MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #42): Where we weigh up two smokin’ hawt chaebol hotelliers, one tortured by loss and the other crippled by abandonment issues

[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
Bloodhounds (Netflix)
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)
Race (Disney+)
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)
The Good Bad Mother (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)
F4 Thailand (Viki)
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!

토끼!!!! Oh man, I’m only 20 mins into Dream and I’m loving it. I have such a soft spot for Baek Ji-Won. It’s the same screenwriter/director as Melo - the man’s a genius. So much live for this endeavour. 🥰

Live = love

Oh and PSJ on top form. 👌

Haha! Thank you 🙂

Just back from a car ride with my 2 x 17yr old girls, where they put on the +18 version of Seven by JK. They were raving about it, telling me how talented and handsome he is and then raving about Jackson Wang as well. I think my job is done!

Just watched Dream - what a great little film! Marvellous ensemble cast and lots of easter eggs to spot. Thoroughly enjoyable, and it looks like everyone had a great time making it.

Now I want one of those lollies that split in two

I forgot to mention, this week I've been watching Our Beloved Summer - I've skipped past it for ages but, omo, it's really good isn't it?

I was just at the point of wondering if the leads were ever going to do anything other than stare at each other with tears in their eyes when the plot moved on nicely.....

Also, at the risk of sounding like a Victorian perv or something, Choi Woo Shik has really nice hands 😉

I love, love, love Our Beloved Summer. The dynamic between the two leads is just fantastic, I love their whole group of friends, love the mix of Melo and humour. Kicked off a Choi Woo Shik obsession that was a bit of a non starter as he seems to have done this and a bunch of really dark roles 😅

Excellent chemistry in Our Beloved Summer. I totally ship them. Manwha is good too.

Also, at the risk of sounding like a Victorian perv or something, Choi Woo Shik has really nice hands

Victorian perv away. So Ji Sub has beautiful hands too. 🙌

"Nice hands" (actually BIG hands) are the entire reason for our travelling companion's 1% of Something obsession that will see us detour to the Alpensia hotel ski resort (also actually in DR3 recently) for a night to recreate pratfalls, dodgy kidnappings and search for its Mexican Belgian cuisine 😉

Just had a lovely couple of days with Hidden Love - thanks for tip off. Baby voiced/acting FL grew on me and flashbacks to feels for the extremely dishy friend my big brother once brought on holiday with us when I was 11. And particularly liked the brother in this - whose role had some genuine heart and complexity.

I loved the brother, sad he didn't get a happy ending too. I shipped him with the edgy friend.

FUCK SPOILERS SORRY POL!!!

😂 I've finished it! Hadn't thought of that ship but we can fanfic that in our heads. I think he probably was having a happy ending of shagging a lot of girls in his bar. Or was he all talk and no trousers?

Shagging all round him. Takes a leaf out of JK's book.

If you want a lesson on how to remove your house slippers when you're already on the bed and about to engage in a bout of shagging, then J-drama Let's Get Divorced (Netflix) has a hilarious method. I'm only on Ep 1 btw.😁

Is it Yakuza Lover levels migs? Lol, I'm in.

Loup, Yakuza Lover is on a level (up or down) that few dramas could ever reach! 😂LGD is a bit more "normal" but looks like an enjoyable, easy watch so far.

He does have really beautiful hands. Watched it with 18 year old dd and we both said that at the same time.

@AmVa Kicked off a Choi Woo Shik obsession that was a bit of a non starter as he seems to have done this and a bunch of really dark roles

I really liked him as a devilishly good-looking baddie in The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion but also as the boyfriend in Train to Busan and the husband in The Package (a great wee drama set in France) but my FAVOURITE is The Boy Next Door a cracking little funny web drama

I feel vindicated about the hands sirVix 🤣 I was thinking to myself "am I being weird for noticing this?"

• I forgot CWS was in The Package - that is a nice wee drama, I might have to rewatch it.! Haven't seen The Boy Next Door - what platform is that on bettys*? I'll look out for it.

Have finished OBS now - what a great show, I think it might be in my top 5 actually. Really enjoyed the story, the ensemble cast were great and I have rarely watched a drama where I have been rooting so much for the leads to get/stay together, I loved them both - realistically flawed humans. I think Ung's parents surely have to be some of the best, most wholesome K-drama parents? Up there with the dad from Healer?

Hidden Love - I'm only on ep 5 but I really love the sibling dynamic in this. Also the brother is hot.

Yay! CLOY makes it onto this list.

Nine best foreign language dramas to stream right now.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/357e4c6d-ba38-4c3c-9ef0-271ecf50b694?shareToken=5f29e3aa672037623c8235efe84fbff6

@TheLoupGarou it's on Youtube

I just watched the beginning to check my memory and it views like an animation but is still funny

@bettys thanks for those recs! I thought the witch part 1 looked a bit scary for me.. but the others I will check out! Train to Busan has been on my list (only being held back by being a scaredy cat) for both CWS and Gong Yoo reasons!!