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!

Having not been on the thread in a week, and having found everyone not so keen on MMH, yesterday was probably not the best day to start it! 😂 Such a sad and tragic premise, but now enjoying it five episodes in since the terminal illness/domestic violence/murder has been toned down.

Enjoyed tonight's Doctor Slump but a little baffled as to what it will be about now?!

@PunksVersusBrats fellow Welsh speaker here! Korean on Duolingo is challenging as you point out because none of the rules are explained. @Saram13 in awe of your continued learning, having given up after one term and promptly forgotten almost everything 🫣

Popping on to say I'm enjoying Dr Slump so much - I'm on episode 6. PHS is so perfect for this - I haven't liked him so much for ages.
Before this ds2 and I binged 4 episodes of The Untamed - still only a third of the way through,but going strong 💪

What is it about assassin attire that makes an attractive Korean actor at least 50% more attractive? Lee Jong Won needs to ditch his palace official’s uniform for ninja garb permanently. I’m also enjoying his character’s love sick moping about FL’s circumstances enjoyable. I’m not sure how the writers will square that circle. (Knight Flower)

From what I understand of the Duolingo method (approx 500 day streak under my belt) is that is teaches you a language the way a child would learn / you would learn from immersing yourself in the language. We don't teach kids grammar when they learn to speak, they just learn by continuous exposure etc. Since I am an adult with a less malleable brain than a baby I don't expect to learn things like 12 kinds of verbs from duo, however I am enjoying it while I wait for a time in my life when I can do actual classes. Currently work full time and have a 3 year old so... It isn't right now. I also know that it won't just be an hour a week, you have to work at it in between!

I do really enjoy learning languages, it is something I have always liked, so wouldn't do all this just for the sake of being able to sing along with BTS songs / knit while I watch kdrama 😅

This needed a separate post to my language thoughts above - have just finished Legend of the Blue Sea and I absolutely loved it. Feel like it gets less hype than both MLFTS and CLOY but it was just so fantastic. Liked it so much more than MLFTS, maybe partly because Kim Soo Hyun leaves me a bit cold. I remember reading he was the highest paid actor in Korea and I was a bit 'him??'

Great villains, great morally grey characters, great romance, great bromances, whole supporting cast really felt like well rounded characters. I don't think I will have a lasting Lee Min Ho obsession on the cards, but him as Heo Joon Jae was 🤌 perfect. I said up the thread - the conman with a heart of gold character was so swoony. And Jun Ji Hyun was hilarious and amazing.

AmVa Your enthusiasm for Legend of the Blue Sea has convinced me to give it a try. So far I'd say it's more similar to MLFTS than CLOY. I'm definitely enjoying Jun Ji-hyun more in this than MLFTS in which her character was a bit irritating. As for Kim Soo-hyun's popularity I think it might have something to do with Moon Embracing the Sun which was a very popular show on terrestrial TV (and excellent for swordfighting and assassins if you like that kind of thing like me). I also like Lee Min-ho better in this than in other roles but that might be because there isn't a 2ML like Kim Woo-bin or Woo Do-hwan to distract me.

Agreed, I found JJH quite annoying in MLFTS, but she is so good at clowning around in LOTBS so that won me over. Definitely more like MLFTS than CLOY but a much more satisfying watch.

Every time I think about Kim Soo-hyun I feel annoyed about the end of Dream High 🤣
"Who? Him?" was my reaction exactly AmVa.

ALWAYS a fan of sexy assassins over here 👍 Kim Jae-young in 100 Days My Prince is one of my favourites 🙂

Duo Lingo users - my ds (age 12) wants to learn Japanese, do you think something like duo lingo would be a good way for him to dip his toe in? I'm guessing his brain is still nice and malleable.....

Team 'more enraptured by @Saram13 's disquisition on Korean grammar than any of Kim Soo-Hyun's performances'. I still count MLFTS among my faves because I was living in China while it aired and got to fully participate in the phenomenon. The frenzy to find THAT neon lipstick. The run on chimaek! The public transport fisticuffs over streaming spoilers! Also, obnoxious vapid starlet Jung Ji-Hyun is theeeeeeeee best JJH, so even don't @ me @amva. 😉This is the dilemma now with LOTBS though... while KSH is wooden but acceptable as set-dressing, Lee Min-NO actively sets my teeth on edge.

