Speaking of travels, as per Ahn Bo-hyun‘a insta we were at the same spot but I never spotted him. I was literally right there. I am gutted to miss that opportunity & trying to convince my self that he might not be there just posted on the same day (in his photos, moon is no where near the current size).

I haven't watched this week's Our Blooming Youth yet (thanks to SP binge obsession) but don't think I'll be developing 2ML syndrome. Partly because I have residual love for Park Hyung-Sik from Strong Girl Bong Soon so I probably am liking that character more than I should because of him😅

The Netflix description for SP really didn't pique my interest but I kept seeing people talking about the chemistry of the leads so finally took the plunge and am so pleased I did.

Is this the manga of Full Time Wife Escapist?

Honestly, you step out the room for a moment and it's all thread go!
Boaty, not sure if you've clocked but Nigiri is also adapted and available on Netflix and Viki and would thoroughly recommend.
I'm coming in FedUp's suitcase too. Hope you're also bringing the dogs Rowdy. It'll be cosy in the Samsonite but we'll make it work.
Suspicious Partner was a high treat even if I did glaze over through some of the murdery murder detail (always love the way a bad un's eyes roll back in menacing manner- so convenient for identification of Badness purposes). Good snogs. Now going into DAS with much enjoyment.

Love the jumper 🤣

It's what all the hot boyz are wearing FedUp

Yes! It’s good.

Funnily enough I screengrabbed the same panel last night but forgot to post it. I thought it would tickle your fancy FedUp. 😄

I spotted it in my trending on Netflix Pol, but I didn’t want to be spoiled so I’m not going to dip in until I’m caught up on the manga.

Great. You'll be dancing to the theme tune before you know it. Read all 9 volumes of the Manga in one day - just like the show it's surprisingly meaty among the slow burn. Although some very questionable advice from a medical professional right at the end 😁

Jin I think Our Blooming Youth is 20 episodes - hopefully the pace will pick up now. How extra-evil is that Minister??! The actor looks to be enjoying himself immensely.

Is there room for another wee one in that suitcase FedUp?? If only!

Pol - I just got to the sharing clanger!! 😱 And now I have to start work. 😫