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…

🤣 Don't need to watch the rest now! Thanks pol 👍

So, I did watch the rest of it but nothing happened. Apart from I did feel a tiny bit of sympathy for JJ, he looked very young and vulnerable when he wasn't in his Gareth Southgate outfit.

What on earth was the point of the missing father storyline? That went absolutely nowhere!

Also what was the point of the friend that worked at the magazine? He's in the opening credits but had a very minor role?

I agree that this show had a lot of potential, but went awry somewhere between the concept and the end product!

@polkettle

And while you were sleeping she made some gimbap and caught a mild cold and her dad changed a lightbulb.

This is an excellent summary of an hour of my life I will never get back.

I agree- what was the point of the friend at the magazine? The missing Dad storyline? Why did his Mum never answer the phone (I thought she was dead!) JJs random mean brother popping to add absolutely nothing to the plot- what about the female friend and her lawyer boyfriend??
I felt a bit of sympathy for JJ then remembered he'd been a complete twat and pretty abusive to In-Hyung and of she goes back to him 😡

My suggestion for this episode is white trucks of doom takes out the three of them and Geun-Young takes off with the manager.

It's such a shame as the idea has potential but it just went nowhere.
Slowly
And the characters are pretty unlikeable and confusing (was JJ evil, comic relief, potential love rival??) Felt like it was going to go one way then got changed and changed again

Didn't realise quite how many feelings I had about SIMAA-F
Off to start mad for each other as I've seen lots of positive comments!

Imitation is another drama about K-pop/ idol drama. I have seen clips but not sure if I’ll watch it or not.

Watching Racket Boys with my DC, we are 2 episodes in & enjoying it quite a lot.

Racket Boys is good fun.

Told a friend about that Korean walk/meal who is not even a drama fan (but who does like her kimchi tbf) and she got a spot and I didn't! Outraged!

Oh no @polkettle! I applied too but I've not heard. You can get your friend to recreate it for you perhaps?

Thanks so much for the Fight For My Way recommendation. I'm loving it!

You are all very disciplined watching dramas weekly. I don't think I could stand the suspense with all the K drama cliffhangers! I don't even want to start Hospital Playlist yet as I can't be waiting until September to see the ending!

They seemed to email out yesterday afternoon @sakura06 so check your spam? If really nothing then I suspect you're on a waiting list and will hear tomorrow when first offers had to be accepted. My email did say it had been massively oversubscribed and didn't suggest I was on any kind of wait list

pol & sakura I applied for the walking tour too and didn't get a place

If I were you pol I'm not sure I could be polite to your friend! I was trying to explain to a group of friends yesterday (in a responsible socially distanced way obvs) what it is about kdrama that means I have barely watched any english-language drama for the last 3 years. I don't think I won anyone over

I’m not even on a waiting list 😩

She did offer me her spot tbf but given she loves Korean cookery and has even more recently celebrated an even more significant birthday than mine (with a group bibimbap meal out with Mr Binn) I Nobly Refused 😭 I've demanded first dibs on her goody bag rejects though...

Oh bless her for offering you the space! If your friend recreates the tour for you, you can recreate it for the Mumsnetters

I didn't get a place either. A beautiful Korean meal might have been wasted on spice-averse me anyway...

Oooooh yes yes yes we want the inside information.....with diagrammes

I don't think there's ever been a more vacuous unpleasant character as Inhyung in SIMAAF... I know jj is thoroughly unpleasant too!.. but the writers could not have written a more insipid weak pointless character as Inhyung! 😑😑😑

... And incredibley selfish and self centered! Bleurgh!

Started mad for each other last night and finished it off (just the last episode to go when it streams!) I really didn't want to stop but I was falling asleep by 1- I thought it was fantastic- some very funny bits, some very moving bits lots of heartwarming bits and fantastic acting. Love the extra bits at the end of each episode as well. I only wish it was longer 💕

Aah what a shame none of you got a spot in the walking tour! We absolutely need all the details from your friend @polkettle so we can recreate it ourselves!

I'm still going with Kill Me Heal Me as I didn't realise it had 20 episodes! Got one left to watch tonight. I'm not complaining though as watching Ji Seong for 4 more hours is no hardship 😍

Omo! First episode of Nevertheless is pretty 🔥 Beautiful Song Kang being all sexy norty sculptor swoon. Another butterfly themed show for him 🤷‍♀️

Right - finished SIMAA-F and the last episode was mostly people just being mopey but I did find the blink-and-you'll-miss-it end credits very interesting as they show how they film the White Truck of Doom and Sung Hoon being driven off on a trolley thing.

nOW I HAVE TO GO CHECK OUT THE PRETTY IN nEVERTHELESS oops caps fail

Hopeful for new Bad Art potential as series progresses too.

Hopeful for new Bad Art potential as series progresses too.

Well it was a strong start with the sub par Allen Jones sculpture. Mortifying.

I just finished SIMAA-F, what a bizarre final episode! I suppose there were no loose threads at least.

This is an interesting read:
www.economist.com/asia/2021/06/19/young-men-in-south-korea-feel-victimised-by-feminism
Young men in South Korea feel victimised by feminism