I'm also conflicted because MLFTS was scheduled against (i.e. drowned) one of my underdog, understated, grown-up romance favourites, Miss Korea. Must-watch for fans of Lee Sung-Kyun (also features Lee Mi-Sook and Lee Sung-Min on top form) and FL's dad is played by the heart-scribbling dad from MMH too.

Queen of Tears is going to be Proper Event Telly. He gives good snog in IOTNBO at least.
Must check out Miss Korea!

Ooo yes I want to watch Queen of Tears!
Haven't seen Miss Korea - it's going on the list....

TheLoup I promise I'll try not to aggravate any ajussis 😁

AmVa oooooh I've added LOTBS to my Viki watch list (so might get round to it in about 2026). I was seriously obsessed with Miranda (Glynis Johns and Rex Harrison) as a kid - do like a good mermaid 👌

A 500-day run with Duolingo is DAEBAK. Fantastic! I have several classmates who are using Duolingo in addition to our course. I'm sure when you do get the time to do that course you'll smash it because you'll have all that vocab, and so much more, already under your belt. @sakura06 and @maldoandwae hail fellow grammar lovers! 🙌 The course is 3 hours every weekend (with breaks at the same time as 'regular' university breaks - working out as two 4.5-month courses each year). They say allow for two hours of homework a week, but I'm slow so I think six is more realistic. If you add that to the free-standing conversation I do (which also has homework), I spend the equivalent of 1-2 working days a week on Korean 😳 I don't work full-time, otherwise it would be impossible. Frankly, I think I'm spending more time on this than I did on learning my second language at university 💀

Queen of Tears indeed looks very promising.

I'm on episode 6 of A Killer Paradox, loving it.

Started The Bequeathed with DH yesterday, braced for randomness following your reviews and comments but enjoying Park Hee-soon and Ryu Kyung-soo 😍

I know the bar for communication is low in K-drama, but one of the things I really like about Dr Slump (apart from PHS in adorable mode) is how open and honest the two leads are with each other - their communication is good and their friendship means that you actually believe there is a reason they like each other beyond both being attractive and single (I could give side-eyes to a few dramas in that regard)

Enjoying Dr Slump as well but I'm beginning to be rather concerned by the amount of medication and alcohol mixing going on! 😟

💯 can't wait for this. A decent looking romcom after the crushing disappointment of MMH.

TheLoup I agree about Doctor Slump! Great couple.

FedUp 'crushing disappointment' 😬 Wishing I hadn't started it now 🫣

That's brilliant commitment on the Korean Saram! I found the homework a little too full on when I did the beginner's course in 2021. I am also part time and was spending a whole day on Korean.

swooning over Teo Yoo's shy smile on the Bafta red carpet. I don't suppose he'll win but he is lovely.

@sakura06 I am still loving MMH! Unless the last week is totally off the wall, I will be a scoring it quite high!

Thanks for the chorus of agreement on Kim Soo Hyun's '...him?' like aura 😁

Thanks @AmVa - good to know!

Captivating the King is great on so many levels. This week I was astounded by the scene making, and photography and acting intensity. I feel this will be the year's outstanding drama for me as it leaves me thinking about so much more than what is shown onscreen. I calm down afterwards with Knight Flower. I'm like the indulgent aunty, watching the m/f leads falling in love. Lee Ha-nee is a female Ok Taecyeon.

I liked LOTDBS - it was one of my first kdramas, and MLFTS too.

Boaty, I've been a fan of ninjas since I was introduced to martial arts/action movies from Hong Kong as a teen, so naturally I'm with you on the hot ninja transformation of Lee Jong Won.

I feel like I need to see Lee Jong Won in action in modern clothes to see if he is equally dashing and chiselled in all eras. He has a lovely smile, not that you see much of it Knight Flower. 😄

IT IS SO TENSE Migs. Chew my nails.off watching but brilliantly plotted. Still have no idea of the end.

Hello hello
Belated Happy Lunar New Year 🐉

I am hosting these days - trying to be filial DIL.
Between work & hosting, I haven’t got a single minute to catch-up on any dramas.

But that means I have 5 episodes of MMH. I am also enjoying side characters rather then FL & ML - even baddie friend’s acting is making us hate her so much. But what’s with her lower lip? I can’t unseen it, it is so distracting.
I feel there is no chemistry between the main leads (unless it improves after ep11). ML is acting very angsty unless that’s part of his character.

I also added Snowstorm of Love on watch list, seems like very low key & slow paced watch. C dramas have significantly improved in a last year or so.