MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #43): Where we marvel over the singularity of Taecyeon’s ears while waiting for Lee Min Ho to show up in his space scrubs

[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, Thai & Chinese drama as & when.

The previous thread is www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/4842000-mslattes-daebak-cybercafe-kdrama-addicts-42-where-we-weigh-up-two-smokin-hawt-chaebol-hotelliers-one-tortured-by-loss-and-the-other-crippled-by-abandonment-issues?page=1here
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, 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)🌟
King The Land (Netflix)
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)h
Misaeng (Netflix)🌟
My Liberation Notes🌟
Move to Heaven (Netflix)
My Mister (Viki/Netflix)🌟
My Unfamiliar Family (Viki)🌟
Navillera (Netflix)🌟
Not Others (Viki)
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
A Time Called You (Netflix)
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)🌟
My Lovely Liar (Viki)
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
Behind Your Touch (Netflix)
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)
Fake it Till You Make it (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 Escape of the Seven ? I've just watched episode seven and I think this is the most absolutely makjang, bonkers thing I've ever watched. The plot is completely insane, like Sunset Beach on steroids, its way more ott and crazier even than Penthouse.

Anyway, if anyone else is still watching I want to know your mad theories about wtf is going on! Hit me up 🤣

@boatyardblues currently in Seoul and about to set off around the country, so will report back properly when have experienced all the vagaries of travel! Having had the luxury of a guide drive us around as arranged by the travel company for two days, and then another guide take us on a day combining taxi, bus and metro, we are now about to take the plunge ourselves and are heading off in a cross country bus!
The great thing about having a guide for the first few days when jet lagged and simply stunned by the excitement of being here, is that it acclimatises you pretty quickly and you don’t have any of the stress of being tired and having to work things out.

Oh this looks cool!

www.netflix.com/title/81636490?s=i&trkid=0

Echo what Bettys said. So far, we've seen so much more thanks to Inside Asia's guides than we could possibly have done by ourselves - totally worth the cost especially if time is short. Its really helped jet lag not be an issue too. But I'm sure you could find your own cheaper flights and accommodation.
Note from yesterday - needing protection from swerving delivery bikes is totally true! Saturday shopping date couples in matchy matchy also very much in evidence.

A few location pics - Vincenzo plaza, Coffee Prince cafe (now closed but very atmospheric), Romance is a Bonus Book restaurant.

Thanks Pol and Bettys. DH and I had a chat today. We agreed with everything going on globally right now, a package is also a good idea in case anything kicks off (Taiwan/China, for eg) as the tour operator is responsible for working out how to get you home. We’ve decided it’s probably worth it just for that extra back-up. My friend is way more intrepid than me and DH. 😄

I’m now regretting starting Revenant so close to bedtime. I’m easily frit when it comes to horror. Revenant is treading the right side of that line for me, but I’m still finding it unsettling. It’s psychological, rather than jump scares.

And how annoying was the ep 2 cliffhanger in A Good Day to be a Dog? Obviously it was great and I clapped and whooped at the reveal, but now I have to wait until the middle of next week to get resolution. Well done writers, but I also hate your manipulative ways grrr.

I loved Revenant boaty! Thought it was very good, nice pace too and it kept me guessing. Doing a fist-bump for the AGDTBAD cliffhanger as well 😁 although I'm stuck on the "imagine Cha Eun Woo being your math teacher" idea 😂 it's an accident waiting to happen

A good decision. I knew a boringly huge amount about travelling in Japan. Like nerd level. But quite honestly even though i technically could have booked all our trip, did I really want that level of stress and responsibility? Inside were worth every penny for peace of mind and just let me unclench and enjoy myself for once!! And they aren't grabby. Tell them your budget and they will make it work for you ❤️

Finished Destined With You - a mostly satisfying finale. I like how kdramas usually wrap up the tension-y bit of a story and really spend time giving you the HEA.

Did get a bit of whiplash though going straight from Subway to Goobne PPLs😅

Thanks FedUp. Your point about unclenching & relaxing is also a good one. I do all of our holiday research and planning, so it would definitely take a load off me.

I am 💯 with you. It was a big leap for me to let go of (some!) of the holiday control. But it made for a better family time with DH and DS.

Ours was not a guided tour, we did everything ourselves on the ground, but the accommodation, transport, activities we wanted were all booked, and tickets in hand. It didn't cost as much as I thought TBH. Flights are horrendous cost though. Made up 1/3 of the spend 😮‍💨

I've just finished watching The Eighth Sense. It captured university life really well, I think, I enjoyed it, but God, it gets a bit traumatic in the middle. If it hadn't been recommended (by Polkettle maybe?, someone on here anyway) I might even have bailed but I figured if they liked it it must work out so kept going and thankfully it did. Still, after the Takeru Satoh one and now this I think I need something a bit less emotionally charged to watch next 😂

It's a totally unnecessary trick on the audience Cobol. But I guessed that we were being teased. Nice chemistry so I forgave them.

Oh absolutely pol, there were some serious themes but overall it was very sweet.

I've now started Good Day to be a Dog in the hopes it will be relatively trauma free and signs are looking good so far, I will hopefully be on safer ground with this one.

For an absolutely adorable Jdrama try One Sided Love Gourmet Diary (Viki). A bit out there, but totally cute! Season 2, Episode 6 has every Kdrama fan's dream dinner. 😁

I am loving reading about all the trips, past and present. Makes me really want to go, esp for all the locations and food! Thank you for sharing. We had a plan to go back to China/HK and then take the teens to Japan this summer. But plugging the accommodation costs into the Uni spreadsheet for our two (twins), I think we might either need to curtail a lot or delay. Was hoping for a post-A level kind of blow-out but my word, Uni costs. 😣

Quick update re One Piece. I can report that my two boys are absolutely LOVING it. Lapping it up. It's a bit on the violent side (they are 10 and 11) but no worse than the likes of fortnite.

I haven't seen them this eager to watch anything for AGES. Zoro (played by the v athletic Mackenyu, who played Enishi in Rurouni kenshin: the final) is the fave, with his 3 sword technique 😁

I must give it a watch. My apathetic teen won't watch anything with me unless it's things being blown up in slow motion on YouTube 🙄

I'm rewatching ALL my favourite J-dramas at the moment. No capacity or capability for anything more challenging than that right now.

Have you watched Falling High School Girl and Irresponsible Teacher ? I liked that one, it was cute and not problematic in any REAL sense just don't think about it too hard, ahem.

I’m dividing my time between Revenant, Rowoon being pretty and that show with the little dog/teacher. I’m feeling braindead so I can’t remember any of the titles.

Rowoon and Cha Eun Woo : so handsome. So age inappropriate. Both look great in hanbok. < gazes into middle distance >

boaty are you enjoying Revenant? I really liked it, not too long, right amount of scary...

I am enjoying Revenant, actually. I’m usually such a wuss but it is pitched perfectly to match my comfort level. 👍 I would watch Kim Tae Ri read the phone book, so I’d push through regardless. She’s up there with Park Bo Young and Jung So-Min in my top 3 most watchable Korean actresses list.