MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #25): We may not always agree (on shows, oppa preference, wonky fashion) but we are never disagreeable…

[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)
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)*
Mad For Each Other (Netflix)
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. 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!

@boatyardblues

I’m absolutely shattered this week, so I’ve had a warm up sleep on the sofa occasionally resurfacing to get snippets of Hospital Playlist. Piecing together the fragments, I’ve got the gist of the UK-based sister’s and JKH’s situation. Everything else is blurry. 😆 I think it’s funny that JJS’ character is the hospital gossip and yet he’s been totally clueless about his sister and JKH’s character’s relationship.

Don't want to spoil for anyone else, but did she say that to him so that they broke up, but really it's about her health?

@Bea Permission to Dance !!!!!!!!!! It is full of joy!!!! Cowboy cuties!!!

I think lying out of guilt to protect him from long distance loneliness FedUp
Still trying to work out what Ik-Sun knows and doesn't know because his phone call seemed pointed but genuine surprise in last phone call.
Thanks Bea! I will take that permission when no longer horizontal in about 6 mins
Where was video filmed?
Any recommendations for current Chinese fluff? Was considering Falling For Your Smile - anyone dipped?
Any recommendations

Sorry, rogue second 'any recommendations'!

@polkettle

I think lying out of guilt to protect him from long distance loneliness FedUp Still trying to work out what Ik-Sun knows and doesn't know because his phone call seemed pointed but genuine surprise in last phone call. Thanks Bea! I will take that permission when no longer horizontal in about 6 mins Where was video filmed? Any recommendations for current Chinese fluff? Was considering Falling For Your Smile - anyone dipped? Any recommendations

Pol I started Falling for your Smile and stopped. My service warning is at the start of the thread x

But Please Feel At Ease, Mr Ling is watchable!

@polkettle
"ThanksBea! I will take that permission when no longer horizontal in about 6 mins
Where was video filmed?"
Enjoy!! Enjoy!!... Filmed on Korea and LA!
so many touching moments... They use the Global Sign Language for Joy /Dance/Peace in the dance moves and I love the end bit with all the Crew dancing with them! Sigh!! I'm such a softy sucker for them! 💜😍

Aha! Thanks for heading off at the pass FedUp. I had a feeling but forgot which one it was I was supposed to avoid. 😙 I dipped into Mr Ling but too much Plot and People for me.
And thanks Bea. Hard to resist a cowboy cutie who keeps his balloons squeaky clean.

Ahhh, thanks so much for posting that @Bea, it's exactly what I needed to get me moving this morning! 😍

Just carrying out my ARMY duties ma'am...! 😁😂💜👍

Life has been busy so I've just been getting by on snippets of Shopping Prince Louis to get me through the week! I'm looking forward to getting stuck into Nethertheless for Song Kang and unhooking and unbuttoning!

Tonight I'm going out with my Korean class to the new Korean restaurant in Birmingham! Excited to try lots of new foods, but absolutely must NOT drink soju and get drunk when meeting new people for the first time 🤣

Oh Rowdy your restaurant trip sounds great! Maybe just have 2 or 3 soju bombs????

pol I second Please Feel At Ease Mr Ling in spite of plot heavy family tree type stuff, also Hello Mr Gu if you haven’t already seen it. Or on iQ there is Moonlight which is v v fluffy including an Olde English Sheepdog and Love Scenery

But I highly highly recommend Word of Honor on Viki/Netflix for swishy flirty sword flashy BL 😍😍. No snogging and the plot is very confusing at first but a visual delight although low budget.

Plus there’s The Rational Life on Netflix which is on my list

Marvellous service. Thanks

Aha! The FL of The Rational Life is the actress who was paired with Dimples in that very strange love story variety show I got drawn into. That'll do pig.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick I am wondering same

Still trying to work out what Ik-Sun knows and doesn't know because his phone call seemed pointed but genuine surprise in last phone call. that’s what I thought as well & was not happy that how can he be so mean to his friend but then last phone call.
How are they going to hide surgery unless it’s done at his friend’s hospital (from that daddy long leg program).

Loved Songhwa’s dating advice to her resident.

Look forward to hearing about restaurant Rowdy Have a lovely time and call if you need a piggy back home.

Didn't think he was being mean Jin. Just trying to get her to buck her ideas up (IF he knew what he was saying) Unintended consequence...

Aha! The FL of The Rational Life is the actress who was paired with Dimples in that very strange love story variety show I got drawn into. That'll do pig

Pls report back !

@polkettle

Didn't think he was being mean Jin. Just trying to get her to buck her ideas up (IF he knew what he was saying) Unintended consequence...

I thought the same. He knew, but was playing dumb.

@Rowdythree

Life has been busy so I've just been getting by on snippets of Shopping Prince Louis to get me through the week! I'm looking forward to getting stuck into Nethertheless for Song Kang and unhooking and unbuttoning!

Tonight I'm going out with my Korean class to the new Korean restaurant in Birmingham! Excited to try lots of new foods, but absolutely must NOT drink soju and get drunk when meeting new people for the first time 🤣

Ohhh have a ball Rowdy! And report back on food and drink!

@boatyardblues

Yes Jin. I can PM you the answer to Reply 1994 if it will help you relax into it, but it’ll be in the morning. 🙂

Thank you Boaty … I googled last night 😂😂😂😂😂 morning was hours away.

Ahhh BTS are just a human barrelful of puppies, I luffs them so much!

Still haven't finished Vincenzo, just can't make time for 90 min episodes at the moment and I don't like splitting it up. Have started DAYS and enjoying so far, park bo young is just so lovely. Not really on the seo in guk train personally but agree they have great chemistry and his character is intriguing.
Finished ep 9 of be loved in house, and couldn't help snorting every time one of them fell on top of someone, they've definitely relied on that a bit too heavily as a plot device!
And I had first korean lesson yesterday, which was so fun! Away camping this weekend and pretty gutted that my viewing schedule is basically cancelled

@Rowdythree have fun!
Just had my second jab so I need something lightweight and easy watching to binge as I lie on the sofa (unless I feel 100% fine!) Is hospital playlist bingeable? Or suspicious partners?