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!

@JinBhoot

HCCC - can’t wait for the next episode. Is it safe to assume, ML is not on the deathbed or terminally ill?

Tending plants & Orchids - here goes the speculation of being spy 😂😂😂

The photo in the book might be his baby photo with his parents.

I was going to wait for both episodes of HTCCC tomorrow but now I'm too intrigued to wait!

If the funeral he was attending as an adult wasn’t the hypothesised wife & child, who else could it be?

I’m giving Dali & The Cocky Prince (Viki) a try. It is a touch ‘painting by numbers’. I’m not sure even Kim Min Jae’s abs can save it. 🤷‍♀️

@boatyardblues I agree 😞 Very sad!

I felt sad for Ji Seong-hyun in this episode! Ah! They can't both get the girl though.

Hye-Jin's Dad's parting statement was brilliant!

@boatyardblues

I’m lolling at Ms Pyo askjng the straight-laced policeman out from the back of the police car and his reaction. 🤦‍♀️

Awh I felt for her- then she can't get out and the way she runs off up the road with her bag! I think funeral is wife/child - the comments from people saying hes unlucky to people around him at his grandads funeral ☹️

I felt sorry for Seong-Hyun- he's definitely too late again but ha at the ex husband being told to sling his hook by the teacher, I do want to know why they got divorced though!

2nd funeral can’t be child or wife as he wasn’t wearing white arm band. It could be GF though or best friend (I thought I saw a glimpse of young man in the funeral portrait).

I didn’t get the dad’s parting statement- watched it couple of times but it went above my head.

Divorce & lottery seems to be linked.

I also felt for Seong-Hyun. Both male leads are fantastic.

Whoever waits for both episodes, have my upmost respect. I can’t even wait for 4pm(1hr) let alone extra one day 😂

Dad's parting statement was just getting him back for talking informally and making sure he had the last word.
I agree that on balance I think wife and child too much and different connection. Actually possibly it's a best male friend who's dead (failed business partner?) and his wife blamed ML? HOW YOU SUCK ME IN TO YOUR SPECULATIONS.

Good spotting @JinBhoot. Redditors are convinced they saw a young man's portrait and that the lack of armband is key.

I'm a terrible stickler for a cutting remark, and did think Du-shik had been quite rude to Hye-Jin's dad. It wasn't very witty to call him saekki, but I liked it anyway!

My heart was breaking for Pyo Mi-Seon and I was really cross that Eun-Cheol just let her walk back along the highway! He clearly does like her though.

@polkettle welcome to alternative writers room 😃

I like the naughty cell. Every kdrama needs one!

I wish our house was as tidy as Wung’s flat.

@JinBhoot - good point about the arm band! @polkettle I'm enjoying the speculation on here nearly as much as the drama- definitely adds to the enjoyment!

They're just such good people!! Coldplay x bts documentary about making my universe... And they showed they clip of Young Forever at Wembley! I was there!! 😭😭😭 (Still not watched my dvd of it as it makes me too sad!... For all I know I could be on it! Lots of cameras were in my section! 🤭😁🤭😁)

Oh @Bea … I am so jealous. Coldplay concert is on my bucket list (there isin’t much on it).
I don’t know how many years it will take to comfortably resume such big stadium concerts again.

BTS & Coldplay will be an awesome concert & might require mortgage to get the tickets.

This was yesterday at the Global Citizen Live

I don’t think BTS was live for My Universe, they kicked off the festival with Permission to Dance & Butter.

What time does HCCC ep drop on a Sunday? I'm trying to juggle watching before hosting a roast from 6pm!

It's up, just in time!

Well, episode 10 of HCCC gets a thumping 10/10 for me. As other have said, I can’t stop smiling when I watch it. This might be my favourite show so far this year.

It might even THE show of the year for me. Love it.

I've just finished My Holo Love I thought it quite strange, but no stranger than any other AI, human love story. I do like the ML though but I didn't think there was much chemistry between the leads 🤷‍♀️

I think I'm really missing out! I haven't watched HCCC yet!

That excuse from 2ML about coming back for his tablet - well dodgy.

@Rowdythree

I've just finished My Holo Love I thought it quite strange, but no stranger than any other AI, human love story. I do like the ML though but I didn't think there was much chemistry between the leads 🤷‍♀️

I think I'm really missing out! I haven't watched HCCC yet!

@Rowdythree you lucky lucky addict! HTCCC is lovely and you've got loads of episodes in front of you instaed of waiting for each weekend for them to drop!!!

HCCC I've just finished ep 10. It made me cry with happiness 🥰
It can't get any better right?!

It might even THE show of the year for me. Love it.

I second that Boaty 👍🏽!

How many episodes does it have? If it's 16 I'll wait until its nearly complete before I start watching it

Rowdy yes 16. You are in for a treat!