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…

the free buts have been very good

My Friday night wine imagination went somewhere else with that!!😂😂

I actually really enjoyed Perfect and Casual so thank you for the recommendation. Agree with the chemistry in Dating in the Kitchen although the plot went a bit skewy at the end I thought.

🤣🤣 my wine went straight for my spelling

We’ve just finished Wandavision on Disney+ so the kids have scrammed. Back to My Little Happiness. 👍

Ii thought you said the dog made it all the way through My Little Happiness, Betty. I’ve not seen him for ages, maybe 4 episodes. I’m on ep 16 now.

I feel that I should start an AIBU for being ever so slightly pleased that DH is working valentine day so I get wine, chocolate and the bed to myself for a marathon binge before my AL ends (although I'm not on shift until Wednesday so potential for an extended binge 😁). He was being so apologetic and I had to make all the right disappointed noises, even though I had drama sound effects and animation going off in my head 🤔🤣 So...which oppa is it going to be??

thought you said the dog made it all the way through My Little Happiness, Betty. I’ve not seen him for ages, maybe 4 episodes. I’m on ep 16 now

He’s on a very long walk but he’ll be back 🐶😆

So...which oppa is it going to be??

Ooh choices, choices.... do you have a shortlist?

I have a long list....🤔😁

I have a long list 😂😂😂 enjoy Monkey

He’s on a very long walk but he’ll be back 🐶😆

Floofy doggo is back in ep 19. Funnily enough, I saw a floofy doggo like him (but golden) in the park yesterday. I was all awww, wanting to plunge my hands into its floofy fur... until I passed it and saw the dingleberries, and then I was all eeeeewwww.

I have a long list....🤔😁

Sounds to me like you have a shot at making a decent inroads into your list. Have at it and enjoy your romance free night in. 🎉

😱 Yeuchhhhh 🤭

I am staying in cdrama & contract marriage mode with Lost in Time (Olga) which isn’t (so far) as good as Perfect and Casual. Interspersed with Royal Secret Agent which is actually quite good.
Chuffin’ cold so have retreated to bed with tea, toast & homemade marmalade.

@bettys Friend LOVES a contract marriage drama. Best CDrama one available on Viki?

Shamed by True Beauty as a Valentine's weekend tribute I have changed DH on my phone from his name to heart heart Oppa heart heart. He's taken the upgrade calmly.

On episode 7 of Mr Queen and loving it , it's so funny, clever, and witty, with plenty of twists, I hope it stays like this! My plan for today is to retire to my boudoir to completely binge watch. Hopefully, I will be served snacks and beverages throughout the day

@polkettle There is a list here on MDL but of those I think only Well Intended Love is on Viki. Make sure to watch S2 though as S1 will just make you spit. It's basically the same story but done in two different ways. I rather enjoyed S2.

@fifilacklustre Mr Queen is solid all the way. It's the penultimate episode today I am so so hoping it doesn't go pear-shaped!

Excellent. Thank you.

My kids are in my phone as uri adul/dal and they just roll their eyes. DH changes according to how much he's annoyed me 😁 Currently laogon (husband in Mandarin) but if he leaves me with food, water and viewing time I might add a heart or two

Just watched ep 19 of Mr Queen sans subs, one bit was v touching - still have NO idea how they can end it tomorrow!

Well Intended Love S1 should come with a health warning. It made me furious. Scummy, duplicitous, coercive shit of a ML, oh yeah and stalkerish to boot. UGH! Man. I feel angry just remembering the 12 hours I wasted up to the midway plot reveal, at which point it was dead to me. Avoid!

I've looked it up and sounds jaw droppingly awful. Series 2 completely different plot but same characters in parallel universe?

Series 2 completely different plot but same characters in parallel universe?
Yep - still marriage contract with same ML & FL but new characters as sub-plots.

And no hideous plot twist that had us all

(still ever so slightly stalkerish but in a much more endearing way if that is possible )

S2 is worth a go and make your own mind up

Oh ever so slightly stalkerish is FINE obviously
Finding True Beauty actually a surprisingly stressful watch. Korean schools really need to sort out their anti-bullying policies and why can't anyone ever just TALK to each other?? (Possible I'm missing point...)
I would very much like a whole series for unni and teacher though and dumpling war was great.

Binged all of Princess Hours. Enjoyable romp. Other than the dodgy hair and fashion (the formal shorts brought me right back to 2005 😂), it hasn't dated too badly at all!