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!

Thank you. Makes sense now. Oh dear. 🤣 🪶

Anyone caught wind of a drama called Delightfully Deceitful? Revenge drama, Looks like it's got a good cast.

Let me know if you know where it's being shown. I've checked the usual suspects but it's probably only in one of Olga's cupboards.

DoloresDelEriba - well that made me sit up and take notice on a Monday morning! Glad I am not the only one who noticed that with Lee Jong Suk. Need to RTFT in future! Saram, what a really good article. Spot on as well to call out the misogyny and liken it to following a sports team. I will start saying that more.

Loved episode 2 of King the Land - early days but shaping up as great classic romcom 🤞 (I'm sure a random serial killer will pop up out of nowhere 🤣)

I just started Meow the Secret Boy😍 I knew as soon as I read the Viki description I would love it 😁

TheLoup how are you getting on with this? it was definitely a series that made me think, Why am I watching this this?, but also I cannot stop watching 😅🙈 very sweet drama though

DH and I are still ploughing through TGBM but we've been side tracked by Love Village which we're totally hooked on. We've only got a few more episodes to go, I'll be sad when it finishes. I've started Dr Romantic 3 which is great, I need to speed watch it though as we're getting rid of our Disney subscription 😔 We just don't use it enough

I'm also enjoying the manhwa The Pizza delivery boy and the Gold Palace on Bato, a BL romance. Season one is gluten free, but I think we might see some baguettes in the second series 😉🥖

Rowdy I like Meow although it's definitely a guilty pleasure 😄 - I think I'm about 3 quarters through and I can't really see how it will pan out without a sad ending? Cat boy obv v attractive but I actually like emotionally unavailable cafe owner better I think!

Rowdy I'm interested in what others make of Meow the Secret Boy too. I'm not sure it ever quite gets past the basic problems of the original premise but it's very charming so I decided to not think about it too much and just enjoy the fine cat acting by the ML. I particularly liked the bit where he fled the room in panic when the FL turned on the vacuum cleaner - he had my tabby boy down to a T 😂.

TheLoup I liked the cafe owner too. The way the characters and story evolved was more nuanced and interesting than I was expecting and kept me guessing right to the end.

The cafe owner is definitely the more sensible future partner that catman, but he's not as cute or snuggly 😍. If you like the FL, More than Friends is a good watch.

Agree - some brilliant and funny cat acting bits in Meow 🐱 I thought it was v funny how sad cafe man is still allergic to cat boy in his human form, and the way it gradually dawns on him that he is an actual cat. I also like the way the friendship group is portrayed and the second couple are sweet.

I think the sticking point for me is not that cat boy is a cat per se, but that he is FL's cat - I have two cats and I can't imagine being able to see them in a romantic light, no matter how handsome their human form might be 😂😂

Yeah, tabby boy definitely isn't boyfriend material. He spends his whole time lolling around the sofa with his stomach out and is only affectionate when he wants something 🤣🤣🤣

🤣🤣 I don't have cats, but my dogs are definitely not boyfriend material either, no matter how hot they would be as humans 😂

I've looked up the trailer for Meow and have to say it's right up my street 😁 When I eventually get Viki (it's bound to happen one day) I will look it up!

One episode into both See You in My 19th Life and King the Land and really enjoying them. I gather Ahn Bo-hyun is not generally popular here (correct me if I'm mistaken). Is there a particular reason? Haven't seen him in anything previously -Descendants of the Sun and Itaewon Class are both still on the to-watch list. He's a bit stand-offish here, but so far that that fits the character.

Andante really glad you and DH are enjoying TGBM 😊 Ditto you and DH and Love Village Rowdy 😃 I WANT A SECOND SERIES

TheLoup and Dragonrock yes that article really resonated with me too. I always try to be live-and-let-live (although I'm the first to admit I don't always manage it). It's irritating to be still getting the same comments from the same people nearly three years down the line. As well as the misogyny, the intellectual snobbery about it irritates me too (although intellectual snobbery is misplaced anyway because there's plenty of highly intelligent content in BTS's body of work, as well as the purey la-la-la fun stuff). Let alone the double standards - fine for people to follow say The Rolling Stones around the world because that's 'real' music 🙄, but not Agust D. Well I know who I'd rather listen to/look at 😁

ANYHOW I'm preaching to the converted here 😂 Luckily I have many people in my life, new and old, who are rooting for my interest and study and say the same sort of lovely thing to me as your friend did TheLoup.

🚨 Season 2 had definitely got a lot more racier... It went from 0- 100 within 4 episodes - We have uncensored baguettes 😳

Haha extra gluten then Rowdy 😂

I've just realised - Race was only 12 episodes?! Huh. I thought it was 14. I didn't dislike the ending but I feel a bit like "Oh. Is that it then?" I don't think we even got a snog from the leads did we? It was quite late on sat pm that I watched it, so I might have dozed off I suppose....

One episode into both See You in My 19th Lifeand King the Land and really enjoying them. I gather Ahn Bo-hyun is not generally popular here (correct me if I'm mistaken). Is there a particular reason? Haven't seen him in anything previously -Descendants of the Sun and Itaewon Class are both still on the to-watch list. He's a bit stand-offish here, but so far that that fits the character.

His character in Itaewon Class is horrible, just vile. I was always a bit meh about him though he was so-so in Her Private Life. He has a mean vibe about him in my opinion. Itaewon killed off any warmth I might have cultivated towards him once & for all. I know it’s not rational but he gives me the ick.

I’d assumed there more episodes of Race this week. Has it really finished?

I haven't started 19th Life yet but racing through Webtoon and agree that visually ABH is a strange choice.
But I do think he's a good actor who doesn't ever play to type and this is different for him again. I thought he did a great job as Woo in Yumis Cells where he definitely delivered some steam so I'm hoping to be charmed.
Bloody DS has claimed telly so I need to go Vikiwards and might dip into new thriller about something nasty in the garden now I've finished the fairy tale sweet excesses of F4.

Is F4 good pol? It keeps floating about on my home screen on Viki and I'm tempted....

boaty I think ep 12 was the final one - unless they are planning a second series, I thought it was a bit abrupt.....

I really enjoyed it TheLoup - it's just a very fun watch. I've not seen any of the other BOF iterations but I've heard people say this is the best variant as it's lighter and warmer. It is pretty silly but the leads are genuinely charming. Thai PPL is very funny too - who knew how much a 0% fat yoghurt or carton of soy milk could make you feel?

I feel strongly that Ahn Bo-hyun's face is too big.

Thanks for the ABH background info boaty, pol ..and FedUp 😂 👍🏻

I agree with @boatyardblues - ABH is such an absolute psycho in Itaewon class its hard not to associate him with that. Also feel like he had some Nice Guy™ vibes in Her private Life.

I did really like Itaewon class - he makes a great villain