MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #26): With the dog days of summer behind us, it’s time to dust off your persimmon racks and dig out your down jackets for a cosy k-autumn

[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)
Monthly Magazine Home (Viki)
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)
Racket Boys (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/Netflix)


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)*

AVOID, AVOID, AVOID aka “the shit list” 💩

Well-Intentioned Love season 1 (S2 is fine)
The Birth of a Beauty

Thread Regulars’ Top Scoring Dramas of 2020
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). 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!

Boaty I've been trying to guess this also. He didn't seem keen to visit the building in Seoul.
Gen urology and then Hope Smile Dentist and physchiatric clinic??
I have a tiny hunch that given he can do everybody's job in town he may also be a renowned dentist?

@AesopsMables

Boaty I've been trying to guess this also. He didn't seem keen to visit the building in Seoul. Gen urology and then Hope Smile Dentist and physchiatric clinic?? I have a tiny hunch that given he can do everybody's job in town he may also be a renowned dentist?

* Spoiler alert - Hometown Cha cha**

My guess is urology clinic but he doesn’t seem visibly unwell/sick.could be physchiatric as later he was popping pills. Surfing & late night fishing might be his way to meditate.

Not since the (SWOON) tangled hair bobble removal scene in Her Private Life have we seen such good use of silence and amplified water sound as that last scene in ep 4 HCCC
I'm voting psychiatric clinic.
Not keen that -yawn- love triangle must be incoming next week.

I agree with everyone's comments about Hometown Cha Cha Cha! It's definitely what I want to watch right now. I wish I could watch it every evening (I guess that's the trouble with being new to Kdrama and binging everything else). I have 20 minutes of Episode 4 left as we were watching Vigil live.

I think there is a professional job in Du-Sik's past too. Not sure what though. Hoping beyond hope there is not a tragedy waiting with the clinic visits!

@Hydrogensonata Kim Seon Ho is the 2ML in Start-Up. He broke my heart in that! Amazing performance. I even downloaded Tik-Tok to vote for him in the Baeksang Awards. He would also have been my choice. I was happy for main couple as it meant the audience could have Han Ji-pyeong

Very lucky in London to have so much good food on the doorstep. It's definitely putting me off moving away.

@JinBhoot... Yes... In The available through Weverse and you can also subscribe to little extras as well... In The Soop is just lovely... Watching them spend their leisure time... Yoongi cooking and shouting "Hajima" at RM as he attempts Wood carving! One of my hundreds of highlights is Jimin and JK running around drunkenly in the dark... Fighting with a mosquito net... And then Jimin falling over! It's just too funny and incredibly endearing! Sooo calming and relaxing! Sigh!...

@sakura06 I am also one of those people who downloaded TikTok (and so many other apps!) just to vote for Kim Seonho.. am glad more people are falling for him now! HCCC seems to be an ode to KSH, showing off his acting range, variety of skills, and of course his gorgeous smiles and body!

I just hate the serotonin crash I get on Mondays though!

Regarding his past trauma, there were so many signboards on the building he walked into - I wonder if they really subtitled the right ones! So many Netflix translation errors are floating on twitter - am shocked how badly they have translated some beautiful idioms and proverbs!

KSH is my new So Ji Sub-stitute😉
I now have 3 different K-Crushes if you include the velvet voiced Lee Sun Gyun 🥰

Anyone recommend anything to watch with KSH in as HCCC filler? Strongest Deliveryman?

@KSeason glad there are a few of us! I think he is super popular now. I can't wait until Saturday!!

@AesopsMables have you seen 100 Days My Prince? I loved that, and he's the 2ML in that too. 2 Days 1 Night (reality TV show) is on YouTube too which he is in one series of (Season 4, I think). I've only watched brief snippets of that, but he seems like such a nice guy!

Finished Devil Judge... it was really good... full of lots of twists and turns! (some you could see a mile off and some which were ... really good... great leads and fab baddies (boooooo hissss!).... very easy to watch i haven't binged a drama for ages (purely because i've been watching lots of on airs at the moment!!)
It was great to see Jinyoung in a really meaty role!

Thanks Sakura I will check them out.

