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!

I agree - jaw dropping, the scale of the problem. I'd love to know more about the son's experience and feelings.

Yes, I wonder if he knew he was abducted, and did he grow up in a loving family... I would also be very interested in knowing his story too

Followed the link to the China post article which said that he'd been to university and brought up by a 'financially decent' family. Presumably a massive and traumatic shock for him.

If you were taken when you were 2, you would barely remember your early life, it must be hard to believe eurgh it's evil what people do. His adoptive parents must have been told an entirely convincing story.

Is anyone else watching You Are My Spring? I think it's really good, I have no idea where it's going plot wise, some bits are dark and murky and others funny & sparky (this is why I love kdrama)
Ep 3 has ended on another twist

AND - it's all about the fringe / forehead reveal (only makes sense wrt the twist at the end of ep3)

Anyone familiar with Pei Pa Koa - Sore Throat Syrup it’s a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. I read about it on HONY’s recent Facebook post.
HONY: Humans of New York

I've enjoyed the first two episodes Bettys. Looking forward to catching up on next two today now I have finally finished my pootle around Taiwan.

I started Monthly Magazine Home in bed this morning and now I wish I had the day off. It is great. I love Jung So Min in everything she is in and she is well matched with Kim Ji Suk in this. It looks like it will be a lot of fun.

I finished I Remember You last night. What a waste of Seo In Guk and Jang Nara. It was weirdly dated.

@boatyardblues

I started Monthly Magazine Home in bed this morning and now I wish I had the day off. It is great. I love Jung So Min in everything she is in and she is well matched with Kim Ji Suk in this. It looks like it will be a lot of fun.

I finished I Remember You last night. What a waste of Seo In Guk and Jang Nara. It was weirdly dated.

Yes I'm liking MMH so far. A good old rom-com.

I haven't got to watch much recently - seems to take 3 days even to get through the latest HP episodes. Started Racket Boys last night though, for something light and like it so far. However - only half way through the first episode and have hit a snag already - why are the team all living with him? Must go back and rewatch....

Ooh just finished episode 3 Bettys Ooh.
Feel I'm losing my grip slightly on all the different Significant Objects between the satsumas and the drips and the lollipops etc.
I wonder where/what that building is in real. It seems quite a grand apartment for a hotel manager to afford...

Yes pol that building is fascinating and also has to be integral to the plot somehow. I also liked the beach place they went to - Gangneung?- and their sparkiness in the car. I’m halfway through WP 4 & feeling sorry for paper flower man now as I think he has been gaslighted by the baddy or made to take the blame somehow…

Up to date. It's a good un. Have hopes for cute vet and jaunty bandana guy - once jaunty bandana guy works out why he likes jaunty bandanas perhaps. And I LOVE mum even if she looks exactly the same age as her daughter.

I looked up FLs mum & she is 51 irl while FL is 36 so only 15 years different.

I am also hopeful for jaunty bandanna guy with vet, although also want jaunty bandanna guy's sister to meet someone - maybe the desperate tv producer.

I love the way it's filmed. Inwardly I was going 'who on earth visits an abandoned building site where a death has occurred AT NIGHT' while appreciating all the rustling sound effects & visual spookiness from the blowing plastic.

I know. It's all MOST arty and pretty pretty. I like the letterbox memory conceit. Although ithe art direction does have the effect of making Every. Small. Detail. Possibly. Significant. Or. Possibly. Not which is a bit tiring.

@boatyardblues I like MMH the more I watch it- it's a very "classic" rom-com so far but they're classics for a reason!
Last episode of gumiho is on IQYI tomorrow- I'd say it was ok but didn't gold up to early promise and got a bit circular towards the end and without giving anything away 2ml is definitely underused.
I'd started I remember you but only watched the first episode or 2- not worth finishing?

Last episode of gumiho is on IQYI tomorrow- I'd say it was ok but didn't gold up to early promise and got a bit circular towards the end and without giving anything away 2ml is definitely underused.

Absolutely agree Hydro - I ended up preferring 2ML and got a bit distracted by MLs nostrils

2ML is in At A Distance Spring Is Green on Viki so may have to take a look at that as well as MMH which is also on iQ and may have more episodes

I ndidn't watch all of I Remember You, went from about episode 6 to the last one, it didn't gel for me somehow.

I ended up preferring 2ML and got a bit distracted by MLs nostrils

Me too, but I was too embarrassed by my shallowness to say so. You have emboldened me Betty. 😄

I Remember You fails on a number of fronts. The lighting is way too bright. Everything looks like it’s being filmed in an Ikea showroom. The whole cop squad are too primped and dandy to be remotely believable. They make the Miami Vice guys look like The Sweeney. (Spoiler redacted) sentimentalism over his relationship with his brother is totally unbelievable, given his other major hobby. Falling asleep sitting upright without a wall or sofa back? I call BS! Ditto Jung Nara falling asleep sitting on a desk. SIG fussing over (redacted) in one of the grand finale scenes when (redacted), a serial killer, is two paces away with a knife in their hand? More plot logic-defying BS. The team leader’s crush? Inexplicable! Why? It was so hard to suspend my disbelief and go with the flow. What a waste of a good cast. 🤦‍♀️

BTS on Jimmy Fallon. 💜 Sky Comedy HD 👍

Stupid work has been very time consuming so I've not seen Nevertheless or any thing else this week yet!

I have managed to fit in some bangtaning though, thanks to night shifts. I saw the Jimmy Fallon show at US time (5.30am here) 😁💜 Permission to Dance is just lovely! I think cowboy JK disco twirling in the laundrette is my fave bit.

Trying to work out who the baddy in Be Loved in House is reminding me of and think it's Robbie Rotten from Lazytown.

He also reminds me of someone but can’t pin it down. Has to look Robbie Rotten from Lazytown up but that’s a good shout! 😂

For a while I was worried we weren't going to get a single bed throw down this week but I shouldn't have doubted.