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!

Found a yellow top and orange(ish) pinafore in the depths of my wardrobe so I'm stealing @sakura06 idea for Halloween! Hope you don't mind chum... 😁 just have to practice my "mugunghwa kkochi piotsseumnida"

Make sure anyone who is doing K-themed costumes posts them on insta!!!

It is a good Korean cookery primer Jin! Although I did not think SHB's curry technique would have produced as tasty a result as they were claiming on today's (3rd) show. I want to be besties with JKH who comes across as such an absolute sweetheart AND can cook.

I enjoyed Because This is My First Life too, it was quirky. I started Lovestruck in the City and couldn't get into it. Still watching My Secret Terius.

Yesterday's Yumis cells ☹️ but to be fair Woong does feel too little too late

@alexthelittlecat have you watched Melo is my nature and search:www? I really liked Melo and it's definitely quirky!

Agree about Wung missing the boat.

I so enjoyed OMV redux for the So Ji Sub fix that I may have to revisit My Secret Terrius too. I’m late to realising the pleasure of rewatching an old favourite.

Oh Woong 😔 he's about 2 years too late putting Yumi at the top of his priorities.

Haha! @FedUpWithBriiiiick Glad someone's getting use out of the idea 😄 I'm stuck with a yellow top now (neither yellow nor orange are my colour). DH has the front man mask. It's very shiny!

Any recommendations for jdramas whilst I wait for subs to drop on all the shows I'm currently watching? I've got netflix,Viki and iqyi - so far I've watched
Hey sensei don't you know (very cute but very short)
Kakfukaka- definitely odd, cute in places, wierd in others. Felt the need to sit the FL down and have a good woman to woman chat about valuing yourself (although 2fl does this very well!)
Princess jellyfish- cute but utterly, utterly batshit crazy. But cute and fun!

I keep browsing through them but not sure what will be good?

If you don't mind your dramas unreconstructed Hydrogen then In-house Marriage Honey and An Incurable Case of Love are delightfully soothing if vaguely shameful froth. Also really enjoyed In Time With You and You Are My Pet (the latter I was worried was going to be very pervy weird to start with but actually thought provoking! The former is a remake but has some lovely family side characters and liked the central couple a lot. Warm.).

I haven't watched much Japanese stuff, but we enjoyed Alice in Borderland - bit like Squid Game, playing games to stay alive.

Humunculous - basically weird drilling into people's skulls so they can see people's inner traumas... Very strange and dark show 😬

Tokyo Ghoul, Erased and One Punch Man are all amines which we found good and bingeworthy.

Also a film called Shoplifters which was brilliant! Not sure if that's on any of the platforms you have though.

I think polkettle has much better suggestions 👍

Don't forget Good Morning Call! Stone cold classic.

After that watch Coffee and Vanilla for sexy sex.

Give Kimi No Petto a whirl too.

Or Scum’s Wish if you want to feel a bit queasy

(Same ML as Coffee & Vanilla but lots of school sexee stuff)

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Don't forget Good Morning Call! Stone cold classic.

After that watch Coffee and Vanilla for sexy sex.

Give Kimi No Petto a whirl too.

Noted 😌

Good Morning Call! The classic and the one that dragged me into ALL the dramas!! 😫😂😂

@Bea

Good Morning Call! The classic and the one that dragged me into ALL the dramas!! 😫😂😂

It's the best.

Hooray! I have not watched Good Morning Call...

I got SLS in Good Morning Call (same ML in sexee timez Coffee & Vanilla ) and gave up on it.

Sorry not clear, 2ML in GMC is ML in C & V.

Also recommend Kimi Wa Petto thought it was going to be weird but it was rather sweet

@Hydrogensonata I have recently watched these two: Kikazaru Koi ni wa Riyuu ga Atte & Stay tuned (bit on the bonkers side)

Movie Miss & Mrs Cops looks interesting

Whaaaaay?!?! Thst’s the end of Yumi’s Cells? Not the ending I was expecting. 😕

I’m quite relieved they’ve stuck to the webtoon for Yumi’s Cells (I never liked the casting for Woong anyway!)
That means another series!

I approved of Woong's man bun! 😍

I'm glad they've stuck to the original story, I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next series!