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!

If I was a celeb in Korea, I'd be FUCKED.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

If I was a celeb in Korea, I'd be FUCKED.

Same 😂

I've just finished reading the Yumi's Cells Webtoon... I feel sad now, I shall miss it 😢

@Rowdythree

I've just finished reading the Yumi's Cells Webtoon... I feel sad now, I shall miss it 😢

I read 5 eps a day and I'm still a metric fuckton away from the end 😭

I started rewatching Oh My Venus earlier. Heeeeelp! I need a 🥾🍑. 🙏

@HeechulOppa I would like to propose Weighlifting Fairy as my gateway drama. Or Reply 1988. My first was Arthdal Chronicles but it was months before I watched another. CLOY really hooked me. I think I'd be sad and re-evaluate my friendship if someone watched CLOY and didn't^^ like it though!

I just started Secretary Kim and I really like her! I'm glad she's not afraid to stand up to him. PSJ's character is a little insufferable 😂 (I know he's meant to be like that).

The KSH scandal is such a mess. I'm far too invested for my age... I feel very sorry for the woman (and him based on the Dispatch article). What an absolute s*storm...

The KSH scandal is such a mess. I'm far too invested for my age Me too @sakura06

I don’t pay attention to any celebrity scandals specially romantic ones but this time I am reading here & there.

I am binge watching Bossam steal the fate I am on leave this week so that’s what I have done so far, last 3 episodes left.
Where as my to do list is just gathering dust.

Where as my to do list is just gathering dust.

It is the kdrama addicts way.

@JinBhoot

The KSH scandal is such a mess. I'm far too invested for my age Me too *@sakura06*

I don’t pay attention to any celebrity scandals specially romantic ones but this time I am reading here & there.

I am binge watching Bossam steal the fate I am on leave this week so that’s what I have done so far, last 3 episodes left.
Where as my to do list is just gathering dust.

Wow! You have been whizzing through it Jin I'm miles behind, my Drama watching has been curtailed by half term this week 🙄 DH is out tonight though, so will settle in front of the fire and watch an episode tonight.

What time did you get to sleep last night Boaty?

@HeechulOppa didn't realise you had said you'd never recommend Weightlifting Fairy! Oops! Different strokes for different folks!

@JinBhoot it's really not good! I'm on half term and am spending FAR too much time reading about it! I thought I'd got over my gossipy stage in my early 20s... Hey Ho.

Finished Prison Playbook with much happiness apart from the conclusion of one storyline which fair broke my heart and felt a bit needless.

@polkettle

Finished Prison Playbook with much happiness apart from the conclusion of one storyline which fair broke my heart and felt a bit needless.

Yes I know the one you mean. Very sad and frustrating.

Still plodding through Warm and Cozy (frustrating lack of communication between leads) episode 13 - last push.

Started on You Raise Me Up which is good so far despite the gross lack of professionalism/empathy from healthcare providers. 😂

I understood where they were going with it and why but it really didn't make sense in light of everything that had gone before. Frustrating when character consistency is such a hallmark of those shows. Plus either ridiculously opportune policing or a very cruel/borderline duty of care abusive set up.

I really liked You Raise Me Up! The conclusion in particular is satisfying and not entirely the trajectory (ahem) one might expect. Liked the apron he wears which says 'A Part-timer is also someone's precious child'

@polkettle

Finished Prison Playbook with much happiness apart from the conclusion of one storyline which fair broke my heart and felt a bit needless.

Is it the one with cameo in Racket Boys?

Yes Jin.

I want to finish all the drama's I'm watching so I can start new ones!

What time did you get to sleep last night Boaty?

I was very disciplined and went to bed about 10 mins after I posted. I was late hitting the shower this morning though because I started watching again in bed after my alarm went off.

We’ve finished While You were Sleeping and have started Hometown Cha Cha Cha.
We quite enjoyed WYWS but I wasn’t completely gripped by it. Truth be told I find Lee Jong Suk a bit annoying.

Truth be told I find Lee Jong Suk a bit annoying

In the absence of a like button, 👍

I’d forgotten how good Oh My Venus is. So Ji Sub and Shin Min Ah are a great pairing as ML/FL. Sung Hoon is also well showcased in this & not playing an utter arse for a change. It fair nips along.

Join the club Andante! Even though I'm currently sat watching him in Doctor Stranger. I did say the other day that I'd warmed to him slightly though....

Our LJS holiday (military service) must be nearly at an end. He’ll be busy filming now. Ah well.

He was discharged earlier this year, so I'm sure he'll be popping up in a new drama soon 😬

According to AsianWiki Big Mouse is LJS's next drama....

https://asianwiki.com/BigMousee(KoreanDrama)