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!

Morning all! I just have the last episodes of FFMY and LR to go! Should be able to finish LR tonight and FFMY will probably have to wait until tomorrow when DH is at football - I need uninterrupted time for final episodes. Have really enjoyed both even with DH grumbling throughout most of LR that it's a Back To The Future knockoff (it's not!!). It has been funny when he was outraged they mentioned The Terminator and not his beloved BTTF. Hoping for lovely endings for both. Am a little confused over the relationship between Ae-Ra's and Dong Man's dads and the mum but I'm sure it will all be explained. Sorry trying to be a bit vague so as not to give any spoilers for anyone else.

Looking forward to starting Inheritors on Netflix and I think I'll go back to Gyongson Creature and also start What's Wrong With Secretary Kim for my own enjoyment. Any recommendations for a thriller to watch with DH? Not sure he can take two fluffies in a row

DH and I are enjoyed Stranger which was recommended on here!

Ooo Inheritors peanut? Buckle Up and be prepared to scream in frustration 🤣

Kim Woo Bin as parade of red flags Choi Young-do 😍 chefs kiss

Oh dear, why?

@mrsmrsfeatherbottom thanks, I've just looked it up and it sounds perfect for DH.

I loved Strong Girl Bong Soon, is the sequel as good?

@Saram13 my problem with TMRiH is that it seems to be stuck in one gear atm with the meh kissing scene being symbolic of the whole show. I'm not convinced by the FL trying to do "giddiness" either and think that Jung Ryeo-wun was miscast here.

The most interesting characters for me are the male school teacher who has gone over to the other side and joined a hagwon, and the young student who has expressed difficulty in understanding Korean lit. Will the drama play out within the wider context of students spending hours in an expensive hagwon learning by rote from material prepared by others and guessing questions correctly vs an education system where students understand and 'feel' the subject and are able to apply that knowledge well under exam conditions?

I might be wrong, but I feel the drama also wants to make a comment on the unrealistic expectations/intrusions of parents and the exhausting rigours of education in a competitive SK society. A bit like D H Lawrence's Women in Love and WW1.

Then again, it's just a Kdrama...😄

I might be wrong, but I feel the drama also wants to make a comment on the unrealistic expectations/intrusions of parents and the exhausting rigours of education in a competitive SK society.

Migs - I haven’t seen The Midnight Romance in Hagwon but maybe we’ll watch it after we’ve finished Lovely Runner.
I bet it’s a comment on the parents’ expectations and the rigours of such competitive education - I’ve read a few articles about that.
Crash Course in Romance also touched on that - the huge queues to get a place in the best hagwons.

@Andante57 I think TMRiH also questions the acceptance of depending on rote learning and hagwon instructors correctly guessing exam questions to produce good results. It also attempts to define what it is to be an educator. I'm probably overthinking it all, but I'm always intrigued when a student in a drama gets 100% in a non-science/maths subject. A SKorean friend describes school there as being insane.

think TMRiH also questions the acceptance of depending on rote learning and hagwon instructors correctly guessing exam questions to produce good results.
Thats interesting.
I would have fallen at the first hurdle with my 4% in maths O level.

I can't remember who it was that recommended Be Melodramatic but thank you! It's so funny. And imagine my delight when who should pop up but the lovely Mr Gu!!!

MRiH manages to be both quite dry, quite stressful, quite enraging about the absolute absurdities of the education system and yet also quite interesting because it is SO Korean. No idea whether I'm going to stick with it to the end. Inclined to agree with you about the unconvincing romance and possible miscasting Migs. I like the friend and her husband with the bar. It has some heft to it for sure.

I am just about to start ep 4 of LR and can see why it has been so popular. I am getting anxious in all the right places! Byeon Woo-seok sure is easy on the eye but I am surprised that many of the reviews of him don't mention his stellar performance in Strong Girl Nam-soon. Enjoying Kim Hye-yoon as well, she plays tongue in cheek well and I am enjoying her in Secret Royal Inspector & Joy as well. See trying to be even handed and not just a filthy noona. And on that subject, V at the weekend in his SDT uniform😜and much excitement about the imminent discharge of Jin and the news OT7 will be together for a vacation day. Husband is getting tired of me talking about Special Warriors, RM playing the sac etc!

Sax not sac!

I haven't seen Strong Girl Nam-soon Dragonrock, so that will be why I didn't mention it 😁

I'm also currently watching Kim Hye-yoon in Secret Royal Inspector, though (with DH). This in addition to Missing Crown Prince (yes, two sageuks at once!) which continues to be very tense.

(Still trying not to think about RM playing the sac....😯😂)

👏👏👏

I thought LR was 12 episodes. Turns out we were on 11 so I thought yay I have a bonus episode. It definitely didn't feel like thee final episode and a few minutes in I googled so yay I now have a few more to enjoy. Episode 12 was just silly though and they are dragging out taxi stalker for far too long imo

Hello! Have been avoiding the thread as was very behind on Atypical Family - I am currently on illness #4 in a month, possibly this time pneumonia from my 3YO, who just recovered from it. Kill me now - we are only officcially 11 days into Australian winter.

I thought it was a pretty satisfying ending for TAF - but yes, some of the pacing was a bit off and I would have liked a bit less deux ex machina in the ending.

I watched about 2/3 of Strong Girl Nam Soon and couldn't finish it. BWS was the best part of it as the villain, way too many side plots that were boring. Can't tell if I want to go back to it with my new found BWS enthusiasm, but probably not.

@Saram13 I've just started My Mister - but have only watched one episode so far due to the aforementioned many many illnesses in our house.

Also!! TAF - another example of a teased but futile lesbian relationship

I need to know more about RM playing the sax. Are there links?

https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240219050474. Cobol, sorry didn't mean the discussions on here just the coverage of his fan meets/airport arrivals. He was a VERY good villan in that and so I was surprised. @AmVa - gosh pneumonia is not to be messaged with, I could write a WHOLE regular MN thread on it. Please take care, rest will seem impossible with a 3 yr old butt really hope you can. Boatie - here we go, a sax, sax!

Sad we don't have a sax video!

Thanks @Dragonrock luckily my son is better so he is off to nursery tomorrow and Thursday so I can recuperate.

I got the name wrong. Just saw it on Netflix and I meant Hierarchy. Just came out. But I will also take a look at Inheritors, I have a feeling I already added it to my list. I'm just waiting for DH to leave for football so I can watch the final episode of FFMY without interruptions.

Ok so the ending of episode 13 of LR has done my head in. I think I'm going to ignore the paradoxes and just enjoy the cuteness. DH has lost patience with it but will see it through with me

Now, I'm trying to remember what happened at the end of episode 13 of LR!

www.tiktok.com/@l0uielem0n/video/7378733417111751978?_t=8n7T2l9Jxo1&_r=1

Poor cutie was feeling all the feels I felt