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!

<whispers> Do it!

Yaaaahhhhh! Peer pressure!

I have a coding exam (java 🤮) on 25 April and I can't introduce any new distractions before then - I should make a reading list to begin on April 26th 😂

Me and DH just watched Kill Bok-Soon with much enjoyment. My girl crush on JDH continues. Plus actual Unni loves Unni content without the world collapsing!

Epik High obsession here too right now! Thanks to Suchwita 😁 Heavily into the first two albums 👌 I don't know Bigbang at all really, so will be checking them out.

I'm glad the small insights I'm getting into Korean culture are of some interest. Of course they're just one person's opinion filtered through me 🤔 but I will endeavour to ask what I can when the opportunity arises.

Andante I didn't pursue the point but will be seeing her again in a few weeks so will see if I can ask more then.

Migs I agree that the contrast between different cultures with a similar sense of social responsibility is fascinating. Again, I'll try to return to the question on another occasion if I get the chance. My impression from the overall interactions I've had is that most Koreans do keep themselves to themselves. But once you make a connection, I've found it easy to talk quite freely.

Pol oooh KBS pending here as MrSaram says he 'might try it', so.... I can't wait! But will have to 😬

And we have a release date for the AgustD solo album! 🙌 My cup runneth over 😁

When?

I’m rewatching Happiness. I fancied a Park Hyun Sik top-up. 😄

I think it's 21 April boaty....

But pre release single sooner - possibly next week?

Consulted weverse - pre release track out April 7th 👍

This is a fascinating read, also from Weverse:

Article on K-pop translators

That was a good read - I've seen some of Koo's live translations on twitter - I don't know how she does it! And the effort that they put in to capture the nuance of what is being said. I always think it's totally fascinating how ways of expressing yourself and thinking can be completely different in different languages - it's like your brain has to rewire itself.

https://www.dramabeans.com/2023/04/lee-dong-wook-time-slips-in-tale-of-the-nine-tailed-1938/

I'm really looking forward to this! I love Lee Dong Wook and also love dramas set in this era!

Talking about Lee Dong Wook, did anyone finish Bad and Crazy? Couldn't get past Ep1 but I'm willing to try again if someone recommends.

I'm another one who enjoyed Kill Bok-Soon and can see it as a movie series.

Jimin's Like Crazy is #8 on UK singles chart. So good to see how well the individual BTS members are doing.💜

Yes! I'm looking forward to new Tale of the Nine Tailed as well! I really liked Kim Bum's character (Lee Rang) in the first season, so I hope we get more of him.

I think Bad and Crazy got better about 4 episodes in, having said that I haven't finished it yet, just got distracted.by other things.

Jimin did such a cute live-stream earlier, did you see migs? he is number 1 on the billboard chart in the US. 💜

Loup, I haven't seen the eng sub version of Jimin's live yet but wasn't it genius marketing for his latest single! So many versions landed at once. I think this is a sea change for marketing non- English speaking bands.

Definitely, DD was listening to a Spotify 'Jimin' playlist in the car that had all the different versions and I was digging the Like Crazy deep house remix. It's got a real 'crying at the disco' type vibe.

Just checked out the poster properly for TOTNT 1938 and I see we are getting a long-haired Lee Rang 👀..... I'm in.

Personally I'm most fascinated by Jimin's Robert Mapplethorpe trousers. Not in a Jin's trousers kind of way 😁The decision to use his image I mean. I guess it makes a difference from T-shirts 🤷‍♀️

I've seen a lot of chat online about those Maplethorpe pants Saram - definitely an interesting choice and one that must have been well considered. As well as being a famously gay artist, I know themes Maplethorpe explored in his work included duality, pushing boundaries, beauty/darkness being sides of the same coin which seems to fit quite well with some of the concepts being explored in 'Face'..... He was someone that sought to show kind of unvarnished truth through his art? (sorry for the slightly wanky A-level art style analysis 🤣 Got a bit carried away!)

And, cynically thinking of 'marketing', it's certainly generated a lot of discussion! Thinking of conservative attitudes in SK (and not particularly in relation to Jimin) I wonder if any queer idol would be able to be open about their sexuality other than via ambiguous actions like choice of pants?

Mapplethorpe 🙈 oops spelling fail

Friend's dd making pocket money with badge machine so I commissioned these from her. Undecided whether to wear or surreptitiously hand out every time I pass somebody worthy of receiving one.

TheLoup I agree with all your observations, wanky or otherwise 😁 . Much the same was going through my mind, but I was too lazy to type it out 😁

I fear we're still a long way off of openly gay or queer idols. Would be delighted to be proved wrong!

Pol 😁

pol love the badges ❤️

Saram I'm doing java coding challenges, so any excuse for procrastination from me 🤣