MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #45): Where we are *still* waiting on Lee Min Ho’s astronaut OBGYN to arrive and ponder whether 2024 will be kdrama’s breakout year

[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/4956077-mslattes-daebak-cybercafe-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?page=1 here. Our list is cumulative so includes previous threads’ recommendations. 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)
Maestra (Disney+)
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)
Tell Me That You Love Me (Disney+)
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)

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)
My Personal Weatherman [BL] (Jdrama, Viki)
Orange Days (Japan, Netflix)
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 💩
Melting Me Softly
The Birth of a Beauty
Well-Intentioned Love season 1 (S2 is fine & stands alone)

Top Scoring 2023 Dramas
#1 Bloodhounds 8.9
#2 = The Good Bad Mother 8.8
#2 = Deaths Game 8.8
#2 = Moving 8.8
#2 = The Glory 8.8
(#2 rankings by number of votes)

Top Scoring 2022 Dramas
#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!

@ScarlettSunset wekcome welcome

Woah all these Rowoon recommendations and I haven’t watched a single one of it 😱 I must rectify this.

Disney drama Alert Flex Cop two episodes released. Bo Hyun Ahn is immature third generation chaebol turned detective, and FL a veteran detective in the violent crime department.

LTNS is truly unique. I am really enjoying it. Proper black comedy. Right up my sraße.

Hello @ScarlettSunset and any other new posters I have missed 🙂🖐

I've been studying Korean for one morning a week since early 2022. With a Korean School local to me (run by volunteer teachers, but quite a large outfit and part of a network of such schools in Europe). As my speaking and listening is so crap, even after all this time and despite the fact I listen to Korean pretty much every single day (music or in dramas), I added a weekly 1-on-1 conversation class about a year ago. Slowly starting to feel I am getting somewhere with it. It remains a challenge though, and each time I go up a level I wonder what I'm letting myself in for this time.

@PunksVersusBrats You were asking about cooking. I cook Korean 1-2 times a week. Other members of the family are not super keen, but that's tough if I'm cooking 😁 I tone it down/swap other things in for them. Mainly do kimchi bokekum bap and tteokbokki, as DH can tolerate that. He also likes some side dishes. I make vegetable/tofu-based stews and soups too, but sadly it's only me who actively enjoys them (do occasionally cook for Korean friends or other friends I met through study, then I feel appreciated violins sound from afar) Actually he does like a spicy stew with potato and japchae in. Bloody northern European 😂

boaty I agree that the benefits of kimchi need to be seen in a wider context. There is no such thing as a wonder food. I think I eat more healthily than I used to, and now we eat more Asian food in general I tend to drink less, or stick with makgeolli (I am enthusiastically told by all Koreans I've mentioned it to that it has anti-ageing properties, so 🤔). So that's probably just as good as the kimchi.

Drama-wise, I add my voice to the chorus of continued love for MMH. It's just fantastic, in fact I think this is the first time that I've really pined for a drama on weekly release.

TheLoup I believe it was, thanks for the warning re: Na In-woo's previous work 🤔and the new Ahn Bo-Hyun 😬

Finished Like Flowers in Sand. It took me a while to get into it, but all in all the first slice-of-life drama to really grab me since Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (Samdal-ri didn't work for me, the romance side ending up irritating me as just too long and drawn-out). Fast-forwarded through alot of the earlier episodes to get to the Choi Moo-sung bits 😁 so think I'll have to rewatch at some point no-one say anything.

Want to finish off Itaewon Class and start another PSJ classic before getting in to Dr Slump.

FedUp LTNS is only on Olga's for now, right?

I think @polkettle was going to see if it was on HiTV but as far as I'm aware, yes.

A Shop for Killers (Disney+) with Lee Dong-Wook is action packed and very exciting. In spite of my slight surprise at his facial enhancement, I'm enjoying the fight scenes. I think he shaved his jaw and rounded his chin, so his face is softer and more youthful. I wonder if that young YouTuber calling him old to his face is behind it all?

Bonjour Chingus! Just popping on to say MMH is so so so good! Perfect wish fulfilment revenge fantasy and PMY is so good in it. Also loving Twinkling Watermelon.

Saw a trailer for Song Joong-ki's new Netflix film, but it didn't have English subs. Amy ideas what that's about?

Is that the one where he's an NK defector? I saw a trailer for it today on instagram.

@Dragonrock you need to lean into kimchi baek. It’s non-spicy kimchi. Our local Korean-Japanese store sells this brand’s and it’s good - crunchy and tingly sour withourmt blowing your head off. https://starrymart.co.uk/jongga-premium-kimchi-white-kimchi-baek-kimchi-500g.html

@boatyardblues ohhh thanks, always prefer a recommendation. Hitting up the Chinese supermarket at the weekend to stock up for New Year, so will look for it. Got to start the cleaning tomorrow, as a bit late with the decorations this year, wish me luck.

