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…

Welcome welcome 🙂

Vincenzo is fun, they have done bonkers really well.

I enjoyed W: two worlds, story changed in pretty much every episode.

For light romantic stuff, Romance is bonus a book or Because this is my first life or Love from star are easy watch with mild to zero suspense.

My previous post was for @FiddlefigOnTheRoof

If you only have Netflix, I’d suggest Because this is my first life or Chicago Typewriter, fiddlefig. Sisyphus was also good but slicker and with less heart than the other two. From the slice of life category, My Unfamiliar Family, Hospital Playlist and Prison Playbook are all good.

I am planning a trip to London, any recommendations for Korean restaurants?
Central (Soho) & East (millennium dome/ Greenwich).

There was a post about rice cake shop in soho, I can’t find it.
Are rice cake vegetarian/pescatarian friendly?

Seconding Betty’s suggestions for Tale of Nokdu and Mr Sunshine too. Mr Sunshine has a real epic sweep, beautiful cinematography and a fantastic cast. Push through the slightly overblown set pieces at the start, as it shifts to a more intimate scale within a couple of episodes.

I was trying to think of shows my DH has enjoyed watching but yes, Tale of Nokdu is brilliant, as are all the others that have been suggested. There's so much choice!

DH and I are currently watching Mr Sunshine and enjoying it a lot.

Welcome to the thread, let us know what you decide upon!

@JinBhoot kseason posted about one called Bunsik on Charing Cross Rd - was it that one?

@Andante57 yes Mr Queen is fab- genuinely funny and some very sweet bits too - the FLs acting is particularly good and I love court lady Choi 😁

I love court lady Choi - Cha Chung-Hwa - she was also excellent as one of the village ajummas in Crash `landing.

So just to make you all GREEN I am just back from the KCC walk and meal. Basically my friend got there early and found the organiser and asked if there was a last minute cancellation and then phoned me and told me to jump on the tube and run there. Missed the first half hour but got to tour the KCC exhibition and then wander through Charing Cross. Tour was sweet but pretty tenuous (eg 'Here we are at Tottenham Court road and that may remind you of the Korean football player playing for Spurs'). Got a goody bag with snacks and tour guides and best bit was astonishing and HUGE Korean meal where we kept thinking it was over and then they brought more things. Apparently 450 people applied so we got very jammy... A real cross section of people there.
Passed the queue for the corndog shop btw which was huge. Apparently you need to get there at 11.30am...
I'll let you know name of restaurant because it was excellent.

Restaurant was called Hankang. Just off Tottenham Court road

Sounds great! Glad you got a place. Did they talk about Kdramas or movies?

I went to Bunsik again this week, according to DS it is the best food he’s ever tasted. But the queues are long indeed!

Need to check out Hankang. Assa is another one of my favourites in the area. My weekly budget is shot thanks to my Korean food habit 😒

@polkettle

So just to make you all GREEN I am just back from the KCC walk and meal. Basically my friend got there early and found the organiser and asked if there was a last minute cancellation and then phoned me and told me to jump on the tube and run there. Missed the first half hour but got to tour the KCC exhibition and then wander through Charing Cross. Tour was sweet but pretty tenuous (eg 'Here we are at Tottenham Court road and that may remind you of the Korean football player playing for Spurs'). Got a goody bag with snacks and tour guides and best bit was astonishing and HUGE Korean meal where we kept thinking it was over and then they brought more things. Apparently 450 people applied so we got very jammy... A real cross section of people there. Passed the queue for the corndog shop btw which was huge. Apparently you need to get there at 11.30am... I'll let you know name of restaurant because it was excellent.

Oh well done Pol! Sounds like the food was the highlight, naturally!!

@KSeason Apparently they've been a bit taken aback by their popularity at Bunsik and the owner says he has to make a hotdog every 30 seconds to keep up but plans to open more branches 👍👍

Wow! Amazing Pol, lucky you! 👏What sort of foods did you try?

They talked Korean movies generally in Leicester Square and mentioned some of the stars who'd been there in the past but one of the best discoveries of the evening was that the KCC has a big Korean movie DVD library and tellies you can go and watch them on there. Think you have to book a library visit at the moment but normally just drop in.

We got 4 different kimchi, salads, seafood pancake, japchae, loads of BBQ pork belly, beef, squid, chicken (done at the table) with lettuce wraps etc, a massive bowl of spicy fried chicken and then a bowl of iced cold noodles with beef, Asian pear and a hardboiled egg! Plus soju and makeolli 👀

@polkettle

We got 4 different kimchi, salads, seafood pancake, japchae, loads of BBQ pork belly, beef, squid, chicken (done at the table) with lettuce wraps etc, a massive bowl of spicy fried chicken and then a bowl of iced cold noodles with beef, Asian pear and a hardboiled egg! Plus soju and makeolli 👀

I’m so jealous. That sounds like an amazing meal!

pol (but glad you got to go & had a great time! )

Sounds amazing Pol! I'm so glad you got to go!

I'm just in the middle of ep13 of Doom and team leader Elf got unexpectedly charming all of a sudden! I hope he gets chosen, barrista is quite an annoying character! The rest of the episode all rather sad though

I'm struggling with the gloominess in DAYS.

Who else is the Kingdom fan here? I didn't realise that Ashin of the North is a one-off episode! Second trailer here:

@polkettle

We got 4 different kimchi, salads, seafood pancake, japchae, loads of BBQ pork belly, beef, squid, chicken (done at the table) with lettuce wraps etc, a massive bowl of spicy fried chicken and then a bowl of iced cold noodles with beef, Asian pear and a hardboiled egg! Plus soju and makeolli 👀

Deeeeelicious 😋

Me FedUp I love Kingdom - sword swishy zombie killing 😬 but I thought it was a whole spin -off series with fab wotsername

@bettys

Me FedUp I love Kingdom - sword swishy zombie killing 😬 but I thought it was a whole spin -off series with fab wotsername

I know 😔

Briiiiick, I'm a Kingdom fan! It's not a series? Just a one off 😧 that's disappointing!

23rd July