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!

Good work Andante57 - so pleased others are enjoying Sh**ting Stars as much as I did. One of those that I wish I could go and watch afresh. Am on ep 11 of Lovely Runner...I am sure it is all about to go pear-shaped again! But I am enjoying it immensely. Quick question - any of you 'official' ARMY? I am thinking that I need to investigate how I join as I reckon there will be ZERO chance of regular tickets if/when OT7 come back and plan a World Tour.

I don’t know the answer to your question @Dragonrock but let me know if you find out. I’ve practically had to sell a kidney to fund next months stray kids concert and I have the feeling that it’s just the start of a slippery slope!

I'm going to Straykids too!! Can't wait.

We’re all very excited! I hope it will be ok, I went last year to see Guns n Roses and had an awesome time but this time I will have two kids in tow. I’m trying to decide whether to fork out for the light stick that my youngest wants.

I have ordered a light stick for DD as a reward for working hard for her exams. I suggested she leave it at home as it's so expensive and she looked at me like I'd lost the plot!

She's delighted that NMIXX are also performing although I don't want to go for the whole thing so will have to work out timings etc.

I'm a bit worried about the logistics as I'll be in a wheelchair and she's autistic and doesn't always cope with crowds. I may be mad!!

We are already talking about getting an Amex so we have access to any amex presale that might happen here. A lot of the people who I know who got Taylor Swift tickets here in Aus got them through the amex presale. Also have discussed flying to somewhere like Singapore if we can't get them here / if they don't come here but then maybe that is just getting ridiculous 😅😅😅🤷

Dragon you can get Army membership through weverse - it's not that expensive if you don't get the merch pack. I'm waiting for a bit to renew mine as it's good for a year and I don't want to have to renew again before any ticket sales, if that makes sense.

I've already pre-warned DH that I will fly anywhere in Europe to see BTS (and maybe even further afield). I hadn't thought of the Amex angle, but I'd do that too 😅 I'd go to any lengths basically.

Are you guys seeing Stray Kids at Hyde Park? DD 8 is still cross that I'm not taking her.

And yes @mrsfeatherbottom the light sticks are so expensive!

Dd has an Ateez light stick and it has survived being dropped a couple of times after she was demo-ing it a bit too enthusiastically- the second time I nearly had a heart attack as a bit fell off, but it clipped back together

mrsfeatherbottom - good luck with access, hope that maybe after so many years they might have it sorted. TheLoupGarou - I've been checking it out on Weverse, thanks for the tip. Can see that if I renew now, June 2025 renewals could sky-rocket as V, Namjoon, Jimin and JK will all be discharged this time next year. I've also made it clear to the family I will go anywhere in Europe, my one that got me into BTS in 2019 has said she will come with me, but she is more a Seventeen fan (so is hoping they get some decent coverage after Glasto). Think will aim for October time maybe. AmVa - never had an AmEx but might well apply with this in mind. As to a trip to Singapore, I'd also be tempted.

Oh my god - I have just finished My Mister and cried about 5 times in the finale 😭😭 what a great show.

The only baffling thing is this poster which was released for the show which could literally not be any more inappropriate..it makes it look like a 'hijinks in a share house' situation.

One the whole BTS thing, anyone secretly hoping that Jin has flown in by private
jet to join Coldplay at Glasto tomorrow? Or HYBE via PLEDIS might have had him fly in with Seventeen as cover? Western paps could not identify everyone in the entourage.

OMG that had not even occurred to me (and I had forgotten Coldplay were back for G - I've been busy!). I am hyperventilating at the thought. And I'm out at a 60th birthday party so can't watch it live either. 😯

I am reliably informed that the coordinated light stick action is the MOST fun part of any K Pop concert. Essential

Ooo imagine!
One of my relatives is at Glastonbury and has been tasked with getting Seventeen footage for dd - I don't know if she would sit through an entire Coldplay set just for a chance of Jin though 🤣

I am officially Army 💜. I don't think there will be much chance of getting tickets without Army membership, and it will still be really difficult. I have also warned DH that I will travel/spend to get tickets 😁
I hadn't thought that about Jin/Coldplay at Glasto 😯

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap think you are right and very well done for being office ARMY, I need to do the same. Love the 💜💜💜💜💜s. I think I am only dreaming about Jin at Glasto but in my defence he did travel + 30 hrs to get to the Buenos Aires concert. OK, I will stop. My teen who likes Seventeen is working on Saturday so will need to record their set.

I think 17 are on on Friday not Saturday? But I might be wrong.

I think they are Friday, early on pyramid stage. It will be on iplayer tho I hope..

Agree 100% about the poster, I didn't watch it for a long time because I thought it was going to be about a house share but then once I did watch that was it.....still in my top 5 of all time and I SOBBED like only a kdrama can make me at various points towards the end.

Go Kyung Pyo is such an adorable dork on his Insta. I’m envious of his recent travels. This outfit needs an intervention, a clear outlier on his feed. https://www.instagram.com/p/C77tu8WS5fO/?igsh=MjZ5d29lNjc5a3Qz

Hard agree boaty- his Instagram is just EVERYTHING. It's my new favourite

Re Go Kyung Pyo's mint green, short cardi teamed with red/cream striped skort shorts. I remember how we laughed at Wookie's double denim look with four inch turn-ups last year🤔...........they're everywhere this year!😂

It's the shoes/socks that complete GKP's outfit tbh 🤣 it's like a toddler picked it

I’m still loving My Sweet Mobster. It is absolutely crackers. The twee classroom skit with the mobsters yesterday was off the chart tonal chaos. Today’s industrial freezer incident left me reeling at the lax health & safety areangements, but there’s no accounting for stupid - and some humans really are stupid. Still here for Um Tae-Goo’s sexy rumble. Keep it coming you crazy, crazy production team. 🙏