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!

boatyardblues - oh I am the same I love a contract-marriage plot. Not sure it says about me? I am holding off on Perfect Marriage Revenge, until I have a bit more time. I do like Sung Hoon, seen him in a few different things.

Only 8 more sleeps now till My Demon on Netflix.

Oh! and how the ML looks at the FL in Moon in the Day (Viki)<swoon> He doesn't know if he wants to kiss her or kill her! 🥰🥰

Reading lots on NamKoong Min been expected to clean up in the coming award season for his role in My Dearest, so I need to pick it up again. There's too much good stuff on atm.

I'm going to start My Dearest tomorrow Migs. I've wanted to watch it for ages. I've also got my eye on Moon in the Day. I always want to watch Saeguk at this time of year.

I've finally finished Bride of Habaek which was utter nonsense but very easy to watch! More like that please. Nam Joo Hyuk is very easy to watch anyway...

"Being" not "been"!!! what on earth is happening with my grammar lately!

Rowdy, I know what you mean about Saeguk, and you will love MITD. I never finished Bride of Habaek, but might reconsider.😁

So excited about My Demon - the latest trailer implies there is going to be some fake dating which is one of my absolute favourite tropes.

I have really enjoyed Kim Young Dae in the couple of things Ive seen him in so maybe I need to try MITD - although was this the one mentioned with terrible kissing in it??

Felt like I needed something a bit silly in my life too and have just started Shopaholic Louis / Shopping King Louis depending on your translation... First episode promisingly silly (diamond encrusted pants anyone???) And hot Seo In Guk is one of my favourites.

This is a few years old so many lots of people have watched already??

Yes AbVa, it's the one with a terrible, fish, first kiss, but I'm expecting an improvement.
It's up to ep6 and now that the FL knows who she was in the past, the storyline should heat up. I'm going to be so disappointed if it does a Heartbeat and goes downhill, as the ML is so watchable. If you're unsure, then wait till it finishes airing.

www.instagram.com/reel/CzoRNs7qGha/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Kimchi Brussels sprouts for Christmas anyone???

I’m not convinced about pickling the sprouts whole but I would consider shredding them finely and trying them in lieu of the usual Asian cabbage. Also, that’s a lot of salt! 😬

AmVa I've seen Shopaholic Louis, it's good fun. As well as Seo In-guk it has Nam Ji-hyun as the FL. She was in 100 Days My Prince and Suspicious Partner and is one of my favourite actresses.

Unsurprisingly, I'm still working my way through series I started several months ago. But enjoying them all (especially Moving, that really is great).

Very over-invested in both Sweet Home 2 and My Demon. And Gyeongseong Creature next month (think you flagged that one recently FedUp). Need to clear some backlog so I can binge on those when the time comes 😁

Ooooh and it's nearly ADVENT OPPA time 😍 And birthday season in the Saram household. Which means the moment is approaching for me to gift myself the Bangtan goodies hidden in the wardrobe perpetual calendar, D-Day whisky glasses and Seasons Greetings 2021 you're all burning a hole in my conscience.

I actually let out an 'oooooh' at the photo Ahn Jae-hong posted the other day 😂 Presumably at an awards ceremony or something similar. Man brushes up well.

I'm willing to try the sprouts whole myself, but if shredding them would cut down on the salt as shredding would expose more surface area to it. One of the things I noticed in Japan was how salty the food was, but maybe I normally eat less salt anyway, so noticed it more.
And if you've ever tried kimchi perilla leaves you would understand why it's called the rice soaker!!
😜

Ahn Jae hong is a perennial favourite of the alt-Oppa advent. He has taken his title and ran with it.

Is anyone else watching Vigilante on Disney+? I'm enjoying it - I love a police drama, and it's nice to see our Nam Joo-hyuk - however. I can't help but think a black hoody is not a sufficient disguise when you are out fighting crime, batman style. Like, I can still see your face dude!

After seemingly dozing through most of the episode, dh opened his eyes in time for the violent bit at the end, watched for a minute, said 'that guy's too pretty to be a vigilante' and went back to sleep. Maybe that's the whole no mask strategy....

Why do so many chaebol homes look like they were furnished from Dunelm? ((Rhetorical question)

Haha boaty is it The Real Has Come? I'd say the chaebol house is like early 90's Argos or Littlewoods catalogue - what the hell is going on? Maybe all the money was spent on designer handbags ....

I love a screeching/slice of life/k soap but The Real Has Come was too much for me 🤯

Finished DDOS which was OK now considering moving onto Hospital Playlist?

Oh Aesops! Hospital Playlist is CLASS definitely give it a go. I normally grit my teeth through medical dramas (busman's holiday) but I loved it.

Why do so many chaebol homes look like they were furnished from Dunelm? ((Rhetorical question)

I agree. If I was married to a chaebol I’d copy the rooms in the palace in Mr Queen.

I would demand floor to ceiling windows and an infinity pool, Penthouse style.

I had to google Dunelm furnishings 😅and happy to say that the house in Moon in the Day is light years away. I, too, thought that the chaebol house in TRHC was very low rent. I dream of building a Japanese/Korean style house with an indoor pond, complete with bridge, sliding doors, curved sofas, 10ft high ceilings and a living wall planted with orchids and ferns.

Those of you who recommended Vigilante are now on my naughty step because today I'm ignoring all household chores and bingeing it. Thank goodness for soup making in the Instapot!!!

Just been to see 'The Marvels' for Park Seo Jun. Sadly he's in it for all of 2 minutes, but he does wear some lovely skin tight lycra!

K drama has been neglected here for a couple of weeks but enjoying reading about what everyone else is watching.

Rowdy, if not already requested for the Alt Oppa list, how about Yoo Ji Tae? I liked him in Money Heist Korea and he's reappeared in Vigilante.

Briiiiick is in charge of the Alt Oppa list Migs!

We’re currently watching South Korea with Alexander Armstrong. DH suggested it for research purposes. He still hasn’t said no to the mooted trip, which is an encouraging sign. 🤞

Incidentally the search on iplayer turned up Michael Palin’s Full Circle. Ep 2 is Japan and Korea, Korea about 2/3 of the way in. It says it first aired in 1997 but it looks like it was filmed in the early 80s. Korea’s ascent has been astonishing.