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…

Thank you @sakura06 that is a great help!!

@Hydrogensonata this is my iQIYI list of ones that I am watching/have completed. These are just the ones exclusive to iQ - there are more that are also on Viki that I watch on iQ as I can download or watch at a faster speed

Moonlight
My Roomate is a Gumiho
My Dear Guardian
Love Is Sweet
Love Scenery
She Would Never Know
Oh Master
And The Winner Is Love
Royal Secret Agent

Ahh Rowdy that walking tour looks good! Annoyingly I have a meeting that day that in pre-covid times would mean me going down South to London for the day so would have perfectly fitted in with going on it. But we are doing it on Zoom now 🙄

Agree re Dong Mae being the only sexy YYS character, he's so swashbuckling 😍😍😍.
Elven Team leader is not my type looks wise but agree that Cheery Barista is a bit dim-witted and dumped 2FL in a v crap way when young.

Ah, I have no tolerance for drinking at all, so maybe I should stick with juice, then I can offer a piggy back taxi service to Mr Binn after he's enjoyed his shandy-soju bombs. 😁

Team Elven here too. Seo In Guk is seriously growing on me too. I’m planning to watch the Reply he’s in after this.

I have serious kdrama catching up to do this weekend after a week of half term entertainments officer duties. Back to normal. 🙌

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

Ahh Rowdy that walking tour looks good! Annoyingly I have a meeting that day that in pre-covid times would mean me going down South to London for the day so would have perfectly fitted in with going on it. But we are doing it on Zoom now 🙄

Nowt to stop you Zooming from a coffee shop in London. 😉

boaty but I'd have to pay for my own train ticket 😕😳🤯

Yep I'll def be watching that Reply after this. He is v v attractive in DAYS

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

boaty but I'd have to pay for my own train ticket 😕😳🤯

Yep I'll def be watching that Reply after this. He is v v attractive in DAYS

Ah yes. I miss having regular meetings in Bloomsbury. I’d book a later train home so I could have a mooch in the British Museum.

I’m catching up on today’s SIMAA-F and I hate Jaejoon and Inhyung’s storyline and relationship. He’s such an abusive arse it does not make for enjoyable viewing. I’m really having to push through with this one and it’s only the FL and the manager who are keeping me watching. Even the FL is annoying, too bloody soft by half. 😠

I wish I had an excuse to be in London so I could partake in the walking tour! Sadly not though 🙄

I agree with you Boaty! JJ is just an abuser, the fact they wanted to call him when Inhyung had just taken an overdose, does no one ask why she did it!? He should be kept well away from her! And everyone for that matter, prick.

I thought it was quite sweet when the ML delivered the FL pizza in hospital and said 'Did you order me?' 😂 Smooth line

PSA 🔊🔊
Hospital Playlist S2 trailer is on the Netflix.

Yes! there are so many slip on YouTube but seeing on Netflix means wait is almost over.
12 more sleeps 🎉🎉🎊🎊

Big yes to trying to get a spot on the walking tour although imagine it will be quite oversubscribed given free meal.
Mr Binn went to a party last night and was totally kidnapped by floozies. X rated photos now exist. Omo! My poor corrupted cardboard man!

@JinBhoot

PSA 🔊🔊 Hospital Playlist S2 trailer is on the Netflix. Yes! there are so many slip on YouTube but seeing on Netflix means wait is almost over. 12 more sleeps 🎉🎉🎊🎊

Whoop!

@polkettle

Big yes to trying to get a spot on the walking tour although imagine it will be quite oversubscribed given free meal. Mr Binn went to a party last night and was totally kidnapped by floozies. X rated photos now exist. Omo! My poor corrupted cardboard man!

Did you have a good birthday party Pol?

😂 Will you be embarrassing Mr Binn on IG with thod

Oops, my finger slipped!
Embarrassing Mr Binn with those photos on IG Pol 😂
Hope you had a fab party!

I’m wondering how dishevelled Mr Binn looks after a night of Gangnam leopards’ attention. Will you have to patch him up with duck tape (rear) and invisible sellotape (front)?

I think those photos must be kept KDrama style on a secret zip drive only to be produced if Mr Binn's behaviour steps out of line and he needs a nudge. I haven't seen him this morning but the humidity was playing havoc with his edges last night so I fear he may be an accurate cardboard representation of a hangover. I need that soup now.

I’m sure Mr Binn won’t want those photos seen by a certain golf-loving puppy cuddling person back home 🤔

I’m quite enjoying cutesy pizza delivering ‘did you order me?’ ML in SIMAA-F now, but hate hate hate the toxicity of 2ML & 2FL. Also disliking dick of a director.

Started My Dear Guardian v late last night & it may have been the Friday Night Wine but I was 😲 and 😂 in a it’s-bad-but-I-still-want-to-watch way. DOTS it ain’t but I will probably stick with it 😂 as wasn’t a huge fan of DOTS anyway. Pumped Plug is very VERY pumped 😬

@boatyardblues

I’m wondering how dishevelled Mr Binn looks after a night of Gangnam leopards’ attention. Will you have to patch him up with duck tape (rear) and invisible sellotape (front)?

I want to see the disheveled Mr Binn! Surely he looks immaculate all the time, even with the worst hangovers 😂

Wow! Law School really has it all, including an identical twin switcharoo to being down the bad guy 😂👍

@bettys

I’m sure Mr Binn won’t want those photos seen by a certain golf-loving puppy cuddling person back home 🤔

I’m quite enjoying cutesy pizza delivering ‘did you order me?’ ML in SIMAA-F now, but hate hate hate the toxicity of 2ML & 2FL. Also disliking dick of a director.

Started My Dear Guardian v late last night & it may have been the Friday Night Wine but I was 😲 and 😂 in a it’s-bad-but-I-still-want-to-watch way. DOTS it ain’t but I will probably stick with it 😂 as wasn’t a huge fan of DOTS anyway. Pumped Plug is very VERY pumped 😬

I've warmed slightly to the ML -although it felt like quite a sudden change from being a complete arse to her to being sweet- I'm not sure I'd forgive him that quickly! I'm enjoying SIMAA-F a bit more now but I still find it quite frustrating and a but uneven - in particular the 2ml- he's incredibly toxic but then it feels like the writers want you to feel a bit sorry for him? He's an evil plotting CEO but his evil plotting doesn't seem to ever come to anything so is he more comic relief? Evil? Just really irritating and needs to move on? There were hints he liked Guen-young but that seems to have stopped. It's quite uneven in a lot of places- characters come and go quite a lot as well like the friends, the reporter, the ex boyfriend- they pop back up randomly, done do much and then disappear

Giving the Suntory Roku gin a go. Served with ginger. KANPAI!

Oooh ginger, that's a great twist!

Ooh FedUpI wouldn't have thought of adding ginger, but I think I would love it!