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!

Very true AmVa!

Just catching up with the thread after a few days of work n'that....

Haha! Had forgotten about the lego reveal in CP ... like, it could be worse but its still a bit off putting (dust-gathering - I'm looking at dusty lego right now) I could overlook it though for the right oppa....

Saram my DH also liked Gyeongsong Creature and is up for The Bequeathed (although when he saw the trailer for that one he said 'well that looks like a barrel of laughs' sarcastically, so I won't count my chickens ...)

I've been making the most of my iQiyi 99p trial - I'll do a little round up at the end of the month of what I've watched in case anyone else is considering it 👍

boaty the high heels in MMH were giving me sympathy pains. How could anyone walk more than a few steps? They are absolutely for home-taxi-bar-taxi-home - and sitting on a bar stool only. No prolonged standing, NO dancing and preferable a piggy back from a nice oppa instead of walking. < gavel >

Finished Maestra - excellent nonsense, with sexy turn from Lee Moo Saeng being masterful/obsessive CEO, for anyone with Disney in thriller frame of mind

Wow! Great website. Yes, it’s this place.

Ah yes- that one's been in EVERYTHING recently.

I am still pottering through the Korea Deconstructed podcast when I have a spare half hour. I haven’t finished it yet but this one has yielded some interesting insights so far.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/korea-deconstructed/id1587269128?i=1000576549318

1 - Women were given equality in the Korean constitution in 1948 but there is no anti-discrimination/equalities legislation on the statute books to actually enforce this equality.
2 - There’s a good discussion of the link between the churches and political office in SK, so much so that even non-Christian people with political ambition will join a church to make the right connections.
3 - The churches are not on board with LGBT equality even though the public do not oppose anti-discrimination legislation which includes LGBT protection, so there’s no progress on enacting any anti-discrimination.

I’m vaguely recalling that 1948 was a significant year for human rights, maybe the UN universal declaration of human rights off the back of the Nuremberg trials. I’ll post before MN eats my post & come back.

Anyway, no wonder women are facing uphill work to achieve equality in SK.

Yay, go me. The UN declaration was adopted on 10 December 1948.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights

Anyonghaseyo, can I sit with you?
I used to be quite into Kdramas but life happened. Trawling Amazon Prime for something to take away the icky Saltburn aftertaste, I clicked on Marry My Husband and yeah.... Now have 10 years of content to catch up on during the eleventy billion eon wait for Ep 7. 😁
Coffee Prince was one of my favourites back in the day!

Of course! Welcome 👋

Welcome aboard @maldoandwae ! 👋 You are definitely in the right place. If you’ve had a break it’ll be really interesting to hear how you think kdramas have changed since you were last watching regularly. Those of us who’ve been watching for a few years have definitely seen the influence of streaming platforms and Korean productions catering to a more international audience.

Welcome maldo! you've got so much good stuff to catch up on 😍 what are your favourites from back in the day? I love older drama's too, flaws and all.

I'm here chuckling at all the female office workers reactions to Yu Ji-hyuk's makeover in MMH - the jaunty ' shalalala' soundtrack is cracking me up, and when the one girl just drops her coffee cup 🤣🤣

Yes @TheLoupGarou that had me chuckling too! I'm very much enjoying MMH. It probably helps that I also recently cut my hair into a similar style so can pretend I've had a makeover, even though I could never walk in those shoes! Kopika really does seem to be everywhere. I feel strangely fashionable having them on my coffee table

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap I am binging as fast as I can - even watched it on my phone with one headphone in while Bluey was on for my son.
I can't stand the insane sexual tension / jealousy / brooding. It is just so good.

Not long to wait @Loup - ending of EP6 is 👌
(Am at home ill and binging today!)

Hi @maldoandwae! As you can see, we're a very welcoming bunch with a diversity of tastes. You have so much fun in store for you...😎

That website has now been bookmarked as I want to look for the ML's house in Moon in the Day

Seems like the last few trips some of you made are catching attention - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/south-korea/south-korea-holiday-netflix-crash-landing-on-you/

What an excellent article that is.

Indeed pol. The enthusiasm and joy of the writer was evident. That article is prodding me to book a trip to South Korea this autumn!

Miggs, fab isn't it? Made me smile so much.

💯dragon! I'm interested in doing a foodie tour that must include Busan, a trip to Jeju and a bit of k-drama sites.

The writer is TALENTED.

Just excellent 🌟 it definitely made me want to book my trip to Korea!

I have even worse travel envy than usual!

Thank you for the warm welcome, everyone!

Coming back from a break, the most striking thing so far is how slick and glossy everything is. Healer was one of the last dramas I watched and yet Park Min-Young's downtrodden pre-makeover character in MMH already looks far more polished and fashionable than her plucky perky reporter role in that! Also, did product placement laws change at some point because I was NOT prepared for the sudden Kopiko ad in MMH 😂
However, I am pleasantly surprised at how quickly potential romantic misunderstandings are being resolved, through people using their words(!) Though maybe just a perk of this particular drama/short run?

Some of my old faves, along with Coffee Prince:
Arang and the Magistrate
City Hall
Healer
Misaeng
Miss Korea
My Love from the Stars
My Lovely Sam-soon
The Greatest Love

I used to watch saeguk and those 50+ ep weekend ensemble dramas with my late grandmother, but lack the stamina on my own. Although if you're all unanimous on a must-watch, I'm also easily influenced 😁

Welcome @maldoandwae !!

Yes - I had noticed in CP there is no product placement at all. And it is missing one of my personal joys of kdrama which is the amazing fashion. But as you can tell from my previous messages, the hotness of Gong Yoo more than makes up for that.

If you liked My Love from the Star, Crash Landing On You was a mega, mega hit by the same writer and a favourite of many on the thread here. I personally watch a lot of romance, slice of life and occasionally dip into some darker stuff when watching with my husband.

There is a list at the top of the thread of group favourites, split up by genre so if I were to list romances I would probably just be relisting a lot of the ones there!

And don't worry - still plenty of dramatic breakups based in misunderstandings that could have been solved with a 2 minute conversation 😅

I have a huge soft spot for Misaeng. It seems so unpromising at the outset and it is deeply unglamorous but I was rooting for the team by the end. I seem to recall one of the dreadful senior managers in Misaeng was played by the same guy who has a meltdown in business class in MMH. I wonder what he’s like in real life because he keeps getting these roles. 😄