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!

He is one of the best so where the f is all the kissing in this drama!!! Why are they not utilising his talents.

Come on! They've had two good snogs, a back hug and a couple of solid hand holds, plus cute flash back stuff - it's not a bad haul really AmVa. WHAT KIND OF PERVERT ARE YOU? I have hopes we may get a wedding too although cute timeskip babies (😍) may be too much to yearn for.
And dad blames Mrs Ko because she was the one who wanted to go back and dive even though head hanyeo said no because of weather and dead Mija only went to keep her company. I get it but that arc both went on a bit and then got resolved rather suddenly.
Still I've really enjoyed the soothing low stakes of the show and think leads have done a good job.

I woke up stupidly early so watched the first episode of Marry My Husband on dramacool in bed. They’ve managed to capture how awful the husband and BFF are in the first episode. I was a bit disappointed they pulled their punches on the death at the start and made it less clear cut. I am not yet convinced CEO-nim is optimally cast - he’s bringing a bit too much Labrador energy to the role at the mo. I expected him to be more hard-edged, more tsundere. When she says she was always frightened of him because of his frown I was “huh?”

Haha yeah - it's not wall to wall snogs but JCW gives it his all when required 🤣 I was just venting last night Pol as i thought Yong-pil's dad was SO unreasonable - It was explained a bit I guess in the latest episode that showed flashbacks to how much he loved his wife (although resolution was a bit quick, agreed). I like the show overall as well. Dolphin man and younger sister are v cute.

boaty - I was getting nerd/socially awkward vibes from the boss in MMH rather than scary, but I didn't care as I loved him 😁. I was thinking that it was more that FL was previously so timid and downtrodden that everyone was intimidating to her?

The kind of pervert who has watched the kissing against the car scene from LSITC a few too many times 😅

Agree it has on the whole been a satisfactory and soothing watch. Emphasis is obviously on healing rather than banging which I guess is nice. I did think the whole tent scenario with the 2 assistants was a bit ridiculous. The leads are almost 40!!

I have also started watching Coffee Prince -... I started it and gave up almost immediately when I had just gotten into dramas and I wasn't ready for the dodgy camera work and bad fashion. Seems dramas have got a lot more conservative since 2007 - comparing the tent scene with two ex's having a revenge bang in episode 2!!

I am getting massive MMH FOMO! I am going to start once a couple of shows wrap up this week and then I'll have a few episodes to binge which will be nice.

Those snogs in LiTC are 🔥 it's true.
I think dramas definitely did get more conservative and the older ones are often less buttoned pyjama-ed. Politics of places they are sold to may have had something to do with it. Possibly Netflix money is loosening them up again.

Hard agree. Drama deviates from webtoon as it goes on, but is still great fun.

I'm still watching, sort of, My Demon. The long recaps are annoying and tbh, it's not a show I could recommend. It started with an exciting premise and spluttered out.

My happy ending. Oh how I wish it had landed in a oner so I could find out the truth. EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER is untrustworthy!

Loup, if you managed to see Knight Flower, did you like it as much as I did? So much of it made me happy.😍

Glad it's not just me struggling with Demon - I've skipped a lot between Ep10-12. Feels like they've missed opportunities and made it quite bland (barely any magic, demonic anything or fun uses for 'powers'). Lots of characters without any real roles. Agree it might just be the actor as I struggle to see him as old enough to be a lead - looks like a jaunty 17yo to me but I'm mid 40's, so could just be me.

Managed to contact Amazon again and they've suggested I watch MMH through Incognito, which works! Going to start that tonight.

I’m all caught up with Marry My Husband. Me likey.

Working way through Coffee Prince as fast as life allows .. was not expecting the Lego development??? 🤣🤣🤣

After enforced drama absence due to real-life stuff, I'm catching up with a binge today. First doing all the dramas that are currently airing. Then I'll move back to recent need-to-continues.

My Demon - yes it dipped around 10-12, but definitely picked up again. The backstory went on a bit, but set us up nicely for episode 14, which I really enjoyed. I totally buy the leads together. And think Song Kang is perfectly cast.

Samdal-ri - just passive-agressively fast forwarded through 5 episodes. All very meh. I think the leads and supporting cast are top notch. Just too much FAFF for me. And I actually let out a 'For fuck's sake!' at the end of episode 14.

Now back to Choi Moo-sung in Like Flowers in Sand to recalibrate 😁

Finished and loved Gyeongseong Creature, which - don't fall off your chairs - DH also really enjoyed 😳(newer posters - he's been a K-drama refuser for the last three years, with the honourable exception of Kingdom). Didn't think the ending was wtf at all. Not that I understood it 😁 but it worked in the sense there's a season 2 coming and our appetite is now whet for that.

DH is up for trying The Bequeathed, which starts Friday I think. Back of the net!

Next on my list is Part 2 of Death's Game. Saving the best till last.

Seeing how positive many of you are about it, am going to start on Marry My Husband after that.

Heh heh BTS is a plot spoiler in ep 6 of Marry My Husband!!

Finally finished She and her Perfect Husband C-drama, enjoyed a lot, have to say Xu Kai is very watchable as was the Shanghai skyline! Also managed to complete Perfect Marriage Revenge by logging onto the LG TV with my Viki account...v proud of myself! Agree with many that it moved along apace and was OK but kissing scenes we a bit wooden, nothing like JCW! Need to finish off Demon before I can start on Marry My Husband or Secret Royal Inspector & Joy.

TMTYLM completed and while writernim did not completely eff it up its fair to say that there were ponderous and frustrating moments in last four episodes that didn't really make much emotional sense. But satisfactory ending and I teared up in places and overall a good watch for those who like a moody romance.

This was a moderately interesting listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-korea-file/id517846223?i=1000638851400 It goes into the narrative differences between north and south Korean narratives and motherhood in NK revolutionary literature/propaganda. I think it would have been very interesting given more time, but the discussion felt a little superficial due to time constraints.

I’m inclined to seek out the work of the Canadian academic they interviewed. She was great.

Comment that may just be for me but that timpani player really needs to develop his teasing out gossip game. You can't go straight in with the first drink (episode 10 Maestra)

Episode 10 (edit) FedUp Pol?!?! You’ve been putting in the hours there. 💪

Ep 5 Marry My Husband and I find myself marvelling the cat survived at all with those 2 muppets leaving that wee scrap to survive the Korean winter. I wanted to pop him into my hoodie to warm him through. Also, PMY’s character is supposed to be Hankuk University smart so why try to outrun a frightening man in a dark alley in shoes you can’t even walk in? I need answers, people. Otherwise, all good. (Supersleuth location scout Pol: do you know the location on the naice wine bar with the up & over lighting in ep 5?)

I have just remembered the women’s break room at U&K’s offices in episode 5. It was so civilised. It looks so refined no one would dare microwave fish chowder for their lunch.

Saving MMH for a binge at the moment but one of these Boaty?
koreandramaland.com/jobs/?search_keywords=Marry+My+husband+&search_categories%5B%5D=&submit=&filter_job_type%5B%5D=

Ha! I think we are watching it at the same pace! There could be worse things in a secret room. Do you think it's showing that he's been living a feckless immature life??

Very insightful!! Probably.

I was about to write that the chemistry between the leads is so good but honestly I think Gong Yoo could have good chemistry with a brick wall.