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…

I am on last two episodes of Tale of Nokdu, I shouldn’t question this (as it’s drama & not ever thing is logical) but I am still struggling to understand why king made that decision 20yrs ago. There has to be a solid reason. Hoping for some shocking reveal in final episodes.

In all period dramas … there is always someone plotting revolt & planning to dethrone the king.
Back then is this really what kept royals busy, when did they do work or looked after subjects 🤔. Power is intoxicating

Anyways, I must shut down the critical thinking and continue watching. I thought ML was the same guy from it’s ok not to be ok but it’s a different guy.

Anyways, I must shut down the critical thinking and continue watching

This is a key strategy when watching drama Jin

I thought ML was the same guy from it’s ok not to be ok but it’s a different guy.

This is true. If you want to see him in something he is very good in School 2017 with ML from M Queen and also Search where he wears uniform and is a dog handler on the SK/NK border

....although nothing quite compares with the open robe fan dance in Nokdu by the falls.

I am still watching PFAEML where the 2FL still hasn't given up on the ML and I just want to shout HE"S JUST NOT INTO YOU at her.

Then may start Imitation...or finish Love Phantom....

@boatyardblues I hesitate to argue with you but I have just driven past the Wiltshire Higher Education and University Centre in Salisbury 🤣🤣🤣🤣 on our road trip 😆

Loved those well spoken lunch trying boys. Thanks Bea
Watching The First Half of My Life (on -gasp- Amazon) V glossy if rather angsty CDrama about life post divorce with somewhat ott jazz soundtrack and v v glam clothes. Good though. Between this and liking him in Surgeons have developed a bit of a JinDong thing (To add to all my other things). Ding dong JinDong rawrr.
😂 Cassini

[quote Cassini]**@boatyardblues* I hesitate to argue with you but I have just driven past the Wiltshire Higher Education and University* Centre in Salisbury 🤣🤣🤣🤣 on our road trip 😆[/quote]
Really? I stand corrected. I last saw this discussed some time ago.

I like the TN in Imitation for ‘crow tit’ (= try hard). The thing about Imitation that I’m really not getting is why everyone thinks FL is a viable impersonator for the bitchy solo artist. They don’t look or sound even remotely like one another and FL is tiny, whereas bitchy soloist is tall. And FL wears a blonde wig all the time when she covers her songs, but bitchy soloist is a brunette. Go figure…

....although nothing quite compares with the open robe fan dance in Nokdu by the falls.

Fiddlefig I hope you and DH enjoy the two you've gone for. We're currently on ep15 of Mr Sunshine. I think DH is enjoying it, but not as much as the more action packed ones.

Aah fans self at the thought of the open robe fan dance

Anyone else drawing a family tree for PBAEML???

@Bea how cute were the boys 🥰

Hospital Playlist is the BEST.

isn't it though 🥰. isn't it. Currently on my third watch of this week's episode to keep my medical buddy battery charged til Thursday.

@polkettle

isn't it though 🥰. isn't it. Currently on my third watch of this week's episode to keep my medical buddy battery charged til Thursday.

I just love it Pol. I do.

Small dissenting voice here. I like Hospital Playlist well enough, it is well written, acted and produced but… I find Jo Jung Suk and Jung Kyung Ho’s characters a tad smug and insufferable. The other three are lovely and wonderful doctors but perhaps a little unrealistically lovely. Of the saintly three, I long for one of them to throw a shit fit or snap at a junior doctor so I can embrace them as whole people. The lack of bitching within the group is both soothing and somewhat unrealistic. However, I’m prepared to concede I’m a less tolerant and more flawed person than any of these characters.

I totally get those reservations Boaty but it just presses ALL my happy buttons regardless of its various nonsenses 🤷‍♀️🥰

I know Pol. There’s a lot to like about it & I do. It doesn’t hit my buttons quite as hard, that’s all. Doom is my go-to rewatch airing drama at the mo. Different strokes for different folks… It would be a pretty boring thread if we agreed on everything. 😄

100% agree with that 😁

What's the saying? Different strokes for different folks? 😁

I'm grateful for the diverse range of likes and dislikes on this tread. Sometimes it opens your eyes to a show you wouldn't previously have considered watching and it ends up being one of your faves!! For me that's My Mister.

I agree with Boaty about HP too, it doesn't quite hit my buttons either. But that's what's great about K drama, there is something for everyone!

Hospital Playlist is ❤️
However, if I have to compare, I have enjoyed S1 more. Watched it atleast dozen times too 😂
It will always have a special place in my heart. It was my 2nd Kdrama and I enjoyed it wayyyyy more then Crash Landing (1st drama).

In my recent supervision meeting I quoted OBGNY while reassuring my subordinate 😁.
I think he is becoming my favourite due to his wisdom & unique sense of humour.

Currently on my third watch of this week's episode to keep my medical buddy battery charged til Thursday
@polkettle same here.

Yoiks!! What the flip is going on !!!!! Nevertheless...

we've come a loooooong way from startled open eyed pecks on the cheek!!!!!...

There was Unhooking and Unbuttoning!!!!!

Who will think of the children!!!!!!

Unhooking AND Unbuttoning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What on Earth are you watching Bea?

Unhooking AND Unbuttoning

😂😂😂 (I did wonder why she was wearing a bra under her pyjamas but it is more realistic than full knitwear to bed at least)

Nevertheless, Boaty!!

It’s only about the second time I’ve seen a FL start undoing a MLs trousers….