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!

Ohhh MiggsandTiggs good shout. He is getting more towards a suitable age for me!

Heheh sorry not sorry about Vigilante 😁

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.

Your vision has some similarities with mine @MigsandTiggs . I would favour a hanok-type set up with mod cons (e.g. no draughts in winter, underfloor heating). I love houses built around a private courtyard garden so I could definitely get behind a pond in my private garden. No minimalist raked gravel or sand garden for me (giant cat litter tray 😕). I don’t know how a lap pool can be reconciled with the trad design outlined above but I really want one, ideally outdoors if I was rich enough to heat it year-round and pay someone else to clean it. 🙏 for a sane chaebol husband with deep pockets & no living parents (no ILs).

I love houses with inner courtyards too. The house FL inherits in Revenant is really cool, I mean it needs some interior re-modelling (and probably an exorcism due to evil spirit occupant)

Here to sing the praises of variously Perfect Marriage Revenge (Viki) and Trauma Centre- Golden Hour - manhwa previously only on dodgy sites but which is now dropping on Webtoons before telly version. Both glorious examples of the particular variety of NONSENSE they epitomise. Very sad that I am called to in laws today so can't binge PMR all day.

Woke up to a webtoon notification about Trauma Centre this morning pol - I'm going in!

Oh that's rubbish Sakura, I was going to go and watch it because PSJ was in it. Not sure it's worth it for 2 mins!

I know @TheGirlWithTheArabStrap! I did like Captain Marvel but basically went for PSJ! His entrance is somewhat unexpected so I might watch it for that alone 😂 Although most of the footage of him is in the promotional material already... Perhaps wait for it on streaming.

Aaawww Hwang Bora is pregnant ❤️

It’s Brian! (Kwon Hae Hyo) Yes, I have started Vigilante. I just twigged that The Real Has Come has 48 episodes (FML 😱) and I need to reprioritise.

I love this news! Yay ❤️

Aah that is lovely news, she's such a fun actress ❤️

I've started My Dearest this afternoon which I'm enjoying a lot. I love Ahn Eun Jin, I find her extremely watchable. The ML I'm not sold on yet, mainly because of the absolute bastard he played in Remember, it left a lasting mark in my memory. Maybe this will be his redemption with me 😂

I see we're having a state visit this week with the President of South Korea! I hope we see lots of beautiful hanbok 🤗

If anyone is thinking of buying a Yum Asia rice cooker, they have discounts on their own site at the mo. Incidentally, their site was cheaper than Amazon before they added the reductions so don’t be too wowed if Amazon are offering black Friday deals.

Crashing in here since rice cookers were mentioned. I lived in Asia as a child and so grew up in a house with a rice cooker (and it took an embarrassingly long time for me to realise you could cook rice in a pot). When I was living in the UK bought a cheap Morphy Richards one which really wasn't great. Decided that when setting up Australia house I wanted to buy either a Japanese or a Korean one as they cooked the rice much better. I ended up getting a cuckoo 3 cup rice cooker - one of the smallest ones on the market. It can cook as little as a single serve of rice (!!) and is perfect size for our small family. I love, love, love it, more than is reasonable for a kitchen appliance.

No one asked but I am seriously evangelical about my rice cooker 😅😅

South Korea bans eating dog meat by 2027.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a2cc061c-87a6-11ee-b411-d7778fd6fa75?shareToken=82a264b70d7a7d55c7d9a0bd12d2715d

Distressing content for our dog-owning posters, so read with care. Rowdy - prob best if you don’t.

boaty that photo of President Yoon and his dog was also quite disturbing 🤔💀

Joking aside, I had read that Daegu still has some dog meat restaurants 😬 and avoided the traditional markets there just in case 😬 This news story reminds me that campaigns against dog-meat consumption were actually my first encounter with anything Korean, back in the 80s when I was an Animal-Aid-badge-wearing teenager.

You were right Boaty I shouldn't have read it 😢 interesting article - 2027 seems a long way away though. I agree Saram the photo in bed with the dog is something that shouldn't have been made public! 🙈😬

Also, there are over 200 Korean restaurants in London! 😯 We even have one near us now, although it's not a traditional restaurant, it sells 'Korean nourish bowls'

419_363622.html

Foreign investments welcome...or maybe not

AmVa - I am also in love with my rice cooker. It is an old National one. Nearly 30 years old, loved it so much I brought it back when we moved back from HK. Makes congee as well as steams. When my girls head off to Uni I need to get them each a small rice cooker. The Yum ones looks cute so am going to file that for future reference.

We have a Yum Asia Sakura and it’s the business. I just bought a Kumo for student son. I figured a medium capacity but compact design would see him into adult life & a young family post study if it lasts as long as your national one. 😄 The Panda model is very cute but doesn’t make much rice.

You're all making me really want a rice cooker! 🍚

Me too! Shall I ask for one for Christmas?

Go for it TheLoup, stick it on your list! 🎅

I use my Instant Pot as a rice cooker and it works great, but I see they've brought out a stand alone rice cooker also and it looks verrrrr attractive.

I bought a Yum Asia Bamboo a few years ago thanks to recommendation on here. It's my favourite gadget. Perfect rice every time, also good to steam Mandhu in the basket while rice is cooking. Not to mention it makes perfect Banana Bread 😋

DH and I have started Hometown and so far so good. I seem to enjoy whole different genres with my K viewing than normal. Typically, both thrillers/horror and soaps are on my avoid list unless it is Korean?! Switch that with Period Drama, love all Period Drama except the Korean versions which I cannot seem to get into??