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!

@AesopsMables

I've succumbed and registered with QIYI just to watch MMH of course😉.

Shame that it doesn't have the TV mirroring option, that alone would prevent me from extending after free month.

I can cast IQYI with the Chromecast although it's a bit glitchy- Viki always works fine but IQYI usually does an episode or two then decides not to play Watching my way through still 17 - saving YAMS, Racket boys and nevertheless for the weekend - will definitely be watching MMH tonight though 💕 it's been a looooong week so far and it's just what I need!

There's another KTO walking tour in London to coincide with Korean liberation day, sounds fascinating for anyone that can go!

kccuk.org.uk/en/programmes/walking-tour/where-london-meets-korea-liberation-day-walking-tour/

Ok so I finished The Heirs while dh was away.
It was obvious what was going to happen from the first episode and it finally did happen but only after hours and hours of Lee Min Ho & Park Shin Hye wandering around looking glum.
I kept thinking that something interesting or a plot twist must take place but it didn’t.
Also, why didn’t Kim Woo Bin’s character and his henchmen get their just deserts after all their vile bullying?
I don’t recommend it.

Dh is back and we’ve started One Spring Night which so far is very enjoyable.

I recall we had a conversation about Rhesus negative being a really scarce blood type in S Korea. It’s been a plot point in ep 7 of Ms Hammurabi, where ML’s father is on a special volunteer call list in case Rh- blood is needed to treat a patient. If I go to SK I will have to be extra careful not spill a drop of my own.

Yes, there were quite a few of us that were Rhesus negative if I recall! Definitely do not want to be in a situation where a blood transfusion is required when in SK!

Alternatively you will be followed everywhere by the SK Blood Transfusion Service, wanting a donation of your precious, precious life fluid.

I'm glad I'm boringly O+ and therefore safe from their clutches 😂

Am a few episodes into My Secret, Terrius. It's great. Usual suspension of disbelief etc but good craic.

@Andante57 - I think I'm the only person on here who liked the Heirs... It was my first k drama, but I really enjoyed it. I thought it was interesting for the info about Kim Tan's mother not being 'recognised' and the first wife being on the family register, the chaebol dynamics of who you're expected to date/marry for your family etc. I also ended up adoring Kim woo bin's character after understanding more about his mum disappearing and his dad being abusive etc.

Oh and @Andante57 - I think Kim woo bin doesn't get any comeuppance because he redeems himself by helping Kim Tan escape, being kind to Park Shin Hye and apologising to the boy he bullied - and being told he wouldn't be forgiven.

I also didn't mind watching Lee Min Ho wandering around being beautiful. 😁

I liked it too Leeloo! I find Chaebol drama's interesting for all the reasons you said! I wonder what they're like in real life! I guess the drama's must be based on something! I also liked Lee Min Ho in it 😂

I'm enjoying My Strange Hero at the moment, I like that it's 30 minute episodes as I'm struggling to fit in longer shows.

I'm looking forward to D. P, the new Jung Hae In show coming to Netflix soon!

@Rowdythree - hurray, I'm glad I'm not alone in enjoying it. 😊 I think Chaebols must be a bit of a nightmare in real life, as you must have to fight to hold onto the money /power. I was glad that the leisurewear-mum didn't end up going through with the marriage of convenience to KWB's dad... But I'd guess that similar situations in real life do happen?!

Dh walked in while I was watching the Heirs and observed that LMH looked very old to be wearing a school uniform! 🤔 Clearly he just needed to watch more of it to fully appreciate his youthful beauty and charm!! 😁 Did you enjoy legend of the blue sea? I v much enjoyed LMH in different uniforms in that too!

I haven't actually seen Lee Min Ho in anything else! I watched Heirs as it had Park Shin Hye in it, I think I must have watched it after watching her in something else and Netflix recommended it!

I do intend to watch Legend of the blue Sea. Someone in my Korean class recommended it to me.

@hawthornknitter I enjoyed Terrius too!! Love a secret agent who can look after your kids!

Unpopular opinion: Lee Min-ho is unattractive and is definitely older than he says.

34? Aye, dead on.

😂😂 Briiiiick! Love it! I don't this he's unattractive, but he's not my type. He looks a bit too up himself and a bit smarmy for my liking! I've never considered he's not the age he says he is🤔

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Unpopular opinion: Lee Min-ho is unattractive and is definitely older than he says.

34? Aye, dead on.

An unpopular opinion that I happen to share. 👍

not a Lee Min Ho fan either

Never watched a single Lee Min-Ho drama!
Completed MMH with Olga and - slight eye roll - they didn't stint on the classic KDrama finale tropes.
Fingernail chewing week ahead for fellow Yulje hospital fans. Aigoo.

I've only seen Lee Min-Ho in King - The Eternal Monarch when he was definitely second best to Woo Do-Hwan.

I’ve just finished MMH too. Bea will be more than satisfied.

I haven't been able to temp DH with another K drama yet, so we've started watching I May Destroy You on the iplayer! I feel so depressed now though. Its an excellent show, very well acted and written but it's about rape and sexual assault. It just made me realise that I really just like watching K dramas, they make me happy. Even when it's a show that is a bit darker or more serious in tone, I never feel this depressed after watching it... 🙁

It just made me realise that I really just like watching K dramas, they make me happy.

Same here.

Abso-fucking-lutely!

Just finished MMH.
STAHP.
It was just SOOO cute 🥰
I even managed to cast on my TV 👍🏽