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!

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.

Saram can you hold a conversation? This is where I find real difficulty. Seonsaengnim asks me a question in Korean and I take so long puzzling out what a few words mean that it makes speaking very difficult. It’s partly because of the sentence order.
My writing and translating aren’t too bad.

Have to say Andante57 that is awfully impressive. How long have you been learning?

Dragonrock - thank you!
Ive been learning for two years with the most delightful, patient teacher.
However, when I say my writing and translating aren’t too bad, that’s at a pretty basic level - I won’t be writing subtitles for dramas any time soon.
I need to improve my vocab but it drains from my brain like soup through a sieve.
I’d like to try more conversation practice but my interlocutor would need the patience of a saint.

Andante hmmmm hold a conversation.... when I was in Korea and in situations where there was no other option than to communicate in Korean, I seemed to manage it. (OK, I could have used a translation app, but preferred to do it myself wherever possible.) But at a verrrrrry basic level indeed, and very slowly. Using gestures etc. as well 😂 (picture Lionel Blair on Give Us A Clue). And, no doubt, with countless silly mistakes, and constantly re-starting and re-ordering sentences because of the pesky grammar. People were very accommodating and encouraging, which helped.

The problem is, if I know someone can speak English I'll resort to that out of frustration. So always revert to English with my Korean friends. And then I don't make any progress.

Vocab is my nemesis too. So much so that I've started using flash cards to try and remember stuff, as it just doesn't stick. And yes, my poor teacher is often faced with me looking at her blankly when she asks a simple question. I passed my latest exam but scored very poorly on listening, and pretty badly on speaking. Like you, I'm best in reading/writing. After two years of study arrrrghhhh why is it still so bad?! [weeps]

Lee Min Ho is wearing a large variety of what can only be described as blouses in LOTBS 🧐

I'm back watching after a year or so sabbatical. I've broken the seal with MMH and it is truely fabulous.

I also adored Crash Landings and need a series while I wait for episodes of MMH to land.

What have I missed in my break that is equally fab - I watched the first episode of Welcome to Samdal-ri last night but it's not me - I just found all the island stuff annoying!

I was still unmoved by Lee Min Ho in LOTBS, flouncy blouses or no. I can see he’s got a well balanced symmetrical face, he’s optimum oppa height and he stays in shape but not a flicker. I’d be gutted to be stranded on a desert island with him. He’s the coffee Revel of oppadom.

Lee Min Ho doesn't do it for me either. I'm still salty about Heirs, where - admittedly toxic nightmare asshole - Choi Young-do was so infinitely superior to boring whiner Kim Tan 🤣

In any case, I know whose motorcycle I'd rather ride on.

On further reflection, I think it might be the con man with a heart of gold rather than LMH himself that I'm loving.

Hi Dorsetlover. Depends what you like best but maybe Business Proposal or Love to Hate you would suit? Both pacy and funny romances.

Saram you sound very similar to me. I wonder where we’ll be after a further two years!
Flash cards are a good idea. On Instagram there are often phrases and grammar explanations and I screenshot those.
As you said, in Korea everyone was encouraging and the hotel receptionist said they’d never had a British guest even attempt to speak a few words in Korean.

He’s the coffee Revel of oppadom. Love it, Boaty!

Let's Talk About CHU. Netflix. (NSFW)

Trust me.

One where you need your finger on the remote to go back to the menu if you have teens ambling around the house, for sure FedUp. It is bracingly frank and also very funny. The Dad’s Bluetooth mishap made me laugh.

The rich boy FWB also looks to be catching feelings, which will make a nice change from STDs. 😉 I’ve watched the first 2 episodes.

I'm fascinated by the gay brother and the gangster. There's sparks afoot!

I'm SO watching this this afternoon 🤣

I agree. The gangster slapping the waitresses asses felt very much like a man keeping up appearances. Henry needs to be binned off pronto.

Thanks for the heads up FedUp. I was going to give that one a look. I'll bookmark it for later.

I sat down peckish to watch Dr Slump and got trapped on the sofa by my lap cat. I now really want a Fighting!! cake and slap up Korean dinner with banchan. 😍

This is so good!

Definitely sparks with gay brother + gangster. Rich boy FWB and Streamer Girl are so obviously into each other but too emotionally constipated to realise it. FWB actor is v good looking,I'm going to look up what else he has been in 😁

While you were snuggling with your lap cat and enjoying Dr Slump Boaty my not-quite-a-lap cat has been staring menacingly at me from the dining table until I give in and play string game with her.

👋 to all fellow cooks. I started with a few internet recipes but really got into it after being given this lady's book as a present. Most of our lunches and at least two evening dinners are Korean/asian and I have an unhealthy addiction to pickled radish!

I'm in Wales, so have to order ingredients and pre-packaged goods from an online Korean supermarket and then ration myself. I like the cut kimchi from the 'white' kimchi brand linked to earlier and makgeolli is now my go-to weekend alcoholic drink, since the menopause robbed me of beer and wine. It costs the same as a bottle of wine so, as long as I make it last the same length of time, I can justify it to myself 😄

Moved by @AmVa's eloquence on the subject, I had another go at Coffee Prince. I gave it the 3 episode acid test, still couldn't see what the fuss was about, but ploughed bravely on into episodes 4 and 5, where there seemed to be a surprising number of wet or missing shirts and the penny dropped 😆

I'm now on episode 11 and (aside from the poor boys in danger of catching their death) I've noticed:

• Lots of arm grabbing, shoving about and enforced hugging (2007).
• Some very random scenes ('boot finger puppets up the nose' and 'guess the names of the instruments in the band' spring first to mind).
• How 'normal' the actors look, with fewer straightened and whitened teeth.
• ML's hair - wig or real?

DH and I are coming to the end of Tale of the Nine-Tailed (which is as good as was promised and more) so I'm tempted by MMH next. He's just finished Prison Playbook and is starting Suspicious Partner. Dr Slump has been parked for now so that I can binge after Coffee Prince.

Work is difficult at the momentand I think that it's only the escapism into all these other lives/worlds that are keeping me sane! 🤪

Agree about the escapism Punks. There's a lot of warmth and humour in kdramas, as well as the fantasy MLs, which is why I like it, so much less cynical and grim than a lot of US and UK TV these days.

I watched Badland Hunters with DH last night. It's an enjoyable enough action flick with Don Lee. More one for the boys, though, I would say.

Meanwhile I've watched most of the first 3 episodes of Let's Talk About CHU and I'm really enjoying it. I like the way it explores different relationships at different stages of life. It's like an X-rated Forecasting Love and Weather.

@PunksVersusBrats you've caught me, the shirtless Gong Yoo was definitely part of the appeal 🤣

Yes - definitely a lot of arm grabbing going on and as I mentioned there is one pretty terrible scene about 2/3 of the way through.

And also yes - the characters feel a lot more real I think than some of the perfect, airbrushed currently airing drama leads. You can actually see they have imperfect skin / stubble / pores. I did miss the amazing fashion that you get in current dramas though.