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 am about to start episode 5 of Bloodhound
OMG - it’s thrilling & I am on the edge of my seat.

Just watched ep 1 with MrLoup - omo it is SO good! Settling in for at least 1 more ep tonight.

Morning all. Another day and another historic kdrama...

4) Splash Splash Love

A cute fantasy romance with a splash of real history.

This time-travelling drama is set in the mid-15th century* *during the reign of King Sejong, the 4th ruler of the Joseon dynasty and creator of Hangul, the Korean alphabet. Through this fantasy storyline a modern day school girl is whisked back through time and uses her high school maths and science to create inventions such as the Cheugugi, a type of rain gauge, thus mirroring the real life engineer and scientist Jang Yeong-sil, who worked at the royal palace during King Sejong’s reign.

Through this drama we also learn about the origins of Hangul, which was created by King Sejong in 1443 as a writing system for spoken Korean as a simpler alternative to the Chinese based Hanja in an attempt to increase literacy among the lower classes. Sejong faced opposition among the noble classes, however, and despite (or because of!) its popularity among writers of fiction for women, its study and publication was banned in 1504. It’s use became more widespread again in the late 19th century due to growing Korean nationalism and was officially adopted after the liberation of Korean in 1945.

Watch for : Pocket history, gadgets and puddles.

I loved that drama Cobol - it's a short one too, if I remember correctly? I thought the history aspect was really interesting - how clever King Sejong must have been to invent a whole writing system/alphabet (and the romance was cute too).

TheLoup Yes it's a short (and very sweet) one, about 2 1/2 hours in all. Perfect for a kdrama history binge.

@Cobol - I am loving your posts 🙂

Just finished ep 1 of Bloodhounds and it should have come with a "Do not watch while ironing" warning as I nearly burned a hole in my shirt. The fight with the iron man thug really worked my core muscles in sympathy as every blow landed! Brutal.

While Race seems realistic and is worth watching, I am distracted by the similarity of the nose jobs on several males in the show. Was there a 3 for 2 deal on?🤔

Thanks JinBhoot. I've got three more to go. One really obvious one and two not quite so obvious ones. There are loads to choose from, though, so apologies if I've missed out anyone's favourite.

Got up to ep 3 of Bloodhounds last night and had to stop as Mr Loup fell asleep. I love it - the awesome bromance , evil baddie, corrupt politicians, safes full of gold - just chefs kiss! Paced well so far and interesting to see Choi Siwon departing from his usual type of role.

Also some objectively glorious abs and shoulders, if you are into that sort of thing 👀🤣

migs I didn't notice the matching nose jobs in Race but now I will probably be able to see nothing else 🤣

Bloodhound episode 6 WHAT THE!!!!!!

I am too much invested in this drama … with suspense & stress my jaws & back are hurting.
I will take a little break before cracking on with last episode. I hope there is a satisfactory ending as I don’t know where this is going. Just when you think it’s ton
e for villain to payback, things make a turn.
Now Kim Min-jae (Nurse from Dr. Romantic) has joined in as a baddie 😭

I want to binge it all Jin but am resisting!

Suchwita with Jin (and gate-crashed by Hobi) is out now 💜 have just watched it instead of folding the laundry

@JinBhoot please report back if it is a good ending as I'm only on ep 1 but already invested & don't want to be broken hearted

Jin I'm now on ep4 and it's another brutal fight that I have to watch through half closed eyes. The tension is high in these close contact scenes because the good guys can get injured too. I have always disliked watching boxing and wish they had been MMA or taekwondo experts instead. Luckily I have a cat lying on my shoulder to calm me down keeping me company, plus I gulped a bottle of grape makgeolli during the previous ep! I'm determined to binge all eps today.

We’ve just finished The K2. Slightly implausible last episode but tense and enjoyable nonetheless. Chief Kim was a fiend and a well acted fiend.
What will K2 do now?

