MsLattés Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #20): With Hyun Bin off the market, the ajummas off darkness begin researching his ‘oppa fabulous’ replacement in earnest

[boatyardblues]

A quiet corner of MN for serious addicts of Kdrama, or the K-curious. (MsLatte is a Her Private Life reference.) Most of our viewing is drawn from Netflix and Viki, with a sprinkling of AmazonPrime. There are also platforms streaming content illegally if you go looking, but we don’t promote them as they are peppered with pop-ups of “Olga” and friends offering a good time, which gets in the way of the drama.

 We also dip into Japanese, Taiwanese & Chinese drama as & when. The previous thread is here but our ‘Addicts Recommend’ list below is cumulative so includes recommendations and favourites from all previous threads.


Shows marked with an asterisk 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. View the categories below as best approximate & ask if you need guidance, eg about suitability for younger teens.

Comedy (with a side order of absurd)
I picked up a celebrity on the street (Viki)
My Fellow Citizens (Viki/Netflix)
The Fiery Priest (Netflix)

Crime/Thriller

Come and Hug Me (Dramafast)
Graceful Family (Viki)
Healer (Netflix)*
Heartless City (Viki)
He is Psychometric (Viki)
I Hear Your Voice (Netflix /Viki)

Life on Mars (classy remake of BBC series, no major site yet)
My Secret Terrius (Netflix)*
Signal (Netflix)*
Stranger - 2 seasons (Netflix)
Suspicious Partner (Netflix)*
The Lies Within (Netflix)*
Tunnel (Netflix)*

Historical/Period drama (“sageuk”)
100 Days My Prince (Viki/Netflix)
Crowned Clown (Viki)*
Mr Sunshine (Netflix)
Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung (Netflix)
Tale of Nokdu (Viki/Netflix)*

Romance - lighter & fluffier
Beating Again (Netflix)
Coffee Prince (Netflix)
Don’t Dare to Dream (Netflix, or as Jealousy Incarnate on Viki)*
Gogh, The Starry Night (Viki)

Happy Once Again (Netflix)
Her Private Life (Viki)*

His Master’s Sun (Netflix)

Love from a Star (Netflix)*
Pinocchio (Netflix)
Radio Romance (Netflix)

Romance is the Bonus Book (Netflix)*

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)
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (Netflix/Viki)

What’s Up With Secretary Kim (Viki)*
Where Stars Land (Viki)*
You are my Destiny (Netflix)


Romance - heavier weight/more grown up themes
Another Miss Oh (Netflix)*
Because This Is My First Life (Viki/Netflix)*

Chicago Typewriter (Viki/Netflix)*
Crash Landing on You (Netflix)**
Descendants of the Sun (Viki/Netflix)
Doctors (Netflix)
Fight For My Way (Viki/Netflix)*
Go Back Couple (Viki)
I’ll Go To You When The Weather is Nice (Viki)
It’s OK Not To Be OK (Netflix)

Just Between Lovers (Viki)*
Melo is my Nature (Viki)/Be Melodramatic (other sites)
My Strange Hero (Viki)
One Spring Night (Netflix)
Red Carpet - film (Netflix, very adult content)
Romantic Dr Kim - seasons 1&2 (Viki)
Search: WWW (Viki)*

Something in the Rain (Netflix)
The Handmaid (film, Netflix - content warning: explicit sexual content)
The Package (Viki)

Straighter ‘Slice of Life’ dramas on universal themes
Hospital Playlist (Netflix)
Into The Ring (Viki)
Itaewon Class (Netflix)
Live (Netflix)
Misaeng (Netflix)
My Mister (Viki/Netflix)*
My Unfamiliar Family (Viki)*
Prison Playbook (Netflix)*

Once Again (Viki)
Stove League (Viki)

Supernatural/zombies/vampires/fantasy/sci-fi - lighter & fluffier
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)*
Orange Marmalade (Netflix)
While You Were Sleeping (Viki)*



Supernatural/zombies/vampires/fantasy/sci-fi - darker/more grown up themes
Black (Netflix)*
Hotel del Luna (Viki/Netflix)*
King: The Eternal Monarch (Netflix)
Kingdom (Netflix)*

