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!

Migs Have you been to Georgia before? Friends of mine who holidayed in Tblisi were in raptures about the food and wine. We went to a Georgian restaurant here to try it out. I did really like the khinkali dumpling things and the baked stuffed bread. But it is definitely on the heavy side. ATEEZ would probably say it's quite 'new experience' 😁 There's also the more delicate aubergine/walnut/pomengranate-y side of things. Definitely up for that.

I initially assumed Suspicious Parner was another of those new Netflix ones with a delayed European released, but when I saw many of you had already watched it I did a bit of detective work and lo and behold it's another of those that are on MrSaram's Netflix profile only. Added to the list 👌

Pesky darn work ruins all the fun Boaty
Just finished On a Starry Night and I'm calling it officially - great wee show.

Saram, learning Korean is certainly expanding and getting more enjoyable so an intensive immersion break in SK might be next!

After the episode in Diary of a Prosecutor where the team is working out seating positions at the table based on seniority/age, could you tell me what is likely to happen in a social situation where a foreigner rejects social/etiquette norms eg wants informal speech from a younger generation member, or is this a strict no no?
My Norwegian friend tells me that when she was a child she had to genuflect whenever she met her parents' friends/acquaintances in the street, so she used to end up doing Zs in the road to avoid them, but as she grew older, a head nod was sufficient.

"Have you been to Georgia before? Friends of mine who holidayed in Tblisi were in raptures about the food and wine. We went to a Georgian restaurant here to try it out. I did really like the khinkali dumpling things and the baked stuffed bread. But it is definitely on the heavy side. ATEEZ would probably say it's quite 'new experience'"

I am so relieved to hear about the food and wine as I'm going for a family wedding and adding in sightseeing days. Never been before, so was expecting bland Russian, cabbage with everything food, but now I know and will seek out the khinkali dumplings and stuffed bread! I'm ok with "new experiences" 😁

Migs funny you shd ask that. My Korean friend just shared this article with me. I'd say switching to banmal (informal speech) would be inappropriate in most cases. Our teachers' advice has always been to err on the side of being too polite.

BBC article: Where asking someone's age isn't rude

Re: immersive learning break in Korea - sadly not an option (work, mortgage, child, MrSaram 😁). I've got 3 more levels/18 months of part-time Korean school ahead of me if I stick with it. Ideally I'd like to go back to university and do Korean studies, there's a great degree programme available here which a friend is currently following ... I have however promised myself I'll do it once I retire if I still want to then (only another half a working life to go 💀😂).

Oooh you'll have a great time in Georgia Migs! (If you can avoid the demonstrations 😳). I followed a language course with a Romanian girl years ago and we went out to stay with her family in Bucharest and the Carpathian mountains. Amazing place and also surprisingly delicious food.

Thanks Saram, that BBC article answered a lot of questions. How interesting that they add the suffix "nim" to show respect. In Colombia they added "ita" to my name, to show a closer social relationship, unfortunately this then gave me a completely different but actual English name which I constantly corrected until I realised the significance of the gesture.
I cannot begin to understand the complexities of the Korean language, so well done you, for how far you have come!👏

On the topic of Nims.
m.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230314000501

Another interesting article, thanks Pol. What exactly does the nuance of using "oppa" refer to?

I want to know more about the emerging scandal of the ex-President's grandson's insta allegations of family wrong doing!

Pol fascinating article, thank you! I kept hearing 'nim' in K-dramas and was cursing Netflix's lack of Korean subtitles as I wanted to work out exactly how the words were made up. Really interesting.

Did anyone else clock this article today? 😮 No wonder we have the samposedae, oposedae etc. generation in Korea. Referring to the normal life markers young people are increasingly having to give up on because of the pressures of modern life.

South Korea U-turns on 69-hour working week

Between those and the current President's fortune telling shaman being investigated for making the President move offices it's a weirdly busy weird news day in SK.

Those language articles are so interesting - I would love to do a really deep dive into it - I find the intricacy of the formal and informal speech so fascinating - it seems like it's a minefield at times even for Koreans themselves (those drinking rules!).

I always listen to the speech patterns in dramas as well and try to work out how the words are made up and how phrasing works - without much success I may add😂

DS (10) has been saying he wants to learn Korean - BTS inspired - he's in for a challenge!

69 hour working week! ☠️

Even the concept of 69 hour working week is crazy - 9am to midnight 5 days in a row. Wow.

The 'nim' article is very good too👍

Wow, some great chat & links today. Saranghae Filthy Noonas! 😍

I’m listening to a Sam Harris podcast about AI whilst cooking dinner. A discussion about how poor current AI is at Go game made me realise how much my kdrama obsession has enriched my knowledge and world view. I’ve only encountered Go since watching kdrama, cdrama and jdrama. I would have had no idea what they’re even talking about 5 years ago, but I have a rudimentary grasp of the rules from Reply 1988. I’m quote relieved. I thought my obsession was making me stupider but it turns out, I’m just becoming erudite in less useful ways. 🤣

An unexpected hand hold never gets old

Namata-san taking the ML in Full Time Wife Escapist to a gay night made me hoot. So many misunderstandings , so much humour. I can see why it was adapted for TV.

I've finally finished TIoL, I liked the ending, I think there was a resolution of sorts and it was left up to the viewer to decide what happened next.

Pol If the dogs are coming in Briiiiick's suitcase too, I hope she's got a steamer trunk for us 🤣

I'm going to try Full Time Wife Escapist next, thanks to Briiiiick for the recommendation. I think I need a bit of a change of scenery from Seoul, although I do want to start Divorce Attorney Shin too

I’m saving TV Full Time Escape Wife until I’ve finished the manga. I don’t want any spoilers.

Lovely fondle there.

Ahhh @polkettle all that Gen Hoshino chat we did last year will finally pay off.

That wee pocket rocket is gorgeous and talented 😍

EVERYONE on the thread will have to learn the koi dance and we can do a flashmob at the airport to send you off to Japan FedUp.

I'm not down with the kids so had to look up the koi dance! That would be an awesome send off for Fedup. Love the idea!!!

Here are the final credits with the dance. It's all coming back to me now.

I never get to share a YouTube clip successfully. I wonder why it doesn't work.