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!

This one I couldn't watch fully as Kim Seon-ho's matched lipstick to Shin Min-a's was just too much 😕

emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2F6RZebQdHyGY&data=04%7C01%7C%7C3b238145ed9b40eeefce08d98672a530%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637688649211579409%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=zPGDRJTtQn9kOM9cYvOeUz2QstcoBUXvG6rDgXHh8YY%3D&reserved=0

That was adorable. Thank you. 😄

HCCC now finished, will wait for others to catch up to discuss!

Watching HCCC - that director guy is really annoying me! He annoyed me in the last show I watched him in too 😒 Rowdy - I really like Lee Sang-Yi ! Thought he was great in Once Again also? DD feels the same as you about him and FF his scenes. Obvs only when she isn't watching with me 😊.

AesopsMabels, I'm sure he's a lovely guy irl, its just the characters I've seen him play, he's always the third wheel, getting in the way of the romantic action 😂 I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds him a bit annoying though... His face is somewhat smug too, although he probably can't help that 🤣

I've only got two episodes left and then I'll be caught up and impatiently waiting with the rest of you, for the next episode to drop. I should have waited for it to complete before I started it.

I quite like Ji PD! He's sweet.

I need to catch up on these interviews for HCCC! I'm not sure what I haven't watched though.

About to watch last Squid Game!

Also enjoying Legend of the Blue Sea and the fact that Kim Tan's mum from The Heirs is in it as well as Cheon Song-yi's mum from My Love from the Star!

Reporting for duty after watching today’s HTCCC.

I think major plot twist is coming next week, that’s why there was no preview of next episode.
Seems like we are back to square one with lottery speculations.

More cuteness from HCCC today, but I agree Jin, no preview = drama joojoo. 😬

Thanks for the recs, DH has booked Yori but we’ll try Olle next!

Crowned Clown looks fun, maybe we’ll try that next. Chicago Typewriter, D.P. or It’s okay not to be okay, are also all on our shortlist for the next one!

(Squid Game way too scary for me)

@FiddlefigOnTheRoof

Thanks for the recs, DH has booked Yori but we’ll try Olle next!

Crowned Clown looks fun, maybe we’ll try that next. Chicago Typewriter, D.P. or It’s okay not to be okay, are also all on our shortlist for the next one!

Word of warning, D.P is pretty hard going!

Andante57 your trip sounds amazing! Are the ravel company organising travel round the country

Sakura - yes, we’ve told them the places we want to go to and we’ll listen to any suggestions they make.
We said we want to spend the first 5 days in Seoul as we’ll need a bit of time to get over jet lag and there’s so much to see there.
We went to Brazil a few years ago when the children were teenagers and we’d been travelling for 23 hours when we reached our first destination and I was absolutely wiped out for the next 24 hours.

The unsubbed preview for next week's episode of HTCCC is on TVN Insta and YouTube. Don't know why Netflix didn't include. Shows photo discovery and some conflict but I remain hopeful that this drama is staying firmly in the healing lane and subverting usual takes on tropes - in the same way it had a refreshing attitude to the love triangle and didn't overplay fated childhood connection. I think that pair of poppets will talk it out. Hope so anyway.

Sakura we adored the Legend of the Blue Sea.
I wouldn’t dare watch Squid Game.

Can anyone recommend Dr Romantic? I liked the sound of it from reading the synopsis.

I loved Dr Romantic Andante The first series more than the second for me but both v enjoyable. Expect some squirting blood ott medical melodrama though. Also features my favourite ppl ever in form of lorry load of down filled coats...

Argh looked at the trailer more closely - think I’ll avoid DP!

HCCC up to date! I really hope next week isn't when noble idiocy strikes and ruins what's been a lovely show so far😬 I'd also like a bit more of the nurse and police man although he's on the edge of going from nieve and a bit clueless to just plain irritating
@aesopsMables I like Ji Sang Yi in once again- I can't think what else I've seen him in?
Caught up with Yumis cells- still loving it and it's very cute but I think things might go downhill in the next episode ☹️ (hopefully the show will still be good?) Also Dali and cocky prince and one the woman- enjoying both.
Basically I've spent the weekend under a blanket with lots of hot lemon and honey watching dramas- I've not got a very interesting husky voice!

Oh and o also finished you raise me up which was good- much better than you'd expect from the synopsis!

Polkettle - thanks for the recommendation, we’ll give it a go when dh gets back from working away.

@FiddlefigOnTheRoof

Thanks for the recs, DH has booked Yori but we’ll try Olle next!

Crowned Clown looks fun, maybe we’ll try that next. Chicago Typewriter, D.P. or It’s okay not to be okay, are also all on our shortlist for the next one!

I enjoyed Crowned Clown. As mentioned earlier about ML’s fantastic acting. Chicago Typewriter was a pleased surprise, please watch first 3-4 episodes, it will pick up with a kindda jaw dropping moment. Music is also lovely.

It’s ok not to be ok - on slow burner for me, as I don’t feel like watching it but don’t want to ditch it either. As it’s quite closely related to my day job.
DP will be too realistic & hard going so I am not even considering it.
Kdrama land is escapism for me - so I tend to watch more ponies & rainbows type dramas. This is exactly why I am avoiding
Squid Game.

I enjoyed this weeks HCCC and I am absolutely sure that there is more to the plot for the school teacher. I'm sure she isn't/wasn't there just to support the divorced couple. Thinking she is going to either get together with the coffee shop owner ( because dental nurse seems determined to stay with totally unsuitable cop) or - it was her /her mother who won the lottery 🧐
Can't wait to discover ML back story now.

I've just finished Squid Game, was not expecting that ending! I also found the ending to be a bit disappointing. I want to read all the opinions that I've been avoiding over the last week now.

Hydrogensonata, I've only seen Ji Sang Yi in Youth of May where he played a very similar character to that in HCCC.

Andante, I also recommend Dr Romantic, I really enjoyed it! Very moving at times, I prefer the ML in series 2 but both are good. I might rewatch actually.

Anyone watching Dali & Cocky Prince?

Today’s Squid Game fact (they keep appearing on my TL)

‘Squid Game’ creator Hwang Dong-hyuk wrote the show in 2009 but was rejected by studios for 10 years.

He once had to stop writing the script + sell his $675 laptop due to money struggles.

Today, it’s #1 in 90 countries + set to become the most-watched show in Netflix history.

Is Squid Game worth watching? I guess I could ask anyone this questions outside of our group as it is so popular. Just wondering what the consensus is here?

I downloaded Come and hug me to watch on the train this morning, it has grabbed my immediate interest after just 25 mins.