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…

We haven't yet Boaty we're watch Shadow and Bone first, although we both commented that we were missing the subtitles now we're watching in English 😂 will be starting Mr Sunshine next week.

Had a dream I went to Korea last night, and there were Brits everywhere after it became known as THE place to go! I didn't get chance to practice my Korean as everyone spoke in English 🤣

I had a dream last night that I was BTS manager/carer. They all called me Noona.

I should stop watching so many back to back episodes of Run BTS. 😳

@Bea I'm loving SYHH too and can't wait for the next episode to be out and subbed
@boatyardblues ahh, salt would make sense, it could definitely add an element of excitement to seasoning a meal @polkettle😁

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

I had a dream last night that I was BTS manager/carer. They all called me Noona.

I should stop watching so many back to back episodes of Run BTS. 😳

Ahhh! The consequences!! 😂

[quote Hydrogensonata]@Bea I'm loving SYHH too and can't wait for the next episode to be out and subbed
@boatyardblues ahh, salt would make sense, it could definitely add an element of excitement to seasoning a meal @polkettle😁[/quote]
👍👍😁

I've started Doom on viki with lovely lovely Park Bo Young... It looks really good and I'm deffo intrigued!... 👍👍👍😍

And!.. BTS up for a BRIT tonight on itv 8pm! Should win! Who else is there to beat them??.. 🤔🤔👀😁👍

For the last 2 years DD and I have attended the Brits in the hope of BTS either showing up or being nominated... Typically the year we're not allowed to go they get a nomination. Doubt they will be there though. Will be watching on the telly though with 🍷

I don't know if they will win, ask the other noma are bands rather than groups. I don't know what the criteria is for the win

@Bea I'd seen an advert for Doom at your service - hadn't clicked it had started - it looked interesting and I like Park Bo-Young so I'll be watching that later

@Rowdythree

For the last 2 years DD and I have attended the Brits in the hope of BTS either showing up or being nominated... Typically the year we're not allowed to go they get a nomination. Doubt they will be there though. Will be watching on the telly though with 🍷

I don't know if they will win, ask the other noma are bands rather than groups. I don't know what the criteria is for the win

You could apply for tickets if you are key worker and live in London... Do there'll be a small audience... They're nominated for best International... Fingers crossed!... 🤞💜

[quote Hydrogensonata]@Bea I'd seen an advert for Doom at your service - hadn't clicked it had started - it looked interesting and I like Park Bo-Young so I'll be watching that later[/quote]
It's good so far!!... 👍💜😁

Weird Chinese Garment number 137: Mr Lizard's zip up two length, two tone, utility waistcoat.

Just finished It's Okay... loved it and for once when DH happened to be in the sitting room at the same time he watched it quite happily. Wondering what to go to next, might go the Mr Sunshine route, think realism might be better for DH, or that 1988 one - Reply 1988? He might like that either, being of the same vintage

@FedUpWithBriiiiick sounds like an excellent dream!!!
I will be watching the Brits later but I won't get home from work til half 8 so hope I won't miss their category 💜

[quote TheGirlWithTheArabStrap]@FedUpWithBriiiiick sounds like an excellent dream!!!
I will be watching the Brits later but I won't get home from work til half 8 so hope I won't miss their category 💜[/quote]
It was. I was terribly efficient, and they adored me. One part included having to tell someone off for upsetting Jungkook.

DS joked with me last night he had BTSD after being forced to listen to my BTS playlist in the car at the weekend.

@hawthornknitter

Just finished It's Okay... loved it and for once when DH happened to be in the sitting room at the same time he watched it quite happily. Wondering what to go to next, might go the Mr Sunshine route, think realism might be better for DH, or that 1988 one - Reply 1988? He might like that either, being of the same vintage

If you are trying to engage your DH definitely go for Mr Sunshine. The stunningly gorgeous women and action will be a much easier sell than a gaggle of menopausal women with bad 80s perms/swirly polyester frocks and clueless teens. There is humanity in both series, though Reply 1988 wins hands down on warmhearted nostalgia.

Made a start on Sell Your Haunted House. First episode engaging, think it's going to be a goodun!

Happy days! Use for My Talent has dropped on Netflix, all 10 episodes. Time for dimples.

And Jasper has a shower scene a few minutes in. 🎉😄 Unless it’s a body double, he’s been working hard on those washboatd abs.

Ooh! Dimples! 🤗 Thank you for that PSA

Fun! Choose your K-drama Boyfriend quiz

@boatyardblues

Happy days! Use for My Talent has dropped on Netflix, all 10 episodes. Time for dimples.

Is that the Chinese remake of Clean with Passion for Now?

[quote FedUpWithBriiiiick]Fun! Choose your K-drama Boyfriend quiz [/quote]
Nam Se-hee from Because This Is My First Life YESSSSSS

I got Seol Ji-Hwan from Search WWW. Does that mean I'm Scarlett? 😁😁😁