MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #23): Need help sorting your low stakes Cdrama nerd poppets from your kdrama oppas and flower boys? C’mon in!

[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)*
Lovestruck in the City (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)
To My Star [BL] (Viki)
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)
You Make Me Dance [BL] (Viki)


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)*
Navillera (Netflix)*
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
#Alive (Netflix)
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)
Sisyphus (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 ‘You May Also Like’
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)
You Are My Hero (Viki, 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 bum 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…

Started The Package and there's Sad Ahjumma! At first I thought she was playing the completely different role of Long Suffering Ahjumma...but now it looks like she's back on Sad.

Ah pol I really like The Package, it has ML from Anti-Fan who always looks like a nerd but is a surprisingly buff nerd. And the marvellous Choi Woo Sik. And Yoon Park. And Mont St Michel and Paris sigh...

Ah yes! I thought he looked familiar. And indeed did a nice wander about in just his towel. Excellent.

I watched the first episode of Bossam - Steal the Fate earlier. I like Jung Il Woo (motorbike chaebol from Cinderella and Four Princes) with a straggly sageuk up-do and peasant hanbok. The princess has got a bit of spark too. Could be interesting. Subs on ep 2 are being loaded at glacial pace. Grrr.

The Package was surprisingly frisky. It must be because the tour guide has gone native. 😄

@boatyardblues

The Package was surprisingly frisky. It must be because the tour guide has gone native. 😄

On the watch list! 😁

@Rowdythree Reply 1988 is a lovely nostalgia fest!

I have dipped my toe in The Girl Who Sees Scents and it has Run On’s FL. I rate the actress so I will stick with it.

The Package will deffo make you long for a lovely European holiday! It's got ml of sell haunted house in too! 👍

@Rowdythree I loved Reply 1988. I think it will always be in my top 5! The friendship between the mothers is great (as well as the 5 teens).

Enjoyed the second episode of Vincenzo much more, so thanks @Bea and @Hydrogensonata for the advice to stick with it. Getting strong Gatsby vibes from the party he held!

Has anyone watched Dramaworld S2? Is it on Viki?

#binoftheday is great today @polkettle 😂😂😂

Isn’t it!? I proper snorted with laughter when I saw the reason why he got in a huff 🤣🤣

#binoftheday made me laugh so much I had to explain it to DH. He's impressed by your work @polkettle 😊

🙌

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

#binoftheday made me laugh so much I had to explain it to DH. He's impressed by your work *@polkettle* 😊

My DH: “yeah, I’ve got the measure of it now. You don’t need to show me any more.” 😮 My children also think we (kdrama threadsters) are quite, quite mad. As I reminded them: everyone needs a hobby and we’re not doing any harm. I wish my family were more supportive, although I’m glad they are very tolerant.

I think it's fair to say my hairdresser was a little baffled when I tried to explain why I'd brought a cardboard man with me.
Family generally tolerant of my madnesses although constantly get startled by - eg- reflection of looming Bin in shadowy kitchen. Also DH not quite sure how many clothes he wants to share... There is a certain competition as to who can wear them better but I reassure him that moveable arms will always win.

Haha! I did wonder how your hairdresser might react. I also love the fact your DH isn't sure about sharing his clothes! Was it you on the skateboard @polkettle??

Sympathies to your family on Bin startling them Pol. DH had a full size CPR training person/dummy in the house for a few months. He mostly sat on a chair in the spare room but I jumped everytime I went in 😂

I'm chuckling at Pols family being startled by Bin looming up on them. I'm curious, what does Mr Binn do of an evening? Does he sit on the sofa and watch TV with you?

Exactly Boaty, we all need a hobby, and there's a lot worse that we could be doing than being K drama/culture fans! 😁😁

Delighted by idea that it might be me on the skateboard so let's keep that mysterious.
He can't sit Rowdy - no wonder he gets tetchy sometimes. I left him in the hall and properly freaked out DS1 returning late at night. DS2 claims he's creepy but was caught out chatting to him recently. I find him a great listener.
Your pupper is HUGE 😍

He is quite huge pol Poor Mr Binn, not being able to take the weight off his feet

We’ve just finished The Producers.
Dh absolutely loved it - I enjoyed it but I wouldn’t put it in my top 5 by any means.
It goes without saying that Kim Soo Hyun is a brilliant actor but this did seem to be a bit of an ego trip for him - references to how handsome he was in every episode and Cindy the celeb falling for him.

I'm having a bit of a crush on Sung Dong Il at the moment! I don't usually go for an Ahjhussi but there's something about his twinkly eyes.

Andante - that's one thing I find unusual about K dramas, is the amount of times they mention the handsomness or beautifulness of the main actor/s. I mean it's usually true, but it is mentioned more often than not... Maybe they have it written into their contracts

I see you are up to 159 followers over on IG Pol. 👏

I'm having a bit of a crush on Sung Dong Il at the moment! I don't usually go for an Ahjhussi but there's something about his twinkly eyes.

Omo! I think we need to stage an intervention for Rowdy. Sung Dong Il is definitely niche.