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!

TRAILER TIME! HAPPY GONG YOO XMAS EVE!

www.netflix.com/gb/title/81098012?s=i&trkid=13747225&vlang=en&clip=81513317

Yes the ice rink one, I had to keep pausing it, it's so cringey! This should be a warning to all who plan on making public confessions!

Definitely grab a cushion time... (and so relieved not to be dating in China and have to either plan or be submitted to one of those) He does a better job later 😁

I would wish that the ice rink would cave-in, removing all participants and witnesses to said confession, if that happened to me.

And the way the mistaken girl is just styling it out, putting a picture in a frame... I knew she was going to be trouble 🤨

Can I have a (very) small prize to recognise that, after a year and a half or so on this thread and despite my initial misplaced scepticism/resistance, I think I can now identify all members of BTS accurately up to 85% of the time?

@polkettle

Can I have a (very) small prize to recognise that, after a year and a half or so on this thread and despite my initial misplaced scepticism/resistance, I think I can now identify all members of BTS accurately up to 85% of the time?

🎉

🏆 Excellent achievement Pol

I'm going to start our beloved summer tonight as home alone.
Made first attempt at Kimbap this week using pork belly and fried carrot. It was really easy to make and looked and tasted great. I substituted Sesame leaf with lettuce.

Has anyone tried watching ep 11 of Happiness yet? It is 73% subbed, which might mean the first 3/4 is done or it’s peppered with gaps. I am impatient and want to watch. What gives?

Oppa advent day eleven

Still the best wearer of a winter woolly, its Ji Chang Wook

But only in Healer!

@Rowdythree

Oppa advent day eleven

Still the best wearer of a winter woolly, its Ji Chang Wook

Ohhhh! The fine fine knitwear of JCW... When he used to be GrrrJCW 😍.... but alas!... No more! 😔😭

@polkettle

Can I have a (very) small prize to recognise that, after a year and a half or so on this thread and despite my initial misplaced scepticism/resistance, I think I can now identify all members of BTS accurately up to 85% of the time?

😂😂😂😂... I'm embarrassed to say I can generally tell by silhouettes!... And be able to spot which choreo by stills or second clips??... Me?? Too much Bangtanning??... Surely not! 🤔🤔😱🙄😳😳😳😳🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

I’m now solid on 5/7 (RM, Suga, V, JHope and my least favourite Jin) as long as they aren’t moving too quickly. I need to study harder.

Ep 11 of Happiness? 😱 I so hope things step up a level in ep 12. I have a pet theory about how they will achieve resolution of the current circumstances but it would be spoilerish to post it.

Boaty my least favourite is Jin too 😬 sorry BTS fans

I can always tell when Jin is in the frame because I have an automatic, reflexive “ooh, no” reaction. It is very consistent.

I came home tipsy last night and fell asleep on the sofa during episode 14 of Jirisan, stirred occasionally by louder scenes. I think I saw the FL confidently stating the identity of the murderer but I need to rewatch.

I know I have a LONG way to go Bea 😁 But I'm sure it could become an accredited exercise to ward off Alzheimer's.
I think the murderer in Jirisan is not the one we're now being told but the other one as he seems to have the motive. But could be a double act.
Another delightful door 😍 Grrrr

Best knitware 😍

Pol and anyone else wanting to brush up on BTS recognition have a look at this Instagram account
instagram.com/stories/bts.biighitofical/2725579157059126395?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&utm_medium=share_sheet
It puts pictures of BTS with their faces covered and you have to guess which one it is. I get immense satisfaction when I get it right 😂

Just finished To Fly With You with a big grin. Surprisingly tense to watch the final given the result has been on evidence in credits from episode 1. Slightly confused by it being presented as an international competition when there still only seemed to be Chinese competitors 😁
Anyway, really sweet natural chemistry and I think the ML has more emotional range and believability than most. Would watch him in other things for sure.

You PEASANTS. Everyone knows Jin is the best. Haven't you seen the man mukbang?

Sat outside DS's music school in my car in the rain. Cosy opportunity to finish To Fly with me

You PEASANTS. Everyone knows Jin is the best

I have a soft spot for Jin although he isn't my favourite. I can't say who is my favourite or least favourite as it's not fair on the other biscuits boys sorry had a Phoebe moment there.

@polkettle

Can I have a (very) small prize to recognise that, after a year and a half or so on this thread and despite my initial misplaced scepticism/resistance, I think I can now identify all members of BTS accurately up to 85% of the time?

Me too 🙂 And I almost know them by their various aliases as well. Still struggling to identify them from early years.