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!

FedUp and the others beat me to it. Welcome @OppaDoppaDoo ! 👋

P.S are Korean men actually as emotionally aware as they seem to be? I'm in awe of their level of perceptiveness, communication and self reflection!

I’m going to hazard a guess here that South Korea’s predominantly female (80%) screenwriters have something to do with it. I am frequently in awe of the nuanced writing. More power to the fine screenwriters. That said, the writer-director of Be Melodramatic is a bloke and there were some beautifully observed relationships in that. The actress’ manager was a gem and so well written.

If you enjoyed the madness that was Behind Your Touch OppaDoppaDo I don't think there's any turning back for you now, welcome to the life of a kdrama addict 😁

Speaking of BYT I really must get back to that Suho travelogue I was watching. Last time I saw him he was groping around in the dark in a cavern under Seoul forest.

@OppaDoppaDoo you have found your people 😁 and, as someone else said, excellent timing for the oppa advent calendar! 🎄 🎅 welcome to the madness - strap in and say goodbye to all your free time!

OppaDoppaDo 🙂👋

The short answer to your question about Korean men: no 😁

A longer answer could be as long as you want it to be, really. I mean, there are good and bad varieties in every nationality of course. Generalising hugely here, but my impression of Korean men (interviews/people I've met/what Korean and non-Korean friends have said) is that there is quite alot of misogyny among young men in particular in Korea. It's a hugely competitive society and it seems that some men really struggle with women wanting to, or succeeding in, improving their position. Korea is low in crime in general, but proportionally there is quite alot of hate crime targeting women (and feminists in particular) and a quite awful e.g. spy-camera culture. I don't think it's a coincidence that the vast majority of Koreans studying and working where I live (Europe) are women.

The men in dramas are lovely works of fiction 😍and should be enjoyed as such. But I'm sure that's not to say that dream oppas do not exist!

Best user name ever Oppadoppadoo! Welcome!
Just finished Twinkling Watermelon - thanks for the endorsement TheLoup - it was just lovely 🥰 Perfect amount of peril to plot (ie pretty mild) balanced by cosy and teary feels.

I am frequently in awe of the nuanced writing. More power to the fine screenwriters.

This. The nuance and subtlety is of (or should that be ‘at’?) a very high level.

Oooh what is Oppa Advent?
I've just begun Suspicious Partner, so thanks for the guidance!
Also, I can't see Mask Girl on The List? Or did I miss it? I enjoyed it!

Yes, I think there was an interview about the Kpop bands on BBC somewhere with the ones who were drugging and molesting women, so I know it's not all roses. I was just hopeful that somewhere there might be a wonderful culture of men who are raised to be emotionally intelligent - haha ha ha.
Bravo those screenwriters!

@OppaDoppaDoo welcome!! I am about halfway through Behind Your Touch - the tonal shifts between hilarity and serial killing are pretty extreme aren't they!!

Enjoy Suspicious Partner - and possibly your first exposure to the gorgeous Ji Chang Wook??

I am also watching and enjoying Castaway Diva - just learned it is only going to be 12 episodes which I am happy about as I was thinking there wasn't enough plot for another 6 episodes!!

@OppaDoppaDoo in the run up to Christmas you will find a visual treat every morning on this thread - starting on December 1st < nods mysteriously >

Probably some of this year's dramas haven't been added onto our list yet - I can't think if Mask Girl is there or not.....

I think a few of us have just started My Demon on Netflix - only the first 2 episodes out so far if you fancy watching that , although you might want to devote your full concentration to Ji Chang Wook in Suspicious Partner 😉

pol I'm so glad you liked Twinkling Watermelon! - it absolutely surpassed all my expectations. I thought all the ensemble cast was so good, but the father-son duo were absolutely adorable together. The story was light and fun, but still emotional with some serious themes. Just a really solid drama.

@AmVa the shift in tone is HUGE and it increases as the episodes go on. I actually kept thinking it was different people right to the last few episodes too, which was surprising. Ddog loved the "squeaky" bum fondle noises too . I think I even took a screen shot at one point to prove to dd I was actually watching a new show about butt fondling solving crime. If anyone ever read my messages to dd I don't think I'd win any Parent of The Year awards.

