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!

I am in the same boat with Sageuk - normally I love any kind of period drama, but have struggled to get into most of the saeguks I've watched.

I'm trying the matchmakers at the moment because Rowoon, but it's definitely bottom of my list with the dramas that are airing.

I'm the same as you Aesops any thriller or horror I will happily watch if Korean, but would hardly ever watch if Western.

I absolutely love Saeguk though, it's my favourite genre. Although I do struggle with the political shenanigans of the palace if I watch too many at the same time. I prefer to see the lives of ordinary folk.

I really really want a rice cooker! <stamps foot>

Absolutely. I asked for mine for my birthday a few years ago. Not the sexiest present but I love having sticky rice on demand. DS2 and I had a great deal of fun making maki rolls during the pandemic.

On the SK holiday front South Korea with Alexander Armstrong was a disaster. Even I don’t want go now (only half joking). It was a terrible travelogue. They managed to pick all the shittest, grubbiest, most unattractive parts of Seoul and elsewhere to film. It went from one cliched, pointless set-up activity to another. AA’s delivery was inauthentic and leaden. It didn’t capture the flavour of the country at all, unless it really is an overpopulated, grotty, chaotic shithole with no culture, countryside or history and you were all fibbing. (Tiny exception for the Jeju bit, but WTF was all the ravening wild dog stuff about?) Any recommendations for alternative documentaries or travelogues to rebalance things & get my campaign back on track?

I also don’t finish It’s ok not to be ok.

Closer to HP - I AM SOLD

Does the plot of Vigilante broaden out and develop at some point Loup? At the mo it seems to be fit young men training and taking hot showers 👌/unsubtle media shenanigans/a little light weekend homicide 🙈, rinse & repeat. It’s feeling a tad one dimensional. If they’re not going to chuck in zombies or time travel to liven things up, this plot needs fleshing out. I mean, it goes without saying I’d be happy watching Nam Joo-Hyuk eating a bowl of cornflakes but I’ve come to expect more of the writers.

I loved IONTBO. I was glad to see fairy tales given the "academic" treatment and liked the evolution of the FL's character. There was an underlying darkness in her backstory that mirrored the darkness embedded in many fairy tales. DDOS, on the other hand, is one I'm struggling to finish - I feel that mental health seems to be the latest buzz topic in kdramas lately. I'm even starting to count the times a character in a drama mentions the words!!!

King Charles hosts South Korean president at state banquet.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bc66c3cc-886a-11ee-947e-24524bf233d8?shareToken=d3dc1c6880a11b17076a1b4cb27213b7

Black Pink were at the banquet and the King managed to get a BTS reference into his speech. 😄

I wonder if the King and Queen will make a return visit. The King would love the beautiful traditional architecture (though he may not be so keen on the high-rises!).

I'm only on ep 3 boaty so I'm not sure re plot yet, will watch more with dh at the weekend .
Thanks to @FedUpWithBriiiiick I am on a delightful detour of vintage Rain Oppa in Full House and I'm embarrassingly into him it : I can't fight it anymore - so wrong and yet so right 😁. The kids are perplexed "mum, why are you watching such old TV? How can a person be called Rain? How is he your oppa?" Bugger off kids

I watched part of King’s speech while flipping channels- there was a reference to squid games, BTS (dynamite confused as dynamic) was lady in black First Lady of Korea?

Calendar suggestions: boys from bloodhounds
alt calendar men from Love to hate you 🙂

It’s been over a month that I have watched anything- nothing is appealing to me.
This evening however I have watched first episode of J-dram Riding a unicorn.

Thoughts and Prayers to Army chums at the sudden enrollment of ALL those boys leaving not so much as a Jungkook for Christmas.
Just looking at coverage of Royal banquet and aigoo to the painful thinness of Blackpink in their ballgowns.

Bloodhound boys on the list @JinBhoot ✅

I need a new drama to tempt DH with, we need to start a new series tonight. What's the one with JCW in? Is it DH friendly?

@Rowdythree Are you thinking of Worst of Evil on Disney+? If so it is very DH friendly - as long as he likes violence! I’m watching it with my DH, I can only get him to watch KDrama if it’s gritty or has zombies!

polkettle - thanks for the tip-off. Had been a bit immersed at work and didn't see it. As the the banquet, have to say I was hard pushed to look beyond the tiaras. I let out a squeal when I saw Kate in the Strathmore Rose, my other favourite pastime is looking at royal jewels!

My husband is the same Galadriel - violence or horror only!

Rowdy I'd say TWOE is DH friendly, also Vigilante although we've only just started that one. There's also The Killing Vote on Prime - my dh stayed awake for the first episode of that one too....

Also, how are we for advent oppas? Do we have enough on the list or are more suggestions needed?

Oh I’m not letting him see Vigilante! I want to enjoy shower oppas on my own, not getting side-eyed by DH!

Haha!

Thanks for all the DH friendly suggestions! Looks like we need to re subscribe to Disney+ then!

TheLoup there are still a few spots left on the Oppa advent if you have any more suggestions. I'm going on holiday mid December so I'm going to have to be organised this year 👀

Chingus I have got you covered! But I don't want to hog the suggestions, so will make a few and then if anyone objects they can get bumped off the list 😉

Kim Jae-young
Ryu Jun-yeol
Ju Ji hoon
Kim Young-dae
Kim Beom

I feel like we are forgetting someone important.... Rain oppa is already on the list right?

👏🏻 for suggestions loup. I like Ryu Jun-yeol and Kim Young-dae for Advent Calendar

Jin Hee-ji Alternative Oppa

Vigilante. It's not a straightforward action show. It throws the spotlight on, and questions, lax laws and inadequate sentencing in SK. This issue is very current, given the recents cases of a man being "too old" to be arrested for rape, and another who only got 9 years for chaining and beating his wife to death.

Oooooh, and the twists have started. I have an idea who the "other" vigilante might be.

Vigilante sounds interesting. Is it very violent?