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…

Why do men keep buying the FL shoes in Anti Fan, when they don't know her size! Also just come across the beret - negligee combo 😬 definitely a Daebak awards nominee contender

No word of a lie I've just come down to Mr Binn in the kitchen, said good morning to him and then noticed he had a tiny smear of Marmite on his top lip. What has that cardboard man been up to overnight??

I had to conclude it’s PPL. There’s no other way to explain the shoes that he presented in that final scene before this week’s cliffhanger.

^ that was to Rowdy

Will it be the full recognition of love and "this is who i should be with" symbolism of when he presents her a pair... (trainers!) that fit BEAUTIFULLY and are soooo gorgeous and comfortable!??.... 🤔🤔🤭🤭🤭😍... I'm calling it!! 🤭😁

@polkettle

No word of a lie I've just come down to Mr Binn in the kitchen, said good morning to him and then noticed he had a tiny smear of Marmite on his top lip. What has that cardboard man been up to overnight??

He obvs in the "love it" camp! 😱🤯

@polkettle

No word of a lie I've just come down to Mr Binn in the kitchen, said good morning to him and then noticed he had a tiny smear of Marmite on his top lip. What has that cardboard man been up to overnight??

Good man Mr Binn 👍

No word of a lie I've just come down to Mr Binn in the kitchen, said good morning to him and then noticed he had a tiny smear of Marmite on his top lip. What has that cardboard man been up to overnight??

What with Eurovision & Marmite he is really settling in to UK life!

Goodness me, have been startled by an Unexpected Flash Of Tongue Snog in Everyone Wants To Meet You - Riley Wang was that scripted? (Ep 33 c. 8 mins in)

🕵️‍♀️🧐👅Hmmm. Important Research. Tongue or bottom lip bitey? He certainly came round from his being sadness quite readily.

Indeed he did. Judging by the movement I would say tongue 🧐

Gave up on Tomorrow With You as the ML was behaving like a prat (although might watch last half hour to see how timey-wimey nonsense resolved), now really enjoying My Unfamiliar Family. 'Slice of life' is definitely my favourite category I reckon.

pol feel relieved I obvs haven't made a huge mistake by also giving up on Tomorrow With You when I watched it.

Finished Everyone Wants to Meet You which is a solid 7 and will start Moonlight on iQuiyi later today, it seems to be getting some positive reviews, although should really catch up on She Is The One & MC&ML first. Well it's a rainy Sunday what can you do

I have found the winner for Worst What Were They Thinking Costume in Sunshine OML episode 12 at 12 minutes. My eyes, my eyes 😵😵😵

@Cassini do you mean the shiny shiny Spandau Ballet shirt?

[quote bettys]@Cassini do you mean the shiny shiny Spandau Ballet shirt? [/quote]
Hehe I forgot about the amazing clothes in SOML 😂

There's a bit in SOML where she wears something that is sort of a waistcoat, sort of a tunic made of random belts and I had no context for what category of garment it was. World view expanding.

I mean everything in SOML is bad but the shiny shiny shirt was truly 😣

I am still also not quite over the fact that the short, not particularly attractive cousin is considered to be a trainee high fashion model 😆😆😆

Model school where they practice walking up and down in t shirts and shorts for MONTHS one of my fave things about SOML.
Okay did last episode of Tomorrow With You and that tied things up perfectly well and saved 10 hours of my life 👍👍

How satisfying polkettle good call 👍

DH and I have finally just watched the final episode of Navillera! Omg, it was brilliant, I smiled and cried but it was just so heartwarming. I loved the way they wrapped it all up, I think it's going into my top 5 ❤️

Another nomination for the Daebak WTF Are You Wearing Award is a half jacket thing in Moonlight ep 2/ 24 mins but here are some grabs as its on iQIYI

This could be quite a large category 😬 how do you even put on that thing? 😂

That's what I was thinking Rowdy......and if you'd had lots a couple of wines you'd be trying desperately to put your arm in the other sleeve and wondering why you couldn't...

It's just an accident waiting to happen!