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!

I haven't caught up with the thread yet, but the last 30 minutes of Juvenile Justice just had me sobbing 😢

It reminded me of Austin Powers 😂

It did make me laugh out loud when I first saw it.

Yes please

www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/park-chan-wook-war-and-revolt-netflix-1235508946/

Any King of Club fans who would like to se <ahem> more of him should check out From 5 to 9 on Viki. He's a sexy monk.

I know a few of us have seen this romcom but it's good for any J-drama newbies.

@MigsandTiggs I didn’t enjoy Melo either.

@boatyardblues I love Chicago Typewriter’s songs. I wish I could understand the lyrics.

Yesterday RM shared a clip of some drama on his insta stories, any idea what is he watching?

I have added Jdrama on my list Silent on the list. Have you seen it?

Ooo sign me up!

Jin t'internet tells me RM is watching a Jdrama "wheel of fortune and fantasy" 🙂

I watched Silent Jin. It's good although it was weird that there was a whole spate of JDramas about deafness (discussed with Japanese pal who was mystified). Could have done with more snogging tbh but that's always me.

Yes I noticed this! It's like when there was a spate of "government forces marriage" dramas a couple of years back.

Drama trends seem to be very much driven by social issues: low marriage/birth rates, disability, same sex relationships etc.

Looks good. I'll be taking a wee trip to Olga's this week 👍

Morning all. As there seems to be some interest, and to prove I don't just watch kdramas for the hot assassins and bathtub/shower scenes, here's my first tip for a chronological kdrama journey through Korean history.

1) Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth

Pop idols do proper history (surprisingly!)
A light-hearted drama loosely based on a probable real life Hwarang, or "Flowering Knights", who were described by later histories as an elite warrior group of male youths, although there are no primary sources to confirm this.

Set in mid-6th century Silla during the period of the Three Kingoms of Korea - which was comprised of Goguryeo (later Goryeo), Baekje and Silla and lasted from 57BC to 668AD - Hwarang features real life historical figures such as King Jinheung, 24th monarch of Silla; Queen Jiso who ruled as regent during his minority; Kim Isabu, a military general and Wideok, 27th king of Baekje.

Watch for : The hair, the comedy and a baby-faced V.

A sexy monk you say? Excellent. I haven't seen a great deal of Jdrama, so this feels like a good place to start.

Ahhh cobol it's making me feel like doing a Hwarang best bits re-watch!

I'm off today - did a trawl of Viki for older stuff I haven't watched and found Cheese in the trap 🪤 <---- it even has an appropriate emoji 🤣
I do miss this older style of kdrama sometimes - enjoying so far. Once again have bad boy 2ML syndrome. Why am I like this?? It's Heirs all over again 🙈

FedUp Oooooh Park Chan Wook x Netflix sounds extremely promising! And that cast! 😌

Cobol Fantastic! The (not-so-inner 😁) history geek in me thanks you 😍

Chingus! I forgot to say I started watching Dr Cha as well - omo it is so good! What a horrible bastard her husband is, and her MIL!? Fucking hell.

I was watching ep 1 in the gym on the screen on the fancy treadmill and my facial expressions during the scene where they are talking about the liver transplant must have been hilarious - I was mouthing "what the fuck?!'

Hot Surgeon is hot also of course 🤣

The influence of SK continues to amaze me. After finishing Jinny's Kitchen, I wanted to eat some of the menu items and totted off to my local Asian grocery where they even stocked the ramyeon brand used in the show.

And on my way home discovered a sheep Tae-Hyung fan!!

Lol 😂

PSA for anyone without Viki: I just spotted that Doom at your Service is coming onto Netflix on 30 June.

Cheese in the Trap has my absolute favourite Seo Kang-joon in it 😍 love a cheeky bad boy genius piano player! 🤣

Good haul Miggs!

I have finally managed to watch a drama! I've managed 6 eps of The Good Bad Mother so far this week! It's v good!

Good haul migs! If only PSJ was there to prepare your ramyeon!

TheGirl I actually paused it mid episode to google Seo Kang-joon 🤣 - It's the character though - hot tempered cheeky bad boy piano prodigies all the way!

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/07/we-torment-others-the-dark-side-of-south-korean-school-life-bullying-school-violence

Interesting article about school violence

Great grocery haul Migs 👏🏻

TheLoup I love Cheese in the Trap, 2ml all the way for me too! The Webtoon is good as well if you read those 🧀

Thegirl welcome back from your holiday! Hopefully I can catch up with you on TGBM, I'm going to start it again with DH, I've given up trying to watch it in my own. I've only managed 3 episodes since it came out as I have no free time at the moment. 🙄

If you fancy more Seo Kang-joon, he plays a very angsty detective in Watcher which I also loved. Its on Viki.