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!

Snort 😂😂

AmVa I've heard very mixed things about Itaewon Class, but the general consensus here seems to be it's worth a watch. One of my course chingus said there was terrible racism in it and it was therefore on her shit list. I do like a good baddie though 🤔

You know you've turned Korean when your idea of beauty is a tiny face FedUp 😂

@Saram13 interesting - there is racism in it, but that's sort of the point. It's the only k-drama I can think of with a black character and they have a storyline about how SK is racist. I think that's a better portrayal of race in k-drama than the weird 'i went to Africa's storyline' in Shooting Stars which ruined what would have been a fun romcom.

My course chingu (not the IC-disliking one) was very close to Agust D at the Singapore concert 😃 except for the sea of raised cameras and phones in between him and the man of the moment 🤔He said some of the fans were a bit OTT. I'm not sure in what way, I will grill him when we catch up. Maybe they were barking again 🤔

Which reminds me, in that Weverse live he did with Jimin after a concert they were talking about the barking and the translation said 'I liked it' and I was ok mate cough each to their own.... but I saw another clip of the same bit the other day and it was translated differently, something like 'it was unusual'. My Korean's not good enough to pick up nuances, or even basic meaning unless I have a transcription I can use to look things up. But it does raise interesting questions about how these things are translated and how reliable they are.

The lad has a massive heed, there's no denying.

I can now choose between watching episode 2 of either SYIMNL or King the Land. On the basis of face-size-gate, I'm going with the former 😁🙌

AmVa hmmm, I wondered if that was indeed it. Interesting!

Watching him now and have decided the issue with ABH is that he has Playmobil hair.

Spot the difference

I’m looking forward to King the Land but on the other hand we’re dreading The Good Bad Mother ending as it’s so brilliant. I hope it wins lots of awards.
I’ve only just realised that Sam Sik was the blond fellow in Alchemy of Souls.

Hahaha! Have just lol'd and woke up DH from his pre-bed sofa snooze 😂

Going against other opinions to say that I'm liking ABH in SYIMNL (shower scene anyone?) and was actually thinking what lovely hair he has when I was watching Ep2! I also fancy his haircut, for myself which isn't the usual awkward half forward/half backward shape with bumps at the divide.😆
I saw IC when I first started watching Kdramas and didn't know the actors' names then, so he gets a free pass for previous baddie role.😉

He strips down lovely Migs 😉 All for that hair being wet from the shower or pool.

Haha, I feel like I wasn't paying enough attention to ABH's face in ep 1 of SYIMNL - I'll watch ep2 and await the shower scene with anticipation! I liked his character in Her Private Life but yeah, he was evil in IC.

Had to go and do some more digging on ABH after this thread, as I am watching Her Private Life at the moment and he is playing dorky but huge quite well. I also have Military Prosecutor Doberman on my to watch list, and the clips I have seen he looks good in that!. Confession time, not watched IC myself yet either. I have downloaded ep1/2 of King the Land for watching on the plane and think I will do SYIMNL for the return journey. My poor sister, she knows I like K-dramas, I recommended CLOY but she did not get into it...I love her but do not understand how you cannot be captured by CLOY.

Haha Dragon I managed to get my cousins to watch Kingdom but that is the extent of my Kdrama influence in my family - I just get eye-rolls from the rest of the Philistines.

Rowdy thank you for telling me about More than Friends it wasn't on my radar at all and I really like it so far 👍

but do not understand how you cannot be captured by CLOY.

Nor do I. When we became wholly captured by it I recommended it to all my friends and was astonished that they didn’t feel as we did. Some watched it for 5 minutes before giving up.
Anyway, their loss.

No-one outside my circle of Korea-interested friends responded with any interest to my recommendation of CLOY. I guess you get it or you don't 🤷‍♀️

Was it the film Little Forest many of you enjoyed? (I haven't seen it yet.) visitdaegu on IG has just posted about the hanok used in filming 🤩 looks amazing but sadly I won't have time to explore the south when I go 😭 already have a return visit planned in my head for 2025 though 😁

The thing you need to impress on anyone considering dabbling in KD is that they're going to need to give it two episodes before they decide whether or not it's for them. There's too much "foreignness" to process otherwise and you can only understand the warmth and humour with more time.
Little Forest is lovely Saram.

There's too much "foreignness" to process otherwise and you can only understand the warmth and humour with more time.

Yes, I agree. It takes a few episodes to get into the Korean ‘vibe’.

I would so be joining this academy over the Seoul rat race too. Lovely article.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jun/20/there-is-no-mercy-the-young-women-swapping-south-koreas-work-culture-for-freediving

Love this!

(wonder if there are any boat captains as handsome as KWB's Park Jeong-joon?)

Unlikely, I feel.

On the one hand I'm thinking my wedding night didn't involve enough helium, and on the other hand if it had been similarly set up me and DH would have just spent the night doing squeaky voices.

boaty you are probably right re: boat captains sadly - any potential KWB's would have been snapped up by talent scouts a la Sh**ting Stars 😂

Just watched ep2 of SYIMNL - I liked this episode more and am getting into it now. Verdict on ABH : wet hair in his face - 👍 yes, dry hair not so much. It's like I find him attractive but only from certain angles. He's got a great body - pool and then shower scene !! , I was certainly taking notice.