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…

I think it’s great, for me it’s like an ongoing conversation with like-minded enthusiasts that makes me laugh, informs me, shares intel, has widened my world view and knowledge and has cheered me up no end at times. And obvs there is no one in RL who shares this interest so its a safe place of good-natured sharing. Other than mild difference of opinion over the delights or not of PSJ I can’t think of any arguments at all.

All of this 👆 It’s like going to the pub with your hobby group.

It's amazing. Bravo and once again thank you for open hearted welcome to newcomers.
HTB30 turning a bit into one of those 'Just TALK to each other for chrissakes' shows. But young guy poppet remains poppet 🥰

Sorry no ideas on a new thread title as I'm not very creative.

Currently enjoying Reply 1988 but the goat noise is grating on me somewhat! 🐐 😂 On Episode 4. Will I get used to it?!

It features in Reply 1994 too Sakura. You just have to live with it.

I feel so sorry for Chu Young Woo in You Make Me Dance. It’s so cold in every scene that you can see his breath and yet he’s dancing. There are occupational requirements for dancers in the UK, max/min temperatures. The risk of injury when he was dancing must have been increased. What really made me 😡 was the candid footage in the end credits where the director and crew are all in their full length down-filled coats and poor ML is in his dance gear. ☹️ Lovely story and performances though. I’d like to add it to the OP list.

I think it's worth adding, as is To My Star, do we need to flag it as BL or have an Oppas Loving Oppas category? (I think it was pol who coined that rather handy phrase)

Thanks @boatyardblues

I thought I was used to random sound effects after Rookie Historian 😂

I was wondering if BL romances needed their own category or whether ‘love is love’ full stop.

I’m liking YAMH already

I am aimlessly watching so many shows.
Started YAMH (enjoying it, currently on ep3) but only 6 episodes available with free account & episodes on YouTube don’t have subtitles 😭 started becz of FOMO
Other shows in the mix
It’s ok not to be ok
Mystic pop-up bar
Another Miss Oh
Something in the rain
Dr Romantic 2
Hospital playlist goes camping

Also eyeing Vincenzo & mr perfect & miss casual .... oh I need serious 🥾

@JinBhoot I rather enjoyed Mr Perfect & Miss Casual in a turn-my-brain-off-and-enjoy-the-contract-marriage kind of way.
I think you can pay for Viki by the month if you don't want to plump for a yearly sub.

boaty I incline towards the 'love is love' standard, so maybe add it to general romance categories, but perhaps we should put (BL) as I think other apps do

I hate you all!* YAMH is cdrama crack and my chances of getting an early night just went up in a cloud of smoke...

• Not really, but you are a very bad influence.

@boatyardblues

I hate you all!* YAMH is cdrama crack and my chances of getting an early night just went up in a cloud of smoke...

• Not really, but you are a very bad influence.

I've done 11 episodes in 2 days. IT IS CRACK!!

Evening all,

I'd agree to You make me Dance and To my star being added to the romance category, both beautiful love stories.

Is Search www on the list? I finished that today and agree with others who recommended it, it was fantastic. One of my favourites, I'm going to update my list;

Favourite K drama : Strong Girl Bong Soon/ Search: www

Worst K drama : Memory / Something in the Rain

@jinbhoot how are you finding SITR?

Rest easy Rowdy - Search:WWW is already in the header.

I’m seriously lacking inspiration for the witty strap line if anyone has one at their fingertips.

ep 6 of YAMH 😫

@Rowdythree I am at the start of ep7 of SITR, brother just found out - I think.
FL’s colleague’s reaction was too funny 😂
ML/FL Relationship is still in cute phase but I am slightly getting uneasy with ML’s obsessiveness/overly protective/ intensity. 🚩perhaps?

Today it’s YAMH day, I am watching Chinese drama after a long time so struggling little bit to get hang of names & language (not that I understand Korean but still words sound familiar)

@boatyardblues

I hate you all!* YAMH is cdrama crack and my chances of getting an early night just went up in a cloud of smoke...

• Not really, but you are a very bad influence.

Wait 'til you're waking from SWAT dreams at 6 from excitement at having another two subbed episodes of potential fridge spam and mobility scooter joy.

YAMH is indeed a load of fun!... It's very easy to watch! 😁😂

@boatyardblues... I'll be sad yo see this title thread go 💜😂😁... Sorry! In all 21 threads... I've never been helpful with thread titles! Mianhe! 😔😔

Sterling work with the 21 threads! Wonder what the longest running thread is? 🤔

No subs for ep 20! wails Still ep 19's treadmill wall decor plus sulky big cat SWAT rivals Bullseye gameshow-style comp were 👌
Mileage in Sisyphus content for thread title? Emerging from lockdown and post-apocalyptic Seoul have some points of comparison.

2 more episodes to come today and then we'll have to wait until Thursday for more I think Gah! I enjoy the cdrama tropes as much as the kdrama ones. For example first kiss in cdrama is ep 20-21, kdrama ep 9, jdrama ep 1 (wild exaggeration but that's what it seems like!) And why do we never have the boyfriend-brings-sanpro trope in kdrama?

boaty I am hopeless with thread titles ....

Started The Untamed last night but fell asleep, it hasn't grabbed me yet. I may start Love Script (Viki) as this was recommended on MDL as being like Lost Romance

I have notice the huge, black, polluting jeep = manly ML in cdrama trope (cf YAMH and Go Go Squid).

DH was telling a friend yesterday that even though he only half watches/ignores my kdramas, he has spotted some tropes after all this time. He referenced the hair-pulling catfights and the “white lorry disasters”. 😆 I was watching YMMD yesterday after we got home and he suddenly called out: “piggybacks! I forgot to tell H about piggybacks.” The cdrama period product trope is the solicitous, caring twin of the kdrama first aid/applying plasters. In our conversation with our friend, we wondered what tropes we are not seeing in UK/US telly because they are so ingrained or absorbed.

I think the police coats need their own billing in YAMH! They star in every other scene 😆

I hate having an unused page/25 posts on this thread, but we are so chatty now that you might run out of space while I’m doing my ironing. Here is the link to the new one:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/telly_addicts/4198073-MsLatt-s-Daebak-Cybercaf-Kdrama-addicts-22-As-pandemic-restrictions-ease-the-Ajummas-of-Darkness-and-ARMY-recruits-are-on-spring-manoeuvres-camping-under-the-cherry-blossom?watched=1

I had a better title, but it turns out there is a character limit. This is the short version.

There’s so much to enjoy in YAMH. Lots of hawt men doing manly things, the FL is clever and no pushover, improbable unstoppable action, some humour. Not enough cooking/recipe inspiration, but I get that they are all busy doctoring and swatting criminals.