MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #40): The Filthy Noonas’ rapidly expanding flock gambol into spring with a giddiness only matched by Junkook’s drunken vlives

[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)
Our Blooming Youth (Viki)
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/Netflix)
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 Course in Romance (Netflix)
Crash Landing on You (Netflix)🌟Descendants of the Sun (Viki/Netflix)
Doctors (Netflix)
Doom At Your Service (Viki)
Extraordinary Attorney Woo (Netflix)
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)

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)🌟
Delivery Man (Viki)
Happiness (Viki/Netflix)🌟
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’
We 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
Coutrtesy 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 - 9.42
#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!

Fighting Migs! 💪

I didn't realise DAS was only 12 episodes, I started the final this morning, but I haven't finished it yet. Hopefully later 🤞🏻

Rowdy Sung Dong-il you say? 😏[rubs hands together] But I think it's Viki only 😱 as is that Traveler programme with Ahn Jae-hong you recommended Boaty. I'm going to have to give in one day 😕

TheGirl/sakura06/TheLoup subscriptions, converting people and having people to talk to about dramas. Yeah. The struggle is real. A school mum friend watched Squid Game and said she loved it, and also enjoyed The Glory, but it hasn't really taken off. I occasionally talk to my Korean teacher and Korean friends about dramas. But on a day-to-day level of being able to chat about things without having to give a context or explain anything, it's here and WhatsApp chats with course chingus really (both total lifelines!)

MrSaram occasionally suggests ditching Disney+😱but gets death stares from both me and JuniorSaram. We've only got that and Netflix. Come on! We're continuing with Beef. I was crying with laughter at episode 4. He fell asleep, and when he woke up complained the jokes were 'too Korean' 😁

Pol that thread. My oh my. The Koreans I know or have heard speak here are definitely keen to break the pattern of extreme work and study (I guess that's why they're here/internationally oriented rather than still in Korea). It's really expensive for international students to study here though, so that in itself says something about parents' willingness to invest in their kids' futures.

I agree that making sacrifices is part of being a parent. In this case I think it's legitimate to ask who/what Korean parents are making sacrifices for - their kids, themselves, or social expectations. And it's difficult to imagine the situation as a whole really changing, for the reasons Migs gives.

Migs manifesting for your seeds!

Saram The Cursed is in Netflix! It also has the crazy mum from Little Women, estate agent friend from DAS and young Dong Eun from The Glory in. So far we're enjoying it, especially the shamanic rituals!

Oooooh Rowdy thanks! It must be the profiles issue again 🙄 whichever one I looked in didn't have it. Or maybe it's yet to be released here. Usually a delay of 6 weeks or so. Korean Dennis Waterman here I come! 🤩

I've watched the 2 available episodes of DAS and am really enjoying it. Love the trot 😃 I seem to have a bit of a thing for the less-obviously-attractive actors from Reply 1988 as am very happy to see Kim Sung Kyun again 😁

Still not making much headway on my kdrama viewing but I thought I’d make a recommendation for (whisper) English language TV: Mythic Quest on AppleTV+. I will tickle the fancy of other sci-fi/fantasy fans on the thread (I am one), but will also appeal to fans of well observed, sharply written ensemble comedy.

Also manifesting for your seeds migs - if they sprout well you can do cuttings for us all 😉

I'm going to check out The Cursed although I need to catch up with Secret Romantic Guesthouse .... And study for java exam.

AND work today prevented me from watching J-Hope's last livestream before military enlistment 😢🥹 might just go and melodramatically flop onto my bed whilst sighing loudly.

Been away for a while... So I'm completely out of the loop... But just popped onto here to say...
Blooming Youth is one of the most infuriating dramas! I'm on ep19 now and it is mind boggling sooooo slow! The pace is awful... Everything takes ages and the plot moves at a snails pace! I don't mind intrigues and queries... But I do expect little drops of answers along the way! It's very very annoying and I'm rather cross with it all! Sigh! Only 2 more eps to go... So I will finish it but it is flippin infuriating! 🤬😡😠🤬😡😠🤬😤😤😤😤😤🥱🥱🥱🥱😤😤😤😤😤

Finished Divorce Attorney! Very good! 👌😍👍🏼👍🏼

I am not watching anything else! 😭... Help! 😤🫣... What's next?! 😣

Bea I agree. I did think the last 2 episodes were paced a better- but it's just WAY too long. no spoilers, but let me know what you think of the ending ......

Thanks all for the support with my perilla growing effort! I read somewhere that the seeds like heat from below, so that'll be the guest bathroom underfloor heating going on then!

