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!

He talks like a minor European royal as scripted by a Channel 5 docusoap

This is perfect 😂

Yes, he has grown on me when in fringe down mode and perfectly happy for 'Samara' to (cough) 'gain experience' with him 😁 but otherwise Team Marshall all the way! So obvious that Bowser is jealous of his only true love rival - why can the commenters not SEE that 🙄. Anyway I think I'll have to forget about it for six months so I can binge again in a while.

Yes agree that Fringe Down Charles is far more attractive, a sort reverse of the forehead reveal trope.

If you haven't tried them yet, two COMPLETED series I enjoyed are Siren's Lament (woman gets kissed by a merman and has to resolve the curse - lots of implausibly perfect chests from the mermen) and My Dear Cold-Blooded King (feisty FL enters the palace and has to choose between implausibly perfect chests suitors who may not be who they seem)

There seems to be a theme here

Where do I find You are my Glory
Is it still on air? I have found few episodes on YouTube.

I'm comparing Jung Hae-In's appearance in SITR and One Spring Night. He still wears the overlong black coat in some scenes which makes him look about 15yo. Most definitely he's had surgery on his ears to pin them back a little between the filming of both.

Aesops this is important research that needs to be backed up with before & after pics

Here you go Bettys. After further investigation I think I'm on the fence a bit now. When I pause some of his scenes in OSN they def look smaller, these promo pics look quite similar though 😳

Given how keen South Korean society is on cosmetic surgery generally, I am often surprised at how many actors and actresses have not had their ears pinned. Isn’t it interesting that this is a Western preoccupation? Is ear pinning still available on the NHS? My classmate had hers done on the NHS in the 80s.

I am camping again 🏕🥶🥶🥶 send soju and those blankets the FLs wear over their knees during interviews...

& sympathy Cassini

Make sure your DH puts his coat over your shoulders Cassini That cures all coldness.

Can you fill one of those ‘camel pack’ water bags with soju and hunker down in one of those down-filled coats, Cassini? I’ve noticed a nip in the air the last few mornings. Thoughts & prayers. X

Sympathies Cassini hope you've got an extra warm sleeping bag!

@Cassini Brrr- perhaps a good time to indulge in the K-drama-esque going to bed fully dressed including a coat?
Loving my strange hero- u liked Yoo Seung-ho in I am not a robot but he's better in this- does make me smile that the student who works in the bar is actually 3 years older that him

Good luck Cassini! It's definitely chilly for camping at the moment! I agree with Pol, a coat over your shoulders should do the trick 😁

I think I've got to a pivotal point in Yumi! I'm desperate to read more but too stingy to buy coins 😒🤣

I've started Uncontrollably Fond even though I'm pretty sure it's going to be sad... Ah well, a good cry is good for the soul every now and then 🤷‍♀️

Oh Rowdy, Uncontrollably Fond would be one for my almost-shit list. It’s quite meh, almost no chemistry between the leads and very, very sad. Workmanlike is the word that comes to mind. The house is interesting though and I have lost count of the number of times I’ve seen it used as a location in kdrama. It gets the full workout in UF, no corner unfilmed. If your attention starts to wane, don’t feel like you need to see it through. It doesn’t turn a corner and pick up.

Crying ugly tears at episode 14 of Racket Boys. Han-sol and Se-yoon BFFs!!!

Oh dear, Boaty. I'm only 10 minutes in, I have no problems in ditching it 🤣

It might really float your boat, Rowdy. If it is hitting the soot go with it. The ML did nothing for me and I struggle remember anything about it, apart from 2ML arriving at a fancy dress party out on the lawn behind the featured house dressed as Shrek. 🤷‍♀️ Ooh, and a romantic dinner on the jetty behind the house. I do remember the knitwear being top notch.

Soot = spot

I'm happy to ditch it, I don't think it's going to be my cuppa. I have loads in my Watch List, I'm not sure why I started watching it really. I was just too lazy to get off the sofa and get my phone to put Viki on 🤣

🥾 🍑 for me, shocking time for bed mid week but I'm too invested waiting for Psychotic Dentist and 2ML to get their comeuppance in OSN 😡

Police University continues enjoyable for anyone with a viewing hole.

Racket Boys gets a solid 8 from me. Heartwarming cuteness.

Hello there!
I didn’t realise this corner of Mumsnet existed, am so happy to find others to share the K-drama discussion.
I only started binge watching since lockdown started and I restrain myself to only watch on Netflix. I’ve gotten into the food/snacks etc as well as the language (self study). Anyone else learning and want to swap ideas? I have no one to talk to in Korean (plus too shy) but learning to read, write and listen. One day I’d like to not need English subtitles!

I’m currently watching “You are my Spring”, “Hospital Playlist 2” and intend to start “Nevertheless” soon.