MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #44): In which a surprise feast of corking contract marriage dramas 🙌 is undercut by an imminent BTS content famine as Jung Kook, RM, V and Jimin enlist 😭

[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 & Chinese drama as & when.

The previous thread is www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/4894818-mslattes-daebak-cybercafe-kdrama-addicts-42-where-we-marvel-over-the-singularity-of-taecyeons-ears-while-waiting-for-lee-min-ho-to-show-up-in-his-space-scrubs?page=1here.
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, its important to note 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)🌟
The Worst of Evil (Disney+)
Tunnel (Netflix)🌟
Vigilante (Disney+)

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)🌟

Makjang
Perfect Marriage Revenge (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 The Eighth Sense [BL] (Viki)
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)
Semantic Error [BL] (Viki)
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)🌟
Daily Dose of Sunshine (Netflix)
Descendants of the Sun (Viki/Netflix)
Doctors (Netflix)
Doom At Your Service (Netflix/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)/When the Weather is Nice (Netflix)
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 (Netflix)🌟
My Strange Hero (Viki)
One Spring Night (Netflix)
Red Carpet - film (Netflix, very adult content)
Romantic Dr Kim - seasons 1&2 (Viki), season 3 (Disney+)
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)
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/Netflix)🌟

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)
Twinkling Watermelon (Viki)
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)
Moon in the Day (Viki)
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)

Decent Japanese, Taiwanese, Thai and Chinese dramas
The Chinese & Taiwanese stuff especially is more variable quality-wise, so we’ve noted anything decent or worth a look 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)
My Personal Weatherman [BL] (Jdrama, Viki)
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.

When we 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.

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've just binged the last few episodes of Death's Game, which I thought was very good, with some great performances, including from his hotness Kim Jae-uk. No spoilers, but I felt a bit like I've been emotionally beaten by the end of episode 8.

Content warning - episode 5 and 6 have some EXTREMELY violent, gory scenes - I have v high tolerance and even I had to look away in a couple of bits. More violence to come tonight from the last couple of episodes of Gyeongsong Creature 😬

TSoPMC is complete and I did feel the whole thing was plotted in an overnight soju fuelled frenzy on the back of a few bbq restaurant serviettes as a KD task for an Apprentice team.
But it was enjoyable enough if you didn't look at the mess head on.

Phew. DH and I just blitzed the Christmas decs and packed everything away for another year. With the tree gone I now have a completely unobstructed view of the TV (and subtitles) so I don’t have to crane my neck to see the last word.

Back to Gyeongseong Creature…

@sakura06 Thanks for feeding back on my Japanese dialogue question. Let us know what he makes of GC. Re Mr Sunshine, was Yoon Yeon Seok’s Japanese any better than the others’? I read he grew up in Japan and speaks fluent Japanese.

@boatyardblues DH says his accent isn't very good. I didn't know YYS great up in Japan! I do like him! Will let you know what DH thinks of GC.

Thanks for our final alt Oppa Briiiiiick, what a way to finish 🔥 I'm sad it's all over for another year!

DH and I are only on ep 6 of G Creature, but I'm already eyeing up Death's Game for when we've finished.

I’ve now finished TSOPMC too. It has a neat & tidy Bea-compliant ending. It was great to see some of the Mr Sunshine locations (the potter’s house by the bridge/stream and the clear green river & gorge) get another outing. Very scenic.

Good lord the 2ML in Samdal-ri is getting worse and worse by the week. Gone from pitying ->finding annoying -> cannot stand the man!!

SirVix - sounds like a fab trip, hope the jet lag improves, I tend to be fine coming this way, it's the other way that did me in but that might be due to going straight into meetings. Oppadoopa - my word, can you now write this into a drama for me? I am rooting for you as the FL! I am now well into Perfect Marriage Revenge on viki and enjoying myself immensely.

I want to cancel my Audible subscription (too busy reading manhwa) but I have 3 credits to use up so I don’t lose them. Does anyone have any good Korean fiction or non-fiction (eg history) books they’d recommend?

DH and I didn't realise 'Singles' Inferno' was being released gradually and we've just finished the last available episode! The drama! Still not understanding the huge love for Gwan-Hee amongst the ladies!

Yes, Singles Inferno S3 should market itself as a mystery. Just what is Gwan-hee’s appeal? Tell us!

I finished Gyeongseong Creature earlier. The last couple of scenes have left me with many, many questions (with a side-order of WTF!) but I don’t want to spoil anyone so I’ll button it.

Same boaty, same. Have they got a season 2? I definitely have a lot of questions.

Haha, boaty! There are two episodes of Singles Inferno 3 left as well!

Oh dear! Questions left at the end of Gyeonsong Creature doesn't sound great. Is it still worth a watch? I'm a massive fan of PSJ, but dislike the horror genre so seems a tough watch.

@TheLoupGarou just saw on Instagram on the netflixkcontent account that there will be S2.

Listen Up Netflix - We Do Not Turn To K Content For Cliffhangers and Uncertainty.

Samdal-ri is not the best drama ever but goodness I do love oori Wookie in bumbling but protective mode.

We Do Not Turn To K Content For Cliffhangers and Uncertainty

Agreed. Although I don't mind so much if it's one long story told in two parts, which seems to be a recent trend. I wonder if they're doing this with shows with a lot of special effects to give the post-production team more time to work on it?

BTW is TMTYLM quite short as DH has finished watching all the car restoration shows or whatever it was he got Disney+ for and has cancelled our subscription. I said it was OK because I forgot I was watching it on there! I've got about 3 days to finish it having only watched one episode. Is it doable?

@cobol 12 episodes have been released so far. It's looking like a 16 parter. I don't think it's doable.

I'm sure you could watch it at Olgas though?

Pol in Samdal-ri it is IMMERSION BREAKING for me that Samdal can even partially resist adorable, perfect Yong-pil. I mean come on - look at his little earnest face. I would have the Wedding Hall booked and him marched down the aisle STAT.

Thanks Sakura - I suspected as much as it was a total cliffhanger.

Cobol you probably can binge 16 episodes in 3 days but it's probably not advisable 🤣

Tell you what else - that scarf was never just one ball of wool either. That's at least four balls.

Did it annoy you (or anyone else) that Samdal said she had forgotten how to crochet when that scarf was clearly cable knitted??? Don't know if that is bad writing or bad subtitling.

Totally agree @TheLoupGarou - he is so gorgeous, kind, flirty.. like jump his bones already girl !

To be fair, we know why she split up with him and why she isn't/wasn't. It's not that she isn't gagging to strip his sweet bones bare just like us.
I missed that AmVa but yes. Writers and translators! Know your wool craft styles!
I don't think she ever saw the book where his was the only name signed in it so we must be heading for another split/ move back to Seoul so that she can have meaningful moment with that.

Thanks FedUp. I think I'll have to give up on that one for now then. At least I got to watch Dr Romantic 3 while we had it.

Is anyone else still reading The Red Sleeve manhwa on Bato? Chapters 105 and 106 have been uploaded. The story is so touching and compelling, but it’s the artwork that makes it my favourite ever manhwa. This is a pane from one of the recent chapters. It’s beautiful!

The first 3 mins of The Brothers Sun on Netflix are GLORIOUS. I can’t even explain why without spoiling the treat.