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 thought vampire? But not very versed in these things.

I’m rewatching Crash Landing on You.

I loved MFEO too, they were both so great together. And yes, ML became more and more appealing. I loved the ending too. It really felt complete.

Ohhh vampire would explain the naughty finger bitiness

@boatyardblues

I’m rewatching Crash Landing on You.

I might have to have a rewatch soon. Where have you got to, Boaty?

Kim Jung Hyun was so brilliant in CLOY - well, all the actors were -and also Mr Queen. I wonder what he’ll be in next.

Excellent. I’m glad the Nevertheless finale is going to be more of a photo finish. 👏

Ep 3 Andante. I recommended it to someone and now I’m thinking I need to rewatch in case it is not suitable for the noobs.

@Rowdythree

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!

I loved my strange hero! 👍👍👍😁

I'm rewatching CLOY too! It's just toooo good!

Yes DP looks good with the lovely Jung Hae-in. Been missing a gritty army drama 👍

I re-watched CLOY couple of weeks ago. Loved it more 2nd time around. More heart broken about the ending of 2nd pair.

Why is this weeks HP so long? ! 😳 I'm only half way through, I feel like I'm watching a movie! I don't have time for that on a Sunday lunch time 😂

I had the same issue Rowdy. I had to watch this week’s in instalments.

Struggling to find what to watch today- housework done, run later and still feeling shattered so I just need to chill- started defend the boss (no idea why!) But it didn't pull me in- might give my strange hero a try especially as it's only 30minute episodes. Im behind with nevertheless but I'm just no in the mood- I might watch the last episodes next week so I can finish it all off at once!

Go for My Strange Hero Hydrogensonata! It's good! I'm on ep24! Lots of 'beat the system' and 'fighting' 💪

Completed MFEO yesterday 👍🏽
Going to start One Spring Night, there is still plenty I haven't seen yet from the front of the thread, I know those are reliably good.
Mentioning re-watching a favourite, I'm saving Melo for when my DN who's a k drama fan comes to stay in Sept as I know she hasn't seen it and she is studying screen writing.

Watching Japanese high school drama Black Cinderella on Viki. Usual tropes but good Sunday viewing 👍

I am 2nd episode of One Spring Night and enjoying the slow pace.
It’s giving me same vibes as Something in the Rain probably because of same ML & FL’s mum but pace is quite similar as well.
I hope that’s where similarity stops & it wouldn’t go downhill after few episodes. I did feel little disappointed after seeing mum but I hope role is different in this drama.

Finished My Secret Terrius it was a good watch. KIS members are cute.

You don't need to worry too much about it being the same as Something in the Rain Jin. There are definitely similarities but not in the same league.

I'm up to date with Nethertheless, I can't see how it's going to end! Maybe she'll chose neither and skip off into the sunset by herself! If she chooses Mr Nice Noodles I won't be happy! 😒 I feel like I want to make hand cut noodles now though! He made it look very easy...

@Rowdythree thankyou it's been perfect - just what I need and it even has my favourite Ajumma actress in it

It’s giving me same vibes as Something in the Rain probably because of same ML & FL’s mum but pace is quite similar as well.

It’s the same production team & possibly writers too.

I feel like I want to make hand cut noodles now though! He made it look very easy...

I thought the same but am certain it should have been accompanied by a ‘some steps have been omitted’ warning you get on game adverts. I already know it would be a nope for me. My Mum bought me a pasta maker for Christmas in the 90s. I said to DH “she should have known I don’t have the patience for this.” I tried it once (it was as annoying as I’d anticipated) and gave it to my patient friend.

Ha ha Boaty we bought a pasta machine after a trip to Rome, it got used twice and has been in the box ever since. I won't be making noodles anytime soon 😄

I bought DH a pasta machine & both he & DS use it to make pasta every now & then….and I also use it to make prints 🤭

So I've finished two years + worth of Lets Play content in 3 days and suspect we're still at LEAST two years of weekly episodes off any sort of endgame. Aargh! The Trouble With Webtoons.
While quite happy to enjoy the journey on current Charles developments, generally mystified by fandom's apparent preference for him as final destination hotty. He talks like a minor European royal as scripted by a Channel 5 docusoap.

pol I have grown to like Charles but suspect the author has NEVER been to Wales just likes the accent as she describes a particular Welsh actors voice as how she ‘sees’ him!

I also rampaged through the early episodes of Let’s Play and find the weekly eps torture. I am convinced Marshall will be the one for her in the end though!