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…

Try this link for bathroom oppas

@boatyardblues I was 99% sure it was you 😂

There's one of Gong Yoo where the bath water looks brown, which is a bit off putting

There one where Gong Yoo looks like he's really just got up

Sub in a Tub!

Thank you ladies. That was a most enjoyable few mins, though PSJ’s toes do not match the rest of him.

I am up to date with SIMAA-F - really enjoying it wish I could binge. I didn't much like ML when he was in Suspicious Partner or Missing 9 but he is nice in this. Trivia - his rl partner is Park Shin Hye, and FLs is Jung Kyung Ho who was also in Missing 9

Also started Word of Honour but struggling to get past the who-the-hell-is-everyone-i-haven't-the-foggiest-what-is-going-on beginning. Got halfway through Super-Me on Netflix but lost interest though Dylan Wang very engaging.

@bettys

I am up to date with SIMAA-F - really enjoying it wish I could binge. I didn't much like ML when he was in Suspicious Partner or Missing 9 but he is nice in this. Trivia - his rl partner is Park Shin Hye, and FLs is Jung Kyung Ho who was also in Missing 9

Also started Word of Honour but struggling to get past the who-the-hell-is-everyone-i-haven't-the-foggiest-what-is-going-on beginning. Got halfway through Super-Me on Netflix but lost interest though Dylan Wang very engaging.

I thought the ML was a bit of a dick this week, Betty. Did he know the gay chef was her ex? He needs to stop being a dick sharpish. I’m also 😔 for the FL that his crazy fans are targetting her.

That was a most enjoyable few mins, though PSJ’s toes do not match the rest of him.

I had to go look - you're right!! I find that quite endearing though

I thought the ML was a bit of a dick this week, Betty. Did he know the gay chef was her ex? He needs to stop being a dick sharpish. I’m also 😔 for the FL that his crazy fans are targetting her.

Agree on all counts, but don't think he knows that the chef is her ex, or why they split up. I think he will find out that his fans have been targeting her and will be upset about it & begin to realise what she has been going through.

That bitch bully schoolgirl needs egging

Oh I must admit laughing at the one of Gong Yoo brushing his teeth near the shitter 😂

And Cha Eun-woo too wholesome to be IN a bath, just smiling fully clothed NEAR a bath 😁

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Oh I must admit laughing at the one of Gong Yoo brushing his teeth near the shitter 😂

And Cha Eun-woo too wholesome to be IN a bath, just smiling fully clothed NEAR a bath 😁

"YOO NEAR A LOO" GOD DAMN IT HOW DID I NOT GET THAT

@bettys

Oppas in baths!! 🛀 👀 It’s a whole new category of delights 🥰 I am somewhat taken with Song Seung Heon & Toasty Lee Jong Suk although of course HB is top #everydayishyunbinday

What’s next? Oppas & white goods? Oppas hoovering? I feel sure there ought to be an Oppas with floofy pets dedicated instagrammer out there…

Ahhh! Have you ever seen Jin as A Fridge account on twitter!.. Kim Seokjin as various fridges! An admiring nod to his broad shoulders! 😂😂😂

I'm liking Jin As A Fridge

Jim as a a fridge is hilarious - model numbers and everything!

*Jin

@boatyardblues

Those hotteok look quite similar to Welshcakes though 3x larger. Are they sweet or savoury, Bea?

There is a savoury version as well .. looks easy enough to try but dough is very sticky.

The ML in SIMAA-F is coming across as a right dick, I don't like him at all at the moment! I did like him in Suspicious Partners, but I'm not that keen on him as the lead... I wouldn't have put him with Park Shin Hye either 🤔I like the FL character though, I liked it when she grabbed Chef Roy round the neck to stop him from seeing her shoes she should have chucked them at him when he commented on them though... Dick 😂

@polkettle

Thanks Hydrogen Not sure how long daily Binn is sustainable but I reckon I can muster another week or two's work for him. Was the contracted husband show the Mr Oh who makes instruments one? My friend has a soft spot for that show but admits it's a slow burner. I'll have to break it to her it's going.

Yep that's the one- it definitely has its plus points but it starts off well and then sort of sags a bit? And the 2ml is a touch irritating in parts, I do like Uee she was good in marriage age contract but the character felt a bit uneven.

Seen a few adverts for doom at your service which looks good

I watchedep 3 of Bossam under-subbed but could follow well enough. It’s really decent and I’m following with interest.

It's hard to believe that Mr nerd poppet could face a tougher nut to crack than Mi Ka but the FL of Octogenarians and the... is that nut. Poor poppet. Somebody cast him in a 15 certificate...

@polkettle

It's hard to believe that Mr nerd poppet could face a tougher nut to crack than Mi Ka but the FL of Octogenarians and the... is that nut. Poor poppet. Somebody cast him in a 15 certificate...

I stand by my original nickname for him: Captain Blue Balls.

Incidentally, I’ll place my marker - Jung Il Woo’s ruffian ML in Bossam will turn out to be a noble bastard, probably with some out of favour royal concubine, so suitable marriage material for the princess. Conveniently both are widowed, so grade B marriageable.

I am tempted by Bossam from your review boaty but Jung Il Woo leaves me cold somehow.

However the flirting between the two MLs in Word of Honour is cheeky. Still don’t know who everyone is but am into it now.

Blue Balls is spot on FedUp I feel sad for them. Still another 20 episodes to go so maybe...

I'm thoroughly enjoying Fight for my Way, I think anything with PSJ is fab. And just started Kakafukaka for some more Jdrama and in episode 1 we've already got Ml asking FL to help him with his erectile dysfunction 🤣 it's so random!