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 was listening to coverage of the Chinese communist party’s centenary and the sabre rattling about reclaiming Taiwan on R4 this morning. It occurred to me this story would have meant nothing to me a few years ago, but I now have a little insight into how different the two countries are, their cultures etc and how awful it could be for Taiwan if China attempt to steamroller this issue.

I am slowly watching Taiwanese drama A Thousand Goodnights on Netflix Boaty. Slowly because it has such an understated cast and plot it's almost soporific But it does have absolutely BEAUTIFUL Taiwanese cinematography set in different parts of the country and features different aspects of Taiwanese culture so it works a bit like a travel documentary. Worth a dip if you fancy an immersive virtual trip.

That sounds great Pol. I’ll add it to my list.

It occurred to me this story would have meant nothing to me a few years ago, but I now have a little insight into how different the two countries are, their cultures etc and how awful it could be for Taiwan if China attempt to steamroller this issue

Agree boaty, I was having pretty much the same thought as I was watching Be Loved In House ; all that freedom of expression and lifestyle would be crushed. One of the reasons I’m not that keen on My Dear Guardian in spite of Pumped Plug is all emphasis on the gung ho Chinese Military stuff

Ohhh Monthly Magazine Home has just popped up on Viki! Fingers crossed for this one!

I have just finished Encounter and it was a really good, easy watch. Finished in two days! It was recommended as a twist on the chaebol romance genre (the FL being the chaebol) but the Havana scenes were brilliant too. Would recommend to those looking for a simple romance to watch!

@KSeason

I have just finished Encounter and it was a really good, easy watch. Finished in two days! It was recommended as a twist on the chaebol romance genre (the FL being the chaebol) but the Havana scenes were brilliant too. Would recommend to those looking for a simple romance to watch!

I liked it but I didn’t love it. I think the FL was older as well as wealthier so the power imbalance flowed against the usual current. I’m not a big fan of Park Yer Bum (yeah, that one stuck) so watching it felt a bit workmanlike for me.

Lol Park Yer Bum Yes he can be too babyish sometimes! And the FL annoying. But I loved that female power!

Im laughing at Kim Jihun's (he was the handsome psychopath that was in a coma for half of Flower of Evil) latest Instagram story. He's interrupted a near constant stream of him doing lots of pull ups over the last few weeks to show us a squirrel dragging a dead pigeon up a tree. Mmmm 😂🤣

Thanks for that TheGirl - really made me laugh. What a charmer.

So what do you guys think of Memories of the Alhambra? mumsnet isn’t letting me run a search for some reason!

Memories of Alhambra has everything on paper: Hyun Bin, classy cast, Granada and sunshine, high concept story, high production values, the whole shebang. And yet…. It kind of smoulders without ever really catching light. If you are happy to drink in the visuals without getting the hump at the lack of heart, have at it!

I know a lot weren't a fan of Memories of Alhambra Fiddlefig but DH and I really enjoyed it. DH especially as it had a theme that he's more interested in (technology). He also has a thing for Park Shin Hye in her Spanish guitar outfit 😂. It also shows off Granada brilliantly and has some great side characters, as well as the usual good guys and bad guys. Overall, we're fans in the Rowdy household 👍

I have managed zero drama watching today! 😭 What is going on! Need to get my head back in the game

Same here Rowdy. I’m just about to switch the telly on and look for something.

Ahhh you are a veritable shrine of information!

I think a ‘must miss’ list is a great idea, by the way.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Ohhh Monthly Magazine Home has just popped up on Viki! Fingers crossed for this one!

I've been watching it on IQYI- so far I'd say it's good but pretty workman like if you know what I mean- I don't think it's going to break new ground and I'm fairly sure I can see the ending coming from about ten minutes in but it's fun so far

Managed to watch a Mr Sunshine before bed, so all was not lost

DH and I loved Memories of the Alhambra. My DH is also mad about Park Shin Hye in her Spanish guitar outfit @Rowdythree 😂 I can definitely see what boaty means about a lack of heart. The romance element is a bit rubbish. If you like action and sci-fi though, I'd recommend it. I thought the concept was amazing-so ambitious. It's a great advert for Granada too.

Look out for the Talking Point Coffee Tabletop fire Bettys. New decor option on me

It looks like a box of tissues is on fire

Gah up to be speed on BLIH I Do now and wishing I'd waited to binge. It's all so nice but now the baddy has turned up

I don't imagine there's going to be terrible peril Bettys...and probably a fair amount of falling onto things together to come. Lovely mum made me 😭

Yes such a lovely mum! ☺️

Obvs CEO fell for ML ages ago, so am wondering if that was before or after tattooed baddy 🤔

Impressed you've managed to pull together that many threads of plot tbh 😁

Normal service has been resumed on Kim Jihun's Instagram. No more dead wildlife just pull ups and sweaty gym selfies (although this one looks a bit like he tipped some water on himself for extra sweatiness 😂)

I wouldn't like to share the gym equipment with him if he sweats that much! 😂

Totally Rowdy 😂