Pressed send to fast @Saram13 , you're cooking sounds impressive. That kimchi bokekum bap #as well as the and tofu sounds right up my street!

@Dragonrock The recipes I use are all super easy and taken from Joanne Lee Molinaro's The Korean Vegan. Stews approved of by real meat-eating Koreans 😁so I assume the flavours are at least fairly authentic.

@Andante57 I've not been learning very long, just since late last year. I'm quite enjoying learning online as it means I can just do a bit when I want to. Though I also seem to forget something for every new phrase or word I learn!

Hello @ScarlettSunset , welcome!

Re Korean cooking/foods, I cannot stand mixing the ingredients as in bibimbap. I always think it reminds me of vomit...yet I will happily eat Indonesian/Chinese fried rice, pilaf, peleau etc 🤔

I cook quite a bit of Korean food, like Saram I love a kimchi bokkeum bap - I WFH 3 days a week and 2 of them I have the house to myself so often take the time to make a delicious rice - based lunch. I have a book called Simply Korean which is as it sounds - focus on banchan and classic dishes.

I am lucky as well that living in Sydney there are a huge amount of Korean restaurants, supermarkets, and multiple Korean neighbourhoods. I meant to report that we found a place specialising in Korean style Chinese food so all of the cravings I was having for tangsuyuk and jjajangmyeon when I watched Wok Of Love could finally be satisfied!

I'm ethnically half-Korean though 3rd generation diasporic and my strongest cultural connection by far is food. And an elaborate skincare routine (it's not vanity, it's ✨heritage✨). My Korean language skills put the rude in rudimentary, though fortunately(?) I'm visibly 'mixed' looking so don't get hectored by random arsehole ahjussis on the street for poor grammar/pronunciation the way my 100% ethnically Korean cousins do.

Funny about your aversion to bibimbap Miggs! My Korean grandpa had some kind of compulsion to mix EVERYTHING before he ate it and was meh about anything unmixable (whether mandu, sushi, or pizza). Drove my grandmother mad and she always claimed it was a Northern provincial thing (her side were Seoulites) 😅

"It's not vanity it's heritage" is brilliant Maldo and I must try and find my own applications for it 😂
I like the crazykoreancooking account on Instagram where Korean parents now living in Canada turn every meal into ssam regardless of suitability.

Started another slightly older drama so I have something to watch while waiting for new MMH.

Legend of the Blue Sea has been on my list for so long so have just started it. Thoughts so far (2 episodes in) - Jun-Ji Hyun is absolutely hilarious. Physical comedy ✔️ hilarious facial expressions ✔️ somehow got through almost 2 episodes with no lines at all and stole the show.

Also, I have never watched anything with Lee Min Ho in it before, have only seen pictures (a lot from BoF days) so didn't really get it but now...I definitely do.

AmVa I loved The Legend of the Blue Sea and in March a series called Queen of Tears is coming out written by the same screenwriter Park Ji Eun (also My Love from the Star and CLOY).
Shin Hye sun is excellent in it too.
Talking of Shin Hye Sun, we watched episode 4 of Weclome to Samdal-ri and there were more prolonged and repetitive drunken scenes. Does this happen throughout the series? It’s a pity as there’s a fantastic cast. In this drama Ji Chang Wook reminds me of his role in Lovestruck in the City.

Andante yes, I am looking forward to Queen of Tears! I don't know why it's taken me so long to get to LOTBS since I loved CLOY and quite enjoyed MLFTS as well.

My first exposure to the world of kdramas was when MLFTS was airing and I was working in international sales for a publishing house. The ML (who is an alien for anyone who hasn't seen it) repeatedly reads a book called The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane which teaches him about the concept of love. Our sales of the book to Korea and China went through the roof overnight. Took a few days to get an explanation from a customer in Korea and in the meantime were receiving orders for thousands upon thousands of copies of this book.

Oh, and agreed I got Lovestruck in the City vibes from JCW in Samdal-ri as well. He plays lovelorn so well.

Took a few days to get an explanation from a customer in Korea and in the meantime were receiving orders for thousands upon thousands of copies of this book.

AmVa Were they copies in English or were they translated into Korean and Chinese?

It was both - I was in the team selling English language copies abroad, but our foreign rights team also had increased sales of the books too!

Just looked and the book sales get a mention on the MLFTS Wikipedia page 😄

I must get round to reading that book one day.