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 have started My Secret Terrius … enjoyed the mums network to track the twins.

The mums & dad group is reminding me of BBC’s Motherland … parent group is quite similar.

Just finished Terrius. And here I was thinking I was the last one to watch it! Loved the KIS, twins are surprisingly unannoying, loved the whole thing really. Not sure what to watch next.

Hope new job is going well @Hydrogensonata, best of luck with it!

Haven't watched HP yet, seems like a long one this week.

I've been totally off the boil with watching dramas this week! However, I've just finished Racket Boys, which was just lovely and I'm about to catch up on last week's Nethertheless.

Funny you should mention Motherland Jin, as DH and I just started watching it last night. (totally late to the party with that one!) Where can I find My Secret Terrius?

Hello to everyone, hope everyone is well

Hi Rowdy. 👋

I’m on a kdrama go slow too. I’ve started up training and swimming again regularly on weekday evenings to shift the pandemic lard. By the time I get home and have eaten, it is often gone 9pm. I regularly fall asleep on the sofa and my episode finish rate is not stellar. I’m also not grabbed by anything currently airing.

My K-curious friend asked for a recommendation so I sent her a link for Little Forest. She loved it, so is going to give Mr Sunshine a try. 🤞

Hi Boaty, I'm the same, trying to spend a little less time sitting on the sofa watching TV. I've been reading and listening to podcasts too. I think it's been a better balance for me.

I bet your friend will be a fully fledged K fan once she's watched Mr Sunshine! 👏I miss Mr Sunshine, I want to watch something with a similar feel to it.

Just watching ep8 of Nethertheless, they seem to have done a good job of editing out Mr Beanie man. Lots of long shots, and his face not being shown on screen... I think he may have been treated slightly unfairly if his only crime was cheating on his girlfriend 😬

Such a shame that Beanie Man has been ghosted by the Nevertheless production team, as his ripped abs were a thing of beauty.

Dang, I thought we were going to see Park Jae Eon in the buff in the life drawing class! 😒

@Rowdythree

Dang, I thought we were going to see Park Jae Eon in the buff in the life drawing class! 😒

I know! Cheated.

My Secret Terrius ep10
They have mentioned coronavirus OMG
Do they name viruses like hurricanes (names decided in advance)?

Hello @Rowdythree 🙂

My Secret Terrius is on Netflix.

Jin - Coronavirus is just a type of virus. The common cold can be caused by coronaviruses:

Well over 200 virus strains are implicated in causing the common cold, with rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, adenoviruses and enteroviruses being the most common.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_cold

DH was asking what I was reading last night and it was Men of the Harem 😂. I just described it as a Web comic by a Korean artist and then scrolled quickly past the pictures of unrealistic mens chests

TheGirl the unrealistic men’s chests are fabulous! I’m rooting for the gorgeous red headed sidekick that is her BFF for the win, although I do like Carlein (but suspect he may be a zombie) So frustrated by being on 1 episode a week now 😫 (but have found some new series to binge heh heh)

I have a backlog of dramas to catch up on, but am now up to date with YAMS.

Have cracked and bought Webtoon coins (for more Yumi). Of COURSE I have.
Genuinely unsure which Man of the Harem (or not) is The One which is refreshing. You'd think red haired dude but... Choices, choices and all of them good 😊
Also advancing through Remarried Empress and Let's Play (unfeasibly large boobs not just at Olga's...) very happily.
Finished Nevertheless (Webtoon) - really liked the finale. I reckon drama will follow same path.

HP2 was quare long this week, but all the feels. Other than Racket Boys, that's all I am watching at the mo.

I am currently reading 8 web series on WEBTOONs and 15 on Manta. I think I have a problem...

FedUp I have a similar scenario…..I am currently reading 14 series on Webtoon and 8 on Manta, not counting the finished series or ones that are on hiatus……

pol I’ve also finished Nevertheless on Webtoon and think the ending on there was good

I have the day to myself, finished the cleaning and started on Mad For Each Other, it's slightly bonkers 😜
Very tempted to get Webtoon just to finish Nevertheless as waiting a week for 1 episode is tiresome.

It's going to finish next week Aesops - only 10 episodes. I loved MFEO

Thanks for the heads up Polkettle

May save Nevertheless to watch them both if I can resist temptation. MFEO is hugely amusing and I'm speeding through it!

We are half way through One Spring Night and we are loving it.
However I don’t think I’d recommend it to a K drama newbie as it’s quite slow moving.
Have any of you seen Heard it through the Grapevine which like OSN and The Secret Love Affair, is directed by Ahn Pan Seok?
We were thinking about that for our next viewing.

Mad For Each Other is great - one of the highlights of 2021.

Andante57 I'd agree about One Spring Night, I really enjoyed it, the theme tune especially takes me back to when I first watched it. We were on holiday, and it just gives me nice holiday vibes 🤩 But I'd call it a 'slice of life' show rather than a 'romance'.

It's an interesting subject, single unmarried father, and how people react to his situation. One thing about it though, I thought the FL's wardrobe was terrible 😂

I'm really binging MFEO and it's sooo good, just up to ep10. Wow. Those ladies from the women's asc scrub up well! I'm strangely attracted to ML but only in certain scenes??

@hawthornknitter thankyou! Last week felt like about a month squeezed into a week with everything I have as trying to get me head round! Spent today recovering on the sofa other than a run and the very important task of dealing with bath sealant mould. It's an exciting life!!
Watched unfamiliar wife on netflix which was pretty - has anyone watched it? The one wierd bit was that it's set in a bank and there's a fairly small group of supporting colleagues who all get equal amounts of attention apart from the young security guard who is in loads of scenes but never says anything? But they keep talking about/too him but he literally says around ten words in the whole drama. it was really odd when I started noticing it!
@aesopsmables your not alone in that- I loved MFEO once I got past the first episode and I thought the ML got more attractive as it went on- he can pull of a nice woolly jumper pretty well and I liked his voice

@bettys I agree that red headed sidekick might beat the harem. I also like Carlein and was thinking evil twin type situation but maybe a zombie? 😂