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!

Should have guessed it always comes back to BTS 😂

FedUp No 🙈 I am a fairly extreme technophobe. I know what a VPN is, but would have no idea where to get or how to install one. And with the backlog I already have, gaining access to more content is just likely to piss me off 🤔😁

PAVLOVA 😃

Yes AmVa, BTS are collectively responsible for the Mogu Mogu 😁 Plus a number of the Korean books in translation on my shelves, quite a few songs by other artists on my playlists, and some of the clothes in my wardrobe. I have to say I've not been yet sorry about any of it. Oh except Pocari Sweat, which was truly grim.

@Saram13 Pocari sweat is not nice!! I tried it many years ago when my family was living in Japan for a bit.
You seem like the perfect person to enable my purchase of these sunglasses seen on V in the Dynamite MV...
https://m.en.projektprodukt.co.kr/product/sc4-c010pg/2544/

They are a ridiculous / expensive purchase so I am not there yet but I am keeping the tab open just in case...

AmVa ooooh yes I do like those! I'm probably the wrong person to ask really as I am indeed an awful enabler 😁 But I reckon if you love something and will get use out of it - why not. Life is short enough. Accumulation of 'stuff' is not the answer to everything, but the odd beautiful/ridiculous thing that makes you truly happy - why not? (I mean, within reason guys - I'd happily rock a vibrant pick Valentino jacket, but not for 4,000 euros or whatever mad price they are. Even if I had the cash floating around.)

*pink! Arrrrggghhh spellcheck fail.

Oooo AmVa do it! I love those sunglasses. I nearly bought myself some, but I have such a bad track record with breaking and losing sunglasses that I decided not to risk it and got myself a £10 pair from new look instead 😂

I liked Pocari Sweat! And melon soda tastes like Irn Bru 👍

Ha ha ha MR GUUuuUUUU!!!
Dr Romantic S3 ep 4 I just love how ALL the actors are back each time 😆

I loved the set up for next week’s Dr Cha at the end of episode 8. Now the fun begins!

I’m just back from drinks at a friend’s to see the singer in the coronation concert being upstaged by the drones. 😆

Not sure I'd look sufficiently 'retro' in those sunglasses, more like I'd just located them at the back of the cupboard from where I'd left them the last tine they were in fashion! Looking forward to Dr Cha and TGBM, am currently in the middle of Kill Me, Heal Me, with side orders of BTS content and still some episodes of Jinny Kitchen to go.

Dr Cha … I can’t wait for next week.
Her family is incredibly selfish except son (or he is least one among all).
The cake scene in preview, better not be her daydreaming/wishful thinking.
It’s time that story takes a turn, half of the show is done.

I agree it’s taken its time Jin, but I also think the first 8 episodes have laid the ground work. She’s been unfailingly devoted, supportive and self-sacrificing and all the others have done is take, take, take. We have to consider how patriarchal Korean society is. Half the audience would have been hoisting their bosom and tutting if Dr Cha made choices to centre her own happiness at the outset. Now we know how vile and selfish most of her family are, they’ll be cheering her on. I do find Dr Dreamboat a bit one dimensional. All he does is smile and look pretty. I hope once the gloves are off he gets to do more.

I'm loving The Good Bad Mother. Fantastic acting all round 👏👏👏

Happily reading my way through Trauma Center which is going to have an adaptation later this year with Mr Jirisan and Mr Country Vet.
It makes DR3 look positively tame - see Dr Romantic's risky operation on a naval vessel and raise it flying helicopter through a tornado to get to naval vessel and then doing nerve reconnection surgery on the ship's open deck having first welded the bed to stop it moving in storm waves while being broadcast on live TV via drone... Marvellous.

Where are you reading this makjang-fabulous medical tale, pray tell Pol? Asking for a friend. 😉 (And I am partial to a bit of naughty boy Ju Ji-Hoon. I will also be watching.)

Ooo even I'm on board for that adaptation! Also partial to Ju Ji-Hoon 😍

I think the first 40 chapters or so are on Bato Boaty but there are 90 available on other similar dodgy sites. Although the translation is getting more idiosyncratic as I progress. Google 'Trauma Center manhwa' and you'll find it.
Mr Guuuuuuuuu! Bettys (the original and the biggest but perhaps no longer the best)

This was uploaded by a fan yesterday.

DR3 is very intense but soooo good!

Ooh thanks!! 😍

Has anyone watched either Big Mouth or Shadow Detective on Disney+? Would you recommend? Shadow Detective looks promising based on the trailer, once I’ve killed off the dubbed American English audio.

For the interest of most in this thread.. from my publishing gossip circles I know there is an embargoed book coming out on 9th July which is a music memoir. Rumours are that it is BTS.

I watched Big Mouth and it was nothing special 6.5/7 I think I gave it? The storyline lacked depth, I felt.

Ooo!

Just watched episode 3 of Alice in Borderland and now I'm traumatised.