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!

TheLoup I'm not sure whether to encourage you to watch Six Flying Dragons or not as it's definitely a bit of a commitment time-wise but I'd love to know what you think of it if you do. There are so many fascinating insights into Korean history and cultural identity in it.

Gosh I'm late to the new thread! Thanks @boatyardblues and I will attempt to start the new spreadsheet so we can start scoring.

I quite like the idea of genre scoring because I felt romance missed out this year - the most watched drama this year was Crash Course in Romance with 12 viewers, King The Land with 11 and Love To Hate You with 10 - all romances so that is the genre with most viewers - and Love To Hate You had the highest score for romance with 7.95 but didn't feature in the top 5 and wouldn't have in the top 10 either.

The 2024 spreadsheet is open for business! I've left Like Flowers in the Sand on there, as although strictly speaking it is 2023 I don't think it has finished airing yet

Thanks bettys! I have entered my first score 🫡

I really liked Love To Hate You, I'm surprised it wouldn't have made 2023 top 10!

Found the new thread! Thank you Boaty and Bettys for the new thread and spread sheet calculations 🌟

I'm loving the Coffee Prince chat, reading @AmVa's analysis of it bought it all flooding back to me, I need a rewatch. I think current PDnims need to have a look at some classic shows and go back to the drawing board and being us characters and a plot that captures our hearts.

TheLoup I'm up for diving into Six Flying Dragons if you are 🤜🏻

I tried Love to Hate You but didn't like it and gave up after a couple of episodes. Should I try again?

Horses for courses @mrsfeatherbottom I usually give things 2-3 episodes to get going, but if you don't like it by then it's fair to say it's just not your bag? I like Teo Yoo and Kim Ji-hoon so I probably would have been happy enough watching no matter what 🤣

Ooo Rowdy shall we?? I might dive in tomorrow and report back?* *

I really liked Love To Hate You, I'm surprised it wouldn't have made 2023 top 10!

Loup, the problem with LTHY was that the 2nd couple stole the show. Amendment - Kim Ji-hoon's visuals hair stole the show! I enjoyed it, but just liked other shows better.

Finished The Bequeathed (Netflix) and hurray, no filler!
Currently watching MMH💪, Night Flower 💖, Like Flowers in Sand😍, My Happy Ending 😔and waiting for more episodes to drop before I start Captivating the King and Love Song for Illusion. Because I now watch several shows at the same time, I'm more willing to drop a show that is not holding my interest by ep5/6.
I'm also getting annoyed at shows that really end in ep15, then use ep16 as a drawn out recap with a tiny bit of new content.😤

At the end of the year, if you google "all kdramas in 2024" you will get a list to help you remember which ones you watched.

Now off to finish Saltburn.

Hope you enjoyed the end of Saltburn Migs...
I think the more people who watch and score something, the more likely it is that the score will drop down somewhat. We could also have "most watched" shows 🤔 But whatevs!

Say what you like about a Korean baddy TheLoup and Punks - their commitment to paperwork is admirable. Not to mention their black baseball cap and hoodie uniform handily indicating their "up to no good" status to passers by

Oh yes,@polkettle, complete with the 'just in case you haven't got the message' black face mask.

Which reminds me, it might be time for a Healer re-watch too 😜

I know that I watched Love To Hate You and think that I enjoyed it but I can't remember a single thing about it other than the friend is the coma man in Flower of Evil 🤔

@AmVa we didn't watch any of the top scoring dramas either 🫣 Nor did we score any of the dramas this year. We have been terrible K drama fans.

@boatyardblues it is indeed DH who is in love with Park Shin-Hye. There is much excitement in this household about 'Doctor Slump'.

We're currently finishing 'Call It Love' which has been so lovely in terms of pacing. I think 'My Demon' has probably been abandoned but I'm tempted by the fast forwarding strategy...

Haha punks I love Healer - he can do NO WRONG in my eyes, but even I admit that in his work outfit, parkouring across the rooftops, he kind of sticks out like a sore thumb 🤣 * *

Hey hey there are some amazing leather jackets in Healer.

