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!

Musique I don't think there needs to be another series of Strong Girl either, and I don't think there will be. I would just love to see PHS and PBY back together, just for a one off special maybe 😄

Nice Advent pic Rowdy 😍

Rowdy yummy treat for advent day 7 🍫👍

Day 7 = deliciousness

I’m starting to wonder how The King’s Affection can be resolved. Are we looking at a Mr Sunshine style finale? Bea - it may not be to your liking.

Excellent choice today @rowdythree

I think it's going to be okay Boaty. Evil grandad will get his desserts - Rowoon's dad will help bring about his downfall dying in the process and young bro crown prince will be brought back to be king allowing renamed lotus flower and Rowoon to go off and be doctors in Ming or something.
But I don't rate the survival chances of sweet Hyun who has noble sacrifice written all over him I'm afraid. And I feel sad for the poor lovelorn queen and Mrs Rowoon-to-be.
Such GORGEOUS hanbokage. Particularly taken with the King's fireside gender muddied robe at the end.

I did like the King’s head-on tactics in the forward peep at the end. I will keep everything crossed that beautiful Rowoon gets his lady love. 🤞

Still haven’t started Kings Affection so may as well wait now & see what you all say about the conclusion before I attempt it. Much as I like Rowoon (tall, so tall) I somehow can’t put him together with the miserable woman from Brahms

However I am LOVING Red Sleeve it is purely glorious. It has fab side characters including my favourite mum/aunt/shot put thrower Jang Hye Jin (True Beauty, Into The Ring, CLOY, Parasite) chewing up the scenery.

Red Sleeve! Towards the end of Ep 6!... Be warned! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥😍😍😍😍😂😂😂😂🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💪💪💪💪
It's marvellous! Great drama!! 😍🔥😍🔥

@boatyardblues

I’m starting to wonder how The King’s Affection can be resolved. Are we looking at a Mr Sunshine style finale? Bea - it may not be to your liking.

No Oooooo!! 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡... Affection is dragging and I find FL very tiresome!!

But I've scarpered over to the red sleeve!! Huzzah!! Where it's full on good stuff!! And moves along nicely! 😍💪🔥

Rattled through Dali and the Cocky Prince waiting for various C-drama subs to drop. Enjoyable despite too much VAWG for my tastes.

The Red Sleeve will be up next, @Bea. You always pick winners.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick... It's sooo good and leads are so engaging! 👍👍👍👍😍😍😍

The miserable woman from Brahms

She’s perfect as the aloof 5-steps-behind-me-so-no-one-spots-my-feminine-wiles prince.

Our Beloved Summer is great.

Really looking forward to The Red Sleeve but bit worried about the ending of that one as true story? Or are they not following (maybe won't get that far anyway as some years down the line)?

I didn't watch Brahms because you marvellous lot had already marked its card but I do agree FL is very well cast in this and chemistry with moony Rowoon is sweet.

Oppa advent day eight
Two for the price of one, it's our True Beauty heart throbs - Cha Eun Woo and Hwang In Yeop

Lovely Rowdy 👌

@Rowdythree

Oppa advent day eight Two for the price of one, it's our True Beauty heart throbs - Cha Eun Woo and Hwang In Yeop

True Beauty is my casual ReWatch at the moment! It's really really lovely even second time around! The ref to CLOY in ep 2(I think) had me hooting!! I always feel very ☺️☺️☺️☺️when I "get the reference" 😂😂😂😂😂

It's on my list to re-watch too Bea, it was one of my favourite dramas of the year.

I stayed up too late watching the 2nd episode of Our Beloved Summer. 🥱

The guest door opener in Pol v advent calendar is both handsome and pleasant. Well done @polkettle.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

The guest door opener in Pol v advent calendar is both handsome and pleasant. Well done *@polkettle*.

Agreed! What a lovely young man! Well done indeed Pol!

Aw. Thanks chingus. I do saranghae that adul.