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’d forgotten about the jiu-jutsu-as-foreplay in Oh My Venus. Martial arts have never looked so much fun!

I’m shocked by all the hatred for poor LJS, I think he’s so adorable!

But that just means you get dibs on him Leeloo!
I've enjoyed his dramas but he doesn't get my heart bdumming and (with possible exception of Pinocchio) he doesn't give great screen snog imo 🤷 #shallow

Leeloo I also think he is adorable BUT I agree with pot.
I feel he lacks romantic chemistry/sparks with his FL, Romance is a bonus book & Pinocchio were good but romantic bits seemed very forced.
W Two worlds was much better.
He is on the cuter side rather then sexier side …. Did I just friend zoned him 😆

I just watched him doing a snogging scene... Its a definite No from me 🙅‍♀️ I think he just has zero chemistry with any of the FL's I've seen him with.

I'd have to agree on LJS- I like W:two worlds, Pinnochio and RIABB however I just didn't get much of the romantic chemistry between him and his various FLs @jinbhoot I'd friend/younger brother-zone him
Busy week so far so drama watching has been limited however planning some serious watching this weekend around a paper I need to write! Also working my way through Yumis cell on webtoon- 💕💕

@Rowdythree

I just watched him doing a snogging scene... Its a definite No from me 🙅‍♀️ I think he just has zero chemistry with any of the FL's I've seen him with.

The run of ‘no chemistry’ posts reminded me of a conversation we had a while ago about the SK entertainment industry’s lack of out gay/lesbian stars. Maybe the ladies don’t stir his naughtysaurus. We’ll never know either way because the agencies are so good at squashing stories. Leeloo - sounds like you’ve lucked out with LJS, no other takers. 👏

That was my thought too Boaty, I hope he's happy in his personal life.

I'm afraid LeeLoo has got to share LJS with me 😁 I loved him in I Can Hear Your Voice when I watched it ages ago! His racehorse legs are hard to beat!

Do you want to do a week on week off thing or take half of him each?

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

I'm afraid LeeLoo has got to share LJS with me 😁 I loved him in I Can Hear Your Voice when I watched it ages ago! His racehorse legs are hard to beat!

I will concede that his stature and racehorse legs are admirable. But only that.

LJS is too smooth for my tastes. Like a Ken doll.

And I bet he's a feathery stroker 🤢

I had to google feathery stroker. Hilarious! Thank you FedUp.

Oh I like Toasty LYS too! He was an entry-level oppa for me. I think he has great chemistry in I Hear Your Voice, and if you watch the bts of W: Two Worlds he can't stop stroking FLs hair & being cwtchy in a puppyish way.

He has since been superseded by other oppas but I still have a fondness for him

Aaaaaah ha ha ha I just googled Feathery Stroker

Do you want to do a week on week off thing or take half of him each?
😂😂😂
Actually bettys is right, he was my entry level Oppa!

feathery stroker LMAO

I do like him, he is still on my favourite list.

Compared to other actors his on screen romance is flat. May be I am comparing him with Ji Chang-wook, I watched back to back their dramas & JCW’s chemistry with FLs is always good. So it highlighted his ‘shyness’ more.

I was very surprised to see his bts of W: Two worlds.

😂 He's definitely a feathery stroker! I've never heard that before, thanks Briiiiick! 👍

JCW was my entry level Oppa, I don't think he's even in my top 10 now! There are so many lovely Oppa's out there 😍😜

We should make a pack of Oppa Top Trumps.
Whipped through available episodes of Peng today which has a pleasingly plentiful Oppa count. Interesting as I genuinely don't know which (if any) FL will end up with.
Excited that Jirisan has arrived on Viki too.

haha, I wouldn’t mind having ljs to myself - do you think I should notify him in some way that it’s what’s happening?

I’m glad there’s a bit more love for him though and I’ll happily take a timeshare opportunity- 1 or 2 weeks a month would be ideal I think!

Kim Woo Bin is on my oppa list as well, but I was beyond traumatised by Uncontrollably Fond last week. I had a sick day so watched the last 12 episodes in a day, which made it more engrossing. It’s lucky in a way that I’d locked myself out of mumsnet, as I wanted to have a massive rant about how some dramas should come with a health warning attached! To be fair the blurb does hint that it might not be the happiest of stories, but I was waiting for a last second twist which didn’t happen. 😢

I just googled feathery striker and I am shocked you think ljs would be!! The eagerness with which he says ‘I don’t need pyjamas!’ in romance is a bonus book, suggests he’d be very keen to do more than stroking! 🤣

Stroker

I have to admit I do love that line Leeloo 😂 No need to buy in pyjamas for your time share stake in him but you will need an extra wardrobe for all his coats. He must get through about 5 an episode in RIABB

He does a good wink as well.

I Googled feathery stroker too (with some trepidation!) I'm not sure I'd go that far - I find he comes across a bit more flirty
and 'cheeky' than my preference (although I still have a thing for Ahn Gil Gang so it takes all sorts!)
Let's hope turns up on RIABB style rather than some of the ahem interesting W outfits!

We should make a pack of Oppa Top Trumps

Yes!