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…

And why I have I never seen Strong Girl 💪🏻??? It is brilliant 🥇 I blame you lot for not making me...

@Cassini

And why I have I never seen Strong Girl 💪🏻??? It is brilliant 🥇 I blame you lot for not making me...

It’s in the OP with a special category of its own (recently joined by School Nurse) and barely a thread passes where Bea doesn’t wax lyrical about Park Hyung-Sik. 🤷‍♀️😂

Am surprised so few of you have Healer in. I loved Vincenzo but Healer is Vincenzo vibes plus romance!

Also Still 17. It may be no. 6 for me, followed by Search WWW

I love Healer too K Season 😂 There's just too many!

Cassini Strong Girl is my all time favourite! I'm sure I've mentioned it a few times before 🤣

In my Korean class last week we were talking about dramas (happens every week) and Strong Girl came up, I said ooh this is my favourite one! One of my class mates piped up, Rowdy, they're all your favourite 😂🙊🙈

You could add Move To Heaven in the slice of life category for new thread Boaty. It's a good 'un in a teary way.

@polkettle

You could add Move To Heaven in the slice of life category for new thread Boaty. It's a good 'un in a teary way.

Can I also ask for Navillera in that category too?

Kseason I’m half way through Healer - omg it’s brilliant.

I feel guilty though as I started watching it while dh is working in Scotland and I don’t know whether to own up or keep it secret. The thing is he would love it.

Re favourites, CLOY will always be my favourite, followed by My Love from the Star. Re the latter two of my favourite scenes are the ones when they are ‘fighting’ and Lawyer Jane walks in and is so taken aback, and the one when they are arguing in the park and Suzy spots Professor Do and wants his phone number.
It’s such a shame K dramas rarely have a second series.

Andante, I'd keep quiet, then when he comes home suggest you both watch it, then you can watch it again 😁👍

Navillera was already on the OP but I’ve added Move to Heaven.

I also added DAYS with a note that it is currently airing. I’m calling it now - there’s no way it’s not going to be a smash.

Catching up on SIMAA-F. The manager has got way more sex appeal than ML. 🤷‍♀️

Rowdy - good advice - that’s what I’ll do.
Actually sometimes I have difficulty following the different names and the plot, especially when there are flashbacks like there are in Healer, so I’d get plenty out of a second viewing.

Sorry, what is DAYS?

Doom at your Service

Of course! Sorry I’m very slow on the uptake this evening.

@boatyardblues

Navillera was already on the OP but I’ve added Move to Heaven.

I also added DAYS with a note that it is currently airing. I’m calling it now - there’s no way it’s not going to be a smash.

As long as it doesn't go the way of DDSSLLS 😓

As long as it doesn't go the way of DDSSLLS 😓

I’m still gobsmacked that they ruined it like that 🤬

Up to date with SIMAA-F and now I know it was filmed 2 years ago I think that’s why the story feels a little dated in style ie dick of a bloke redeeming himself & learning to be nice again

@boatyardblues... Ahhh! I'm chuffed that you remember my love for sweet sweet Park Hyung Sik! I'm looking forward to seeing waft he does next... Suits really allowed him to flex his acting chops!! 😁😍😁😍👍👍👍

@bettys, I'd agree SIMAA-F does feel dated. I wonder why they sat on it for two years. I guess it's too coincide with his discharge from the military...

It’s the FL that’s carrying SIMAA-F for me. Everyone else is meh. Even the styling is meh, so we are deprived of decent tailoring. Message for evil JJ: the 90s called and they want your shiny double-breasted suit back! 🤮😂

@boatyardblues

It’s the FL that’s carrying SIMAA-F for me. Everyone else is meh. Even the styling is meh, so we are deprived of decent tailoring. Message for evil JJ: the 90s called and they want your shiny double-breasted suit back! 🤮😂

😁😁 he just looks like typical evil chaebol type- I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover but you'd think anyone would take one look at him and think evil @boatyardblues I still think she should ditch the ML and go for the manager! It does feel quite dated, it's ok but I'm not desperate for the next episode. I really, really hope they don't ruin Doom- if it's carries on like it is I think it might be my number 1! I thought no my current top 5 would be 1- www.search 2- Mr Queen 3- true beauty or strong girl 4- because this is my first life 5-melo is my nature

Although I also love oh my ghost and weight lifting fairy both of which I've re-watched.
What would be the most disappointing? I'd go for how to be thirty because it could have been good, birth of a beauty because it's felt like two completely different dramas- the first one which could have been ok and the second which was ridiculous and really irritated me for some reason and noble my love which again started ok but quickly descended into terrible damaged stalking relationship territory but you're supposed to somehow find it cute. Run, run away FL!!
Not in too 5 but a complete guilty pleasure- Gogh the starry night. I've watched it a few times and it involves no thinking and nice short episodes for a bad day!

@Andante57 CLOY will always be a no 1 for me but Healer is so so close.

Agree with everyone, DAYS will be great. It’s a very intelligent script and I feel it’s only getting started. Not a fan of the Twilight-like fan service scenes though.

Oh and zombie detective! I'd forgotten how much I liked that when it was on

Ok I just can't choose a top 5 - now I keep thinking of other ones I'd want in there- I think it depends on mood at the time what's in the top - fight for my way and her private life should be in there somewhere?

Could we add Taxi driver to crime/thriller

Hydrogen - I can add Taxi Driver, but I’m interested to know if others enjoyed it too.

I’m not sure where SYHH is headed now. The most recent episode felt a touch flat to me.