MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #46): *Still* no sign of Lee Min-Ho, leaving us with plenty of time to debate whether Queen of Tears can be genre-defined and what’s going on with Kim Soo-Hyun’s neck

[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/4989666-mslattes-daebak-cybercafe-kdrama-addicts-45-where-we-are-still-waiting-on-lee-min-hos-astronaut-obgyn-to-arrive-and-ponder-whether-2024-will-be-kdramas-breakout-year?reply=132388025 here.
Our list is cumulative so includes recommendations and favourites from all previous threads. 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
I picked up a celebrity on the street (Viki)
LTNS (no major platform yet)
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)
Killer Paradox (Netflix)
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)
Destined with You (Netflix)
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 for Love’s Sake(QiYi)
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)🌟
Wedding Impossible (Viki)
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)🌟
Marry My Husband (
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)🌟
First Responders (Disney+)
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
Chicken Nugget (Netflix)
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)
Let’s Talk About Chu (Netflix, Taiwan)⭐️
Lost Romance [BL] (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, Japanese)
Some Day or One Day (Viki, Taiwanese)
Sweat and Soap (Viki, Japanese)
The Makanai (Netflix, Japanese)
The Romance of Tiger & Rose (Viki, Chinese)
The Untamed (Nertlix, Chinese)
To Fly with Me (Viki, Chinese)
Tientsin Mystic (Netflix, Chinese)
You Are My Hero (Viki, Chinese)⭐️

AVOID aka “the shit list” 💩
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!

Sounds like it ticks most of my boxes. When I saw Ju Ji-hoon was in it I started watching last week but fell asleep. It’s on my list for this weekend when I’m less knackered.

I'm really enjoying QoT!

Anyone watch the end of Shogun? Anjin's Japanese was a bit hit and miss - one minute he's saying "Fuji ... good ...nun" and then he's all "I formally protest against the punishment of the villagers ...."

Ha! I've been cringing for him. Stalkers is exactly right. I was tired and got bored 3/4 of the way through ep3 so switched it off. I'm sure I'll carry on with it though

Welcome to all new posters! 🙂👋I've been lurking silently as not watching any current dramas at all. But following all discussions with interest! Sounds like QoT is not my thing at all, so am glad I didn't start it.

Instead I've been focusing on older classics featuring Park Seo-joon (can you believe it, Gyeongseong Creature was the first thing I ever saw him in), Ahn Jae-hong (perennial favourite) and Choi Moo-sung (ditto, both stemming from my third, and possibly favourite, K-drama, Reply 1988). I'm also slowing catching up on Ahn Bo-hyun and Yoo Yeon-seok classics, having BREATHED THE SAME AIR AS THEM last month (jealous of self, ngl 😱). Am currently nearly at the end of Fight For My Way (absoloutely fantastic, and another reason not to watch QoT as it's criminal what Kim Ji-won has done to her face). And powering through Mr Sunshine 👌

Cobol - Eye Love You is definitely on my list as I really like Chae Jong-hyeop (lifted both Nevertheless and Castaway Diva I thought). Curious about the Japanese vs Korean thing. K-language star cheers but ha ha if only. Loving the current course (this term's teacher is a bit of a maverick and focusing much more on cultural context and conversation than the rather dry textbook). But not sure how well it's preparing me for the exams (6 weeks to go). Ah well we'll see.

bettys Lovely Runner is on my radar, glad you're enjoying.

I'm looking forward to The 8 Show, Chief Detective 1958 (it's supposed to be on Disney+ but nothing here, can you guys see it in the UK? - please tell me it's not going to be another FlexXCop....) and Military Prosector Doberman landing on Netflix. Although hope that's not ANOTHER UK only thing, as no sign of it yet here. I know it's on Viki, but I do most drama viewing via downloads, so Viki is not so handy.

JinBhoot - Is QoT worth watching

This is tricky to answer tbh. For me it's a bit of an "event" kind of show. It's fun to watch because everyone's watching it and everyone's talking about it. And there's been some great twists and turns along the way. But would I recommend it generally? Not sure. Kim Soo-hyun is very good in a role that's very different from things he's played before, but it's not a ML you're likely to fall for, so the romance side does lack the Hyun Bin effect of CLOY, but there's plenty going on with the side characters to make up for it and a particularly nasty baddie who is genuinely chilling in places. So overall I'd probably say go for it. But only if you like mad, over the top, rollercoaster dramas which stretch your suspension of disbelief to the max.