Mystic Pop-up Bar (Netflix)
The Guest (Netflix)
Train to Busan - film (Amazon Prime)

W: Two Worlds (Viki & Netflix)*
Zombie Detective (Viki)


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

Strong Girl Bong Soon (Netflix)
School Nurse Files (Netflix)

Not Korean but decent quality
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)
Find Yourself (Netflix - Chinese)
Go Go Squid (Viki - Chinese)
Instead of Tipsy Why Not Get Drunk (Viki - Chinese)
Lost Romance (Viki - Taiwanese)
Love O2O (Viki - Chinese)
Morning Call (Netflix - Japanese)
Put Your Head on My Shoulder (Netflix - Chinese)
Some Day or On Day (Viki, Taiwanese)
The Romance of Tiger & Rose (Viki, Chinese)
Tientsin Mystic (Netflix, Chinese)

Thread Regulars’ Top Scoring Dramas of 2020
(courtesy of Hello’s kdrama spreadsheet, updated by/for thread regulars. Marks out of 10.)

1 - Parasite - 9.05 (10 Votes)
2 - It's Okay To Not Be Okay - 8.88 (9 Votes)
3 - The Uncanny Counter - 8.50 (4 Votes)
4 - Once Again - 8.40 (5 Votes)
5 - Hospital Playlist - 8.21 (7 Votes)

2019’s top scoring dramas:

1. Her Private Life - 9.40 (5 votes)
2. Melo is My Nature - 9.00 (5 votes)

3.= Crash Landing On You, The Crowned Clown, The Lies Within, and The Tale of Nokdu - 8.75 (4 votes)

1. Hotel del Luna - 8.50 (4 votes)

5.= Romance is a Bonus Book, and Search: WWW - 8.17 (6 votes)

We are generally fans of all things Korean, so equally happy to talk about Korean cookery, language, film and music when the mood takes us. Quite a few of us are learning Korean, Japanese and/or Mandarin (some more diligently than others admittedly), so we swap tips and links to language resources. Basically, anything topical goes.


We have a few frequently used acronyms:

FL/2FL = female lead/2nd female lead

ML/2ML = male lead/2nd male lead
🥾🍑 (boot, peach) = kick up the arse to go to bed



We also abbreviate titles if they’re long, but usually with an obvious abbreviation. Some favourite actors & actresses have been abbreviated for speed/efficiency, eg Park Min Young (PMY), Kim Jae Wook (KJW). 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…

I’m up to/past the feast and remembrance day in Mr Queen. What the eff is all that bandaging about? It’s mad, especially because it impedes breathing, administering fluids etc. Bonkers!

@JinBhoot.... Ahhh! Lovely race horse legs Toasty Lee Jung Suk! He's put of military service now! Can't wait to see what he does! I just think there's something incredibly endearing about him! I ve lived all his dramas! They were great fun to binge on! W two Worlds... While You Were Sleeping! All great dramas!... Enjoy Romance... It's lovely! 😍😍

Just finished Uncanny!! It was super duper! Deffo 🐝 friendly! A solid solid 8.5 poss 9! I loved it! Fab!!

Now I'm going to try and get into Mr Queen and thoroughly enjoying True Beauty... With Run On as a filler!

👍👍👍👍😍

I thought that too boaty but in the next episode it explains why. Well I think it did. DH kept talking to me at that point 😂

Right Uncanny Counter is finished! I wonder what the original writers wanted to happen in the end? It all went as I thought it would, although there was at least 20 solid minutes of PPL in the last episode. And there were a few minor plot lines not tied up. But overall I really enjoyed it!

Overbandaging was a deliberate ploy I think..... for reasons that become clear later.
All a bit steamy on the KIng & Queen front! So Bong has got some sorting out to do ....I think it might just be him in that body now 🤔

Uncanny Counter solid ending, although would’ve liked Mo Tak to see the lady detective again.

Just finished Uncanny Counter too. What an ending! It certainly did not disappoint. Consistent pacing and excellent acting throughout. Can't wait for Season 2!

