MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #24): where we ‘lean in’ to our obsession. Non-judgmental support served up with a side-order of kpop.

[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)
Doom At Your Service (Viki) - still airing
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)*
Move to Heaven (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…

Here's my Japanese friend's take on names from a discussion we had while I watched In House Marriage Honey. As she's a year older than me I've now taken to calling her by her surname to wind her up 😁

Today’s random Twitter find

Korean American cookery comics ! Published by Porkbelly comics.

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PorkBellyComics

Love the recipes style in this one www.etsy.com/uk/listing/206334270/korean-o-american-everyday-cooking

Haha! I like your post on naming conventions @polkettle I know we have a family friend who my husband has known for years and he wouldn't dream of calling her anything but 'surname san'.

@leeloo1 Glad you agree on Uehara! 😂 No idea why DH thinks he's such a lovely match. If DH behaved like that, I would not be happy. I don't think I'm a convert to J drama!

Is it weird that I would've been thrilled to spot Mr. Binn on his London adventure? 😂

Forgot to say I liked Issei best of all the Good Morning Call boys that Nao had a choice from!

I'm just returning to Law School and the rh- blood transfusions. Surely they wouldn't just do a person to person transfusion, just because someone has a rare blood type?! What about screening for bloodborne viruses 😱

Is it weird that I would've been thrilled to spot Mr. Binn on his London adventure? 😂

Oh me too!! I would be quite giddy with cardboard delight!

Am enjoying My Roommate is a Gumiho. Park Morgan Jang Ki Yong is in fine racehorse-legs form and Hyeri is bubbly and 2ML is on a journey of redemption so it's all fun.

@sakura06 - yes, I really liked Issei too, he was hardworking, supportive and all round adorable! Sadly he disappears without a trace in series 2 and is replaced by Natsume, who is kind of sweet, but borderline sexually harassing and has dodgy teeth. 😔

I'd also like to see Mr Binn out and about... I was pretty close to him though, as Finsbury Park is only 2 stops on the tube from me. Although I'm sure polkettle might be less thrilled to meet all his random fans in person. 😂

Sure Mr Binn would be up for going down a London boozer one day to sink a shot of soju in a pint of shandy with a packet of pork scratchings.

Or with a packet of black truffle potato crisps after watching today's oh-so-subtle PPL on SYHH

Haha! Pub visit with Mr. Binn sounds great.

@leeloo1 he sounds worse than Uehara! 😂
Disappointed Issei disappears!

I'd like to see My Roomate is a Gumiho. Currently watching Hyde, Jekyll, Me which I believe has a younger Hyeri. On half term hiatus though so looking forward to a return to K drama.

@polkettle

Sure Mr Binn would be up for going down a London boozer one day to sink a shot of soju in a pint of shandy with a packet of pork scratchings.

Count me in 👍 🍻

@polkettle

Sure Mr Binn would be up for going down a London boozer one day to sink a shot of soju in a pint of shandy with a packet of pork scratchings.

I'll book a flight 👍 😁

So, this happened in Law School Episode 14 😂 a big reveal by the opening of a large swishy curtain 👌

How are you and your DH getting on with Mr Sunshine Rowdy?

We're really enjoying it Boaty! I love that period of time, and the mixture of the Korean and Japanese language and culture is really interesting to see. We've watched 7 episodes so far 👍

@Rowdythree

We're really enjoying it Boaty! I love that period of time, and the mixture of the Korean and Japanese language and culture is really interesting to see. We've watched 7 episodes so far 👍

The lovely Goo Dong-mae 😍

I must admit this is this first thing I've seen Yoo Yeon Seok in where I've found him remotely attractive! It must be the longer hair and beard that's done it!

I must admit this is this first thing I've seen Yoo Yeon Seok in where I've found him remotely attractive! It must be the longer hair and beard that's done it!

Yep, I have to agree with this! Plus the casually draped robes and sword action.

Whilst loving the characters in DAYS (Except for God) I think the story is going round in circles a bit, especially if the preview for next week is anything to go by. Not sure who 2FL is going to end up with but am rooting for Elven Team Leader as Cheery Barista is a bit of an eejit, although a rather winsome eejit

Yes definitely the swords and robes too @bettys

Team Elven in DAYS here 🧝‍♂️Barrista seems a bit of a dimwit unfortunately, the writer would be much better off with Team Leader Elf!

I'm quite looking forward to today's SIMAA-F! Mainly because everything else I'm watching is quite heavy, so I'm looking forward to something lighter, although JJ the creep, gives me the rage 😡

kccuk.org.uk/en/programmes/walking-tour/where-london-meets-korea-walking-tour/

If anyone is near London, this sounds great!

Who wants to go with Mr Binn??🙋🏻‍♀️

By the way could one of you lovely Japanese speakers help me with a translation from Wnglish to Japanese?
I want to know how to say ‘Borrow The Moon^
or maybe ‘Blue Moon’

@polkettle

Or with a packet of black truffle potato crisps after watching today's oh-so-subtle PPL on SYHH

I thought that PPL was hilarious. Not sure of it was meant to be but I made me laugh. My favourite ever PPL was on Melo is my nature- very meta! @sakura06 I've been watching my roommate is a gumiho on iqyi just on the free subscription- it's been very light easy watching so far! Might try the free VIP upgrade and see if it's worth it for other things to watch? I'm team elven for DAYS- agree the barista is quite sweet but the bit with dumping via hyung text was so she should go for the team leader - I hope DAYS isn't going to start going all circular?

English not Wnglish 🤦🏻‍♀️

Thanks @Hydrogensonata 😊

That walking tour sounds great!

@bettys 青月 (ao tsuki?)
月を借りる　(tsuki wo kariru)

DH isn't too sure (Japanese rusty) but 'blue moon' should be at the top and 'borrow the moon' at the bottom. He says 'blue moon' could also be 'sei getsu'. Hope that helps.