I'm watching Yakuza Lover, (Disney+) and hehehe, ep 1 where ML has just gently kissed FL's head but followed up with "My next kiss will leave you shaking all over". That line was so corny I couldn't help but laugh! It's enjoyable romantic fluff so far, but yakuza!!! #promisespromises

Bea, how about Taxi Driver 2; Pandora; The Real has Come; Queen Maker (just landed on Netflix)

I'm also watching The Real Has Come and quite enjoying that it looks like it's been shot on video not film and the theatrical interior sets with doors that people keep popping through. It has all the afternoon telly tropes; cheating bastard ex, bossy halmeoni who rules the family, wanna be girlfriend, feckless family members, dodgy acting etc. Nice to see Ahn Jae Hyun back in a drama after the awful one about poo that I couldn't finish. Also has MIL from DAS in it

@Bea I haven’t watched the last two episodes yet & I agree it is the most infuriating Kdrama.
To counter that I have started Secret Romantic Guesthouse, it better pick up next week as I think writers have done enough ground work.

Queen Maker seems interesting, I quite enjoy political thrillers.

re: Twitter thread.
This attitude towards education is a very Asian thing.
Unfortunately, education is not for knowledge but a ticket/tool to raise your social status & only way to make it big (if you are from middle & lower class). Higher degree is the only way to fight status quo/ hierarchy or make space at the table where only rich & elite are sitting.
Parents give it their all in a hope that next generation will be able to live better & will be able to access the opportunities.

Another vote against OBY - I dropped it around episode 16 - so close to finishing but so far!! It just felt like I'd had three episodes where almost nothing happened except for some identity based misunderstandings...

I went and got lost in my Healer binge watch and when I finished it found I had no desire to go back and finish OBY.

Is OBY for our 💩 list? Or as it goes on MN AIBU?

Feels like there was nothing really offensive about it, it was just boring! I guess I wouldn't recommend it to anyone / would warn people that it's slow.

Now on Ep5 of Yakuza Lover and you can tell it's not a kdrama. I think the plot was written by an AO3 author and stops just short of baguette territory (think drink spiked with an aphrodisiac). 😳 Lovely tattoos tho.

Like how Pol went all spendy on kimchi containers, I've "invested" in a heat mat for the precious perilla seeds!

I'm not sure OBY quite deserves the 💩 list - but it is glacially slow - 20 episodes?! Why?! Where is the plot?! It would perhaps have worked better without the main 'romance' and more focus on solving the weekly crime mysteries with the Joseon scooby gang.

I thought FL had more chemistry with the guardian warrior, the 2ML, her adopted brother who's hair turned white and all the palace eunuchs than with emotionally repressed ML (sorry PHS)

Like AmVa I think I would hesitate to recommend it - in terms of Sageuk I'd (off the top of my head) say to watch one of
Joseon Attorney
Mr Queen
The Forbidden Marriage or
Secret Romantic Guesthouse instead as all are similar but better and way more enjoyable to watch.

Ha! Maybe it does deserve the shit list? I don't know - I didn't totally hate it, but I ffw'd through all the boring bits toward the end.... Will go with majority opinion 😂

migs tee hee at 'drink spiked with aphrodisiac' - that old chestnut 😉 might watch for the tattoos... .

Oh! And I started watching The Cursed with DH - on episode 2 and he is enjoying it (or at least not complaining too much...)

I'm glad your DH isn't complaining too much about The Curse TheLoup 😁

I've just finished DAS, I absolutely loved it and I'm quite sad it's over. I don't know what to watch next 🤔

I'm currently finishing Psychopath Diary on Viki which I started ages ago but never finished, it's okay but obviously didn't hold my interest that well for me to abandon it. I'm going to finish it though

Oh my days Loup, join me.* *YL is so OTT it must be a parody! 😂

I just read the blurb for YL whilst it does read like an Ao3 intro, for some reason: I'm in.

I've got to revise today but might reward myself with an episode or two later on 😂

Trying Bora Deborah on HiTV - writer of Mad for Each Other which bodes well and also quite up for Doctor Cha starting today on Netflix too. Mainly anticipating Dr Romantic 3 at the moment.

I'm up to date with The Real Has Come and waiting for the next eps now while wondering just why I am watching such a flimsy show. I am very glad the button mystery was solved quickly, in fact the whole plot is bustling along in a nicely predictable way, though am quite pissed off with all the 'you must get an abortion' reactions.
AJH seems to be mostly acting by pouting, there's a lot of 'YAH!!' ing and fainting, but I'm rather enjoying it.

Invested in your perilla Migs, please send updates! I need to see if I have any seeds left from my old batch

Well I'm back in Europe chums.

Watched all of Beef on the plane. 'Twas excellent.

Chat more tomorrow when I'm back in the homeland x