Happy to report it’s a good ending but please brace yourself for lots of heartbreak. It seems like good guys will never win.
Lots of fighting scenes but I didn’t forward in later episodes.
Shirtless workout session in ep7 😆

Only negative is it’s filmed in a very dark studio.
Bloodhound is definitely in among the top 5s of this year. Not the genre I usually watch, Kdrama is making me step out of my usual preferences & I am not complaining.

Cobol continuing to love your history posts! 🙂

Finished TGBM. Really loved it, if anything cd have done with a couple more episodes. Bloodhounds sounds entertaining, will have a crack at that this week.

My recent self-imposed drama drought has paid off I'm glad to say - passed my latest round of Korean exams and collected the books for level 4, which will start in September. Happy days! (Also terrifying, of course 😂 why the af am I doing this to myself 🤪). Two more lessons to go this term, after that I'll be doing the viewing equivalent of Alan Partridge bingeing on Toblerone and driving to Dundee in my bare feet 🙌

Well done on the exam success Saram!🤓
Now reward yourself with something delicious.😉
I would have liked a couple more eps of TGBM too, the show was so enjoyable.

Saram I’m so impressed. What sort of questions were you asked?
The hardest thing I find is comprehension in Korean. I can usually understand the set passage reasonably well and I can answer the questions in English, but having to answer in Korean I find incredibly hard work.
I also find understanding even simple conversations hard.

Well done Saram!

I'm having a trip to Thailand with F4 Thailand which has just come to Viki and I know had many fans last year. I've never actually watched Boys Over Flowers...
Other watches of the day - noble idiocy time in China 🙄 and couldn't help but agree with the inspector of Doldam Trauma Centre...

Saram! i knew you would smash it - congratulations 🎉👏

I really liked TGBM and cried in the last episode. I thought the trial bit was a bit rushed but otherwise top-notch and the cast deserve a load of awards. I don't think it is one I would necessarily rewatch however.....

Thanks for the heads-up about the shirtless workout session Jin : I'm here for that content 🤣

Impressive work Saram 👍

I've seen both Boys Over Flowers and the Chinese version, Meteor Garden, but not the earlier Japanese or Tawainese adaptions. I was briefly tempted by F4 but have so much on the go currently I really don't need further distractions (I'm already wasting enough time on the fluff that is Meow, the Secret Boy).

Tale of the Nine Tailed : 1938 is awesome, btw. So much fun. We're about half way through.

Great job Saram!!! 👍👍👍

I correctly predicted that I would not have a minute’s peace for kdrama and so it’s shaping up to be. 😄

Morning all. It's Dragonrock's tip today...

5) Live Up to Your Name

Bonkers time-travelling fantasy medical drama that blends real history with romance, comedy and high-stakes emergency life-saving acupuncture.

Set in the late 16th century and the present day, Live Up to Your Name sees the real life Heo Im, a medical scientist during the reign of Seonjo, 14th King of Joseon, who was known for his contribution to the development of acupuncture, transported to modern day Seoul where he meets and falls for a female surgeon.

As well as Heo Im, other real life historical figures and events featured include Heo Jun, who was King Seonjo’s chief physician and the Japanese invasions of Korea of 1592-1598, commonly known as the Imjin War, where we meet the real life historical figure Kim Chung-seon, formerly Sayaka, a Japanese general who defected to Korea during the war. Launched by the Japanese samurai Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the invasions were an attempt by Japan to conquer Joseon and China, but despite initially succeeding in occupying much of the Korean peninsula, the invasions were ultimately unsuccessful with Joseon holding out due to the efforts of the Joseon navy in disrupting the Japanese supply lines and guerrilla warfare conducted by civilian militias, known as “righteous armies”, as well as with significant reinforcements from the Ming, leading to a military stalemate which was eventually broken by the Japanese withdrawal in 1598 following the death of Toyotomi.

Watch for : The pathos, the needles and the meeting of different worlds.