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!

It was a bit unnerving Girl.

He knows you 👀👀👀

DS has been allowed to commandeer the telly tonight for a very important!?! Fortnite event.
So I'm watching Red Sky on my phone with him yapping away to his friends in the back ground 😂

@boatyardblues

This Insta post by mykoreandic made me laugh in a way that made DH, in the next room and out of line of sight, say “that’s the sound of you seeing a kdrama actor with his shirt off unexpectedly”

www.instagram.com/reel/CTuR8XthPT2/?utm_medium=copy_link

Embarrassingly he was right, but it was more the leather trouser hitch that did it. 🤣😂🤣

I laughed at that too!!! 😂

This Insta post by mykoreandic made me laugh in a way that made DH, in the next room and out of line of sight, say “that’s the sound of you seeing a kdrama actor with his shirt off”. Embarrassingly he was right, but it was more the leather trouser hitch that did it. 🤣😂🤣

Also just snorted wine accompanied by a smirk at the trouser hitch but Dh & Ds totally oblivious/watching sport/used to it by now 🤷🏻‍♀️

New Webtoon by the author of Yumi's Cells called Tomorrow's Jo. Only 3 episodes available but it seems really cute, just like Yumi 🥰

Prediction for next week’s Cha Cha Cha: a classic white truck of doom for book photo mother & baby. I’m thinking we’ll find out what happened during Chief Hong’s 5 year absence. 😉

There should be daily two episodes of Hometown Cha Cha I am enjoying flashback scenes. That’s what I enjoyed the most in CLOY as well (Switzerland bit).
I agree Boaty shift in gear is needed, handsome ML can carry the story only up to certain extend.
Insta post 😂😂😂, I wish I had IRL friend to enjoy it with.

In between HP2 & Cha Cha, I am watching Touch your heart & You are my glory. Both are simple storylines without any love triangle.

I agree about daily episodes of Cha Cha Cha. It is lovely.

Loving HCCC. I liked the flashback where you think she got the 100 won from 2ML, but it was Du-sik ❤️

Are we thinking 2ML is the guy in nightclub she speaks to after seeing rude boyfriend slabber about her? (Flashback in episode 4 or 5)

HTCCC ridiculously cute and tbh I am pretty happy for nothing to happen in it except kindergarten dental hygiene dances and singing grannies forever. Although at least 2ML also a poppet.
So if that photo with hidden man was Chief Hong with family that's a whole lotta loss he's processing even by KD standards given parents and grandad too 😥 Or is it his own dad?🤔
I think we need a Deepest Dimples category in the Daebaks.

Yes Pol! Another point to mention from ep. 6.

We didn't see Du-sik's dad's face. I smell a surprise alive dad mystery link brewing...

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Loving HCCC. I liked the flashback where you think she got the 100 won from 2ML, but it was Du-sik ❤️

Are we thinking 2ML is the guy in nightclub she speaks to after seeing rude boyfriend slabber about her? (Flashback in episode 4 or 5)

Yes, it was the same guy - I was paying attention to that nightclub scene.

It could have been Du-Sik himself FedUp and he's lost a wife and child.

🤔🤔🤔... Meanwhile in "Where in the World is PSJ?".

... but this is twitter! And this pic is from itaewon!...so take with pinch of salt! 😳😁

I love HTCCC so much. Is it Saturday yet?! I think I need to re-watch the photo scene. I had just assumed it was his parents as the halmeonis had discussed him not having a wife. I suppose they might not know though...

Agree with boaty that 2ML was the guy from the nightclub.

@Bea On PSJ, Brie Larson was in Padstow, but I'm guessing just for a visit?!

@polkettle

It could have been Du-Sik himself FedUp and he's lost a wife and child.

That’s my pet theory. Heartbroken widower, hence his reluctance to become romantic (loyalty to dead wife).

@polkettle

It could have been Du-Sik himself FedUp and he's lost a wife and child.

YOU GENIUS. Detective Pol's skills are not restricted to light stalking of beloved oppas.

Who was watching C-drama GO Into your heart?

I'm halfway through first episode, does the FL get any less annoying/bratty? Her lack of professionalism is making my teeth itch.

I'm hoping it's not that though Boaty because that's a LOT of baggage. Although a white truck of doom would account for the bloody arm nightmares.
Who's the woman he's showing about town do we think?

Who's the woman he's showing about town do we think?

From the production company for the sponsored/televised singing contest.

Aha. Thanks. Missed that.

Only my guess, but after the professionalised version of the show & the fireworks, I’d assumed that was the case.

Wife & a kid … this never occurred to me.
I thought it was him & his mum. What if he & 2ML are half brothers? Dad left & remarried when he was a baby.
There was a guy in the picture, right? Just not revealed yet. Photo might be taken from that old vintage camera?

BTS & Coldplay collaborating 😃
I always wanted to take my DS to Coldplay’s concert when he’ll turn 18 (send off before uni, last hurrah kinda).
Lately he wants to swap it with BTS.
You never know in few years when time will come, they might be announcing joint concert.
If that happens I’ll need to re-mortgage to buy tkts in black (I am assuming they will be gone in mins)

Bake Off episode of LOTRS complete with Technical Challenge.