MsLattés Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #21): With our ranks swelling due to pandemic ennui, the Ajummas of Darkness are building an ARMY 😉 of Addicts.

[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. 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 Queen (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)*
Run On (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)
True Beauty (Viki)
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)/Hot Stove League (Netflix)

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)
Peninsula - film, Train to Busan sequel (Amazon Prime, iMovies)

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)
My Little Happiness (Viki, Chinese)
Put Your Head on My Shoulder (Netflix, Chinese)
Some Day or One Day (Viki, Taiwanese)
The Romance of Tiger & Rose (Viki, Chinese)
Tientsin Mystic (Netflix, Chinese)

Thread Regulars’ Top Scoring Dramas of 2020 (updated for thread #21)
Courtesy of Hello’s kdrama spreadsheet, updated by/for thread regulars. Marks out of 10.

1 - Mr Queen - 9.4 (5 votes)
2 - Parasite - 9.05 (10 Votes)
3 - It's Okay To Not Be Okay - 8.88 (9 Votes)
4 - The Uncanny Counter - 8.50 (4 Votes)
5 - Once Again - 8.42 (6 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 explained or 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…

Fifi I haven't decided what to watch yet! Just finished the final episode of Chicago Typewriter, and had a little cry at that too! I loved the series though, and the Japanese occupation is such an interesting topic. Anyone know if there are any other drama's based on that time? It's still a contentious issue though so probably not.

So for my next drama I want something that won't make me cry after watching two emotionally heavy shows, I need something lighter.

I have started watching Uncontrollably Fond. What a waste of time.
ML’s mum is getting on my nerves. ML too for not telling her about his illness.
FL is annoying too ... ughhhh

I need a good palate cleanser now.

@Rowdythree I also had heavy heart feeling after watching Chicago Typewriter. Took me a while to get over it.
It was a happy ending yet sad.

What are you thinking you'll watch next @jinbhoot?

I haven't watched The Uncanny Counter or It's okay to not be okay can anyone recommend these?

Uncanny Counter is fabulous! As is It's Okay.... Both angsty... both tragic.... both superb!... sorry not much help... Uncanny is slightly lighter in tone and a bit comicky... so if you don't wanything too heavy... I'd go for Uncanny!... It's great fun!!! x

Thanks Bea 👍

I liked your shouty caps Bettys Worked like a slap around the face for being a leery ahjumma. And yes! That's the fella. He's playing both 18 and 27 in this so I suppose it makes sense.

Rowdy - Mr Sunshine is interesting around the Japanese occupation, because it starts (with flashbacks) in the late 19th century, when there were still slaves, and focusses on the period running up to the last king falling and the Japanese invasion in 1910, but there are also US and British interests in the country which are captured. It documents the peasant revolt and the links with Manchuria (China), which sews the seeds for the divergence between communism and the more democratic south. It is beautiful with fabulous cinematography and production design. It has a strong cast with several stand-out performances. I still can’t reconcile Yoo Yeon-Seok’s performance as Dong Mae, the local yakuza thug, and everything else he’s been in. He is so compelling, intense and filthy-sexy in Mr Sunshine, but like boy scout in everything else. It’s quite inexplicable. Kim Tae-Ri is also outstanding, though don’t watch The Handmaid at any point during Mr Sunshine. The cognitive dissonance will make your head hurt. 😆

Ooh thanks for that brilliant summary Boaty I've had my eye on "Mr Sunshine for a while but not got round to it. I might see if DH fancies it after we've watched Mr Queen, if not I'll watch it on my own.

I'll refrain from watching The Handmaid at the same time 😂

I still can’t reconcile Yoo Yeon-Seok’s performance as Dong Mae, the local yakuza thug, and everything else he’s been in. He is so compelling, intense and filthy-sexy in Mr Sunshine, but like boy scout in everything else

This with knobs on! Although he was a bit norty in Dr Romantic 1

The Hymn of Death is a doomed love affair set in the Japanese Occupation in the 20s with Toasty & her from Mr Queen . Only 3 hours long but shows life at the time. Warning - not a happy ending but it is a true story.

polkettle ha ha totally unintentional! Go Ahead has been on my list for a while, good to know it is worth watching may head on to that! and resist watching Love Is Sweet again

ay up! Mr Queen 2ML to replace Ji Soo

bettys Yes, even more blood! I watched Untamed first then the rest. I would give it an 8 as well. When you do go back to xianxia give Eternal Love a try if you've not seen it.

