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!

Is anyone else watching Not Others ? Loved episode 5. I'm glad a particular plot reveal wasn't dragged out. Am really enjoying it 🙂

Loving it TheLoup.

🚨 because this one flew under the radar for me : -

My Lovely Liar - I have just watched the first episode on Viki and it was a strong start. Kim So Hyun as a human lie detector and Hwang Min Hyun (Seo Yul from Alchemy of Souls) as a mysterious composer who is hiding his identity. Early days, but I thought it had a similar vibe to While You Were Sleeping 👍

I had a day off today, in which I did no chores, did not go to the gym BUT I did watch lots of drama!

And waaay too many TikTok dance challenges, thanks to Ateez🤣

Episode 11 of Heartbeat! 💓

HOW does Taecyeon look so fine even when wearing first of all a brown Zoot suit and then a 'modern' beige sports jacket that looks like something my grandad would have worn in the 80's??? Hair much better in this ep. Taec' definitely does a good smouldering look - I felt my heart flutter 🤣

@TheLoupGarou Arghhh can't wait until tonight so I can watch!

I have just given in and am going with the Seven wave - that song is so catchy it doesn't care if I technically like it or not 🤣 I have decided however that I find the explicit version actively hilarious and actually less sexy than the clean version. And also I am not a fan of JK's current mullety hair as shown off in his episode of Suchwita.

I think the explicit version one of the finest comic songs ever written AmVa

I see a JPop star has (for the first time 🤯) publicly come out as gay to his fans. Really hope this opens the way for others to do so if they wish and societal acceptance. I think media stars coming out was definitely a beginning to normalising being gay over here.
www.instagram.com/p/CvTSJtBuJv5/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

@polkettle it's almost threatening 🤣

"Give over JK. I'm trying to put a colour wash on/make a bechamel/change my library books/conduct a board meeting. ENOUGH ALREADY!"

AmVa Train to Busan is a great film on all sorts of levels (including GONG YOO 🤩) and worth the scares (but don't ask me actually as I am into horror 🤔😁).

Cobol and Andante Yoo Ah-in also a big favourite here. I enjoyed Hellbound overall, but he was the best thing in it. Outstanding performance in #Alive (film, on Netflix - zombie alert for those who are not partial).

Totally agree on both points Pol.

Seven explicit version is actually the antithesis of sexy for me 🤔 and gives me desperate school disco octopus/irritatedly-swatting-away vibes 😁 Give me a hut in a desert, a dog, a campfire, the stars and an idol of my choice dressed in inappropriately fancy/dry-clean-only designer clothes and I'm happy 😁 [this may or not may not be a reference to the Suga photo folio cough - they sure know what makes fans tick, because all the JK stans I know love all versions of Seven 🤷‍♀️]

When I end my current holiday-enforced drama famine (still have one episode of SYIMNL to go 😫), must get on to Taecyeon and His Ears. I mean OBVIOUSLY he's objectively handsome, but it's the slightly geeky charm too. Glad everyone is enjoying Heartbeat 😃

I recommended MLN to a course chingu months back but she didn't think it was for her. She did give it a go this last week - binge-watched it, loved Mr Gu 😁😍🙌 and wants more Son Seok-koo. Any particular recommendations, fellow Mr-Gu lovers? 🤔

B^e melodramatic
Matrimonial chaos
Nothing serious^ (film)

He has a significant role in the Korean Designated Survivor on Netflix and plays an appealingly flawed besuited campaign advisor. 👍

The rest of the cast is good too.

I think Yoo Ah-In is such a good actor. One of my periodic recommendations to watch Secret Love Affair (I think that's it's oh so memorable title) where he's a young piano genius having an affair with his chaebol shackled teacher. Very steamy and raw and twisty. But he's likely to serve prison time and the scale of his drugs scandal will be unrecoverable from on home soil I think. Just a really really sad story. Especially as he's widely rumoured/half-acknowledged to be in a relationship with a male photographer which will just become another part of the scandal rather than a positive catalyst for potential change.

Secret Love Affair is one of my all time favourites. It’s a marvellous drama.
I agree, the whole Yoo Ah In scandal is very sad. I wonder what will happen to him.

Agree Yoo Ah in is a really good actor, he's done so many interesting parts. The whole scandal and what the repercussions will be is such a sad story. Whatever his sexuality I think the way celebrities can't be open about their personal lives and relationships is so unhealthy - the pressure must awful at times. Very brave of the Japanese idol to come out - I found his words really moving and I hope he gets public support.

Re: JK and Seven - I prefer the non-explicit version (less is more JK!) but I think part of the appeal is that the song is so extra and so JK coded in its all-or-nothing energy and enthusiasm : -every day! No, every hour! No, wait every minute and every second... Also I don't just like you, I must have met you in another life and my love is now deeper than the ocean!!(said with aegyo/ cheeky grin). I think it's funny that this song, which is meant to convey grown-up sexy absolutely-NOT baby star candy JK still has that bouncy excited labrador energy 🤣

and, yeah in rl you would absolutely be going "would you ever fuck off and stop pawing at me 🤣"

Gang, if you like My Happy Marriage so far, check out Taisho Otome Fairy Tale

Will do 👍♥️

I see the '97 line in general up for it 7 days a week 😉...

JK and Mingyu

The confidence of youth!

Where to watch it please and thank you Fedup?
Going to see this with mates later this month.
https://parktheatre.co.uk/whats-on/the-garden-of-words?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=garden

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-china-66372950

He just doesn't give a big fat does he?😂#pandagoalz

Hahaha that autocorrected and took out the rude word!