Just started MMH since Samdal-ri and Demon have wrapped up. Very good after just one ep.

Sorry to keep to keep going on about CP but... Great pacing 🤣 and I guess this is just the style changing, but a lot fewer long, lingering shots where nothing happens. I felt bad but getting through the last two episodes of My Demon I was hitting the '10 seconds ahead' button every so often and was seriously missing nothing.

@TheLoupGarou I've just watched the first episode of Six Flying Dragons it's epic , I totally loved it. Even DH got hooked into it when he should have been working 🙈 So many very young familiar faces, and Chun Ho Jin is very handsome, with an excellent beard and top not. I can't wait to watch another episode later, although if I'm watching with DH, it could take most of the year to get through the 50 episodes 😂

Sometimes, when the two leads in a drama are staring into each others eyes for a minute at a time , I think to myself how excruciatingly uncomfortable it would be to do that in real life 🤣

Rowdy - I am just back from lunch with my friend and I am going in! Going to squeeze some 6 flying dragons in before the school run!

Six Flying Dragons : omo this is exactly my jam 🙌

Found you again!

Picking up from the last thread, in ye olden days (when I Can Hear Your Voice was airing) I was a lone voice in the wilderness crying out at the intrinsic ickiness of Lee Jong-Suk and was shunned! But you lot are my tribe and so glad to finally have found you! 😻 Please can I have a look at The Spreadsheet to whittle down future viewing?

Just caught up with MMH 7-8 and I'm so here for the Judo metaphor💪👉🙃PMSL at everyone underestimating just how much of a shitbag Park Minhwan is and his bright idea proposed in the supermarket stockroom scene was just 😂That actor is nailing it as is the one playing Jung Sumin, both new to me.

Over the weekend I also decided to try Death's Game, and DP ended up hooked as well. Not my usual genre, but omo the high-budget mega-starry twisty addictiveness! Even if most of the Kim Jaewook arc was watched from behind sofa cushions 😱 Just waiting for DP to get home from work so we can finish the final 2 eps, may go skip through some KJW's Coffee Prince scenes to fortify myself.... Love and totally agree with your posts on its charms @AmVa

I’ll DM the link to you @maldoandwae . Bear with me….

Haha @maldoandwae I was obviously horrified watching KJW's arc in Death's Game BUT he still looked flippin hot in that outfit with his man bun 🔥 😎

Ohhhhh lads, I've just caught up with MMH ep 8 and I have SUCH a crush on Na In-woo. Oh my god. I don't have words 🤭

I hear you Loup. He’s suddenly become 100% more attractive by being in on the game & supporting PMY’s character so admirably. It’s probably because PMY is doll-sized but he looks v tall. As you know, I’m a sucker for a tall ML (LJS excepted).

PMY and NIW looked bloody freezing in the lake. I couldn’t understand the bulky outfits initially but I reckon they had wetsuits under their clothes in that scene. AND they still looked like they were struggling.

Was anyone else agog at the workshop concept? So many hazards - the risk assessment would have run to 50 pages alone - and the overnight arrangements were ripe for a sexual harassment claim. That’s what happens when you put the intern in charge: big fun, but major liability. And breathe….

I kept thinking, if there were only flags 1-5 where did the rest of the staff sleep? Just sort of huddled together for warmth?

Also, the impracticality of PMY's 3/4 length cream woollen dress for a camping situation even for the evening party! Never mind keeping it clean, imagine the amount of dried leaves and twigs that would get stuck to it??

NIW is a fine figure of a man. He looked so good in his casual hoody and (impractical cream again) combats. He is such a green flag - totally not pushy, completely supportive and genuinely wants the best for Ji-Won.

Also bonus points to the writer-nims for all the BTS references 😁

There's a lot of glasses-wearer bashing going on in MMH 🤓🤓 maybe I need to take mine off and do a slo-mo walk through the office and everyone will crash into stuff with how beautiful I am all of a sudden.

< gasp > Amva! You're, you're..... beautiful 🌟 < drops coffee cup >

No glasses prejudice from me 😁