MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #28): The Lord gives and He takes away. Lee Jong Suk & Park Hyung Sik return from the army; Seo Kang Joon departs.

[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. 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 Name (Netflix)
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)*
The King’s Affection (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, Netflix)*

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)*
Hospital Playlist 2 (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)
Ashin of the North (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!

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Chingu, I am off to Birmingham for a conference! Lots of k-drama time ahead 👍

Enjoy Briiiiick! Birmingham was looking lovely and festive when I went a few weeks ago. Enjoy all your drama time too

It is looking very festive in brum at the moment! 😁🎅🎄

Oh @Bea that looks lovely. All I'm going to see is the inside of a Hilton 😕

Briiiiick, can't you even sneak out for a wee Gluhwein!?

@FedUpWithBriiiiick which hilton are you staying in?

[quote Bea]@FedUpWithBriiiiick which hilton are you staying in?[/quote]
The one at the NEC, Bea. Just got into my room and the heat isn't working 🥶

Aah, you're not in town then. I used to work in that hotel as a teenager! Hope you get the heating sorted, it's freezing! ❄️

@Rowdythree

Aah, you're not in town then. I used to work in that hotel as a teenager! Hope you get the heating sorted, it's freezing! ❄️

It's vast. I'm in some sort of single room at the furthest point away from lobby.

I'll console myself with a nice c-drama

With any luck you have some hot chocolate sachets on your tea tray. 🤞



Oops! Forgot the pic

@FedUpWithBriiiiick I love that poster and all those actors - I think my fave is yer woman from Mr Queen though

I hope at least you have nice toiletries to nick and not those boring dispensers stuck to the shower cubicle

I have got in the zone with cdrama Love at Night and am impressed with nekkid bodies in bed by ep 16 implying sexee timez were had even though there is v little chemistry visible just the FL being mainly most of the time

For ‘mainly’ read ‘maungy’, a combination of autocorrect and the rather large negroni I am currently downing

I need wine. Thanks for rhe nudge Betty.

PS PHS was great in today’s Happiness when he rescued FL. I also like the colonel. He’s so dapper that he even makes army fatigues look sharp. 👌

Vampirelestat yes Viki is definitely worth it. There are fantastic shows such as Mr Queen and Secret Love Affair to name two of many, which aren’t available on Netflix.
I prefer the sub titles on Viki to Netflix as on Viki they translate sayings and proverbs etc literally and add an explanation.

We are enjoying Jirisan but there are too many vomiting scenes for an emetophobe like me.

Fedup, in your photo of 2nd leads, who is the chap bottom left?

I just love PHS in Happiness boaty I don’t know if it’s the role, the extra years or him post military but he is maturing marvellously! I also think FL in this is top notch & prefer it to her role in W Two Worlds

I’m also rather liking Colonel Terse I’m-not-going-to-admit-I’m-doing-this-for-my-wife-and-unborn-child

Also the Hyung policeman and his ‘who shut the door behind me?’ 😂

And why did the biters back off from the priest??🤔

@Andante57 is it the publisher from Its Ok to not be okay? and Dr Romantic 2 ?

And why did the biters back off from the priest??

I have been thinking about the priest and his snobby wife. When a handful of hair fell out a couple of episodes ago I wondered if they’d come home so she could have cancer treatment/chemo, which might explain why their house is bare. However, it is possible they did missionary work in the tropics and caught something blood borne which makes the biters back off.

House bare as in skint paying for private medical care.

Ah yes, I’d thought the no furniture was ‘cos they were skint from buying the flat but medical expenses is a plausible shout 🧐

I'm enjoying the pictures of Birmingham, I grew up there but my family and I all moved away so I don't get to go back very often nowadays. I hope the hotel room has warmed up Briiiick.

I'm glad to hear Park Hyung Sik is doing some good rescuing, I am going to have to have a double bill tomorrow as DH is away at the moment. Bettys, I agree the military worked in his favour, I feel like he finally got to eat properly after all that time as an idol probably on a strict diet. I absolutely love the chemistry between the two leads in Happiness.

All I've watched today in terms of kcontent is a making of documentary about Hwarang . I had a happy smile on my face the whole way through.

I am afraid that I have given up on Hellbound. I just didn't really want to watch charred Honeymonsters commit appalling acts of violence. Luckily DH has read all the spoilers so we know what happens anyway

Musique Hellbound is very violent, but it's the cult followers committing the violence that I find hard to watch, rather than the hell honeymonsters (good description 😂)

Looking forward to watching Happiness tonight, even teen DD has been coming out of her bedroom to watch it with us. Although she does somewhat spoil it by commentating throughout the show, how stupid all the residents of the complex are 🤣

@FedUpWithBriiiiick... Ahhh.. By NEC?... oh you're not in town then... Miles out! Shame! Enjoy your Cdramas! 😘

Thank you Bettys