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!

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

Tell Me That You Love Me has taken this to the next level, though I’m incline to be more generous because of the ML & FL’s hearing loss/sign language barriers.

@maldoandwae some good ones there! And a few I haven't seen to go onto my ever expanding watch list 😁

I think my most disliked trope in kdrama is the noble idiocy break-up- so similar but not identical to the poor communication/misunderstanding break-up. Its a minor irritant really, like when they go to sleep with all the lights on or wake up fully dressed after an implied sex scene.

boaty I reckon the laws of acting mean that awful MMH CEO guy is probably a lovely human in real life 🤣

@TheLoupGarou yes - noble idiocy breakup is the worst to the point where I want to stop watching sometimes.

I've been known to yell at the TV AmVa 🤣

Welcome along @maldoandwae 👋🏻

Hard agree on noble idiocy, it's definitely the worst trope

We finished Death's Game last night which was fantastic and heartbreaking at times. I couldn't wait to watch each episode to find out what happened next, that hasn't happened for a while. I've no idea what to suggest DH and I watch next... I suppose I should give him the option to choose something for a change 😬

I'm also fully invested in My Mister I know I'm really last to the party with this one, but I'm really enjoying it, I find myself getting really lost in watching it.

I definitely want to rewatch My Mister at some point but I think it would make me too sad at the mo. Lee Sun-Kyun’s performance was wonderful. What a loss! 😔

Hello hello
2023 might have the year with least Kdrama viewing for me … nothing seems appealing.
Only memorable drama I can think of is Bloodhounds.

Iwas also thinking about re-watching My Mister but I don’t think I can watch Lee Sun-Kyun at the moment.

It is really sad to see Lee Sun Kyun at the moment, I have to keep giving myself a little reality kick occasionally which makes me feel sad all over again. I'd started watching it just before his death, and I was in two minds about continuing to watch it, but i decided to carry on, as from what I have read it's too good to not watch. 🫶🏻

Keep at it Rowdy - it is an exceptional show.

Hello maldoandwae, I've not seen some of those you mentioned, so will add them to my list. I was trying to hold off to watch MMH until I finished those I have started but have decide once I finish Military Prosecutor Doberman tonight, I am diving in!

maldoandwae 🙂🖐

Rowdy I'm even later than you to the My Mister party. Firmly on the list and has been for about two years 🙈

Absolutely loved Death's Game. Up there for drama of 2023 (well, part 1 was out in 2023), only beaten by The Good Bad Mother. At times I was wondering if it was worth putting myself through it 😬 but I thought the ending was spot on.

Migs That Korean Dramaland website is a fantastic resource. I earmarked alot of places to visit using it.

Loving Marry My Husband so far. Agree that PMY is good in it.

Also LOVED Death's Game absolutely one of my top 2023 dramas - I think I gave it 9.5 or 10 on the spreadsheet.

That reminds me, I should add my score to the spreadsheet!

Has anyone watched The Killing Vote on Prime?

I did rowdy. I rate it OK if you have nothing better to watch. Nothing exceptional.

The Bequeathed. Netflix has dropped the entire mini series. I'm on it tonight!!!!

More damn filler on My Demon ep15.

@MigsandTiggs I am going to wait for My Demon to finish so I can ff through the filler bits. I'm missing the comedy demon bits.

I'll give that one a miss then Migs, I think we'll start Bequeathed tonight too 🙂

We’re <100 posts out from the end of the thread, so get adding your scores to the spreadsheet & posting additions for the OP. I reckon we’ll need to switch to the new thread by Sun/Mon. Looks like TMTYLM will squeeze under the wire into the 2023 scores. I think enough of us have seen it for it to be included.

TMTYLM could go in weightier romance section Boaty, although it did go a bit wade through treacle slow at the end so I wouldn't score it above a 7. Maestra could be added to thrillers and Orange Days (Japan, Netflix) worth putting in non Korean.

Absolutely Pol! 🫡

This looks effing great: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2LxIAEiKjZ/?igsh=N2FuNDlseWUwMjZh Is it Sakura’s DH that has a soft spot for Park Shin Hye? It’s inspired putting her with Park Hyung Sik. Cute couple. I never got the PHS love until Happiness but I totally do now 👏

I like PHS boaty, I'm looking forward to that one.

Me and DH have just binged 3 episodes of The Bequeathed. I like it but dunno what to make of the the FL - she is making some weird decisions and v passive, at least at the start. I always enjoy k-cops as well. DH stayed awake, which is an impressive achievement for any drama 🫢

That looks brilliant Boaty , I can't wait for that one!

Well done to your DH TheLoup 👏🏻 We watched the first episode of The Bequeathed bit I fell asleep before the end 😬 I'll have to catch up before tonight

Can someone explain the spreadsheet to me?

I've finished Demon and MMH (there are only 6 episodes on Prime?) and started Crash Landing On You which is great for more subtle detail on the politics.
Loving that trailer for Doctor Slump - a lot of ppl I know IRL have had a change in career post covid, so I think the timing will resonate with a lot of ppl.

Also no clue how to update the spreadsheet. Find myself talking a lot about BYT, which I think I enjoyed more than expected but BMGM, MMH are up there. A far cry from The Raincoat Killer, Inspector Koo, Through the Darkness, Stranger, Trolley and Flower of Evil that started my Kdrama obsession after running out of serial killer fodder from UK/US/EU 😜

Paused Train to Busan halfway through for a wine top up and I am so tense!!!!! I don't usually watch things like this but the allure of gong Yoo was too strong to resist any longer. Also a Choi Woo Shik fan. But I won't have any fingernails left after this.