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!

Yumi's Cells - just read an episode that shows us what the tongue cells get up to during a kiss...so sweet and innocent on the surface 😆

Anyone seen Jdrama kikazaru koi ni wa riyuu ga atte I think also known as there is a reason for undressed love
If so, where can I watch it? Saw a clip on YouTube & it looks different from usual Kdrama stuff.

@JinBhoot

Anyone seen Jdrama kikazaru koi ni wa riyuu ga atte I think also known as there is a reason for undressed love If so, where can I watch it? Saw a clip on YouTube & it looks different from usual Kdrama stuff.

I think you might have to call to Olga's house for that one Jin!

Looks up my street though, so thanks for tip!

@FedUpWithBriiiiick @JinBhoot I saw it round at Olgas & really enjoyed it! There’s also a spin-off featuring two side characters so be sure to get the right one…..I’m out but will send a link later if you haven’t managed to find it

Also watched at Olga's courtesy of Bettys and enjoyed. What's the spin off? Any good?

How do I use Olga? Do I need to subscribe or access code?
Enlighten me 😂 please.

Have messaged you FedUP & Jin

I haven't seen the spin-off pol, I just watched a bit of one episode & got confused as the main characters weren't in it

@bettys can you message me with the olga details as well?

👍😉

@Dontwanttobeyourmonkeywench

Nam Koong Min is proper oppa material 😍 Loved him in Good Manager (Maneger Kim) and To the Beautiful Gong Shim. He's looking great for The Veil.

Thankfully I have a quiet start to my last night shift (3/3) so might squeak in an episode of Octogenarians and the 90s during break.

Just looked up veil - I'll definitely be watching that! I'll have to start police academy- I like a mix of airing and then ones that are complete that o can binge through

Yes, The Veil looks rather good! DH will like it. Hope it gets streamed on Viki or Netflix. I don't want to expose DH to Olga's plentiful tit.

Hospital Playlist…. Why why why now it’s 2 weeks wait. I can guess who it is from the next episode’s promo but it can be misleading.
Two episodes are left & writers are setting a tone for finale’s cliffhanger.

Today’s song was good & they all looked cool but drumer 🔥

Guess what I GOOGLED Olga & got weird results, then tried Olga’s house even more crazy stuff. Next search term, yup it’s Olga’s house streaming service and Olga Japanese dramas nothing - zilch - nada
😂😂😂😂
I was truly baffled with the search results … tried various spelling combos too.

Luckily @bettys came to the rescue & saved the day. I can’t believe I was searching for the streaming service.

Ooh Lee Sang Yeob has just popped up in Doctors as a very sad cameo

😂😂 at @JinBhoot googling Olga. Make sure your anti-virus software and adblock/pop up block are up to date because Olga will give them a workout 😁

Snort at googling Olga 🤣🤣 I am sorely tempted to do it myself just to see what weird stuff comes up 😱

I did not like the bit in HP2 where Seok-hyeong talks to Dr. Do and his wife. Very manipulative 😡

@Dontwanttobeyourmonkeywench

😂😂 at *@JinBhoot* googling Olga. Make sure your anti-virus software and adblock/pop up block are up to date because Olga will give them a workout 😁

Is it safe to use on iPhone/ipad?

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

I did not like the bit in HP2 where Seok-hyeong talks to Dr. Do and his wife. Very manipulative 😡

I wasn’t sure about that bit either, but more the “if your [spoiler redaction] was worse, the [other specialist] and I would be booking you in for [redacted]..” as if the patient has no bodily autonomy. 🙄

Prof Ahn/YYS is my fave by a country mile. Then the bear.

The two gossipy professors and poor Gyeol-Ul. CRINGE!

I agree FedUp. As a show it always has quite a Catholic attitude - I'm guessing the writer is. My friend was wondering if the liver pair were going to be a gay couple but again - unlikely in HP 😔.
I have no idea how I'm going to fill the 2 week wait or what I'm going to do when it's all OVER 🥺.
Just watch other dramas I suppose 🤷.

I was wondering the same about liver pair.

Professors trying to set up Gyeol-Ul was funny.

Re: Obgny’s conversation, I like the first bit where he was talking about they get to decide & clear about options. Simply putting two options rather then beating around the bush.
The 2nd part is I suppose very cultural & quite common in Asian countries. In my home country treatment & prayer goes hand in hand.

Ordering at McDonald’s drive through was funny & quite realistic 😂

And Dr. Do, why in every season he has a sad story line.

Twins dad is the HP’s PD, right?

Much more invested in last season's Egg Drop PPL than this season's McDonald's PPL Jin. Even though I'm all about the Pizza Alvolo these days...
Twins' dad is Na Young Seok, famous variety show producer who is bff of HP producer and has had cameos in other shows too.

Devil Judge (viki)... It's gooood!! Watched 3 eps last night!! Bed at 2am! 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭😖

@JinBhoot

Anyone seen Jdrama kikazaru koi ni wa riyuu ga atte I think also known as there is a reason for undressed love If so, where can I watch it? Saw a clip on YouTube & it looks different from usual Kdrama stuff.

I am enjoying this kdrama. Food is making me hungry 🤤 & I like the house as well.