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!

Planning to finish off one the woman before starting jirisan and maybe happiness now I've seen a few people recommend it but frustratingly subs are still at 50%!

[quote JinBhoot]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[/quote]
That sounds like a terrible idea Jin!

Just watched ep2 of Happiness, I'm also loving it. Although it was little frustrating at the end when there was a lot of subtitles missing!

Caught up with Jirisan today as well, which I also love. I'm loving the mountain scenery and the mysterious and suspicious goings on. I read a report that people were complaining about excessive ppl in it, but I can't say I've noticed any, except maybe for sweet potato maekgolli 🤷‍♀️

There was the totally incongruence collagen sachet scene on the ranger station rooftop, but otherwise I can’t say I’ve spotted really outlandish PPL in Jirisan.

It just makes me hungry for a decent jeon. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but my homemade ones aren’t right.

They looked delicious didn't they! I really want Kimchi jeon and maekgolli!

I haven't tried making my own, I might give it a go tomorrow.

I've made many unsuccessful Jeon over the past few years. Then I watched a blogger make it with Korean pancake mix and she mentioned to get the oil as hot as you can without burning when you put the mixture in and then drizzle oil around the circumference after 30 seconds. Followed her instructions and it's worked a dream since.

The answer to so many problems in life is more oil.
Not sure if it would be next thread or one after but how about a one off top Festive Season Binge Watches category? Thinking of it really because Oh My Venus is proper Christmassy. I'd also add CLOY ("Merry Xmas Mr Lee") and Healer for knitwear.

First of all I thought you were talking about festive bingo Pol 😂 Ooh festive programmes, good idea! What other ones have Christmas in 🤔

Goblin has a festive feel to it, and I also enjoyed When the weather is nice I'll go to you which is lovely and wintery. I know lots of people didn't enjoy the slow pace of that one though

Just successfully made Kimchi jeon! 🙌 I didn't have any spring onion, so I added a bit of courgette. Also I used self raising flour instead of plain. But it still tastes pretty nice!

I followed this recipe, I now have Kimchi container envy!

[quote Rowdythree]Just successfully made Kimchi jeon! 🙌 I didn't have any spring onion, so I added a bit of courgette. Also I used self raising flour instead of plain. But it still tastes pretty nice!

I followed this recipe, I now have Kimchi container envy!

[/quote] I've followed this recipe before... It's good... I used it as dh had grown a WHOLE pot container full of spring onions and I needed to use them up! 🤯😱😂

Mmmm Rowdy that looks delish! 😋😋😋
Ive had a successful few days of drama watching. Finished my rewatch of Oh My Venus which was fab. Watched ep 1 of Happiness and just about to start ep 4 of Jirisan 😁

Jirisan is deliciously spooky!!... 😱😱

I’m really in the mood for more Happiness 😫

@bettys

I’m really in the mood for more Happiness 😫

Me too.

Yesterday I bought my first ever kimchi. I wanted to sample it before ordering from Mr. Kimchi.
Its from Sainsbury & brand is Ajumma Repulblic.
It wasn’t what I was expecting- I always thought it would be spicy & tangy. The taste was watery as if it’s toned down for British palate.
If you have tried the brand, is this how it should taste like?
I want to try real deal.

Is BinOfTheDay making an appearance over the festive period?

I'll ask him. 12 Days of Binmas?

Farewell lovely SKJ! come back soon!! 😭😭😭
www.soompi.com/article/1497496wpp/seo-kang-joon-to-enlist-in-the-military-in-november

@polkettle

I'll ask him. 12 Days of Binmas?

Yes! 🎅🙌

[quote Bea]Farewell lovely SKJ! come back soon!! 😭😭😭
www.soompi.com/article/1497496wpp/seo-kang-joon-to-enlist-in-the-military-in-november[/quote]
Aww! Be safe SKJ! 🙏

@polkettle

I'll ask him. 12 Days of Binmas?

Yes! ⛄

Finished 1 the woman- it was really good- ending not quite as strong as the beginning but still fun- and one of the best last episode credits I've seen 😁

@polkettle

I'll ask him. 12 Days of Binmas?

Happy Hyun-idays!

Omo!! Just started My Name! Gripping stuff! Can’t believe it’s the same FL as drippy woman in Nevertheless

Yes please to 12 Days of Binmas!!