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!

Thanks Migs - we’ll keep going with it.

Lots to look forward to on Netflix this month! I bet I can get MrLoup on board for Revenant as well.

Sorry Migs, I should have warned Six Flying Dragons is another 50 episode one like Empress Ki. As I've only just started it myself I'm not sure if it's going to be one I end up watching straight through or whether I'll watch it in smaller chunks in between other things like I did with Ki but it's got a score of 9.6 on Viki and shows up on lists as one of the top kdramas for martial arts and swordfight scenes so, for me at least, I think it should be worth the time investment (though I did just watch Meow the Secret Boy so it's possible I may have more time to waste than most 😹).

Haha! Cobol WHAT is Meow the Secret Boy??! I feel like I must watch it IMMEDIATELY 🤣.

I tend to do the longer shows in short bursts as well. I didn't realise Six Flying Dragons was on Viki - how did I miss it?

Just settling in the DH to watch the Bloodhounds finale - I'm already stressed out and it's not even started!

I am so stressed out watching Bloodhounds too! I almost dread what is going to happen next, and am thinking of taking a sneaky peak at the ned to make sure everyone is still alive!
It's very well done though and the abs are glorious the fight scenes are epic

Sneaky peak at the end

Andante I would echo what Migs says about TGBM. Not always an easy watch, but lots of warmth and humour there too. The harder-watch bits are all there for a reason. And the acting is sublime. All in all, one of my favourite dramas so far.

Dragonrock oooooooh Cantonese and Mandarin! Now THAT seems hard to me. Not to mention Japanese 😳Occasionally our teachers have touched on words in Korean derived from hanja. Interesting you can pick some stuff out, that makes total sense.

Migs ooooh lots I want to watch there! See You In My 19th Life - Revenant - Heartbeat - Lies Hidden In My Garden. Yes please.

Finished Bloodhounds - I think that's possibly my favourite drama of the year so far. Geon Woo & Woo Jin are up there with my absolute favourite characters ever - so likeable with an adorable bromance plus smokin' hot bods 🤣🔥

I loved the setting and - this is a bit random - really enjoyed seeing characters wear normal clothes - combats, t-shirt and Vans: I can relate to it 🤣

This should help all on here, traumatised from watching Bloodhounds 😎

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtVv0SapLIC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

"Baby peach"!😆😍
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtTdYQvPOhm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Chatgpt just gave me a recipe for tteokbokki sauce!
(can you tell that I've been awake since 02:45?)

www.instagram.com/p/CtaOBOIOECs/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

Ohhhhhh

Fedup, thought 19/20 yos in a school uniform was off, then I remembered the Korean to International age difference! 😁I might watch even if it's a reality show. #humanzoo

Morning all. Here's my final tip for a chronological kdrama journey through Korean history.

7) Mr Sunshine

The birth of the Korean Independence Movement is given the lavish treatment in this quality historical drama boasting stunning cinematography and memorable performances from a strong cast.

Set at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, during the reign of Gojong, the last King of Joseon and the first Emperor of Korea until his abdication in 1907, Mr Sunshine follows the intertwined lives of its fictional protagonists in the years immediately prior to the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910. The drama features several real life historical events such as the Shinmiyangyo, a confrontation between Korea and the United States in 1871 that culminated in the battle of Ganghwa where over 200 Korean troops died; the assassination of Empress Myeongseong orchestrated by Miura Goro, the Japanese Minister to Korea and the Battle of Namdaemum, an armed revolt by disbanded Korean soldiers following the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1907, many of which, who weren’t killed or captured, subsequently joined the Righteous Army, the main resistance movement against Japanese occupation.

Watch for : The vistas, the whiff of gunpowder and heart-wrenching love.

Ahhh my first K drama!!! 😍😍😍

There are some very sad bits but it's definitely worth it! I'm watching the last episode later and I'll miss them all

FedUp That's a quality intro to kdrama!!!

(My first was Strong Girl Do Bong Soon... with the faeces wine 😂)

I feel a full Hospital Playlist rewatch brewing...

So there's a record waiting to be beaten!

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/12/police-arrest-british-man-free-climbing-south-korean-skyscraper?leakd

It gets better each time FedUp 😉

Mine too Cobol and is still one of my favourites to this day!

Thank you for your brilliant historical guide, I'm looking forward to watching some of those! I think Saeguk is one of my favourite genres, but they're not always easy to watch.

Dh and I are up to ep4 of TGBM, I've just skimmed through the thread incase there were spoilers. DH is also now fully invested in Love Village after I was binging it over the weekend, which means I can no longer watch it on my own 🙄

Saram congrats on your exam pass! 👏🏻🎉

Hello to everyone else, I'm really going to try and keep up with the thread now!

I have just started Take of the Nine Tailed 1938 (after just finishing the first series as well). Really enjoyed the first series, but after 1 episode of 1938 feel like I might like it even more. The dynamic between the brothers is just 🤌

I've just started Hospital Playlist thanks to pol and Fedup (FOMO) - am enjoying ep 1, but: those electricians in the first scene! WHAT-in-the-Health-and-Safety-Breach was yer' man doing up the ladder with his wet hand in the light fitting?!

I like the characters - I can feel myself getting pulled in.....

I've watched the last episode of TGBM which was a lovely ending ❤️
And now I've watched the first episode of Bloodhounds I don't think I can go to bed yet, my heart is pounding!! V v impressive muscles in the boxing parts 👀👀👀

@TheLoupGarou I found the first episode of HP to be totally overwhelming - so many characters introduced, so many little plotlines etc but as you get to know the characters it is much easier to follow