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!

It’s interesting in Happiness to have a show that’s referencing corona, double vaccinations for keyworkers and has workplace mitigations (perspex screens in the SWAT canteen). You’d not be able tell there’s been a global pandemic from most Korean output over the last 18 months. It will date this, but also make it stand out longer term.

Well that was a full on action packed first episode! I think it fulfilled dh's wish of more zombie programmes!

I noticed some key points in ep 1: PHS can’t sprint anymore but he pitches a very fast ball. FL is cool as a cucumber in a crisis, but food obsessed and not good when she’s hangry. The fact there are precipitating warning signs with a relapse. I was noting & filing, noting and filing.

I also watched 1st ep of Happiness. Looks good! FL still had v glam hair despite wearing a helmet, being attacked and having to stay overnight in a hospital. PHS definitely looks more like a grown up 😁

The subs on ep 2 are disappointingly slow.

@boatyardblues

I noticed some key points in ep 1: PHS can’t sprint anymore but he pitches a very fast ball. FL is cool as a cucumber in a crisis, but food obsessed and not good when she’s hangry. The fact there are precipitating warning signs with a relapse. I was noting & filing, noting and filing.

Good points Boaty. It also said on her file that she has an outstanding ability to survive but is dangerously curious 🤔. I wonder what she'll do to sate her curiosity? I found the scene where the camera pans out to show the whole building where they had everyone locked up, really eerie and ominous 😳

Thegirl, he definitely looks more like an adult doesn't he! Still the same, but a bit different.

Is only 12 episodes, so the story will move along really quickly.

DH and I will be watching Happiness and Jirisan when our brain fog lifts.

Jesus lads this covid lark is no craic. Pain!!!

Oh jeez, poor you Briiiiick sending lots of positive vibes to you and dh xx

Ah no FedUp sorry to hear you're feeling poorly

Jesus lads this covid lark is no craic. Pain!!!

Oh no. How are you hurting? Head? Throat? Everywhere? I hope you feel better soon. 💐Are you jabbed? My friend’s husband was laid low with horrible COVID a month or so ago despite having had COVID already last spring and double-jabbed.

I can recommend Little Forest (film) if you can find a subbed version on YouTube/Olga. It is very, very gentle and soothing in pace and tone. There isn’t much dialogue, just lots of seasonal cooking and lovely nature and wildlife bits as the seasons slowly cycle through. It’s like a warm hug in film form.

Yikes poor you FedUp I hope you feel better soon 💜

Oh FedUp. Phooey to that 😓
Could also try Three Meals A Day:Doctors at Olga's for a very soothing time.
Having a lovely weekend with Oh My Venus - so thanks for the nudge in that direction thread chums. (Although as ever, there ain't no party as unpartyish as a chaebol party.)

Yes DH and I both double vaxxed so could have been a lot worse, especially for him (asthma etc). DS has tested positive too now so we are all hunkered down!

I seem to be getting it all in my head (sinuses), but I'm sure I'll feel better soon. Gone into mum mode looking after DS 😂

Thanks all for good wishes, stay safe all x

SQUEEEE!! Lee Dong-wook just stepped out of the elevator in Search WWW!

I have finished Search, maybe it was my mood, I didn’t enjoy the main couple’s story, I forwarded their really loooooong seasons. I don’t know how their story ended (don’t care either, I wanted more on other two couples).
I wish there was more of Director Husband story. I really liked him.
How did actor & ML knew each other? I must have missed it during my forwarding.

I have started Lawless Lawyer, first time watching this ML’s drama.

Ohhhhh my I love the use of female gaze in Search WWW.

DAT WHITE SHIRT 🤤

How did she not ride the bones off him?

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

How did she not ride the bones off him?

May be she was feeling like me 😂😂😂 not attracted to him

😱😱😱😱... Just twigged!!... Feisty FL in Happiness is FL in W Two Worlds😱😱😱... She looks sooo diff! I loved her in W!! It's amazing what haircuts and colour can do to change a face!!

My current watches!..
Dali (upto date.. my absolute fave!)
Jirisan (ep 2)...very good and looking v intriguing!
Happiness (ep 1)...2 fave leads.. It can't go wrong!
The Kings Affection!.. Having just discovered the FL is Brahms mopey McMopeyFace... It's put a bit of a downer on my watching! I can't get it out of my head how much her character in Brahms irritated me and now she seems to be playing the King in similar mopey deadpan way! (though script prob calls for it!) argh! 😱🙈
Young Lady And Gentleman.. Mots ridiculous and bad and soooo soapy with obvs indoor sets... It's like a bad 80's soap! Can't stand the scheming old wimmim! But I like the cheesy romance and the kids! 🙄😔😱😫😫😫😳

How did she not ride the bones off him?

The very reason why her character irritated me so much, she is clearly insane

Must confess to a sneaking liking for the (surprisingly young) actor character and his cackhanded dalliance with Da Mee

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

How did she not ride the bones off him?

I am in agreement with you Briiiiick! I can understand her reluctance to start a relationship with him though.

I wanted more of the husband story in search:www- he was such an interesting story and I like the actor too- he's popped up in more things recently too.
My favourite scene is still when Brian comes back and struts into the office 😁

W: Two world getting an American remake
www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/w-two-worlds-us-remake-be-called-angel-city-crash-landing-you-get-one-its-own-934110

What a mash-up of genres Happiness is! Loving it!
Park Hyung Sik on great form! Couldn’t believe FL is same as in W she is great too, and am hoping the female Lieutenant she keeps pranking gets to stick around