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 5thriver!

I’m going to have to get to work on the new thread, stat. We’ll outrun this one with all this conviviality and welcoming new people if we’re not careful.

Any more additions for the new thread? Don’t forget the Jdrama, Cdrama and Tdrama list. My mind is a blank - I can’t remember what I’ve watched recently.

Now, is Doom dark romance or supernatural? 🤔

Well I'm now fully abreast of the filth in Nevertheless 😊. Blimey Song Kang is beautiful!! I'm interested to see how his character turns out. Will he stick with his flirty ways!??? 🤣I enjoyed it being a bit more realistic about dating etc too

@DoeRay I loved Cheese in the Trap too (apart from the terrible ending as Betty says)

I'd say dark romance for Doom

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

I'd say dark romance for Doom

I concur.

@boatyardblues

Any more additions for the new thread? Don’t forget the Jdrama, Cdrama and Tdrama list. My mind is a blank - I can’t remember what I’ve watched recently.

There's been nothing list-worthy this last month from the J, C or T for me.

Thanks all. I broke all the rules and put Doom in dark romance on this thread while it was still airing. It can stay put there. 😀

@5thriver and @DoeRay I’m interested to know how you found us. Are you MN regulars or did you find us via a search engine? It’s kind of heartening there are so many kdrama fans knocking around on MN. Everyone IRL thinks I’m nuts. 🤣

Just caught up on nevertheless - omo goodness me is all I can say 😁 bit of a change of pace from the usual K-drama - whatever happened to going to bed fully clothed including your coat!

I'd agree dark romance for Doom and adult/dark romance for mad for each other. I think those have been the two stand out ones for me this month. I did finish SIMAA-F but it was a trial of strength by the end of it 😁

Looks like all the subtitlers for Doom are watching the football - still only 60+%? What a game though.

@KSeason

Looks like all the subtitlers for Doom are watching the football - still only 60+%? What a game though.

I only watched half episode of Racket Boys today. Football was quite fun this evening. Both matches were cracker. I am sad for France.

I must admit to being quite behind on my dramas due to the Euros 😳

I'm a bit behind too Jin and Briiiick, with the Euros, Glastonbury highlights and now Wimbledon starting, and then it will be the Olympics 😂 it's none stop action! I need to wake up earlier to get my drama fix in before the day starts!

I've shifted from early evening to late at night watching (where I could get 2 to 3 eps in quite comfortably! - unless it's a 🍑👢night! Obvs!!) to 20 mins here and there due to change in evening routine! (life! And adult ing! 😭)... I feel like I've settled into a more even steady watching habit as opposed to the kdrama frenzy watching at the beginning... Also I'm watching "on airs" at the moment.. So I can't binge watch... Even if I wanted to! 😂🤣

I just caught up with last night’s Doom. I love it so much. It’s just what ai need at the mo. 🙂

I think we should fill this thread to the end, but I have made the new one ready for us to move across when we are done here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/telly_addicts/4283404-MsLatt-s-Daebak-Cybercaf-Kdrama-addicts-25-We-may-not-always-agree-on-shows-oppa-preference-wonky-fashion-but-we-are-never-disagreeable?watched=1

@bea yes having so many on-airs to watch is great as it makes for more normal viewing times 👍 However it means my binge dramas tend to be Cdramas, Tdramas & Jdramas as I have watched a LOT of the good kdramas available as a whole series. Cdramas in particular seem to get released in big chunks or whole series, possibly due to them mostly being pre-produced and held on to for ages while they go through the censors.

Wanders in first and grabs the best seat on the 🛋

@cassini Are you sneaking in to get the best seat on the new thread? 'Cos this is the old one still......(I'm more of a sit at the back person)

I just caught up with last night’s Doom. I love it so much. It’s just what ai need at the mo.

Loving the typo! sO POSH..

I am glad I can see the link, it will stop my panic … last time I couldn’t find you guys.

Anyone else struggling with logging in to mumsnet?

You are all being ever so well behaved. No one has despoiled the pristine new thread in waiting. 👏 😂

While we are filling this one up, which of the central London Korean restaurants is best if we want an authentic meal? And are there other points of interest we need to take in on our summer London jolly? I will be limited vy excessive teen eye-rolling and DH tutting if I push them too hard, but a couple of places near to the restaurant might squeak past the itinerary censors. 😄

@boatyardblues Kseason posted her favourite restaurants a few days ago, and pol* recommended the one in her Korean walking tour but the name escapes me
When are you coming to London? I may also have tried a few by then as am going up to town soon so will also be able to recommend a few.

The one I went to was called Hankang and did everything you'd want it to I'd say.