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!

dragon fingers crossed your twins get the courses/unis they want! Sounds stressful!

TheLoupGarou - hit the nail on the head for me. I like a twinkle in the eye and a person who does not take themselves too seriously. Also, not sure how to express it but to me he is a bit like Na In-woo and dare I say it Lee Min-Ho, just a bit too tall, long in the face and seem to not able to move that that fast? Mind you Hyun Bin is not that much shorter than them and he is 😘and as you say Ok Taec-yeon comes across as a cutie (who seems able to move v fast). So maybe it just comes down to me what I find attractive?

I'm chuckling at the thought of the tall oppas lumbering around slowly in a tree-like fashion 🤣 recent evidence to submit from the 2pm 15 year anniversary concert showing Taecyeon can still do a mean backflip and is thus not slow moving (whilst still being tall enough to piggy-back me home from the bar after too much soju....)

Exhibit A
Backflip

Dragonrock and The Loup YES to lumbering, tree-like oppas losing hotness points 😁. I think you've put your collective fingers on why tall men (even if willowy) do not light my fire. (Choi Moo-sung is forgiven as also a little wider, so clearly balances out the tallness). On the other hand, valid point TheLoup - any waif-like short man who tried to transport me home after one too many somaeks would probably be crippled for life.

All being well I will be in Seoul for a Korean friend's wedding next month (like last year, I won't believe it till I'm actually there). Never expected to be back so soon, but I've grabbed the unexpected opportunity and am running with it. And I've booked to go to an Ahn Bo-hyun fanmeet event 😂 🙌 oh yes 😂 with another Korean friend. Out of sheer curiosity. When I saw it was on I couldn't resist 😁. I will be reporting back on speed, ego and lumbering score 🤔

I haven't yet seen Military Prosecutor Doberman, but it's on the list! And will give Yumi's Cells a whirl 👌

TheLoupGarou - oh yeah to that Tik Tok, any man that can do that at his height and smile, is v impressive in my book! Think it solves my problem of what to watch next as well, and heading back in time to Secret Royal Inspector. As to willowy male leads, yeah they'd struggle to carry me. When I did judo I often ended up fighting the chaps, as I am pretty solid, but more of than not beat them as they underestimated my smiling face! Saram13 - had to google Choi Moo-sung - but do agree, also he is another that often has a twinkle in his eye. As to the wedding in Korea and then the ABH fan meet, can I just say, well excuse me! 😎A real fan meet, can't wait to hear all about it. I see many confused posts form people who drive past the Spurs training ground and see Son Heung-min spending hours with fans. I have to stop myself informing them about fan meet etiquette

I really enjoyed Yumis Cells but heads up Saram because its based on observational webtoon I think it works best dipped into in chunks episodic style rather than binged through.

I'd definitely recommend reading the Webtoon of Yumi's Cells Saram, it was one I couldn't wait to read every day and felt sad once it was over. I haven't watched series 2 though despite, loving Kim Go Eun and the Webtoon.😬 I should remedy that!

pol and Rowdy thanks for the Yumi's heads up chingus.

Dragonrock my Korean friends reckon I may get special treatment 🤔😁 being clearly foreign. Personally I think it will be teeming with foreign (Asian, non-Korean) ahjummas. So I don't think I'll be all that special. Very very curious about the demographic. Whether people bring presents. Whether there is screaming? Cheesy theme music? Q&A session? Translation for foreign audience? Heavy security presence? There will be about 400 punters, so not a massive event. I'm invested in the sense I'm glad I'm going and happy to cough up the cash to do so. But not invested in the sense of enormous crush on ABH. Feel I ought to get the viewing in before I go though, so as not to feel a fraud 😁

I’m hoping you can wangle a photo with ABH Saram. 😄

I'm not 😁 can't think of many things worse than being photographed next to a Korean model, male or female 😂 🤡 Besides, the venue specifies no photos during the event or with the talent. So I think I'm safe. They say the audience might be filmed though 😱thank God I'll be a fair way back 😂

Saram I can only hope he sings.....

