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!

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

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.

Is it just me or is Jimmy Fallon the worst presenter? He looks like he's drunk, stoned or on downers!

😂 FedUp

I'm having a rare day at home by myself today, so I just watched the movie Tune in for Love with Kim Go Eun and Jung Hae In. It was a nice slow burning, atmospheric romance. Nice for a gentle start to the day.

Now I must get off the sofa and not give into the temptation to spend my whole day watching K movies 🍿🎬

I'd been trying to figure out who the class president was in Racket Boys, I just figured it out! It's the younger brother from True Beauty! 😅 It was really bugging me!

Rowdy have you been watching drama all day?

@bettys I was tempted, but no. Just the film and one episode of Racket Boys 😁

Got the finale of Mr Sunshine tonight! I'm scared it's not going to end happily!

Got the finale of Mr Sunshine tonight! I'm scared it's not going to end happily!

Hmmmmm it’s history innit. There’ll be some tears

Yes, I expected that 😢

After a brief stint in jdrama land .. I am back to Kland.
Bonkers story lines were amusing at first but now they are getting on my nerves.

I have already watched today’s Hospital Playlist. Now waiting for Monday ( Racket Boys).
But that is too far away, need something till then, debating between uncanny counter & weight lifting fairy. Will start both 😂

Uncanny Counter and Kim Bok Joo are total opposites! 😂 I'm interested to see which you prefer! I loved Kim Bok Joo, but it took me several attempts to watch it as I find it so cringey in places, it's fab though, and funny!

I just finished Mr Sunshine 😢 not happy, but as expected!

What should DH and I watch next?

Have you watched Melo is my Nature yet, Rowdy? It is a masterpiece of subversion, human observation and wry humour.

@boatyardblues

Have you watched Melo is my Nature yet, Rowdy? It is a masterpiece of subversion, human observation and wry humour.

I second this ✋. It's a masterpiece.

My mum had a very bad fall at the weekend and she's in hospital with a broken ankle at the mo, so my drama watching has been minimal 😰

I did watch HP2 episode 5 last night. Was ok.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick Sorry to hear that! Good wishes for a speedy recovery! x

@bettys

Got the finale of Mr Sunshine tonight! I'm scared it's not going to end happily!

Hmmmmm it’s history innit. There’ll be some tears

Thus!!!! The reason why i have not ventured yet!!!!!!

The uncanny counter - Where are the teachers in school?
Is ML’s school friend the same one from Racket Boys?

@FedUpWithBriiiiick sending your mum best wishes. I hope she makes a speedy recovery.

Thanks folks, I appreciate it 🥰

Really sorry to hear that fedup Get well soon Mamma Fed Up.

Hope your Mum gets better soon FedUp ❤️

Sorry to hear the news about your mum, FedUp.
I hope she makes a speedy recovery.

Sorry to hear about your mum Briiiiick, hoping she has a speedy recovery 🤞

Jin yes it's the same girl in Uncanny that is in Racket Boys

Have you watched Melo is my Nature yet, Rowdy? It is a masterpiece of subversion, human observation and wry humour.

I've seen Melo, not sure it would be DH Cup of tea either. Thanks for the suggestion though 👍 I think we're going to go with Devil Judge, even though it's still streaming

Best wishes for a speedy recovery for your mum FedUp!

Rowdy for DH watching (nit that I’ve managed to persuade mine 🙄) I would suggest Stranger, Prison Playbook, Extracurricular or The Crowned Clown. I’m assuming you’ve watched Chicago Typewriter which otherwise would follow on neatly from Mr Sunshine

Not long before the Kingdom spin-off airs

Just to add that Extracurricular is excellent but very dark, it’s not your typical high school drama

Doing Beyond Evil with my DH which seems to work. "They drink a hell of lot of bowls of broth in this show" he says.