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!

I'd have loved to have gone to that Saram - although I see he's lecturing here over the summer so hopefully will also do events.
Meanwhile I'm off to the KCC tonight for a talk from the author and translator of The Disaster Tourist which is an unsettling, very dark but funny read. And then home for Kill Bok-Soon!

Saram, I might have the answer to why Koreans don't get red when they drink. Apparently they are genetically close to the Japanese and not the Chinese but it's the Chinese who tend to have the red reaction to alcohol consumption.

On the Suga front, one of the joys of this thread is how it introduces people to new things and we then explore the back catalogue. I've been listening to Suga's Interlude: set me free on repeat for two days now. Absolutely love it!!

Do report back Pol. I read it and thought it would make for a great film/TV adaptation. It’s so damned dark though. I’m interested to hear what the writer is like.

Pol, where did you find info on SYP UK lectures/appearances? I might be able to time my summer London visit to coincide if I can snag tickets.

I follow both him and his very SM active translator Anton Hur on IG and Twitter. Anton Hur is running a course at UEA this summer and has billed SYP as a guest lecturer. Hopefully they'll also find time for some public events. I'll let you know if I spot anything. The monthly literature events at KCC are worth keeping an eye on too - and they're free.
I agree Boaty - I'll let you know!

I started a K-Pop thread in music if anyone wants to chat about K-Pop

I love them too 😍

I've hardly watched anything recently, apart from Suwichita 😅
My fb memories have just told me it's ten years since I went to Seoul 😭
I'm really excited about Fed Ups trip starting soon!

I'll pop over and say hi @PartyPartyYeah 🙂 enjoy SKZ - where are you seeing them?

I'm really looking forward to Kill Boksoon I think it's one I can get DH to watch as well 🤞

Saram I would have liked to have gone to that talk, he sounds like an interesting guy. I'm glad he is living his life on his own terms despite the challenges within society and from his own family. The type of schedule you mentioned for teenagers sounds insane - when I think of the struggle I have to get my kids to do even an hour's homework!?

Finished The Sound of Magic I actually really liked it - glad they didn't try to spin it out to more episodes....

Saram that schedule is insane, when do the kids get time to just be kids? 😕

Enjoy your evening tonight Pol, I enjoyed the Disaster Tourist a lot, I agree with Boaty - it would make a great film.

I was hoping to start Kill Boksoon with DH tonight but in a moment of madness this morning the dogs knocked the TV over... So now no TV 🙄

Interesting article here about the low birthrate in SK... Government don't seem to quite getting the problem do they

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/30/foreign-maids-and-no-military-service-south-korea-criticised-over-ideas-to-boost-birthrate

Migs re: the Chinese/Japanese alcohol redness thing - how interesting, thanks! And I'm really glad you're enjoying D-2 😻. D-1 also has some great tracks.

Pol have fun at the event!

Rowdy oh God no not the telly! 😱 Thoughts and prayers 😬 Thanks for that fascinating article.

TheGirl I didn't know (or forgot) that you'd already been to Korea 😊 hope you can make it again next year or otherwise soon 😃

TheLoup Yeah the education thing is totally nuts 😲

FedUp safe travels ?tomorrow 💜

The falling birth rate is interesting - I think I’m right in saying that the same is happening in China.
I wonder whether government intervention will make any difference.

Starting flying tomorrow at 17:15. Am nervous for delays, but once I get over that I'll be buzzing!!

Fedup that has flown in! Safe travels, can't wait to see pics!

Rowdy The TV??!! Disaster. Very interesting article. The Government 'solutions' seem completely ineffectual and missing the point also ...

TheGirl 10 years? - surely time to start planning a return trip?! 😉

Enjoyed listening to Yun Ko-Eun who was dryly funny and off beat like her book. She said there have been ongoing talks about screen adaptation since 2013 publication in Korea but budget is a sticking point. However she didn't rule it out. And there's going to be a sequel coming out in Korea this year.

Enjoy your trip FedUp. Hope the transfer goes OK 🤞

Rowdy I read that article this morning and also found the proposed solutions a little off the mark. Makes you wonder if they've even bothered to ask women why they are putting off/reluctant to have children.

Thanks for reporting back Pol.

The tourism boom in Switzerland is now reverse amplifying CLOY. It came up in conversation with friends & I have told them where to find it.

So, started watching Kill Boksoon and DH fell asleep after 10 mins so we shelved it for today. He went to bed and I started watching Our Blues randomly. It's very good but, I am getting a sinking feeling that it's going to get sad - I'm already invested after 2 episodes (plus - my boy Kim Woo Bin 😍) but will I be traumatised?

It's making me want to go to Jeju at any rate....

I watched Kill Boksoon tonight! Really enjoyed it, more than I thought I would.

Notice of Jhope's military service is posted on Weverse - no dates have been mentioned.

Our Blues is wonderful TheLoup. It's a lot of individual stories and there are definitely sad elements to them but overall it will stick your heart back together and leave you with warm fuzzies.

😢 I've felt like this was imminent all week. Waaaah, I'm not ready.

Pol that's good to know - I was hooked in to the different stories as soon as I started watching & the acting and production quality is so high as well. I'm ok with sad bits as long as it's not too devastating!