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 have disappeared down a Wuxia rabbit hole on iQIYI I may be some time....

Hijinks? Lee Min-Ki? Opposites attract set-up? I am in!!!
Me too!!!!
Work is ridiculous at the moment so I've only watched a few eps of Lovestruck in the City over the weekend. So far JCW isnt very grr, I just want to pat his shoulder and say "there, there" 😂

Work is ridiculous at the moment so I've only watched a few eps of Lovestruck in the City over the weekend. So far JCW isnt very grr, I just want to pat his shoulder and say "there, there"

That’s about the size of it. He doesn’t really ignite, but the writer chap grew on me.

I propose a MsLatte watch-along of Oh, Master in March!

I propose a MsLatte watch-along of Oh, Master in March!

I'm in!

I'm in too 🤜

@Hydrogensonata I've stuck with it too, I think I may be past the worst of the toilet issues. It hasn't cropped up in the last few episodes 😬🤞I'm not liking the ML.. . Love the brothers though

I’m up for a watch along in March.

Is anyone else watching Sisyphus, as I don’t want to talk to myself? I want to say that I thought the roll of film bit and the images was a very clever plot device. In general, I think this is a well-conceived and written drama based on the first 2 episodes. I’m hoping it doesn’t tank after a few episodes like Alice did.

I’m hoping it doesn’t tank after a few episodes like Alice did.

Agree! It is very promising so far, and I particularly like Cho Seung Woo in this role as it is so different to his character in Stranger. I kind of wonder why he didn't look for his brother when he was looking for the suitcase or did I miss something?

I'm in for a watch along!
@Rowdythree yes that seems to fade away luckily and there are some really funny bits- the bit where she's drunk and the MLs have a bit of a stand off about sending her home and she gets out of the car unnoticed and goes home made me laugh (it doesn't sound funny but it tickled me me) the best friend is also very funny
Oh and the doctor luring her with all the snacks

I kind of wonder why he didn't look for his brother when he was looking for the suitcase or did I miss something?

Good catch. I forgot about the brother. Also, PCR DNA test on ashes? 🤣😂🤣

I'm watching Sisyphus too, and had a lol about the PCR on ashes. So speedy too!!

Late to the party but I'm in for watching Oh, Master en masse.

He is very very lovely! 😍

Ooooh lovely it’s like a gorgeous knitwear textile fest 😍
He’s joined the Marines 😭

Oh that's really made me giggly. It's like a Pantene/Littlewoods catalogue collaboration. Fighting 💪 (but not literally 🤞) Marine Lovely Hair

I’ve finished Chicago Typewriter! Love love loved it! It just may be my favourite so far.
I now have Viki. Thinking of starting Her private life next.

I have a literature related question.

In Romance Is a Bonus Book, ML gave explanation of the phrase The Moon is Beautiful was it made up for drama or such phrase actually came about during actual translation?
If it’s true then please can you share references. Thanks 😊

@Birdy65

I’ve finished Chicago Typewriter! Love love loved it! It just may be my favourite so far. I now have Viki. Thinking of starting Her private life next.

Yayaaaa I am glad it’s not just me ... It’s my favourite as well.

I now have Viki.

😂 Birdy - you have fallen hard. Welcome to the hardcore Addicts.

Here you go @JinBhoot although actually I'm not sure whether your question is answered from my quick skin read.koreandramaland.com/the-books-in-romance-is-a-bonus-book-part-1/
Done 7 episodes of She would Never Know Enjoying it in a low key not one that's going to stay with me forever but aw they're pretty way

Let's try that link again koreandramaland.com/the-books-in-romance-is-a-bonus-book-part-1/

Thank you @polkettle for the link, it didn’t answer the question but I love the article. The drama seems to be well researched & due to unfamiliarity with the language I failed to pick the context etc.

I have now found the answer to my query.
I was having discussion with my IRL friends & we were talking about expressing love in a sensitive way & without sounding vulgar. I immediately thought of The Moon Is Beautiful, Isn’t It? (Full phrase) but wasn’t sure if it really existed.
Anyways here is the explanation (yes it exists )
www.italki.com/article/909/confessing-your-love-in-japanese

I went to watch Kill Me, Heal Me on Netflix off the back of the 25 must-see kdramas to see it is no longer there. 🙄

Oh boaty I hate it when that happens! It’s on YouTube, worth a watch if only for Jisung’s cry of ‘O-ppa’ at PSJ 😂😂

I am firmly stuck in Wuxia World and thinking how ML (him from Love is Sweet) pulls off the flying malarkey so much more gracefully due to ballet training (And The Winner Is Love on iQIYI) Havent got a scooby what’s going half the time mind you but not bovvered