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!

Squid Game discussion on radio 4 this morning!! 😱😱🤣😂🤣

@Rowdythree I used the second dough recipe with yeast! It was lovely! 😍😍👍🥰

Along with the zillion other dramas I'm watching.. I've started to ReWatch the Crowned Clown on Netflix... It is brilliantly done! Fir those who haven't watched... I highly recommend! It's so good... Wonderful plot... Super acting... Fab characters! 👍👍👍🥰

@polkettle

You see I like the fact that he unapologetically leans into his very average look FedUp. I'm wondering if he is really good company or a total knobend irl. He's been dating Hoo Yeon from Squid Game for 6 years sakara (and is 9 years older 🙄.). Her Insta followers have gone from 500k to 10 million in last week.

I’m not surprised about the jump in followers. My teen boys say she’s a massive hit with their school friends.

That's brilliant about your trip Andante, mad jealous here.

Finally finished Romance is a bonus book, loved it. Started Squid Game with DH but we didn't even get through 1 episode between him having to go pick up DS from work and then me going for DD. So much for relaxing Friday nights

@Bea

Along with the zillion other dramas I'm watching.. I've started to ReWatch the Crowned Clown on Netflix... It is brilliantly done! Fir those who haven't watched... I highly recommend! It's so good... Wonderful plot... Super acting... Fab characters! 👍👍👍🥰

I second that, I was thinking about re-watching as it’s now on Netflix. I was pleasantly surprised with the ML’s acting, specially the king part. (I rarely get impressed just by the acting). ML was only 21/22 when he played that role.

@Bea

I made korean hot dogs today! Yummy! 😍👍 And watched first 2 eps of squid games! It's mad! Grim and gloomy! So then watched crackers Pop Up Boy on viki!! 😂😂😂

Wow @Bea they look amazing I have seen the recipe video, will try once I’ll get the hotdogs & cheese. Did you bake or deep fried? Also I will use frozen hotdogs (only ones I can get due to dietary restrictions). Do I cook them before frying?

Rowdy & Bea we are in the process of booking. The travel agency is booking the Hanok hotel next week and then he’s sending a detailed suggested itinerary.
I just hope Covid doesn’t put a spanner in the works.

Thanks for the recommendation of Crowned Clown, we’ll give that a go.
A friend has recommended a Turkish series called Ethos so we may give that a go as we like to have the occasional non K drama - though we always return to K drama with a sigh of relief.

Sorry and Hawthornknitter.

Rowdy are you postponing your trip until 2023 because of Covid?

Trailers of HP in a village mountain

Chilled holiday with lots of cooking seems to be a trend in Korean reality TV. Was it kicked off after BTS in the soop?

@Andante57, yes we had our trip booked for March 2020, but obviously it was cancelled. Our BA flight voucher is valid until September 2023 so we thought we should postpone as long as possible due to covid restrictions. It also fits in better with our daughter finishing her A levels and having a big family holiday before university.

I'd be very interested in your hanok Hotel in Seoul... Although it might not be suitable for a rowdy family of 5 😬

Aw. Just finished You Raise Me Up (slightly holey subs notwithstanding) and it's a definite thumb raise from me - very sweet.
Obviously had a continuity nightmare at some point in filming because second ml suddenly has a broken arm for random scenes. Doesn't stop him driving though 😂

@Andante57 if you are watching Turkish then check out Aşk Mantık İntikam (Love Logic Revenge) romantic comedy drama adapted from the South Korean drama My Cunning Single Lady.
I haven’t seen it but my friend who is Turkish dramas fan keeps recommending, it might be because it’s “inspired” from Kdrama

I need to watch Crowned Clown I keep forgetting about it. Is anyone else watching Bossam - steal the fate? I'm really enjoying it, it's about a princess that gets Bossamed (a widow, kidnapped to be married again) with the usual loveable ruffian, cute kid and evil noblemen. It's a perfect rainy afternoon show

Rowdy I’ve pm’ed you.
JinBhoot thanks for that recommendation - we’ll look into it.

I'm going to watch Crowned Clown and Bossum next I think. Need some sageuk in my life!

We are in the process of booking Japan for Easter 2023, which is my 40th a big birthday year for me. It will be great to think a few of us are getting our dream holidays!

@Rowdythree thanks for k-skin care link- ordered a foaming cleanser, moisturiser and snail essence (because it sounded interesting!) They all have nice textures/smells and you're right you do get a lot of samples!
Rewatched Yumis cells from the begining to now and I'm loving it- I like the idea of a community of tiny people cheering on my every move! I did wonder why Yumis love cell doesn't go into Woongs village but his goes to hers? I liked the logic tree when Woongs deciding what to do and the part when he's trying to work out why she didn't just go back to get her clothes from the shop😁
Overall it's great so far!

I have made a batch of mayak gyeran (soft boiled eggs marinated in a soy/sugar/garlic/chilli/scallion mix) and oi muchim to have for tomorrow night with grilled mackerel and rice 😁 DD buzzed through Squid Game and it had been funny listening to her friends in the car as they discuss a SG x Bake-off game😂😂

Thank you all for the hearty welcome to the group in the previous thread and your recommendations for a cop/crime series.

I watched the first couple of episodes of Stranger but couldn't follow it - because I kept dropping off! Possibly one to try again with a ready supply of strong coffee to hand.
I then tried Alice (a bit sci/fi) but I thought it was awful and gave up after one episode.

My Netflix Home page has noticed that I am searching for KDrama and has added a section overnight. I have hit gold with one of the suggestions on that list - Beyond Evil. I'm up to episode 4 and loving it!
In the OP appears this sentence - Series that are tagged as dark may also have moments of comedy or the absurd. There were a couple of scenes of pure slapstick in episode 1!

Andante your trip planning inspired me to have a wishful browse through Seoul on Airbnb. I found the house we rented when we went 9 years ago on there! It was such a nice place to stay. Its near a military base in the north of Seoul and has a massive window for watching soldiers doing training and martial arts 🕵️‍♀️.
the decor was trad ahjumma styling, the woman who rents it was v helpful. I want to go back!!

Aigoo!!! That ep of HCCC was so kyeopta!!!

Me and DS viewing the soldiers 😂

TheGirlWithTheArabStrap that looks amazing.
Which neighbourhood of Seoul was it in?

Andante it's was Samcheong-dong in Jongno-gu.

I’ve just googled it - it looks lovely. We’ll definitely go for a wander round there.