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 feel much more kindly disposed towards him after seeing his floordrobe and attachment to his 10 year old clothes and tour memorabilia. 🫶 Junho!

He's gotta be a bad boy..

Rain oppa! Reckon he did a few push-ups backstage before heading out with no shirt on 😂 perhaps there's something in the 'one meal a day' regime after all .....

I had to hustle to close Instagram quickly when this popped up with volume in the tearoom at work - a colleague of a certain age glanced at my screen and said "is that the Chippendale's "🙈 😂

You've worked hard oppa! Go eat something delicious!

Loup, you're now a FN at work too!

Chingus, guess what's for dinner? Here's a hint🤩
That's a 6 inch plate.

Wow migs look at the size of those leaves! Will you link to your seed supplier? I might have a go next year....

Just had to Google to check if I was officially Rain's noona and sad to discover that, yes, I am a bit older than him 😂 at least he's in the same age bracket (looks like that FN reputation is here to stay)....

Oh my, I’m definitely Rain’s noona. What’s the tipping point between noona and ahjumma in terms of age gap? Asking for a friend.

Thanks to Apple Music’s canny algorithm I am currently tapping my toe to Loco’s new album. The first track on the album makes me want to dance.

And ⭐️ to Migs for those impressive perilla leaves!

Can you tell us what they taste like?

Magnificent looking perilla leaves Migs! 👏🏻
I'm also Rain's Noona, but close enough in age to not be too filthy. Whatever he's doing, it clearly works for him! TheLoup - 'The Chippendales' that's a blast from the past 😂

I made a miscalculation with the Dr Romantic 3 episodes that were available on Disney, so I'm going to have to jump over to HiTV to finish it off. I've also watched the Final Episode of Was it Love, which was weird and unsatisfactory 😕 I often don't watch the final episode of dramas until ages after watching the rest of the show because they're often disappointing.

Think I'm going to start Heartbeat next

Loup https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_dkr=1&iconV2Request=true&_blrs=recall_filtering&_ssn=sweetrain0316&_oac=1&_nkw=perilla%20seeds

boaty, it's difficult to describe as it's so foreign. It has the coolness of mint in the mouth without the flavour of mint. It adds to the overall taste experience rather than feature, iyswim. I didn't get the cinnamon hints, but would imagine it being more flavourful when grown in hot Asia instead of cold Scotland. I posted a small plant to a chingus and it arrived in under 24 hrs, recovered from the trauma and is growing well. I'm experimenting with the leaves as I have so many plants and I want to share the taste experience. I have one in dry kitchen roll in an envelope and another in slightly damp roll in a plastic pocket and will see what condition they are in after 24hrs. 🤞🏻🙏

I think there’s a way of preserving them in oil if you find your self with a glut, Migs.

Glut and perilla in the UK sounds like an oxymoron boaty😁but I will look it up. I think they also kimchi them.

Haha rowdy i only made it worse for myself by jumping and looking guilty as I tried to close Instagram in a panic! The Chippendale's indeed - he looks like he's been liberal with the body oil to be fair...

Can we hold out for noona (or noonim at a stretch) if we are vaguely in the same generation? Like I could have been Rain's high-school sunbae and I think I'm in the noona zone for my Kim Woo Bin, and even Jin and Yoongi but definitely ajumma territory for the maknae's, hahaha...

Wtf am I giving this so much thought 😂😂😂😂

Thanks for the Perilla seed link migs if they'll grow well in Scotland it sounds like they'd have a chance here in NI too....

@TheLoupGarou my friend once surprised me when I was reading fanfic while waiting for DS and I jumped to close it quickly. She said "haha you look guilty, are you looking at porn?" I then stuttered that I wasn't, but just looked guilty so she said "ohh are you actually looking at porn???" 😳 <cringe>

Very impressed by the leaves Migs

Oh no Thegirl you must have looked so guilty! 🙈

I make sure I close all the bato windows down on my phone when I go into the office, just in case. MN too. Guilty pleasures ‘n’ all. 😄

Hahaha!!

To make it worse today (a drip feed), I was sort of squinting at the screen because it took me a minute to realise what I was looking at (topless greased up Rain). Ah well, there goes my reputation 😂

🤣 we can cringe about it together. FN solidarity 😅

@MigsandTiggs I am very impressed 👏 well done. You can preserve them in brine like vine leaves but it might limit the usage.

Topless & greases Rain oppa is not my cup of tea, little bit muscle-y for me. However, whatever he is doing is working well for him.

Speaking of Noona territory, I will be briefly sharing the same decade with Yoongi 😭 (even though it will be very briefly).
I was looking at his bro’s wedding pictures, I don’t think I can be his SIL. It will be very challenging, I wonder if his SIL is ARMY?

Haha I have an inexplicable fondness for Rain. The topless dancing is a bit drunk uncle at a wedding and he's not really handsome, his music is pretty lame.... But still this noona is cheering him on 😂

I felt kind of sorry for Yoongi at his brother's wedding - there was a fair bit of stuff on TikTok filmed by guests and I hope it wasn't too uncomfortable for him. I suppose he's used to that kind of thing.

Ahh, well I was just starting my A levels when Rain was born...it was a bit Chippendale wasn't it? Wonder if he gets bored doing that song all the time? I think those perilla leaves look fantastic, what an achievement. Finished Her Private Life last night and also caught up on KiL. Think I will head off into vampire territory this evening.

Choi Soo-young's new show looks fun!

www.instagram.com/reel/CuQxz2dgLny/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Oh my days that's Jeon Hye-jin playing the mum! I didn't recognise her! I've never seen her looking so casual in a show, she's pretty much always power housing 😁

😳