Just googled KSH’s age, he is around my age (still younger then me) as if that’s gonna make any difference 😂😂😂😂😂

Apparently he was in a Good Manager, I have seen that drama but I don’t remember him. I haven’t seen Start-Up, will check it out.
I usually fall for the characters (over all drama look) then actual actor so not sure how I’ll feel about him in other dramas.

All HP drs are 🥰 but in their other dramas, I don’t find them cute or whatever.

Ooh Edward Scissorhands Vs the Esso Tiger in LOTRS

The reason I love KSH so much is because of 2D1N (we spoke about variety shows a few threads back) - he comes across as genuine, goofy, accident-prone and so loveable!

I don't think his dramas do him much justice, but You drive me crazy, Startup, 100 days my prince and strongest delivery man probably the better ones of the lot..

Simu Liu modeled for Stock Images before he was famous. From stock image boy to Marvel superhero.

www.buzzfeed.com/brittneytrinh/simu-liu-stock-photos

Thank you Jin. Lovely Simu Liu resources.

@AesopsMables

KSH is my new So Ji Sub-stitute😉 I now have 3 different K-Crushes if you include the velvet voiced Lee Sun Gyun 🥰

Anyone recommend anything to watch with KSH in as HCCC filler? Strongest Deliveryman?

Only 3 @aesopsmables? I never had crushes on stars as a teenager but now 🤭 my teenage self would be aghast! The good manager is good but maybe not if for KSH- he's good in start up but breaks my heart- isn't he in welcome to wakiki too? I've not watched that so no idea of it's good?

@JinBhoot I spotted him in the good manager- he's the youngest guy in the office with the glasses and the knitwear it looks like him Mum bought him

I agree with Hydrogen that KSH in Start-Up is heartbreaking. I was sobbing almost every episode and the first episode is a really tough watch emotionally! I love Start-Up. It's one of my favourites. I know it's extremely divisive though!

@JinBhoot I think we must be a similar age!

I tend to get crushes on characters. With KSH, I've loved his character in everything I've seen. I don't think I could handle him being a villain!

Devil Judge looks great!

Would you recommend Nevertheless? It's on my watchlist. Not sure whether to give it a go before finally buying the Viki pass!

@sakura06 yayaaaa hello fellow 80s child 🤗

Nevertheless is on Netflix, I didn’t watch it after ep2. FL was getting on my nerves. I might re-visit in few months.

Recently I have started so many dramas and then stopped after 3-4 episodes. It’s been a while I have binge watched anything with wow factor.
Currently watching two drama regularly & both are on-air these days so can’t binge watch.

@Hydrogensonata I was same in my teens. Probably didn’t watch much TV. Boy bands were all rage back then but I never fancied anyone. I wonder if my teenage self would have been a devoted ARMY.

Thanks Jin!

@sakura06 hmm, nevertheless was ok- but I found the main FL increasingly irritating and mopey - I found it a bit teen angsty but probably because it's portraying that early twenties/uni emotional relationships.

It's ok to not be ok is coming off netflix at the end of September

@JinBhoot a think I've got better at dropping stuff I'm not enjoying- there's so much good stuff to watch why bother with things I'm not enjoying?

I think I'm alone in having loved nevertheless. I really liked the ML and 2ML and the secondary couples. And yes FL was a bit mopey but to be honest if I'd had someone treat me the way her first boyfriend did I'd be in a pit of misery for months! At least she perked up and had some good sex! I thought it was quite a nice depiction of young adult relationships and how we can be dickheads without quite realising.

Thanks Hydrogen and Larry!

Tonight’s Lovers of the Red Sky was a bit meh. It is action packed but not engaging. It needs to step things up a notch, or else….

Agree Boaty. Nothing happened after Edward Scissorhands got put in a tree. Just a lot of groups wandering a wood like a DofE expedition gone bad.

I enjoyed this Fangirl exploration of the pressures of KDrama production. Good summary of all the different squeezes and pitfalls.
thefangirlverdict.com/2021/09/05/dear-kfangurl-why-do-so-many-kdramas-start-strong-but-go-downhill/#more-59284