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!

Oh well, I must be the only one enjoying Dr Slump 😜

I’m still watching Dr Slump but I’m not entirely sure why. I do like the single parent couple with their bugs ‘n’ bras exchange system.

I'm sure others are enjoying Dr Slump rowdy! There's something for all tastes with dramas and I think rom-com is my least fav genre. I have several shows on the go, so it's easy for me to drop something when I lose interest. I went back to My Name is Loh Kiwan last night as it was a film - interesting look at NK asylum seeker in Belgium.

I'm enjoying the performances but agree that they didn't even use the whole of the back of an envelope for the plot.

typed above before finishing today's episode and... that's the second one of those this series! Point proved.

Wait, wait! Boaty did you just let slip that you've watched 50 shades of grey!!!

I watched at least one of them and, for my sins, read the books. I only finished the first book to make sure she dumped him and started the second one to make sure he stayed dumped. 🤦‍♀️ The sex was actually really dull and repetitive. I was much more excited about Christian Grey having staff who did all the laundry, shopping and cooking. I was wrangling ankle biters and nappy changes at the time. A retinue of staff would have been life-changing, the sex-pest billionaire boyfriend less so.

"I only finished the first book to make sure she dumped him and started the second one to make sure he stayed dumped." 😂

💯

It's boring.

I've sort of dropped Dr Slump for now as I found myself ffwd'ing through the boring bits. I LOVE PHS in it though - so adorable- and I'll finish it when it's all out and I can binge...

I see Cha Eun Woo's new show is out on Disney+ - dh has bloody cancelled our subscription just as new things have appeared to watch, I'm going to look out for an offer and sneakily resubscribe....

boaty I read the fifty shades books years ago and also thought the sex was boring and sex pest ML was toxic as hell - I remember one of my old colleagues really fell out with me because I called him a creepy stalker 🤣 I could put up with a lot for the sake of having staff to do all the housework though 🤔

I had high hopes for Dr Slump before it started but haven't even gotten past the first episode in the end, so I'm not entirely surprised others are also finding it less than riveting. We enjoyed Marry My Husband, though. It was ridiculously over the top but very funny in places and everyone seemed to get what they deserved in the end. I'll have to go back over the earlier comments I skipped when I was still watching to see what others made of it but I thought it was a pretty solid bit of lightweight fun.

@TheLoupGarou I'm sure I saw a disney advert for £1.99 for 3 months.

I've watched shogun and really liked it so far. But got bored of Dr Slump too and started watching a 48 episode Chinese series - Arsenal Military Academy.

@TheLoupGarou What's the new show on Disney?

@mrsfeatherbottom It's Wonderful World - sorry had to go and look it up. He looks good- I mean that face card never declines, but i havent watched it yet so cant say how good it is....

@Thecatisboss thanks! I will check that out as soon as current subscription runs out. Epic c-dramas are my jam at the minute as well, I have just finished The Untamed (which I love wholeheartedly and am rewatching with ds2) and am midway through Word of Honor.

Me and DH are still slowly watching Brother's Sun on Netflix- I was shipping the older brother with the other gangsters son, which now is obviously not going to be a thing, DH was like "why would you even think that?" Haha - my sweet summer child, once you've watched a few Thai dramas you know that level of antagonism can only end one way (not in Hollywood, alas)

I'll have a look at those as well @TheLoupGarou - I watched The Long Ballad recently too which I enjoyed.

Ooo just looked that one up: looks good! Have you seen Love Between Fairy and Devil? That tookme a few episodes to get into but then started my one-sided, age inappropriate love affair with Dylan Wang 🤣

😆 yes i have seen that one too and would agree with you re Dylan Wang!

Also Till the End of the Moon is another epic (aka 40 episodes!) Which I've seen and thought was good.

That one looks right up my street as well! Time travel? Demon princes?? YES! Take my money and sign me up!

I read 50 shades of Grey when it was Twilight Fanfiction. I wanted to see how much it had been changed to be made into an actual book. It hadn't changed at all! Literally just changed the names from Bella and Edward to Ana and Christian!

I read the fifty shades books years ago and also thought the sex was boring and sex pest ML was toxic as hell - I remember one of my old colleagues really fell out with me because I called him a creepy stalker 🤣

I completely agree with you about him being a creepy stalker. It made me really cross when he sold her car without asking, and the rest. Everything about him was red flags.

I could put up with a lot for the sake of having staff to do all the housework though.

That was my view at the time because I was in preschooler housework drudgery hell. With hindsight it wasn’t enough to compensate for putting up with everything else.

Impossible Marriage was a bit uneven tonight. I’m sure it made sense in someone’s head. 🤷‍♀️ The turnaround in the final scene and preview was unexpectedly abrupt.

I've just this minute finished the first two episodes of Wonderful World (Disney+) and rushed here to say that it is wonderful indeed! Some very emotional bits involving a grieving mother; corrupt politicians; revenge; a husband with a secret (?) AND Cha Eun-woo - showing off his biceps while welding, looking hot riding a motorbike etc He must be the best looking actor around. 😍
The story has several strands and I can't wait for next weekend.

Thanks for being canaries everyone 🙏 - will swerve Doctor Slump, and put off starting Impossible Marriage till more episodes are in.

Migs I watched My Name is Loh Kiwan with DH, who looked at his phone all the time, moaned it was too slow and said the Korean acting was 'weird'. I thought the Belgian characters were weird and unconvincing, but enjoyed the Korean cast. Oh well 🤔😂

Wonderful World appears to be YET ANOTHER series I want to see that is on Disney+ in the UK, but not mainland Europe. Ffs!

As well as watching as much ABH content as possible in the next two weeks, so I don't feel like a fraud 😁 I'm going to give A Shop for Killers and The First Responders a whirl. Vigilante is still on the list, too. Got some time to kill before Chicken Nugget lands [runs hands together]. I don't think I've yet seen an Ahn Jae-hong drama that has disappointed 🤔I was just looking up what he's been in. Played a eunuch in Kingdom, apparently. DON'T REMEMBER THAT.

Saram, I think that My Name is Loh Kiwan, would not be for everyone. I was impressed by Song Joong Ki's contained acting - he looked so young, unempowered and believeable in the role. The words "hardship" and "resilience" were prominent in my thoughts.
The FL's backstory wasn't particularly strong and the actor who played her dad needed to bring more to the table, so while quality was uneven ( seems like a theme for kdramas this year) it was an overall solid 7 for me.

Yes - I really want to like Doctor Slump because of the PHS of it all but...it is so slow. I found out blooming youth had the same issue, so slow that I gave up. What is it with him picking these dramas...

Had a week long binge of Perfect Marriage Revenge - a lot of ridiculous fun. Agree with Pol that 12 episodes was perfect and maybe MMH would have been better if shorter. Cannot get over the plot similarities between the two, especially considering how close to each other their aired. Not just the overall plot but little details too!!