On a different note, Seoul looks so cold in all the currently airing dramas.. -12 degrees now? Kudos to everyone who has to be outdoors with the filming!

I fell asleep on the sofa again! I swear I’m watching every episode of Mr Queen at least twice because I keep nodding off. It’s slowing my progress.

Rowdy - if you are bingeing BTIMFL again, go to bed! 🥾🍑

Completely missed the time watching romance is a bonus book- @rowdythree the only thing Id change so far is I wish they'd shown more of Dan-Is dates with him- there wasn't enough to really show much of a relationship between them
Love the bit with the three women drunk in the apartment- and the Gagnam leopard 😁

Love the bit with the three women drunk in the apartment- and the Gagnam leopard 😁

My favourite part of RITBB. The rest of is quite forgettable a year or so down the line.

Oh jeez looks like I better catch up with Uncanny Counter! I'm way behind

@boatyardblues

I fell asleep on the sofa again! I swear I’m watching every episode of Mr Queen at least twice because I keep nodding off. It’s slowing my progress.

Rowdy - if you are bingeing BTIMFL again, go to bed! 🥾🍑

Thanks for the 👢 Boaty I was sensible last night, I couldn't keep my eyes open so watched one episode of CLOY with DH and went to bed!

I really can't remember much about RITBB, apart from the green onion pancakes (which I really want to make!)

Awwww Once Again is just so hearts and flowers GORGEOUS 🥰🥰🥰🥰
Also - like that one barometer of terrible terrible times and awfulness in the household is when it's - gasp- cornflakes for breakfast

like that one barometer of terrible terrible times and awfulness in the household is when it's - gasp- cornflakes for breakfast

🤣🤣🤣 I know!! It’s such a gem

I recognise this phenomenon ^. Omelette for dinner here is usually a sign that I’ve lost my mojo or had a crap day at work. It’s basically a borderline Dominos admission of defeat.

FedUp just about to start My Little Happiness but I've just realised it's still airing hmmm......oh well think I'll start it anyway!

I keep rewatching Mr Queen episode 14 there is so much going on & especially the last look the king gives the queen with the secret signal aaaaargh can't wait for the next episode!

@bettys cereal for tea is usually a sign of a rubbish day!
Just got to the bit in RIABB with the founders meeting where they turn up in the trench coats

Rowdy which episode of CLOY did you watch?

Episode 2 Andante I went back to the beginning so we could watch it together, one episode a night

I've finished BTIMFL! I'm sad now! Although it's probably for the best as I've got work tomorrow plus homework for my Korean class to do! I might start Mr Queen later in the week when I have more time to spare.

Since Friday I've completed 2 full series, watched a movie and started another series, this has to be a record for me 😂😂

Rowdy - 14 more nights of bliss, then.

@Hydrogensonata Just got to the bit in RIABB with the founders meeting where they turn up in the trench coats

Me too, watched it in my lunch break :)
I am eager to see the ending but then I don’t the show to end as I always struggle to pick the next one ... it’s so hard to decide.
I am going over * dramas in the OP
However I might watch Once again or Uncanny counter

@boatyardblues team omelettes here 🙋🏻‍♀️ & on a really crappy day I make them with just seasoning & no veggies

@Rowdythree you are my hero hugs that’s a well spent weekend.
Which series & movie?

Since Friday I've completed 2 full series, watched a movie and started another series, this has to be a record for me

Well done Rowdy! You have truly arrived.

As an aside, does anyone else feel their fitness has suffered since discovering kdrama? I do.

Not my fitness, but my housework had definitely gone down the pan 😂

Jin I watched a really old one called Heartstrings and BTIMFL. The movie was called wish you : your melody. It's only because I was ill that I watched so much, I'm not normally this slack at other things

Is Heartstrings the one with the FL on the traditional instrument and ML in the rock band? If so, I was only watching because ML was in The Package (v good) and it all went a bit High School Musical on me so I bowed out. I was enjoying the Korean classical music though.

Yes that's the one, I also enjoyed the traditional music aspect. It was okay, not sure I'd recommend it though, it's not aged well!

I’m now all caught up with Mr Queen and enjoying it very much.