Saram - If you like Chae Jong-hyeop you will love him in Eye Love You and the Japanese take on kdrama MLs and romance is, indeed, fascinating. I also discovered a whole new subtext to getting icecream that I never knew before 😁

Lovely Runner is on my list as well! We have no Disney+ at the minute and, of course, now there's loads to watch on it - total FOMO. At least I'll be able to binge when we inevitably subscribe again 🤣

I was listening to a cdrama podcast in the car and dd (8) got wind of Love Between Fairy and Devil and wanted to see it so I have started watching that with her. At present she is a fan of fairy Orchid, not so much Moon Supreme (on episode 3) - its a billion episodes so I'm not sure how long it's gonna take us to get through. DS started watching as well but was like, "Wait. Is this a romance?" 😒 so we will see how long he lasts!

Saram - I have been toying with Fight for my Way, now you say this, think I will line it up. I also started on My Golden Life and am into Ep2 and enjoying it but just spotted it is 52 episodes. What am I thinking? Might need to pause that one till the teens head off 🙏to Uni in Sept (as all we will be able to afford is TV subscriptions not nights out). Fight for my Way will be more manageable I think. I am enjoying watching the clips of QoT that get pushed at me. Cobol - not heard Eye Love You yet, so need to add to me list!

Saram - I'm also watching Fight for My Way and only one episode to go.

I also LOVE FFMW - it's one of my top 5 dramas and probably my favourite PSJ as well 😁

💯

Hi, I've just discovered this long series of threads. I'm new to K-dramas and have recently binge watched 'Marry my husband' on Prime video, has anyone else seen it? I loved it and am not sure what to watch next. I would welcome suggestions.

Welcome @MysticCatLady to the wonderful world of K-dramas! A lot of us watched MMH, so you are in good company!

The OP has a long list of recommended shows to check out but if you tell us what you particularly liked about MMH, we will be happy to recommend!

I think a lot of us would recommend Crash Landing Onto You as a classic entry K-drama 👍

Agree that Crash Landing on You would be a good choice. My first one I watched was Hometown Cha Cha Cha which I loved!

🙋🏻‍♀️I'm an unashamed admirer of QoT and not bothered by any plot holes. 😎This article why I'm enjoying it so much.

I didn't rate FFMY at the time, but then I watched it when I first started my Kdrama journey and I had difficulty differentiating between the different actors/actresses while trying to read flashing subs. It was like being in a foreign country where everyone looked the same so I used to write notes to remember which character was what and their relationships. (I still do this at the start of Singles Inferno). I need to rewatch so many classic shows now that I'm more experienced. 😉

If you can find the date when it first aired @MysticCatLady and go back a couple of threads until you are in the right date range, you will find our extensive and forthright discussions about MMH. Park Min Young is thread Marmite, so a range of views - ahem - were expressed.

Also welcome to the thread - you are in the right place. 😄

Welcome to the madhouse @MysticCatLady - I'm sure we have a recommendation that will float your viewing boat!

If you like romance with a bit of a supernatural/fantasy element I could point you to the recent Destined With You, Twinkling Watermelon (light) or A Time Called You (heavier). Older dramas with a similar vibe might be Doom at Your Service, Goblin, Legend of The Blue Sea, King Eternal Monarch, A Korean Odyssey ....

For a romcom, I liked Hometown Cha Cha Cha better than CLOY (heresy!)

MysticCatLady I would also recommend Crash Landing and also My Love from the Star.

@MysticCatLady 👋 I've only just joined the group too so hi to a fellow newbie. I also enjoyed Marry My Husband. Crash Landing on You was my first drama and I loved it, still my favourite and due a rewatch soon I think (when I can find the time). The next two I watched were Thirty-nine and King The Land. Nothing much happened in either of those in terms of plot but I really enjoyed them

@MysticCatLady - welcome on board. I agree with other Crash Landing on You (CLOY) and Hometown Cha Cha Cha are both fab. It's the ensemble cast as well as fine lead acting that carried the day for me in those. I also love Doom at Your Service and am also a huge fan of Café Minamdang (same male lead), but might be one to watch a bit later once you get used to the whole K-drama world. I like me a historical drama as well and would recommend Mr Queen (time travel in there), Under the Queens Umbrella are more light hearted bit plenty of really solid dramas in that vein as well, Red Sleeve etc.

Ooo @MysticCatLady I've got another one: Shooting Stars - that one is pretty fun, the main character is head of the PR team for a show business management company (no supernatural element this time)

And if you like Park Min Young, she is also in Healer and What's Wrong With Secretary Kim and those are both classics ( if I was gonna pick one to watch I'd pick Healer but that's just me)

It's me

It is absolutely you 🤣