MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #27): The one where global smash Squid Game launches kdrama into the stratosphere. C’mon in!

[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/Netflix)*
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)
Hometown Cha Cha Cha (Viki)
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)/Couple on the Backtrack (Netflix)
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” 💩

Melting Me Softly
The Birth of a Beauty
Well-Intentioned Love season 1 (S2 is fine)

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'm looking forward tithe Kings affection but need to finish LOTRS first! And Dali!

I think Shin Ha Kyun is going on my Oppa list, I'm finding him rather attractive in Beyond Evil

I have picked a random show on Viki Sungkyunkwan Scandal blurb says it has won several awards.
Let’s see, camera quality looks dated but it’s an old show.

🚨🚨 You can now have your Netflix avatar as a Squid Game character! 🚨🚨

Jin sometimes choosing a random show can throw up some real gems! Other times not, let us know how it is. 😁

I fell asleep on the sofa last night before I got to Rowoon. It was the child actor set-up in ep 1 and first half of ep 2, but the ep 2 teaser suggested none of Rowoon’s loveliness was diminished by sageuk costume. 🤞

Taking a leaf out of Jin's book and going for a refreshing random factor, Warm and Cosy. Jeju Island ❤️

BTS In The Soop 2... is just.... sooooo lovely and funny! and it makes me hungry becuase all they do is eat... and never go to bed!!! Eating Ramen at 4 am???!!!!! 😲😲😲😲

OK, I think The King’s Affection is shaping up to be solid but I’m struggling with the basic premise because, erm, science. I can’t be any more specific, but you’ll know when you get there. It presents certain challenges, but also opportunities.

Loving the Chinese gisaeng house set in ep 2. Hat tip to the production designer.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Taking a leaf out of Jin's book and going for a refreshing random factor, Warm and Cosy. Jeju Island ❤️

How are you finding Warm and Cosy Briiiiick? I found it a bit of a challenge, it took me a few attempts to complete it

Only on Episode 3 Rowdy. Done a wee bit of skipping. The "illness" mistake is bugging me already 😂 but at least there's Yeon-seok oppa to enjoy...

I quite like older K-dramas... Full House is entertaining!

@Rowdythree

I think Shin Ha Kyun is going on my Oppa list, I'm finding him rather attractive in Beyond Evil

I would too Rowdy 😏...

Received a Squid Game safeguarding concern email from school (secondary) along with this link safeguardinghub.co.uk/children-are-copying-squid-game-scenes-in-the-playground/

I’ve started My Name with butterfly girl Nabi as FL. It’s pretty gritty and there have been a few bits where I’ve been frightened for her, but it’s surprisingly gripping. I’m still not sure about her range as she’s been miserable, angry and defiant so far, but she’s bloody good. I wish the gangsters near the end of ep 1 weren’t heavily tattooed and objectionable because it’s ruining a veritable feast of ripped abs.

Ganster boss fighting in his suit with open necked shirt is distractingly hawt.

Bit baffled by the Squid Game article given they're playground games anyway. I mean I presume they're not actually killing anyone in Britain's playgrounds. That would be bad...

FUUUUUUCK!!!! Ep 2 of The Game is not for the faint of heart. I just grabbed a cushion so I can hide behind it. The boss’ punishment? 😲😲😲😲

@rowdythree I can see that- although to be fair I still have a slight thing for Ahn Gil Gang so I feel this should be a no shame thread oppa choice wise?

I went random and ended up watching absolute boyfriend- so far it's an odd mix of mostly cute bits but then when you stop and think it gets really creepy really quickly especially at the start where she's basically being chased by a guy in a bathrobe who's insisting he's her boyfriend. Apparently the Japanese version is good?

Caught up with Dali and cocky prince - it's ok but the last few episodes seem to be really slow? Also the 2ml/ex just come across as really, really odd. I did like the bit in the police station where she threatens the thug!

My kids haven't watched Squid Game, but they know what it's about due to playing on Roblox. Lots of kids might not have actually seen the show but still know enough of what's going on... Not sure Roblox is much better mind you.

Park Hee Soon for the age-appropriate oppa list! He’s really rocking the mobster role, cruel but with an underlying tenderness towards FL and impressive fight scene skills. 👌 The dark bits are still grim. DH just winced at the inter-gang death match in the gym. I’m absolutely amazed it’s cert 15. 😧

@boatyardblues

Park Hee Soon for the age-appropriate oppa list! He’s really rocking the mobster role, cruel but with an underlying tenderness towards FL and impressive fight scene skills. 👌 The dark bits are still grim. DH just winced at the inter-gang death match in the gym. I’m absolutely amazed it’s cert 15. 😧

I'll second that motion 😍

I’m gripped by The Game. I’m already up to ep 5. 😱 Will be needing a 🥾🍑 in the next hour. It’s compulsive viewing if you can get through the gut-wrenching violence. I’m not sure it will have a happy ending. It may go the way of Mr Sunshine.

Sorry Boaty, is the show deffo called The Game? I can't find it. Is it My Name?

Oops, yes - that’s the one. I got muddled. It is very good.