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!

I was discussing scoring mixed quality drama with the fam over dinner last night. DS said a drama that ends poorly should be marked down, arguing it didn’t reward you for the time you invested.

I’ve been listening to the Afternoona Delight podcast about sexy/not sexy kdramas. MMH got a mention. Na In Woo was referred to as ‘the redwood’. 😆

boaty - I'm* *dying at 'the redwood' - I've got that one to listen to today while I do my shopping 😁

AmVa that cardigan!!! Honestly, with the shirt and tie under it? No young man in his 30's would willingly wear that surely? Let alone look good. Maybe J Hope could manage it 🤣 that dinner party looked like minus-craic even without the pastel knitwear and suits. At least Boa was enjoying herself in her fancy hotel plotting and eating steaks!

I'm still back on ep8 of MMH, so have just had to skip about the last 3 pages. I'm also trying to avoid Captivating the King spoilers so this thread has become a bit of a land mine for me lately 😁

Re endings, I've yet to come across a kdrama that has reached the perfection of Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes but some of them do end pretty strongly, like Alchemy of Souls, so I agree with marking down those which don't. There's just no excuse for poor endings. Weird postscripts, on the other hand, like in Duty After School and Descendants of the Sun leave me a little stumped as I feel there's cultural differences at play and don't want to judge kdramas by western standards iyswim.

I also saw someone on instagram saying that ML / FL went from dodging their fates to actually plotting murder in a way that is kind of glossed over... which true but, shhhhh

I agree with this, I was a little dubious about how they actively pushed the playing out of fates being pushed on to other people. Felt a little unsavoury somehow

Yes I agree with this too - it was unsavoury - like this makes you no better than the "bad guys".
That wasn't how it played out in the webtoon - it was more that their own decisions and selfishness caused their downfall, if I remember correctly.

boaty that podcast was hilarious. I burst out laughing in sainsburys when they were speculating about Na In-woo perhaps practicing his kissing on an apple 🤣 I think they are still on the good bit of MMH from the sound of things.

Love for Love's Sake got a mention as well ( a really good K BL that has just finished airing on iQiyi)

I agree. A bad ending can take a solid 8 to a 6.

You know my feelings on this matter <gavel>

I was thinking this too. I was thinking it maybe gets away ( or thinks it gets away with it) with it because it's timeywimey/cartoonish??

DH has worked away this week and I've had a few days off so I've watched all of A Killer Paradox which was a bit stressful to start with but I relaxed into the murder as it went on 😅. And now I've started Dr Slump and laughed when I saw the uncle is the same actor who was the nice older police detective from KP. Love an overlapping actor!

He's also nasty doctor man in Gyongsong Creature!

Busy man...

I didn't notice that one! V busy man!

I've just started Queen of Divorce (Olga's) and it will be a very satisfying revenge drama. Horrible MIL; cheating DH; lawyers everywhere. Everything I like. 😁

Thoroughly enjoying the high octane nonsense of episode 5 of First Responders. "Those aren't the teeth of an ex-convict" says the baddy unmasking the undercover goody. Park Yer Bum would get nowhere if he turned to crime.

He could probably pull off white collar crime or a evangelical pastor fundraising scam Pol. His gleaming gnasher wholesomeness would be a positive asset for the latter.

Good point. He'd be ideal for doorstepping the elderly. The BASTARD.

Oh my God. An evangelical pastor. I’ll go and sit quietly on the pedant naughty step to repent.

I only came in to say the fading queen in Captivating the King is giving a star turn. I’ve never seen anyone sweat and wilt with such dramatic force before. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Na In Woo gives off good Catholic boy vibes. I think he only survived Colin PMY’s draining for as long as he did because of his superior mass/volume. Dainty Park Yer Bum would have been a husk by episode 4 and Im Siwan by episode 2.

I noticed this too! I don't think I've ever seen him in anything before, now he's been in 4 of my most recent dramas (The Bequeathed being the 4th)

Hello everyone, I haven't been on the thread for ages, I tried to read all the posts I had missed but there were too many of them, you chatty lot!

I'm disappointed to hear the ending of MMH is pants, I haven't started it yet, and I'm not sure I'm going to bother now 🙄

I'm currently enjoying Doctor Slump and Killer Paradox and my most favourite show of all, the epic Six Flying Dragons. Did you start it in the end @TheLoupGarou?

Bogummy is prime old lady fodder - You'd pop round to your gran's and he's already be there, sitting round the table having a cup of tea, passing out evangelical leaflets. Fact.

rowdy I started Six Flying Dragons - i really liked it but got distracted by epic wuxia bl bromances The Untamed and Word of Honor 😁 I will definitely go back to it though, think i was 2 or 3 eps in - where are you up to? I'll try and catch up!🫡

My DD absolutely loves The Untamed, I should probably give it a go myself!

Oo definitely watch it rowdy! I* *think Wei Ying/Wei Wuxian/The Yiling Patriarch is one of my favourite fictional characters ever. The manhua is on bato too....

Argh. Somehow I’ve managed to sit through the first episode of Flex x Cop on Disney+. Ahn Bo Hyun’s feckless chaebol party animal is so annoying I’m close to grinding my teeth to stumps. I expect the story arc will be him knuckling down, doing a decent job and turning out to be a decent human being but. I. Just. Can’t. He’s such a peacock. His insta suggests this role isn’t much of a stretch. I saw the Aussie phrase ‘FIGJAM’ (fuck I’m good, just ask me) somewhere on MN. That’s Ahn Bo Hyun. It’s a crying shame. Yes ABH, you are crushing those abs and you are in my favourite oppa height range but optics aren’t everything.

Fortunately ABH doesn't make me grind my teeth - still staring daggers at you Kim Ji-hoon 😡
-but I don't want it to get serious boaty. I want the continued silliness of ABH using his chaebol money to fund expensive services/toys in his "play" job as a cop. He is supposed to be a lawyer but doesn't seem to know too much about the law. As I said, it's a mystery why I am entertained by this show. It might be because I like the FL?

Up to ep 8 of Queen of Divorce and it's a mindless, easy to ff, housework avoiding, 6, so can't recommend so far. Been there, done that, plots and characters with actors like Kang Ki Young and Kim Sun Young being underused in it. Cartoon villains.
I might be taking one for the team with this one!

The attractiveness of the rest of that violent crimes squad is above average and the female boss was impressive. Does ABH become less grating? I want to like the show but ABH is a big hurdle.

I remain gripped by CtK which has me gasping at new twisty plotty every episode but I also think you can really tell this series was written by a man! The female characters are definitely less well developed. I was thinking the FL was a bit wooden but I think it's what she's been given and the dowager queen (who is good but I'm really struggling with her motivation given Crown Prince is her genetic grandson) sweet sweaty queen and mardy court lady are all similarly underwritten.