@TheLoupGarou love the idea of Oppa Advent! Thrilled to be party to it although I'm terrible with names, so I'll pretend this is all about intensive cultural study

Scrolled down a bit and see lots of travel advice too, which is something dd and I hope to do soon. We stopped off on our way to Japan but only for a few hours and overnight so couldn't leave the airport, sadly. Can't wait to hear all about it @SirVixofVixHall

Right, back to my cultural study of Ji CHang-Wook...certainly a newcomer for me!

@OppaDoppaDoo I am actually so jealous that you have so much potential JCW dramas ahead of you. If you enjoy this then you can delve into Healer for something kind of similar. There's also a new romance / slice of life show with him in it starting this weekend 🥳

Love that you and your daughter can watch kdrama together 🥰🥰 my son is only 3 so not quite up to subtitle reading 😅 but he likes to say 'mummy loves kdrama' and he's already a BTS army since he loves the dancing.

Welcome @OppaDoppaDoo Mask Girl will go on the list after we've finished rating this year's dramas. Which reminds me that I need to update the spreadsheet...

Hello @OppaDoppaDoo, what a great name. I am rather jel that you are just starting to watch Suspicious Partners and get to see JCW in all his loveliness. I'm getting to the end of My Roomate is Gumiho, gentle, nice but trying to explain to husband the concept of gumiho etc is a trifling annoying. Happy viewing. This will be my first year with advant oppa so have no clue what to really expect.

Hi @OppaDoppaDoo 👋 kdramas are definitely cultural study and language learning! 😅

Hi and welcome @OppaDoppaDoo !

I think it has been mentioned down thread, but if anyone is thinking of getting Viki they have a 29% off offer for today only as they have declared it kdrama day!
Worth every penny IMO 😁

Re Advent Calendar. I'm manifesting Ok Taecyon shirtless. <or else 😡> Latest insta has him riding home in Japan on a bicycle after practice. Needless to say, security was holding off hoards of squealing females when he stopped at a traffic light. 😂 He is adorbs.

You'll have to wait and see Migs 😉😌

I think I have started my cheesiest drama yet... "Cheer Up on Netflix.. I've only just started it, but I'm getting major cheese vibes 🧀

Let us know if it passes muster for our festive cheeseboards Rowdy.

DH has been watching bits A Good Day to be a Dog with me. Well, it’s more that he doesn’t immediately harrumph, put headphones on & watch something else on his ipad, but it’s progress. He says it’s fairly charming (if mad). I need to get back to Behind Your Touch - that actually made him laugh because it was next level batshit. 😄

I've been enjoying A Good Day to be a Dog, despite the slow release, it's an easy one to dip in and out of.

I've also watched the first episode of The Matchmakers. I like the idea of making the husband of a princess a central character as they're normally minor bit parts in most sageuks as they have no political power, so that's a bit different, but am slightly disappointed by the lack of hot assassins.

Sageuk's definitely don't have enough hot assassins these days < stares into middle distance and attempts to manifest one starring Kim Woo Bin > The Secret Romantic Guesthouse had an assassin, but it was Ryeoun and he is too young, even for this ahjumma noona.

migs I love a bit of Taec insta stalking as well, I saw the bike clip - he is next level cute 😁

I see Kim Ji Hoon is auditioning for our Glasgow-set drug dealer/camping drama with KWB and Cha Eun Woo as father and son : - https://www.instagram.com/p/C0MeSOiSq5w/?igshid=NjZiM2M3MzIxNA==

What the heck is that coat? The black bit seriously looks like binbags.

Anyway, he can play the gangland boss that led Eunwoo astray

🔔RM and V enlistment date is 11 Dec
JK will probably do his last sleeping/mukbang/noraebanging live on the same day as he enlists on the 12th.
Borahae!💜

Loup, welcome to the joys of K-fashion. 🙄

@TheLoupGarou photo 4 is a little....unfortunate 🤔 Well they all are, depending how you feel about puffa jackets. Have to admit, bought my first one last year in the spirit of introducing little hints of Korean stuff into my life wherever possible 😁 (well it's Scandinavian rather than Korean, but it's the thought that counts). Sadly no extra bin-bag-y fringe 😔 #fail

I'm all for a warm and cosy coat, but it was the binbag-esque ?pockets? ? Extra layer? That was doing me in 😉

migs have those days been announced? It seems very soon? * *