MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #47: Lee Min-Ho’s a no-show, Kim Soo-Hyun cried himself into a dry husk and a sweet mobster sausage supremo is currently charming the noonas. We continue our ongoing mission to spread Kdrama joy. 😘

[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 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)🌟
Missing Crown Prince (Viki)
Mr Queen (Viki)🌟
Mr Sunshine (Netflix)
My Dearest (Viki)
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)🌟
Lovely Runner (Viki)
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 Atypical Family (Netflix)
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!

Also, one episode a week is not enough!

Lee Se-young's eyes are so expressive, she's a brilliant actress.

I'm going to rewatch the episodes while I wait for next week.

She is a wonderful actress. Somehow she lifts everything she’s in. I also think she’s exceptionally beautiful in the flashbacks to Japan. Wavy hair really suits her.

Three episodes in I’m fretting about the potential for collateral damage. #TeamMinJun

I started watching Shopping King Louis. It’s old but good. I was moved to post by the clothes shopping montage in the indoor market - an amusing twist on the usual high-end designer montage.

How boring was today's episode of LND? Hoping for a better ending tomorrow otherwise it feels like a bad investment. I'm halfway through GC1 and enjoying very much. DD1 sat through an episode with me and said it reminded her of Stranger Things

I'm calling Park Shin Hye's latest drama Judge From Hell (Disney+) a poor rip-off of Death's Game. PSH is overacting flouncing like crazy, plot is almost a trope, and I will put good money on a face "intervention" before her next role. The saving grace is ML Kin Jae Young. On ep4 and will drop.

This year is a stellar one for mediocre kdramas.

This year is a stellar one for mediocre kdramas.

I agree, Migs. Maybe because K dramas have had such huge global success in the past decade or so, Netflix & co are churning them out and not paying enough attention to quality.
It’s such a pity as it will kill the goose that laid the golden egg.

The silver lining andante is that I'm dipping my toes into J and C dramas!

I fell into a Shopping King Louis hole last night. I would have messaged a noonas’ SOS for 🥾🍑 assistance but figured no one would still be up at ~01.30. 😬 I’ve crunched through nearly 12 episodes over the weekend. 😬 My filing and ironing will have to wait. 😄

LND was very underwhelming in the end. Perfectly nice but a bit meh. Shame as it started off great and had potential. Kept thinking that Mo-eum would get her arse handed to her on a plate if she posted on MN about asking her brand new boyfriend's daughter if she could be her new mum so early on in the relationship!!

I see the cruise budget went on frocks and flowers. 🙄 The finale was all nicely wrapped up, but it felt like all the bite went out of the series in the latter half. It was the light and shade that made the first half compelling.

Impressive binging boaty! 👏👏👏

I haven't finished LND yet because I have followed Bright from F4 Thailand over to 2gether, the BL he did with Win. I am now watching Still 2gether and I can't explain what is happening. There is basically no plot (the main tension this season is based around university club scheduling??), the acting leaves a lot to be desired but I have now watched nearly 20 episodes. I think it is the insane magnetism of Bright. There is no other explanation.

I’m laughing at your post AmVa out of a sense of recognition. DH walked in on episode 14 of Shopping King Louis last night and said it looked like an episode of Home & Away c. 2005. I can’t explain the pull or why I stayed up too late. The plot is all kinds of dumb and it looks cheap, but there’s something charming about Seo In Guk’s performance as guileless numbskull Louis and the equally daft FL.

I have watched SKL so yes..😅 I understand the feeling. I think what they have in common is that both Bright and Seo In Guk could have chemistry with a broom with a face on it.

True. I loved Doom at Your Service because SIG and Park Bo-Young are both such charismatic actors.

Just bought two tickets to see Ateez in Manchester in January!!! Feel slightly embarrassed as I’m firmly in the filthy noona age category but I like them and it’s too good a chance to miss.

I’m a bit annoyed by the buying process though, it took me a while to realise Ticketmaster wasn’t letting me buy a single seat ( I don’t actually have anyone to go with) so in the time it took me to work that out all the first tier seats were gone. And now I have to find someone to come with me or someone to buy the ticket off me. Ah well, I would have regretted it if I hadn’t bought them, and now I have something post Christmas to look forward to ( and some MV watching homework between now and then)

Just to add, the single seats Ticketmaster wouldn’t let me buy were all single seats in a row where all the other seats had been bought already! I was fleetingly tempted by the standing area, but my knees and back wouldn’t thank me!

Good for you, @GaladrielHiggins! You'll have to get a friend into the music and they can go with you.

Ticketmaster is a nightmare, I had to buy accessible tickets for an event and it was a whole debacle!

@peanutcookie Your question a few pages back about platforms - did you mean Midnight Romance in Hagwon? It's on the subscription service Viki Rakuten (for Asian dramas).

I've had the opportunity to watch more dramas than usual this week. Went through Tokyo Swindlers (Japanese, Netflix) at a rate of knots. Only 7 episodes, gripping storyline, highly recommended for anyone who enjoyed Bloodhounds (despite slightly silly music in places, and some misogyny). Explicit and violent, so not one to watch with the kids around.

@GaladrielHiggins I also got Ateez tickets 🙌 for one of their European shows. Please don't be embarassed, just go and enjoy yourself 🙂 And yes, all you need to do is turn a friend before the concert 😁 should be easy enough. I find live performances of 'Work' quite effective 😁 Hope that anyone else trying for tickets was successful! They're definitely much more popular than last time they toured - the concert I went to before wasn't sold out, but this time round it looks like the one I booked will sell out before general sale starts later this week.

I’ve already tried to convert a few but they won’t even watch kdramas. The friend I thought was most likely to be interested was quite disapproving of my excitement over what she called ‘children’ - it was BTS

Anyway, I’m old enough and Filthy Noona enough to gird my loins and go anyway! I missed Stray Kids in the summer because of a family holiday and I don’t think I’ll ever be lucky enough to get BTS tickets so I’m not missing Ateez! I would be amazed if there were any tickets left for general release tomorrow.

I was surprised at Stray Kids in July how many women my age there were there!

I'm Manchester based and Ateez curious 🤣 can you pm me how much a ticket is and maybe we could be filthy noonas together???

Just realised you said PM you!