MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #41): A poorly anticipated placeholder thread to contain the Filthy Noonas’ ongoing musings on all things Korean, with Japanese and Chinese sprinkles

[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’
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
#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 - 9.40
#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 glad you made it to the cinema!

TheLoup I think a single live viewing without membership comes in at about 30 pounds. If you want to see both days and/or access the delayed viewing, you need membership and/or need to pay up to 65 quid, depending on the options you go for. Both live and delayed viewings are at fixed times I can't make...so I'm holding out for a box set 😁

Ahhh that is a bit more reasonable. I didn't even look at the broadcast times, just glanced at the cost and thought 'good grief' 😂 thanks saram 💜

migs I feel like the mission impossible theme should have been playing during your mad dash to the cinema, well done!

Just wanted to say Hi again and thanks for this thread. Thought I was going bonkers with my sudden onset Kdrama addiction. It’s good to know it is a recognised and poss widespread condition 😂. I am steadily and sometimes madly rapidly working my way through the recommendations. And neglecting various aspects of my real life. Haven’t got much to add as feel like total rookie amongst this company but so glad to have found you lot!

Hi Delores. Even if you don't have anything else to share, I always like to hear what other people are watching/enjoying, so I can add them to my ever expanding "To Watch" list.

I've also recently found myself putting together a bit of a kdrama guide to Korean History, just for fun. I realised I've learnt quite a lot of real history from reading around and looking things up while watching various dramas. If anyone's interested I'll see if I can find a way to share it. It's probably too long (and boring) for a regular post.

That sounds cool cobol! I'm definitely interested 🙂
Dolores we are all equally obsessed and I'm always happy to chat about what others are watching/ speculate on plots and appreciate hot actors 🙂

Hello everyone! Etna behaved so I got back off my holidays late last night. Trying to catch up on the thread but just needed to say that it seems that it's a requirement to look like you are a manhwa leading man if you are a passport control officer in Schipol (where we transited through) every one of them was chiselled and gorgeous 👀

Dolores 🙂🖐

Cobol I would definitely be interested in your Kdrama guide to Korean history! I don't think I've actually watched any historical dramas apart from Kingdom - as usual, lack of time rather than lack of interest. Might give me ideas about where to start 🤔

TheGirl glad you got back safely!

And we made some cat friends

It’s good to know it is a recognised and poss widespread condition 😂

Dolores - yes, and incurable.

TheGirl glad you’re home safely - hope you had a great time.

Cute cat. We always attract holiday cats, I suspect because we cook a lot when we go self-catered. I like going to the local markets to buy produce and squeeze things. 😁

I have so many photos of holiday cat-friends from over the years🐱 🙂 glad you had a good holiday TheGirl 🏖️🌋

Sounding a klaxon that may just be for me for new Soothingly Brave Chinese Hero drama - A Date with the Future. Taciturn firefighter meets feisty investigative reporter what he saved from earthquake 10 years ago. There's a dog too. Happy days.

pol I'm here for that content - will check it out ☺️

I've finished and enjoyed Love in the Moonlight was slightly disatisfied with the end though, as it felt a bit unfinished - I definitely wanted more hot assassin friend content!

Watching Possessed (Netflix) with MrLoup and we are enjoying it - slow process though as he can only do an episode or two a week! I'm looking forward to Revenant and The Bloodhounds coming out later this month as well - I'm a bit in-between dramas at the minute, still watching TRHC but I wait for a few episodes to come out and then binge as it's so ott!

Do you have Disney+ Loup? I’m enjoying Race and Link on Disney+. Race is just edging it - childhood friends to lovers vibe in slick corporate PR setting, though he’s just blown her off & she looks set to date someone else to ‘show him’. I’m already feeling sorry for 2ML who is going to have his guileless, sweet heart broken. I am also predicting huge angst for ML when he realises the enormity of his stupidity. Crazy fool! FL has all the smarts and traditional kdrama gumption. 👍

@TheLoupGarou I was a bit dissatisfied with the ending of LITM as well - thought the FL started out very smart, cunning, quick thinking and ended up quite weepy and waiting around for the Prince.

@boatyardblues Race sounds right up my alley and exactly what I have been feeling like watching so I will be checking this out very soon!

AmVa in LITM they seemed to spend a disproportionate amount of time tearfully gazing into each others eyes instead of snogging 🤣 I agree FL's character got less interesting as the show progressed - also, all that time in close proximity to PBG in hanbok and barely any skin-ship (and no bathtub scene - a travesty!)

Boaty I do have Disney+ - Race sounds good, I might stick an episode on before I go to bed....

all that time in close proximity to PBG in hanbok and barely any skin-ship (and no bathtub scene - a travesty!)

This is a positive in my book. 😉😂

🤣

🤣

Quick update on Race - I really like it! Took about 3/4 of an episode to hook me but I'm on board now - I'm about halfway through episode 2 but I've got to go to bed!

FL's mum is hilarious. I like all the characters and the cut-throat world of PR setting. Bit weirded out by protein bread 🤣

New fluffy rom com upcoming on Netflix called King the Land.

Looks completely unchallenging which is just what the doctor ordered!

Oh mate, posting at 03.52? 😕 Hope you are OK.

I’ve been awake since 5.20. I’m not getting much sleep at the mo, a combination of the extra daylight and raging meno I think. 😴

@FedUpWithBriiiiick ohhh yes! With Lovely Eyes Junho!... This is exactly what I need at the moment! Fluff and sweeeeet romantic comedy! Yes!!

King the Land

Hormonal night sweats got me up ☹️

😞 FedUp nothing worse than broken sleep. I started hrt about 6 months ago (patches and oral progesterone) - not a miracle cure and I know not for everyone, but my sleep is exponentially better and it has stopped the awful sweats completely for the moment.