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 have a day to myself and rather than do ironing/batch cooking and general cleaning I'm going to spend it horizontal on sofa watching k dramas/kvlogs. Been a crap week so this is my treat.

I'm v slowly going through Cone and hug me still not sure I want to commit as it's not grabbing me yet.

Finished Squid Game which I quite enjoyed but the very end was disappointing I thought.

Will dip into a few mentioned in last few weeks postings and await the final 2 eps of HCCC.
Happy Weekend everyone!

@aesopsmables - go for it! I'm doing something similar 😁 it's been a looong week
If you've got Viki I'd recommend one the woman for light hearted (but not silly) fun - the FL is in a tough situation but kicks ass left right & centre

My drama watching has been poor this past week. I need to watch the end of HTCCC, hopefully tonight. And I'm very excited for In the Soop 2 which I can hopefully fit in too. I have seen some pics on twitter though. The dog looks amazing!

After watching a couple of episodes of Squid Game together DH and I have agreed to watch it separately 😂. We are never in the mood to watch at the same time so it would be forever until we finish it

Started my day with first episode of Wise Mountain Village Life which I found subbed on some dodgy site or other and bravely swiped past the boobies.
So worth it for my fellow HP fans - very very soothing and also works surprisingly well as a crash course in Korean cookery. Hospital Playlist meets Little Forest.

@boatyardblues

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

Great thanks! I'll get it on the watch list. Love a bit of grit, me.

@polkettle

Started my day with first episode of Wise Mountain Village Life which I found subbed on some dodgy site or other and bravely swiped past the boobies. So worth it for my fellow HP fans - very very soothing and also works surprisingly well as a crash course in Korean cookery. Hospital Playlist meets Little Forest.

That sounds nice Pol, not sure I can face the boobies though 😬

My Name is a good weekend sofa binge, only 8 episodes but not cosy viewing. It’s been really twisty & murky. I only have eps 7 & 8 to go.

Wasn't too bad Rowdy - a site called TDrama. One Amazon ad to get rid of and then a couple of lonely ladies who wanted a chat (bless) side pop ups.

My Name is a good weekend sofa binge, only 8 episodes but not cosy viewing. It’s been really twisty & murky. I only have eps 7 & 8 to go.

I'm needing cosy so just finished catching up on my blogs then going to find something new and cute on VIKI ( I hardly watch VIKI!)

@JinBhoot I would love to see that! I believe it's Song Joong Ki and Yoo Ah In? Let us know if it's any good! Although, I might just watch it anyway because SJK!

We have had the Squid Game warning too. I also think children playing the games must be mostly linked to Roblox. I really hope not many people let primary school children watch the actual show!

Really hoping for a nice resolution to HCCC.

🚨🚨SPOILER ALERT 🚨 🚨

HCCC 😭😭
That was incredibly sad, nearly the whole episode I've been in tears. Thankfully the finale looks promising. I think I know who the lottery winner is now ... 😭

Not watched htcc yet! Waiting to watch all together tomorrow! Or next week so avoiding everything! (it's trending on twitter!!)

Meanwhile! www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58896247... As if we didn't already know!! 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

🙈🙄

Can't believe they put The Heirs on the recommended list

Butter on Strictly!! 💜💜💜

@bettys

Can't believe they put The Heirs on the recommended list

I know!! 😫😫😫

Smooooooth!... Strictly! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

@bettys

Can't believe they put The Heirs on the recommended list

Boke

@bettys

Can't believe they put The Heirs on the recommended list

@bettys 🤣🤣

I think it was Larry that recommended Mr Kimchi a while ago. I've just made my first order now I've finished my other less authentic Kimchi. Excited for it to be delivered now!

Oh make sure to do us a review Rowdy!

@AesopsMables

🚨🚨SPOILER ALERT 🚨 🚨

HCCC 😭😭
That was incredibly sad, nearly the whole episode I've been in tears. Thankfully the finale looks promising. I think I know who the lottery winner is now ... 😭

It was an emotional episode- I'm not normally a crier bit there were a few teary eyed bits I'm still confused about who the lottery winner is- I've got a possible on mind but not 100% sure. The one thing I do wish there had been was more of the cop /dental nurse romance throughout Still waiting for subs on one the woman ☹️ tempted by my name mostly due to gangster abs recommendations from @boatyardblues and the fact it's got Ahn Bo Hyun in it.. @bettys I've never watched the heirs. I'm guessing from that reaction I probably don't want too??

Go for it Hydrogen! Ahn Bo Hyun’s role in My Name suits him much better than Yumi’s Cells. It was unrelenting, rather bleak but concluded satisfactorily. Her off Nevertheless acquitted herself admirably. Her wiping out legions of the baddies that she trained with was preposterous, but she really committed to the fight choreography. It was a total ride. I need a bit of (not ep 15) HCCC to settle my battered nerves.

@bettys I've never watched the heirs. I'm guessing from that reaction I probably don't want too??

I already disliked Lee Min Ho, but a couple of episodes of The Heirs sealed the deal. Urgh.

HTCCC — OMG I have watched all 14 episodes with a big grin, today’s episode totalled it all … it should come with a warning watch with a box of tissues

Loved FL’s dresses, she looked so beautiful in white.
School teacher … was it Boaty who called it? Grandma’s story twist was unnecessary.

Last episode better makeup for today’s tears.

@sakura06 Sungkyunkwan Scandal is alright, not as exciting as Crowned Clown or Mr Queen. But cast is good, FL & all main male characters rose to fame after this drama.
I am on ep10, story is moving but slow.

I’m absolutely hanging after staying up until 1.30am watching My Name but we’ve been out all evening & I need my kdrama fix, so I’m returning to HCCC now.