TheLoup oh my God he probably will! He did a song on the See You In My Ninenteenth Life soundtrack. Which was good, in the context of the drama.

Which reminds me - boaty, I'm also making a concerted effort to listen to the Korea Deconstructed podcast. Am currently on the Korean Generations episode, with the impressively named Dr Robert J Fouser. So interesting. What I like is that the interviews almost always touch on other random subjects adjacent to the main theme. So while this one is looking at what defines different generations in Korea, they've just talked about the musicality of Koreans (everyone can and does sing). This is something that really struck me too - music is everywhere there. From insanely talented street musicians, to lively jingles accompanying every public service announcement and metro arrival (with different 'tunes' in different cities). And, often, in the public toilets (in Daegu there was even a little machine in the cubicle you could press to mask any noise you might make yourself 👌). Fabulous!

South Korea ‘faces extinction’ after birth rate falls sharply again.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/c73fd26f-3c1f-4c0d-8179-98c84943dc96?shareToken=73698c8aef0652a9a68b2e36652eee9d

Worrying trend. 🙁

This was on the 6 o'clock news last night. Not sure how they are going to improve things when the government seems so out of touch with why women are choosing not to have children

Seeing the same in China - https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/women-and-girls/china-fertility-crisis-women-rejecting-motherhood/ - for the same reasons. It's not rocket science, is it? Across the world, well in most advanced economies we face the same issues...need to wrestle power away from men and reset the system...not sure how we make time to do that though when we have to earn money and do the heavy lifting of family admin etc.

I have v little to contribute to the topical discussions but the trainee/junior doctors' strike/crisis in SK is giving Dr Slump a bit more weight. Currently up to Ep 5 and already over the silly murder/spycam shenanigans when they could have gone in more of a social commentary direction.

While Taiwan also has a very low and falling birthrate, Ep 1 of Let's Talk about Chu was a RIOT. TW dramas generally make me feel terrible about my Mandarin listening skills but this was worth it. And glad to see Chu's FWB also needed a ✊ translation for the mum's Minnan (or Hokkien?) speech.

Thank you for the recommendation @FedUpWithBriiiiick and also for the v. different Sign of Affection anime, where the art is so pretty it's compensating for the annoyingness of both ML and 2ML.

Scotland has been experiencing a falling birthrate for almost fifteen years. The 2021 replacement rate of 1.31 is actually an increase on the previous year's 1.29 figure.
We have equality legislation; free education, including university; social housing; social security payments etc so why are we still in this position? Years ago, the gov't toyed with immigration as a possible answer, but neither the problem nor the possible solutions are that simple and I would imagine that many Asian countries would be reluctant to dilute their gene pool/cultural identity with foreigner baby makers.

I see China as being best placed to stop their population fall - through handmaid authoritarian methods. It helps when your gov't doesn't give a toss about what the rest of the world thinks.

Enjoyed first episode of Wedding Impossible. Sparky FL and stronger set up than the manhwa. Plus Brian!

Ah Brian, happy memories! I'm tempted, although it looks pretty silly. Need to finish LOTBS first, though.

Morning all.
A quick question: one of you chingus posted an interesting link to a young Korean man who explains some cultural aspects of Korea which the subtitles don’t always make clear - but I can’t find it. (Maybe I saw it elsewhere - my memory is terrible!).

We are watching Healer - a rewatch for me as I selfishly watched it once when dh was away for work for a couple of weeks.
I’d forgotten how brilliant it is and if any of the gang on here haven’t seen it then I highly recommend.

@Andante57 it's this guy on insta:
https://www.instagram.com/kenjikundesu?igsh=MW9ueXI0Z2xhZXJnag==

I haven't actually watched any of them yet but they do seem interesting!

AmVa - thank you so much! I’m looking forward to getting stuck in to that.
A Korean friend of mine says one of the major errors in subtitles is not distinguishing between the different levels if formality. However as English doesn’t really have that then I’m not sure what they could do to translate it better.

I’m in too. I wasn’t sure about the FL but by the end of ep 2 I’m all in. The love/hate vibe with the successor’s scheming younger brother is 👌. They have great chemistry.