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…

If I'm smiling at my phone DH.... "is it your Bangtan Boys again? 🤦🏻"
😅😂😅😂

@JadeSeahorse CLOY is an excellent drama! My fave! It's got all the wonderful elements that make up a kdrama!... Except o don't think there's a White Truck of Doom!
But I suppose there's a Dark Tank of Doom??... 🤣😅🤣😅

I'm like your family Bea, I had no choice but to become well versed in all things BTS due to my DD 😂 it's like ARMY by proxy.

I do actually like them, I follow what they're up to on twitter etc, and will always do what I can for my DD when it comes to getting her to one of their concerts. They've been a really positive influence in my daughters life and if it wasn't for her discovering them, I wouldn't have discovered K dramas and found a new interest in learning a new language and culture. So all thanks to the BTS boys 👍👍

Hmm, episode 7 of HTB30... He's looking more and more suss 🤔

There's a kdrama category on my Netflix tonight of Second Lead Syndrome. Are they reading the thread?!?

@Rowdythree Camellia is definitely one that's grown on me!

First Kdrama : a Korean odyssey
Last Kdrama : the last "new one" was birth of a beauty, last one I finished as a rewatch was oh my ghost
Best Kdrama : ooh- tough to choose but I'd have to say www:search? Or strong girl book soon or mr queen? I just can't pick one!
Worst Kdrama : birth of a beauty- complete disappointment

I caught up with Vincenzo and Sisyphus this afternoon r. They both featured the same theme park pirate ship! Although the Sisyphus version was a nuclear wasteland.
Sisyphus is great. I love the FL and ML.
Vincenzo is a bit more wacky but some v funny court room scenes and the ML pretending to flirt with an evil chaebol's son. Although he did grimace about flirting with a man which was a bit 😕.

I'm going off track tonight and starting Deutchland 89. I watched 83 and 86 pre kdramas.

I’ve been watching Must You Go on Viki. It is a very slight affair and Chani’s appeal as a leading man is mystifying, though the duets are lovely. It’s basically filler until Sisyphus tomorrow.

Hello, I'm new to the thread. I hope you don't mind me joining in. I've just started watching K drama seriously this year. My husband finally convinced me. He's been a fan for years and our Netflix recommendations are dominated by East Asian drama.

I've only got 8 dramas and a handful of films under my belt now, but thought I would join in.

First Kdrama: Arthdal Chronicles
Last Kdrama: Descendants of the Sun
Best Kdrama: Crash Landing On You
Worst Kdrama: Descendants of the Sun

Hello sakura welcome to the thread! Wow having a DH who is a fan must be brilliant! 😂 My DH, whilst not a fan, will sit through some of them that I carefully curate for him 😬

What is Arthdal Chronicles like? I've been tempted by it for a while, but keep over looking it. Any movie recommendations for us?

Thanks @Rowdythree

It is quite nice he likes them too! My friend says she could never get her husband to sit through a romantic drama! He lived in Seoul for 6 months and grew up in Japan. I think he is a big fan of Park Shin Hye. He made me a birthday card with Hyun Bin on it

I really loved Arthdal, but it has a cliffhanger ending and filming Season 2 has been severely delayed by the pandemic. I'm really worried it might be cancelled. I'm a fan of fantasy and historical drama so it appealed to me. I think it was better than Game of Thrones (although I'm probably alone in that assessment).

I doubt I can recommend anything as you are all so well-versed in K drama. I've really enjoyed Memories of the Alhambra and Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo.

Oh, sorry I see you said movie recommendations. I'm sure you've all seen Parasite. That was amazing. I saw The Host many years ago when it came out and enjoyed that, as well as Space Sweepers recently. This weekend we watched Rampant on Prime (unfortunately you have to buy or rent) which is a zombie movie. Very good fun and Hyun Bin's stunts were very impressive. Jang Dong Un is also in it and it was fun spotting actors from other things we had seen.

I would like to see Oldboy and The Handmaiden but think both might be too violent for me.

Welcome sakura! 👋 Lovely to have you join us. I have kdrama-friendly DH envy. Mine tolerates and enables (by renewing my Viki subscription each year)

The Handmaiden is on Netflix. It is violent and warped in places, plus lots of adult content, but it was brilliant. The pay-off at the end was immense. Definitely worth it.

Oldboy was good too, but more unsettling because of the twist.

Hi @sakura06 👋.

Welcome Sakura06!

@sakura06

Hello, I'm new to the thread. I hope you don't mind me joining in. I've just started watching K drama seriously this year. My husband finally convinced me. He's been a fan for years and our Netflix recommendations are dominated by East Asian drama.

I've only got 8 dramas and a handful of films under my belt now, but thought I would join in.

First Kdrama: Arthdal Chronicles
Last Kdrama: Descendants of the Sun
Best Kdrama: Crash Landing On You
Worst Kdrama: Descendants of the Sun

Welcome @sakura06!!... You're speaking my language! CLOY! 👍💜👍💜... DOTS 😝

Hi @Sakura06

Lovely to have another newbie as I am myself. 😁. However, when I joined it was in fury so I forgot my Korean manners and just barged in!
My fellow posters were thankfully lovely though.

Started "Its Ok no to be Ok" yesterday but struggling to get it! 🙄. Might just be first ep or me probably the latter 🤣

@Bea my DH know I'm into KPop but that's as far as it goes. I am just an overgrown 18 yr old really.😁.

I enjoyed Descendents of the Sun I do remember finding the FL rather annoying but the ML and 2ML were rather dreamy.

Haven't watched DOTS as I heard it was meh but currently loving daily 2 subbed ration of You Are My Hero which apparently has some similarities. Everyone in it is so lovely and dorky and brave and just... mmmmm No annoying characters yet!
@JadeSeahorse I'd say I find most dramas need 2 or even 3 episodes to get into and assess. I really enjoyed IOTNBO (partly for connections to rl job) but it is tla melo package that may not suit all tastes. Becomes much sweeter as it progresses.

Cheers for that @Polkettle 👍. Will persevere!

Just downloaded "Sisyphus" as I went to the beginning of the thread to look for recommendations and that sounds like it may be more my kind of thing.

Always bail if it's not for you because in the crazy variety of K-Drama there's always something else that will be!

Newbie so not watched much but thrilled that there is so much good quality drama in my viewing future!!
First Kdrama :graceful friends
Last Kdrama :reply1988
Best Kdrama :dear my friends./ sky castle /midnight diner
Worst Kdrama : strong girl/misaeng as couldnt finish

Thank you for all the welcomes. @boatyardblues The Handmaiden sounds worth the watch!

@Bea pleased someone shares my view of DOTS I think lots of people really love it, so I was worried about causing offence. I thought it had no overarching plot, which was a bit odd. It just stumbled from disaster to disaster (earthquake, epidemic, arms dealing etc.). I felt both couples spent too much time bickering, even after their difficult experiences! I would have liked to know more about Daniel and Yehwa whose relationship was really intriguing. I did love Song Joong-Ki in uniform though

Looking forward to Sisyphus, but we're waiting for all the episodes to be released so we can binge!