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!

Hi Rosegold👋👋👋
I concur with all the recommendations above ✔️
I would love, love, love a thread t-shirt with numbers 😁👕

rowdy loving the mad Fifth Element / Guardians vibe even though Chris Martin looks slightly insane

Red Bubble already has a bunch of merchandise although the mugs aren't that cool

I dug back to the first thread as I was curious to see what number I would be if we were doing Squid Game rules t-shirts and I would be 002!
With boaty 001 , HeechulOppa and Bea maybe 005 and 006? So we are all doomed at the glass tile game.....

I wonder if the others posters on that thread, seadays, LostSeoul et al are still reading or have popped back with other names....

Interrupting service to bring you Dimples (the OG has now he has a rival for that title) as an aubergine.

@polkettle

Interrupting service to bring you Dimples (the OG has now he has a rival for that title) as an aubergine.

Thank you for this important service announcement 📣

Determined to start Squid Game tonight. I have serious FOMO and I need to be "down with the kids"

Determined to start Squid Game tonight. I have serious FOMO and I need to be "down with the kids

Haha yes I know what you mean.
However I don’t think I’d dare watch Squid Game. I watched the trailer and it’s seriously disturbing.
I see Park Hae Soo is in a leading role - he was excellent as one of the con men in Legend of the Blue Sea.

006! Ready to report and waiting!!!! @Bettys

@polkettle

😂 👌to the numbered t shirts. I will do pretty well from that in a scenario where we have to cross a high bridge of treacherous glass to reach our bar full of oppas. Sorry 001 Boaty

Bugger! I can’t even post the witty burn I started to type in without spoiling for others. 😠

@polkettle

😂 👌to the numbered t shirts. I will do pretty well from that in a scenario where we have to cross a high bridge of treacherous glass to reach our bar full of oppas. Sorry 001 Boaty

Bugger! I can’t even post the witty burn I started to type in without spoiling for others. 😠

I’ve posted a link to this thread on the Squid Game thread. I’ve just noticed that we’re on page 39 and close to topping out. Plus I’m rushing around to go out for a couple of hours. If things go nuts and the thread fills up, can one of you start the new thread. In hindsight I didn’t really think it through but I was so excited to see new kdrama fans I got carried away. 😂

Also (between tasks) welcome to Rosegold - so pleased to took my invite up. 🎉

OK, go me with the multi-tasking! Please fill this one up so we don’t end up with waifs & strays, but here’s the new thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/telly_addicts/4363038-MsLatt-s-Daebak-Cybercaf-Kdrama-addicts-27-The-one-where-global-smash-Squid-Game-launches-kdrama-into-the-stratosphere-C-mon-in?watched=1

Filling up the thread.

Welcome @rosegoldwatcher

Just one more day till more Yumis cells and can't wait for hometown cha cha cha this weekend!

HCCC is all I think about all week. Just getting through the week to see Double Dimples ❤️

My Bargain Queen is proving an amusing gap filler though.

I've given in and started HCCC! I'm only on episode 2. Du Suk is like Miss Rabbit from Peppa pig or Kurt from Gilmore Girls, always popping up in different jobs. He is lovely though 😍

Hydrogensonata I can't wait for the next episode of Yumi's Cells! I love it, its my current favourite

Welcome RoseGold!

@Rowdythree you're right! I hadn't considered the Miss Rabbit connection 😁
The other thing I've been watching randomly is "you raise me up" I went in with low expectations but it's surprisingly sweet and mature (not that kind of mature!) And how often do you get a rom-com about erectile disfunction?!

I've been really enjoying You Raise Me Up too Hydrogen! Last two episodes this weekend so will make a good quick binge for anyone who fancies. The first meeting between ML and FL is 👌🤣

@Rowdythree OMG … I am laughing non-stop >>> Miss Rabbit from Peppa pig

HTCCC is my current obsession too. I need Chief Hong in my life. DH’s DIY skills are almost non-existent and he doesn’t cook much either. Also, crucially he isn’t 30- something any more, twinkly of eye and be-dimpled. Chief Hong knocks all those vacuuming oppas into a cocked hat with his mad skillz, quick wit and sharp intellect.

@JinBhoot it's on viki- only 8 episodes and I think the last two both come out tomorrow?

I've come down with a nasty cold - I feel disappointed that no handsome (perhaps be-dimpled?) Oppa is going to carry me off, make me porridge and generally look after me. On the plus side I'm unlikely to collapse and have to get an IV and instead will spend the next few days sniffling and feeling pants. Swings and roundabouts! Also I really hate having the idea of someone putting a cold flannel on my head - how would that make you feel better?
Wonder of they'll be many K-drama converts after squid game?