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!

I think there was an mini influx after CLOY.

That was my first Kdrama but I crash landed here after Hospital Playing.

Speaking of that, I would like to campaign for an * asterisk on HP in the first post.

@Hydrogensonata

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?

Get well soon, I hope Kdramas will help in quick recovery. Wrap up & binge watch 💐

I am also recovering from cold, done quite a few covid tests, luckily it is just cold.

@JinBhoot

I think there was an mini influx after CLOY.

That was my first Kdrama but I crash landed here after Hospital Playing.

Speaking of that, I would like to campaign for an * asterisk on HP in the first post.

JinBhoot - that is a perfectly reasonable ask. I will update the list for thread #28 and give HCCC one too. My utter panic yesterday evening about running out of thread meant I didn’t scrutinise too closely and flung it up. We didn’t even take nominations for updates. Oops. Ah well, let’s fill #27 up quickly so we can have a do-over. 🙂

Did you see we now have s shit list, though? It wasn’t a complete disaster. 😂

@boatyardblues

Did you see we now have s shit list, though? It wasn’t a complete disaster. 😂

That made my day 😂😂😂

As we're using up the thread, another very important service announcement about the excellence of Lee Dong Hwi's cat.

BEFORE this thread ends, I wanted to thank pp for their restaurant recommendations!

We’re at a loose end after Alhambra but I’m too chicken for Squid Game. Might try IONTFO.

As we're using up the thread, another very important service announcement about the excellence of Lee Dong Hwi's cat.

If we’re talking about cats can I suggest Eleceed on Webtoon which is a Superhero cat fest and I am ADDICTED 🐱

@polkettle that's an excellent cat!
Well I managed to get through the day without being carted off to a and e for a drip - I even managed a very slow run at lunchtime (unless I feel completely awful I feel better running every day) looking forward to Yumis cells/you raise me up/heated blanket and soup this evening

Excellent cat!!
DS woke up with a cough and a temp this morning so we are waiting on a PCR test 🙄. Should improve my drama watching rates at least.
My Universe is no. 3 on the charts! I was following a cute thread on twitter with Army from all over the world following the count down. Very heartwarming 🥰

A Very Good Cat

I'm off out tonight for a verr posh dinner (not Korean though!) currently lounging in Premier inn.

Photos will go up on Insta 😁

I’m currently cooling my heels before going out-out with friends and disappointed that Yumi’s Cells isn’t ready. 😕

I'm very jealous of everyone's Friday night plans! Mine will include the sofa, 🍷 and Squid Game! Fell asleep watching ep2 so need to catch up on that before moving on to ep3

I'm up to ep5 on HCCC! It's making me want to move to a sleepy seaside town! I love how the ㅊ in the credits look like little people.

Have a good Friday night folks 🍷

@boatyardblues

I’m currently cooling my heels before going out-out with friends and disappointed that Yumi’s Cells isn’t ready. 😕

I'd forgotten (not sure how!) The key thing about viki- yes the episode is up but the subs......

Hahahaha @Rowdy! Du-Sik is totally Miss Rabbit!

@polkettle Lee Dong-Hwi's cat is fab. I like all his posts of his cat 😂 Not as keen on his occasional Granny cardis!

I have started Legends of the Blue Sea for viewing whilst children are in the room and Squid Game for once they're on bed. Can't wait for HTCCC!

So two days ago I asked my husband if he wanted to watch Squid Game as it was even reviewed in the Guardian and was therefore mainstream. The only other dramas he has watched are Train to Busan (liked) and Parasite (didn't like). I got the eye roll (he thinks Kdrama is all romance). So today a colleague of his has recommended this great new drama on netflix which we must watch called....

...also sorry not posted for ages but been reading. Life gets in the way but totally loving HTCCC at the moment. Bit concerned that the preview looks too lovey dovey and what will now go wrong for them...

@brambleyHedgeIm dreading some sort of noble idiocy coming along and spoiling it!

@sakura06 He posts a LOT of Him in Outfits doesn't he? I think he can carry off a cardy in a weird edgy way- been discussing with DS whether or not he is good looking, interesting looking or actually ugly (and whether his relationship can survive shift in power balance of gf hitting superstardom)
Anyway his cat pics are the best. And the cat definitely won't leave him.

@polkettle I did fancy buying some Puma trainers as a result of his constant posting of them though 😂 Finally product placement I can afford! Who is his famous girlfriend?

This cardi is especially Granny or maybe a bit 80s Sloaney?!

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap I hope it’s just a nasty bug going around & test comes back negative.
My Universe is no. 3 on the charts! I was following a cute thread on twitter with Army from all over the world following the count down. Very heartwarming Pls post the link if possible.
I am in love with My Universe. Today I drove somewhere and made it back in 2 My Universe … yup that’s my time gauging tool 😆

@BrambleyHedge totally loving HTCCC at the moment. Bit concerned that the preview looks too lovey dovey and what will now go wrong for them. I am bracing my self for a unnecessary plot twist I don’t like 11-14 episodes in K drama as it’s a doom & gloom build up before happy last two episodes.

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