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…

@Andante57 I've been distracted from SYHH by DAYS and some real life stuff but I'm up to ep 7 and was enjoying it, so will get back to it ASAP.

Oh that’s good to hear.

I’m torn between the bare torso content of Reply 1994 and heartwarming Racket Boys . I have about 4 eps of SYHH to catch up on

Doh 🤦🏻‍♀️ Reply 1994 is the one I didn’t like and I skipped to the end. I thought it was the one with yer man from DAYS, I’m going to try Reply 1997

I'm giving Mad About Each Other a go and keen to start Racket Boys.

Gave into temptation and started on Love Phantom. Same old J-drama tropes 🙄

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

I'm giving Mad About Each Other a go and keen to start Racket Boys.

Gave into temptation and started on Love Phantom. Same old J-drama tropes 🙄

*Mad For Each Other

Racket Boys is nice and fun heartwarming and gentle... So far!... 😍

Is anyone else watching Youth of May? 😬 Aagh I feel like I'm on a knife edge everytime I watch, it's beautifully nostalgic, but with a dark undercurrent, where I'm just waiting for it all to go horribly wrong 😟😟 I absolutely love the M & FL, they're perfect for the roles

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

It's DAYS Day!

It's on 53%..... Not long now!

@Andante57 I've been watching SYHH- it started off really well then stalled a bit but I've still enjoyed it.

If anyone hasn't seen are you human too it finishes on netflix on the 30th June- I'd recommend it - Seo Kang Joon does a really good job of showing two different characters

Hydrogensonata I have seen it, because I love, love, love Seo Kang Joon. My favourite drama with him in it is Watcher he is v angsty and has a terrible time, but he is so race horse legged and gorgeous 😍. 2nd favourite is Cheese in the Trap bad boy pianist that the FL should have picked (and you will never convince me otherwise bettys 😂)

😂😂 I’ve given up trying TheGirl !!!

Any other drama & I would agree with you! I even struggled through (most)) of Entourage for Seo Kang Joon 😍

Yeah he was so sulky in Entourage, not a good look 🤔

Ooh DAYS is at 98% but I'm absolutely falling asleep already. Think I'm going to leave it till tomorrow 💤💤💤

DAYS was cracking tonight, although I was hugely distracted by PBY’s outfit when she was crouching by the telegraph pole. The yellow/white combo made her look like a giant fried egg. Otherwise it was marvellous. I especially like how the Elven King is stirring, from frosty to molten magma. The cheery barista has come over all brooding and intense too. They just need a big old fight (pref shirts off) like a pair of stags to work out who gets the girl. Or maybe they coukd actually ask her… 🤷‍♀️

@boatyardblues

DAYS was cracking tonight, although I was hugely distracted by PBY’s outfit when she was crouching by the telegraph pole. The yellow/white combo made her look like a giant fried egg. Otherwise it was marvellous. I especially like how the Elven King is stirring, from frosty to molten magma. The cheery barista has come over all brooding and intense too. They just need a big old fight (pref shirts off) like a pair of stags to work out who gets the girl. Or maybe they coukd actually ask her… 🤷‍♀️

It was another good one- the bit where her aunt chases her 😁- not my favourite PBY outfits in this one though. I love the interactions between PBY the brother and the friends- they all seem really natural and caring- the bit with all the clothes she's bought over 😭 I'm still on team elven leader (although he's not my type) I do think claiming that someone should date you not your friend because you liked her first nine years ago (then got said friend to dump her for you) is a bit of a stretch.

I do think claiming that someone should date you not your friend because you liked her first nine years ago (then got said friend to dump her for you) is a bit of a stretch.

Yeah, dick move. He doesn’t deserve her.

Guys guys guys Mad For Each Other is GREAT!!!

Saving DAYS for tomorrow.

Ooh. Good news FedUp as having a bit of a Jung Woo-hoo! following all the torso exposure of Reply 1994.

Also saving DAYS for later, thanks for heads up FedUp I’d been eyeing up Mad For Each Other

@polkettle

Ooh. Good news FedUp as having a bit of a Jung Woo-hoo! following all the torso exposure of Reply 1994.

Is he on the Age Appropriate Oppa list? Because he should be 😍

Honestly though MAEO is a real sleeper hit. Witty dialogue, good laughs, sharp plot. And episodes are only 1/2 hour long. So far so good.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Honestly though MAEO is a real sleeper hit. Witty dialogue, good laughs, sharp plot. And episodes are only 1/2 hour long. So far so good.

Damn I did it again! MFEO!

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Honestly though MAEO is a real sleeper hit. Witty dialogue, good laughs, sharp plot. And episodes are only 1/2 hour long. So far so good.

Ooh, will have to give it a watch- I've got a couple of days off (mostly to finish off a research paper I've been putting off) but I'm sure a bit of K dramaing will help 😁

Can't wait for DAYS later

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap Seo Kang Joon is definitely too young for my age appropriate Oppa list but he does have a very lovely smile- haven't watched cheese in the trap yet, maybe another one to try whilst I'm off?

@Hydrogensonata he's probably a bit young technically for me too but 🤷‍♀️ 😁. He does have a lovely smile, but I love his angsty glower even more 😍

@Hydrogensonata Seo Kang Joon is not in my age-appropriate-oppa bandwidth either - not many are!
Definitely give Cheese In The Trap a go, it can be a marmite drama and definitely be prepared to be cross at the cop-out ending