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!

That could be it, Andante - on set they won’t be around people they know. Usually they are chatty. We’ve never had them because DH said they’d be too annoying. I had a very tame cockatiel that was loose in the house when I met him.

Thumbs up for Doona so far. I have binged 5 episodes today. Yang Se Jong and Suzy have good chemistry. The pacing is fairly gentle too with lots of meaningful looks and soft music. A very cosy autumn series. 👍

Finished Doona!

It's really good but a little unsatisfying. About a 7 on the 25/21 scale.

IYKYK

I couldn't check-in online because the flight was overbooked and I was bumped off so had to be switched to another airline. Japan was hugely enjoyable, but I couldn't face another raw seafood meal (think whole prawns, raw). Now safely home to continuous hail and rain storms so watched Doona . I liked it a lot and also felt the 25/21 vibes. 7.5 as I felt it needed another episode to truly tie things up.

Glad you’re home safely Migs - poor you being bumped off, when it’s time to go home one just wants to get home and not have to deal with that sort of hassle.
I can never book in online either - the computer says no because the number is incorrect. Which is odd since it’s fine once we get to the airport.

Anyone watching The Devil's Plan? Looks interesting but I think you need a PhD just to understand the instructions!

I’m rewatching The Red Sleeve. It’s excellent. Junho! 😍

This doesn't sound good to me FedUp! 25/21 could have been my favourite K drama of all time (but is not...)! Have been eyeing up 'Doona' for our next watch.

DH and I are currently watching 'The Tale of Nokdu' which I am loving in all its bonkers glory.

Loved Dr Romantic 3, but not sure about Disney+ and K drama yet as we only had Closed Captions option on our TV and occasionally subtitles dropped out!

Would anyone mind sharing what they've lived this year? We started SYIMNL but am not convinced despite loving the first episode. Not finding Shin Hye-Sun's character particularly likeable (despite loving her in Mr Queen).

Loving reading about everyone's travels by the way!

Sorry that should say what you have LOVED this year.

@sakura06 I am off dramas completely, nothing is grasping my attention.
I have started & ditched numerous dramas.
so with my limited viewing my best if this year are Bloodhound top notch, Good Bad Mother. There was another one with online influencers, I forgot its name, I think that was underrated.
I this year C-drama quality has significantly improved Meet yourself and Hidden Live

I really enjoyed Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 - enjoyed it more than the first series in actual fact. Weirdly for me, there was very little romance in it but the story between the two brothers was just so well done. It also didn't take itself too seriously so was a lot of fun. I would say you don't really have to have seen the first series to watch it, if you don't mind having the first series spoiled for you.

I've watched many many romcoms, enjoyed them while I was watching them, but not much left a real lasting impression on me. Like, I liked King the Land, but wouldn't ever rewatch it, other than one totally amazing kiss scene.

Thanks both. We enjoyed 'King the Land' but I would agree it was instantly forgettable! I love 'Tale of the Nine Tailed' but can't quite get my head around a prequel! Will definitely check out your recommendations.

I agree about Dr Romantic 3 sakura. It's easily my favourite kdrama so far this year. There have been plenty of other reasonably watchable/enjoyable shows like Nine Tailed 1938 and Heartbeat but they've just been OK rather than standout. I'm really enjoying Behind Your Touch atm, though, and others have said it wraps up well so that may end up near the top of my list once I've finished it.

Oh and SYIMNL was a completely wasted opportunity. A great story but it wasn't well told, it felt rushed, with characters not properly introduced and developed and Shin Hye-sun wasn't really right for the role as it really needed someone younger to properly capture the strangeness of someone so young talking and acting like someone much older.

Having said that, it was still pretty enjoyable for what it was, I liked it more than King the Land, it just could have been so much better.

I am seriously struggling with the recent rom Kdramas - theres no joy in them or something? Also, I'm anticipating a un-🐝 friendly ending from the beginning and it puts me off...

There's something to be said for the simple straightforward outcomes of a Jdrama!

@sakura06 nine tailed 1938 isn't really a prequel - LDW gets sent back in time so you have Lee Yeon who has lived through all of TOTNL meeting up with the 1938 version of his brother who still hates him. Hijinks ensue.

There was another one with online influencers, I forgot its name, I think that was underrated.

JinBhoot I’ve also found it hard to get stuck in to recent dramas. Was the online influencer one called Celebrity?
We’re watching Behind your Touch and I‘m enjoying it, largely because of Lee Min Ki.
I’m not finding the General MacArthur shaman particularly amusing though Park Hyuk-Kwon is a good actor (he was brilliant in Secret Love Affair which has annoyingly been removed from Asian Viki as I used to enjoy rewatching scenes from it) but dh thinks he’s hilarious.

I am greatly looking forward to Queen of Tears starring Kim Ji-Won and Kim Soo Hyun, written by Park Ji Eun who also wrote among others Crash Landing and My Love from the Star.

There was another one with online influencers, I forgot its name, I think that was underrated.

JinBhoot I’ve also found it hard to get stuck in to recent dramas. Was the online influencer one called Celebrity?
We’re watching Behind your Touch and I‘m enjoying it, largely because of Lee Min Ki.
I’m not finding the General MacArthur shaman particularly amusing though Park Hyuk-Kwon is a good actor (he was brilliant in Secret Love Affair which has annoyingly been removed from Asian Viki as I used to enjoy rewatching scenes from it) but dh thinks he’s hilarious.

I am greatly looking forward to Queen of Tears starring Kim Ji-Won and Kim Soo Hyun, written by Park Ji Eun who also wrote among others Crash Landing and My Love from the Star.

Sorry - not sure what happened there.

I've been wondering about Doona as it gets pushed at me a fair amount, thanks for the recommendations. I am really hoping that another subscription service will get Dr Romantic 3. I loved the first two but can't justify another subscription service. I am enjoying Café Minamdang, a bit bonkers, loving the OST, as it reminds me of those tourism videos, which a little google search tells me is Leenalchi and the Ambiguous Dance Company. I think it is helped by Seo In-guk , who I could watch all day! Miggs, so glad it is not just me - Japan was hugely enjoyable, but I couldn't face another raw seafood meal - I recall finding a Chinese restaurant as I was desperate for some garlic and chilli🙄.

@Dragonrock I also mainly watched Cafe Minamdang for Seo In-Guk - agree with you I could watch him literally all day. It was a bit out there but enjoyed the whole ensemble cast.

Not Others and The Good Bad Mother my faves I think. And CDramas for romance - Meet Yourself, The Road Home and Fake it to Make it.

I have been naked and steamy with hot Koreans today!

That sounds intriguing pol!

@AmVa thanks for explaining the premise for TOTNT 1938. I might be able to persuade DH to watch it now. Lee Dong Wook is my fave.

Thanks for the recommendations cobol. Andante Queen of Tears sounds like it will be great.

@Dragonrock have you got a friend who could share their Disney+ with you? Season 3, especially episodes 9 and 10 were fantastic.

I have been naked and steamy with hot Koreans today!

Alright for some! 😂😂😂😂