polekettle it's very good, the dads' relationship is so heartwarming. I still think it's a traumatic story and it was very sad in places, and I got so angry at the ML mum, well both but one is worse. No need to lower the HRT - he's very mature for his age

Agree x 100 re Dong-Mae, such a great (well fit) character 😍.
I've just lol'd in the tea room at work about not watching The Handmaiden at the same time as Mr Sunshine. I don't want to explain myself to colleagues 😇

I've just lol'd in the tea room at work about not watching The Handmaiden at the same time as Mr Sunshine. I don't want to explain myself to colleague

Where would you start??😂😂

Bea I think you are the only who started RWTMR, will it work do you think? Not that they have much choice.

[quote polkettle]Here's your fave sweeties @JinBhoot [/quote]
First video with subtitles 😃

Can’t wait for season 2, I hope it lives up to the expectations.

@Rowdythree I am drama-less. There is an expression in my mother tongue which perfectly sums it up, there is no equivalent good expression in English but loosely translated as roaming around aimlessly like restless/bored spirit

Mr Sunshine is on my radar for a while might give it a go. But I want something light & romantic. Another Miss Oh & Live Up to Your Name is also up for selection.

But then I also want to watch Canny Encounter as it’s firm favourite of this bunch.

While I am in selection process, I have rewatch couple of episodes of Hospital Playlist & Legend of Fuyao.

You can see I am all over the place currently. Perhaps I should give drama land a rest and get on with cleaning & other random house chores. I watch neat & clutter free houses in Kdramas in complete awe.

@Bea

ay up! Mr Queen 2ML to replace Ji Soo

I have to say this is a disappointment in terms of fanciability 😬😬

I was recommended the book 'How we Disappeared' by Lee Jing Jing which is set during the Japanese occupation too, which is apparently very harrowing. I will store these for the future when I have more emotional energy to spare.

I am drama-less. There is an expression in my mother tongue which perfectly sums it up, there is no equivalent good expression in English but loosely translated as roaming around aimlessly like restless/bored spirit

Our family expression is “like a fart in a colander.” Now I’ve written it down it doesn’t even make sense and it started in English.

Jin - Another Miss Oh is very enjoyable.

Our family expression is “like a fart in a colander.” Now I’ve written it down it doesn’t even make sense and it started in English

My mum says this 😂

You can tell it is Friday afternoon from the thread footfall and everyone limbering up for the weekend’s viewing. I need a solid recommendation, but annoyingly I’m not sure what I’m looking for. 🤷‍♀️ Might be time for a Boaty shuffle.

@bettys

I've just lol'd in the tea room at work about not watching The Handmaiden at the same time as Mr Sunshine. I don't want to explain myself to colleague

Where would you start??😂😂

Bea I think you are the only who started RWTMR, will it work do you think? Not that they have much choice.

I've not got too far inti it yet as i was leaving it for a couple of weeks so i could proper binge it... it looks really solid and good so far... i love FL... great in Bring It On Ghost and Nokdu so she's worth the watch... It has all the elements of a good historical... I think it should be ok but I'm dissapointed Kwak Dong Yeon (with his man bun!) didn't make the cut...I found Na In Woo in Mr Queen to be not very likeable... however I suspect that's due to his annoying irritating character in Mr Queen...

I think the drama has enough about it to weather the JiSoo storm (there's been an outright denial to the sexual assault allegations now - we'll have to see what comes out in the wash... but an acknowledge of bad behaviour/school violence )... but i think the drama is good enough to do well... the story is there.. the characters / plot / actors are all there... fingers crossed.... I'll return to it when it's all settled....

"like a fart in a colander" top notch and immediately being adopted.
Taken with FL missing ml being described as having a face like a "frosted eggplant" in Go Ahead
Yes, Chinese mothers not coming out at all well Fifi (Although I'm now planning a post lockdown ahjumma MahJong circle). It is very poignant and I hope I'm not going to need tissues for the end.
Can't wait to watch that camping treat @JinBhoot Got to say much as I love HP and think it a superior show to Dr Romantic I do see the point of YYS much more as chippy young general surgeon than as priesthood yearning paediatrician. Phwoar. Shall have to check out his Mr Sunshine bad boy turn.

@JinBhoot thinking o might give another miss oh a try.
Having had the last two days off and felt rubbish I've finished I am not a robot - I feel both slightly embarrassed and pleased all at the same time!

When you’ve seen YYS as Dong-Mae there is no going back nuh uh no sirreee