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!

@Andante57 we are pretty sure that Se Ri was in both the same gazing sadly through a glass window room, and the room the grandfather is in. I am 100% sure about grandfather room, a bit less about ICU room.

Further episode 11 thoughts (not spoilery):
I am FINALLY getting the KSH hype. I didn't personally find him that funny in MLFTS but loving his mix of humour and intense romantic staring in this.

Man Bok (still can't remember the actual character name in this... ) husband and I both said at the same time 'dreamboat!!'

Agree about Man Bok! He’s such a good actor too.

QoT on the menu for this evening, anyone else??

Watching episode 11 of QoT now and thinking that it's ripe for a shot of soju every time the ML blubs/has obvious tears in his eye drinking game. Half a shot for every other family member joining in.

<Hugs liver protectively>

I’ve gorged 6 episodes of A Shop for Killers 😬 - feeling a bit overdone. DH said I’ve pretty much clocked a working day on kdrama today. My ironing is still waiting. A QOT palate cleanser in a bit may be just what I need. 🤣

The guy that plays baddy Bale in ASFK always plays arrogant pricks or sociopaths. He was horrible in that Stove League baseball series too.

Me!! I'm loving it!

oh oh, had no one else to share the joy with but BBC Radio 2 just started the Sunday evening show with Standing Next to you by our very own Jungkook, Hubby was admitted of the vibe.

Total blub-fest on QoT tonight!!

I was washing the dishes when this came on and called the kids in! 🤣

QOT sidebar: If you’re going to the trouble of making a delicious home-cooked tofu stew, you’d put the rice cooker on wouldn’t you? Microwave rice pot? 🙄 That PPL has annoyed me even more than all the blatant stuff. 😄

They didn't look as it they were enjoying it much either, so not a lucrative sponsor 😄

QoT Ep12 😂Yes, we all want to trial the latest trends in diamond solitaires

Iirc in K Food Show: A nation of banchan, they pointed out how useful the microwave rice pots were and the wide varieties available. Must admit that I was surprised as I don't use them at all. Tried it once and found it greasy but perhaps we don't get the good stuff over here.

The momentum of the plot in QoT is really brilliant. No chaff at all. Loving it.

Was K Food Show: Nation of Banchan also sponsored, perchance? 😉

I’m satisfied with the stupid brother’s story arc so far.

I feel like this week’s QOT cliffhanger is a 50:50 “place bets now” opportunity for the thread. If you want to play, don’t spoil the scenario for anyone on a slower burn. Just yes or no for a positive outcome. I’m going with a nope for [redacted scenario].

Up to date on Shōgun. What a show!!!

Boaty, I think you're spot on with the microwave rice sponsorship! Doh! I hadn't thought of that.

I'm chasing +ve outcome for QoT

I have FOMO now for QoT as I haven't watched it. Our Disney+ is on hiatus now as well so haven't finished Shogun, A Shop for Killers or that Cha Eun Woo one either 😱

I'm hanging on to iQiyi for now as I'm waiting for a couple of things to drop. Currently watching Jazz for Two (good chemistry but you've seen literally any other high school set bl you don't need to watch it) and Gray Shelter (really good so far, nice and angsty). Still need to finish Wedding Impossible (viki) but got distracted by the awesome live action Cherry Magic (on Crunchyroll).

DH and I are watching Fall-Out (non k drama) as well which is a distraction, but I got accused of not letting him choose anything and that Parasyte thing intermittently (phew)

QoT is definitely worth a watch TheLoup. Despite all the blubbing it's good fun.

My DH is also watching Fallout but on his own, though he did convince me to watch the Swedish film Abyss which was pretty good.

Other than QoT I'm just watching Midnight Studio atm, which is OK but not a must watch. I'm also definitely going to give Missing Crown Prince a go, but might wait until I can binge it.

TheLoupGarou - glad it is not just me. I am getting serious FOMO as so many reviews place it nearly at CLOY level. I am a bit slow generally at the moment with it all, still in Ghost Doctor and it has been weeks. Not sure I will be able to catch-up till after the A Levels, as we have double whammy in this house with twins, so I find myself easily distracted.

Little bit spoilery for general QOT plot!!! 🚨
I am worried that due to the writer's previous history with semi-happy endings (cloy, MLFTS) we are headed in similar territory. Something like she survives but with severe memory loss or something. I don't want that. Hoping for general happy ending.

Absolutely love the brother's storyline, and just love Kwak Dong Yeon in everything I've seen him in. Great (and kind of similar) role in Vincenzo. Very silly but also swooney role in Gaus Electronics. Good mysterious assassin in LITM.

Further QoT thoughts - what is the purpose of the brother in Hawaii plot?? To show the grandfather is a hard man?? Is that all?

Absolutely love the brother's storyline, and just love Kwak Dong Yeon in everything I've seen him in.

He’s really acting this part brilliantly. I hope he at least has a happy ending.

I also wonder about the point of the brother in Hawaii.

You're too oblique for me to work out what I'm placing a bet on Boaty!
But overall I'm very much enjoying all the lovelines now and pretty confident that we'll end up with lots of honey in the hive so to speak. It's a great show - get stuck in Loup and Dragon!

You're too oblique for me to work out what I'm placing a bet on Boaty!

I did wonder whether I’d been too cryptic. When the doors opened at the end of ep 12, yes or no to the desired outcome? It felt like it could go either way.

On AmVa’s other outcome, I’d had a similar thought.

I had completely forgotten there was a Hawaiian brother. 🤣