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!

Yoongi-wise, they said they enjoyed the documentary and appreciated the insight into how some idols work, and how emotionally tough it can be.

The life idols - and actors - must be really strange. I know some of them are open about their relationships but plenty aren’t and for those that have secret boyfriend/girlfriends, it can’t be much fun for the partners kept hidden all the time.
Is it the same in the West? I read so little Western celebrity news that I don’t know.

DD used to be really into 5 Seconds of Summer and I can't remember how the topic came up but she admitted the other day that she still follows them on SM but "half of them are married or dating these days"! And there are plenty of dating stories about Harry Styles. It's very different from kpop, I think, where I believe 'no dating' clauses in contracts is actually a thing, or at least was in the past.

I think in Korea is that there are strong privacy laws for non-celebrities, so the media can't name/show photos of any non-celebrities involved in dating rumours.... I think 'no dating' clauses are probably still a thing for trainees/new groups. When you look at what their schedules are like it does make you think "when would they even have the time?" Unless they were dating each other, as per many fanfics 🤔

It must be hard for idols to meet/form genuine relationships with people outside the industry & hard to trust people. I'm sure that is the case with western celebrities as well

I think in Korea is that there are strong privacy laws for non-celebrities, so the media can't name/show photos of any non-celebrities involved in dating rumours.

Ah, ok.

"people are literally graded A, B, C etc. based on height and weight. And education/salary level too"

I actually find this quite sad. Personality, empathy, kindness are meaningless???

They said the appearance thing, and the feeling of 'owing' other people a good appearance (in the case of idols x 100 of course) is real.

I read something about S Korean beauty norms/expectations which touched on Confucianism and the community responsibility to present well, i.e. that it is a way of showing respect for and consideration of others.

I actually find this quite sad. Personality, empathy, kindness are meaningless??

I agree - it’s really sad.

That is interesting, although it seems surprising to me that appearance is a part of being considerate, I mean I can understand how cleanliness is considerate, but not anything beyond that. Although I do think that respecting codes of dress is considerate, so that does creep into appearance .

people are literally graded A, B, C etc. based on height and weight. And education/salary level too"

I think I've seen an agency like this in a drama before... Can't remember which one though 🤦‍♀️ also injecting healthy kids with growth hormones... Wtf! 😱

I'm totally gripped by Behind your Touch now, I'm glad I persevered with it. I keep thinking about it and racking my brain about who the killer could be. I'm really looking forward to the final episodes. TheLoup I don't like all of Dr Bongs clothes, and I agree her outfits are definitely not suitable for farm visits! She doesn't even seem to own a pair of wellies 😂

I see there's been a few mentions of advent Oppas! Not long until I open the request list! 🎄

Also has anyone else noticed the spam threads entirely in korean on mumsnet lately... Strange

I’m trying to find the article I read about beauty standards. I’ve not found it yet, but there’s some interesting content here:

https://travellingsouthkorea.com/the-role-of-confucianism-in-korean-culture/

Ta da!

Neo-Confucian and collectivist attitudes, where the “unity of the whole is more important than the individuality of the one,” perpetuate a culture of conformity for South Korean women today when it comes to beauty.[23] Although feminist ideas of female independence and self-expression have begun to take root in modern Korea, the underlying influence of Neo-Confucianism still emphasizes the value of conformity over individuality. Even among parents and guardians, plastic surgery for young women and girls is generally accepted, indicating the underlying belief that conformity is valuable. It has become common and almost a “rite of passage” for Korean high school students today to receive blepharoplasties as graduation gifts from family members; in fact, high school students constitute up to about 70% of plastic surgery patients.[24] To many, the fact that parents or family could encourage plastic surgery seems shocking; but in the context of Neo-Confucianism and collectivism, appealing to the desires of society or the larger group is a historically ingrained belief that helps explain the general positive disposition among Koreans towards plastic surgery today. In addition, these collectivist attitudes work in conjunction with today’s modern media, and this maintains an ideal standard of beauty and an adherence to this standard.

It’s a good article and looks at other social, cultural and historical factors too:
https://utsynergyjournal.org/2020/10/07/plastics-past-the-complex-historical-and-cultural-influences-underlying-south-koreas-plastic-surgery-phenomenon/

Really interesting Boaty . I am reading up on Korea generally , I have never been anywhere in Asia and I want to have some context and understanding of the wider culture by the time we visit. I am worried about committing some terrible breach of manners, or shocking people with my unruly Celtic hair..
Does anyone know what might make nice little gifts to take ? Dd1 has a couple of uni friends from Seoul who we will hopefully see while we are there, I want to have things with me to give to their parents if we meet them, but I don’t know what might be desirable or hard to get there.

Does anyone know what might make nice little gifts to take

We are taking Christmas crackers as they aren’t really a thing in Korea so we thought they’d be fun and different and Christmas Day is a holiday there.
Crackers are light and although they’re bulky I’m taking a big suitcase as I want to bring back a doormat with Welcome on it in Korean and also Christmas presents for the family.
I thought of taking nice bath oil but most people live in flats and the chances are they have showers rather than bath tubs.
We are taking Islay whisky for our wonderful guide and driver who we had last time.
I checked all this with my Korean teacher and she thinks they’re great ideas.

@SirVixofVixHall
gift ideas

Not to Koreans, but I have given small Scottish themed cushion covers, locally made scented candles, expensive chocolates and shortbread to foreign friends.

I could be wrong but I’d imagine quintessentially British brands and products would go down well, something like Fortnum & Mason Earl Grey tea or posh lemon curd.

If you’re visiting keen hikers would Kendal mint cake land well?

I am bringing small, classy (I hope 😂) souvenirs from a famous art gallery here. Bookmarks, keyrings etc. Ran the idea past a Korean friend who was enthusiastic. I wondered about bringing traditional sweets/biscuits etc. but she said people might find that a bit odd.

I should add that what I've bought is largely intended for random hand-out-if-you-meet-someone-nice kind of gifts, as opposed to targeted presents for someone I've met before or e.g. family of someone I know. In that case, I think food and drink WOULD be appropriate and welcomed. ALL Koreans I have met love food and food culture and are enthusiastic eaters. Which kind of makes the extreme dieting and control of appearance even more ironic/sad 😬

boaty I like your logic 😁 However mint is not a popular flavour in Korea I believe - I may be remembering this wrong, but seem to recall BTS being introduced to After Eights (presumably when in the UK?) They reacted as though they had been poisoned 😁

I almost posted to ask whether peppermint is a thing in SK. 😄 Maybe flapjacks would have a warmer reception.

I feel like Koreans would understand pickled onions as a concept, as possibly enjoy them. Piccalilly might be pushing it. Chocolate coated or crystallised stem ginger could maybe work?

I'm imagining little gift sized pickled onion jars (like the size of the tiny honey pots you get for the porridge in costa coffee!) 😁

🚨 JCW ALERT 🚨 first 2 episodes of 'The Worst Evil' are on Disney+.

Me and DH are finishing S3 of Top Boy tonight but rest assured I'll be on the case tomorrow or Friday!

I am laughing a lot at the image of BTS spitting out After Eights..Not something I have ever experienced, personally .
Maybe Fortnums tea then ? Lovely biscuits? I was mulling over something Liberty print ? Like you, Saram I also thought we might take small things to give to people we might meet. I am Welsh, but Welshcakes might get a bit too squashed in transit !

After consulting with Japanese pal and considering space in suitcase etc I have plumped for made in UK (that's important apparently) illustrated London map tea towels from Royal Palaces shop. Will also take some pieces of my work. But she did say tea too.

What about lovespoons SirVix? Or Penderyn miniatures?