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!

Jimin at Potter! Jimin is Potter fan!!

www.instagram.com/p/CsvkJ6kp7sT/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

I've just seen that as well! DD ready to pack her bags and head to London right now 🤣

Just there, among all the normals! We are going in July - DD now disappointed as she has missed being there at the same time as Jimin 🤣

We WERE in London yesterday and were actually talking about going to WB studios 😭 (I know photos are posted few days later but still).

On a plus note, accidentally found a Korean grocery store in Soho/Leicester square. They had good selection of snacks & kimichi.
We have bought few things but next time will go fully equipped & some system to carry all the stuff.
Mogu Mogu there is the cheapest I have seen any where (even cheaper then directly buying from supplier).
Next door shop was selling k-beauty products - I need to ditch DH & DC for my next visit.

I've also been enjoying Mr Bin's Scottish travels. In fact I think I may even prefer him to the real thing 🙂.
And Jimin at Potter world is rather sweet.
Dramawise we've now finished Hi Bye Mama and will be starting Nine tailed 1938 next. I've also watched the first 2 eps of DR3 on Disney+. I've not watched any kdramas on there before - the English subtitles only seemed to come as CC for hard of hearing. Is that the norm on Disney? It's OK, but I'd prefer without really.

I think that's the only choice Cobol and agree it's annoying. Plus I get distracted and want to argue with them - "that music is NOT melancholy, it's wistful" etc.
I was there yesterday Jin - we might have passed each other!
Mainly here to show off new socks my niece brought me back from Seoul.

😲 daebak pol - those socks are top tier!

Do you think there is a JCW version? He was in my dream last night - I blame all the Healer/K2 chat up thread - reality felt a bit unsatisfactory when I woke up, not gonna lie 🤣

Why is everyone talking about Pol’s socks, not the PLACENTA FACEMASK?!?!?

Dr Cha went a tad makjang today. 😱 The money guns in the restaurant was the weirdest thing I’ve seen in a while, though I could live with DH showering me with money. Was anyone else twitching about it catching on the lit BBQ?

She said many options were available so gotta be TheLoup

Haha! My eyes didn't register the 'placenta' - too busy planning my Her Private Life style celebrity sock collection .....

Pol Yes, I get distracted too. I mean, what elements make a piece of music 'hopeful', exactly? I missed quite a bit of (hot doctor) action while I was pondering that one.

Socks, placenta facemask, the KWB dream (even by proxy) and Jimin x HP all making me very happy, for a variety of reasons 😊

We're staying with relatives who have one of those fancy reclining leather chairs me and MrSaram call Teletext Thrones. I keep looking at it thinking it's a Korean massage chair 😁

We're staying with relatives who have one of those fancy reclining leather chairs me and MrSaram call Teletext Thrones.

Showing your age there Saram. 😉 I think my children’s heads would explode if I tried to explain the Teletext holiday pages to them. Everything is so instantaneous nowadays. We tried describing dial-up internet and how it took for pages with images to load and they laughed incredulously.

Anyone else watching Race on Disney+? Their algorithm suggested it after I’d watched Dr Romantic 3. It seems quite good though I keep falling asleep in it (thanks meno insomnia 🙄). The ML is from Absolute Boyfriend, I had to look him up because he was familiar but forgettable.

OMG - @polkettle we might have (how very K-drama).
I saw these masks at the checkout counter.

Socks are lovely, are you going to wear them or will they stay in your collection unopened.

OK, I’m really enjoying Race on Disney+. It’s got a great cast. The unrequited love is sad and adorable at the same time. It’s got the crazy writer woman from Melo and the ballbreaker from On the Verge of Insanity. Shades of OtVoI too, with the company in-fighting and pecking order between the senior managers. It’s slipping down a treat. 😁

I mostly really enjoyed the ending of Bora Deborah.. found the second last episode a bit annoying like the leads forgot that they were great at communicating just for the sake of stringing it out a bit longer. But great last episode especially Bora's personal growth.

Only thing I didn't like was the U-ri and Sang-jin story line which gave me the ick.

Almost finished Sh**ting Stars... Really appreciate that they wrapped up the mystery / sad bits of the plotline in episode 14, and then seem to be devoting 2 full episodes to ridiculous fluff 😁😁😁

Okay I have started watching XO Kitty and as discussed up the thread.... It is soooo bad. Why do Korean characters sometimes speak to each other in English and sometimes in Korean?? Make it make sense!! Also, how has the drama about the fake girlfriend been strung out for at least two episodes at this point when it could be cleared up in a sentence.

Love how the main boyfriend is supposed to be poor but lives in a free standing house... Which for anyone playing k-drama eye spy, I am 99% sure it is the author's house / writing studio from W Between 2 worlds.

Obviously terrible but I will also probably watch the whole thing 😅

Love how the main boyfriend is supposed to be poor but lives in a free standing house... Which for anyone playing k-drama eye spy, I am 99% sure it is the author's house / writing studio from W Between 2 worlds.

Thank you! I knew I’d seen that house in another drama but coundn’t place it.

I never went back to XO Kitty after discovering it has no closure as it's designed as a continuing series. That's not why I KD.
Agree with your Bora Deborah critique AmVa. Loved the aegyo at the end.

Yes - and it's Netflix so who knows if it'll continue 🙄🙄 just had my heart broken by Lockwood and co not continuing 😭

That was one thing I didn't like about LSITC - clearly designed for another season which doesn't seem to be coming

Meanwhile, I can't leave the impossibly pretty sheep on ig and now plotting how to get farmer friend with the championship flock to try showing these instead.⺶🐑🥰

That was one thing I didn't like about LSITC - clearly designed for another season which doesn't seem to be coming.

Yes - there was a mention of a letter, the contents of which we know not, but which presumably would be revealed in the next series had it happened. Also that random scene in the last episode with the policeman and actress Hae-na.
I loved the series but it didn’t have very high ratings in Korea

Only thing I didn't like was the U-ri and Sang-jin story line which gave me the ick.

I felt deeply uneasy with that part too, AmVa. Now that show's over, I've started All those we have loved.

Dr Cha today^^ .. no words