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 really enjoyed The Forbidden Marriage AmVa I watched it as was airing and it was great fun - I like ML too 👍

Cobol I keep getting back stories confused as well for those two. Wish I could binge KTL but I'm too into it now to wait.

I'm wondering if we are going to get more thriller elements in 19th Life now, going off the preview for episode 5 ...

Cobol yes! I'm struggling a bit with the two romances - not totally my genre to start with, not familiar with any of the leads, and then both with hotels arrrggghhh. I quite enjoy the weekly drop (less FOMO as no-one can see it yet, perhaps 😁) BUT I've only seen episodes 1 and 2 of each so far and plan to stick with both (have been waylaid by Bloodhounds, which is so far up there with The Glory and TGBM for best drama of 2023 IMHO). Hope to catch up tonight and tomorrow.

Also very much looking forward to Gyeongseong Creature!

Thanks boaty for that very interesting article.

I am obsessed with this little video of Lee dong wook and his laugh in it https://www.instagram.com/reel/Csd1WCJPkX5/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

That guy had shaman bells for chasing out spirits from people’s bodies. I am wondering if he’ll shaman-woo the FL and scrub all her past life memories at some point, turning her into a normie like the rest of us (major assumption here that none of YOU can also remember your past lives 😉). At which point does she become less loveable and intriguing to ML and circus niece, or do they still love her in her own right?

Haha AmVa I saw that clip the other day - LDW is always getting people commenting about his age 😂 have you seen the clip with the young fan where she says something like "omg you are so old" right to his face? I like that he doesn't take himself too seriously - he has a good sense of humour about it.

I've just watched the trailer again for Gyeongseong Creature - it looks right up my street! Can't wait.

I think Bloodhounds is my favourite new drama this year so far for abs alone 😂

I noticed the shaman bells too and wondered how that might play out - the camera did zoom right in on them too 😂

Oooh... I'm liking the shaman theory Boaty. I was thinking more like maybe another who remembers previous lives. I've a feeling 19th Life is quite a short one - 12eps? - so hopefully we won't be left wondering for long.

Haven't listened to it yet but new podcast about Burning Sun scandal from a great producer.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p04sj2pt?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

Thanks pol -I will definitely give that a listen 🙂

pol Link saved, cheers! That documentary (Fanatic) I saw last year about the scandal was so interesting. Am keen to learn more about it (in a horrible kind of moth-drawn-to-flame way 😬)

I have started King the Land. It is meant to be binged watched.

Totally agree Jin. I decided, yesterday, to pause watching KTL until all episodes had aired. I only kept watching for Junho 🔥🔥🔥as the storyline has been done to death before is so slight.

Watching KTL makes me want to go back to The Red Sleeve again so I can watch Junho glower and emote in period costume. I am reading the manhwa on Bato and he was so perfectly cast. His performance is pitch perfect vs the manhwa. I love the manhwa version so, so much. The colours and artwork are lovely and the 2 leads’ relationship is beautifully written.

I'm also going to save episodes of KTL for binging.

I need to get my head down and commit to something. Starting so many shows my head is spinning!

Rewatching Prison Playbook and I have an urge to watch Move to Heaven again for the delicious Lee Je-hoon 😍

Hell, I might even go back and watch Rain & Shine or whatever it was called about the collapsed mall. That has the added benefit of the Great Dane too. 👍

If anyone likes a bit of evil spirit horror action, MrLoup and I are watching Revenant on Disney+ and it's good so far (if a bit generic).

Agree Junho was glorious in the red sleeve. I would have required zero persuasion to become a concubine

"Watching KTL makes me want to go back to The Red Sleeve again so I can watch Junho glower and emote in period costume"

Hahaha, I only want to go back to the bathing scene 😜
The one where he said he didn't eat or even drink any water for hours and did push ups or something to get more muscle definition before shooting the scene. #FN

jin, keep you eye on this website for ep3 fashion
yoona-king-the-land-episodes-1-2-kdrama-fashion

I want that episode 3 skirt too! Probably it'll be designer and v expensive

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct9WlbPJjof/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

saw these and just spat my coffee out. They have actually photographed him ‘in the closet’ - my lovely Im Siwan who is definitely a feathery stroker but I adore him anyway. Loved Run On. Max FS in Summer Strike. Haven’t seen psychopath ones yet. I’m deep in What’s wrong with Secretary Kim and KTL at the mo. And I bought some Kimchi. 🤷‍♀️

That's certainly an, er, interesting photo shoot choice. Maybe he's just a fan of The Cure... (showing my age there, don't worry if you don't get it 😅)

I still haven't seen What's Wrong With Secretary Kim. I'm not sure I'm as keen on PSJ in a suit, I liked him best in Kill Me, Heal Me and Fight For My Way.

That really made me laugh Dolores . Brilliant.
Meanwhile if anyone wants to know just where SK has got to in gender equality, check out the wall mural in this kids' dentist... Aigoooo
www.instagram.com/p/Ct_iwZqLnrQ/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

🤬No neurosurgeon, scientist, lawyer because what girls want most are moist lips and a gentle boyfriend!!

Re the closet shoot, at least it makes a change from a bathtub one! 😂

FedUp I also loved Move to Heaven and definitely want to rewatch it sometime 😍

pol I binged that podcast doing the cleaning this morning. It features interviews with the maker of Fanatic. Personally I found the film more informative and entertaining, perhaps because of the rather off-putting use of English-speaking actors throughout the podcast. But of course how else you could do it with a radio programme 🤔And the perspective of the investigative journalists was an interesting new take.

TheLoup Revenant is on the list! Though it's too hot and sunny for creepy stuff at the moment (The Cursed is currently on ice for this reason).

Dolores and Migs I was going to say, maybe cupboards are the new baths 😁

pol 😳I just......no......

Finished Bloodhounds. Very difficult watch at times, had me swearing at the laptop on several occasions. Really loved the bromance, in fact the entire cast was on top form. That prolongued training sequence in episode 7 was basically tailormade for FNs wasn't it 😁

I haven't seen Fanatic Saram. I'll seek it out. Finding the podcast compelling grim listening.

Ha, Saram I wanted to message you about the ep7 training sequence but held back for fear of spoilers 😂. Epic. 5 mint magnums out of 5 🍡🍡🍡🍡🍡