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’m only up to the home audition which concluded with the duet-like-sex climax. 😆 How I wish I hadn’t followed the ML’s real life Instagram account, because he comes across as a right self-important dick IRL. My bad. 😕

boaty the FL's revenge is pretty merciless, plus although not shown it's implied that she has been a victim of rape. It's all quite dark and gruesome.

As a side note, FL is still amazing looking even though she is dressed in rags with chapped lips and no make-up and is a bit of a psycho

Ah, thanks Betty. Not one for the young ‘un (though he loved Peninsula 🤫).

I’ve had a look at the Instagram - like you, I wish I hadn’t!

Kingdom: Ashin of the North was excellent. Very, very gory revenge thriller. Jun Ji-hyun was really good as Ashin (I agree she looks awesome even in rags!), and the girl that played her as a youngster was superb. Very disappointed in how my boy Park Byung-eun behaves but I suppose he redeems himself in S2 😁

Ties up a lot of loose plot threads, definitely worth watching for completists.

Where does Ashin come in the running order of Kingdom S1 & S2?

@boatyardblues

Where does Ashin come in the running order of Kingdom S1 & S2?

It's a prequel. Origin story. Leads right up to about 6 months before the events of S1.

Oooo random excitement when checking cast list of Ashin of the North and see that Mr Beanie has a bit part as a Pajeowi soldier (I totally failed to spot him may have to go back & rewatch)

Thanks FedUp.

I fell asleep watching Ashin of the North last night, 🙄 I will have to wait until later in the week to watch it again.

The ending of today's episode of You Are My Spring is just SO beautifully composed and shot.

Started Kingdom last night - love a good zombie show.

@hawthornknitter

Started Kingdom last night - love a good zombie show.

My all time favourite show Hawthorn. You won't regret it!!

You’ve reminded me I have 1.5 episodes left of Kingdom S2. I have to watch it through my fingers in 10-15 min bursts. S1 was manageable due to the daytime scenes. S2 has been much harder on my nerves. DS2 is totally unphased by zombies. I thought it might be OK for him to watch Ashin of the North with me to hold my hand, but it sounds too gory.

This is not recent. DH and I had to stop watching The Walking Dead early on in the first season because it was giving both of us terrifying nightmares. 🤣

I am enjoying ep 7 of You are my Spring so much! The scene in the store room and A-Ri telling them to lock the door if they planned to do more so she didn’t walk in on them “all tangled up as one” made me laugh. Their low key flirting as A* quality. 🙌

@boatyardblues that bit made me smile as well- the way they hither cover themselves up, I liked the bit with the vet at the wedding and when Yeoung-do meets his ex wife on the roof and she's planning to befriend the pigeons. But then the bit with the toothbrushes at the orphanage 😭
@polkettle I think the while thing is just really beautifully shot and put together

I haven’t got to the toothbrushes yet. I’m still reeling at the FL being so chipper about nearly being strangled to the point of nearly passing out. How can she be so breezy about it? Why?!?!? She could have been killed.

just tooooo good!!!!

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 BTS Live Lounge BBC Radio 1

I am re-watching Crash landing on you (my first Kdrama).
I am enjoying it more 2nd time around 😁
And more mad about 2nd pair’s ending. They missed spin-off opportunity 😭

I am on 2nd last episode so will see how I feel about ending this time around.

Please can someone stock my fridge & pantry with accompanying recipe post-it’s.

JinBhoot Crash Landing is so wonderful, isn’t it.
It was also my first K drama and I frequently rewatch my favourite scenes from it.
I agree about 2nd pair’s ending - well, Seung Jun’s, anyway - Such a pity.

Ahh Bea it was so good!!

@Bea ‘twas fab! 💜

@bea what?! Today! I thought it was on 30th. Shit, there go my plans to work tonight.

I absolutely love Crash Landing and listen to the OST while jogging.