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…

@bettys

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 from a transformation challenge in Great British Sewing Bee S7e3 where they turned men’s tailored jackets in to women’s dress 😂

Economists has written an article about Gwangju uprising www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/05/22/a-south-korean-city-offers-two-ways-to-remember-past-traumas

The story of May of youth is also set in 1980, covering Gwangju uprising & massacre. I haven’t started watching the show as it will be sad & tragic.

@Rowdythree

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 ❤️

It is a lovely lovely series! I blubbed rather a lot! Not up at this ridiculous time for kdrama! But BTS have won ALL 4 awards they were nominated for at bbmas and now I'm just waiting for the Debut performance of Butter!! They'll prob be on at end! 😭... Went to bed at 10pm woke up at 1am! 😭🤯🤭💜💜💜💜

I couldn't stay up Bea I'm on an early shift today. But the BBMA performance is now on YouTube. They look flipping amazing!!!

Flippin' Amazing! Yes! All those little dance breaks!... And won everything! Result!!.. I'm tired now! 😳😖

Good job boys!

The story of May of youth is also set in 1980, covering Gwangju uprising & massacre. I haven’t started watching the show as it will be sad & tragic.

@JinBhoot I have avoided for the same reason….think I will let it all air first then binge if feedback is good. I don’t necessarily mind a sad ending as long as I am forewarned.

@JinBhoot

Economists has written an article about Gwangju uprising www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/05/22/a-south-korean-city-offers-two-ways-to-remember-past-traumas

The story of May of youth is also set in 1980, covering Gwangju uprising & massacre. I haven’t started watching the show as it will be sad & tragic.

I'm going to start this, I'm prepared for tears! Such an interesting and important part of SK history.

That Instagram link needs a SPOILER ALERT for anyone who has not seen the end of Vincenzo yet, Jin!

Ooops didn’t realise it ... I have reported my post.

Here are screen shots of the insta post.

I see DAYS is already at 34% subbed. 🎉🎉🎉

@JinBhoot I’ve seen that woman in lots of dramas but she always plays upright or frumpy mums - she looks a-ma-zing!!!!

@boatyardblues

I see DAYS is already at 34% subbed. 🎉🎉🎉

I'm hoping it'll be 100% by tonight 🤞(or at least enough that I could work out what's going on!)

@boatyardblues

I see DAYS is already at 34% subbed. 🎉🎉🎉

Whoop whoop!!

Now 68%. 🙌

95%. I’m going in!! I’ve taken to watching again anyway, so it’s no biggie.

Gotta say Sad Ahjumma has a rival in My Unfamiliar Family. They need to go head to head in a Sad Ahjumma-off.

DH and I are finally starting Mr Sunshine tonight! At long last

@Rowdythree

DH and I are finally starting Mr Sunshine tonight! At long last

You’re in for a treat! The epic sweep of the early scenes is full on melo but it settles into its groove nicely.

Enjoy Rowdy!!

I just watched DAYS at 93% and there was just one conversation with the sulky teenage writer that wasn't subbed. It was still great 😍.
Are the Elvish Team Leader and Cheerful Coffee guy brothers???
And what actual colour is Dooms hair? It's different in every scene

I just saw on twitter that BTS were on the One Show! That's surprising 👀

Just got Mr Sunshine on pause while the kids get put to bed 😂 enjoying it so far, a little bit confusing but I'm sure that will sort itself out

@Rowdythree I watched it, they had asked people to send in questions on video to ask them. It was pretty cute.