MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #29): The one where we celebrate our growing community, score the year’s dramas, thank Korean creatives and performers for another year’s happy distraction

[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, but we can point you in the right direction. We also dip into Japanese, Taiwanese & Chinese drama as & when.

The previous thread is here but our lists below are cumulative so include 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. Writer/actor Simon Pegg referred to it fondly as “tonal chaos” - it’s part of kdrama’s charm. View the categories below as best approximate & ask if you need guidance about suitability for younger viewers.

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)
Dali & the Cocky Prince (Viki)
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)
Yumi’s Cells (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)/Rain or Shine (Netflix)*
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)
Would You Like a Cup of Coffee (Viki)

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)*
Happiness* (Viki)
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)
To Fly with Me (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 & can be viewed without S1)

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

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!

I haven't done any of the sorting and tidying I’d earmarked for this week, if that helps. It’s been great to have one I can binge fir a change.

I’m undecided on whether Jun Ho suits sageuk dress up. For some actors it accentuates their good looks but I’m missing Jun Ho’s floppy hair. The sageuk headband/man bun get up isn’t for everyone.

I’ve enjoyed both our advent calendar forays so much I’ve been thinking of some other games. I remember we had fun with oppas in tubs (advertising sanitaryware and bathroom fittings). A “who did it best?” comparison challenge could be fun. Best King Sejong (crowded drama field), best urbane sociopath, best rumpled detective etc.

I’ve enjoyed both our advent calendar forays so much I’ve been thinking of some other games. I remember we had fun with oppas in tubs (advertising sanitaryware and bathroom fittings). A “who did it best?” comparison challenge could be fun. Best King Sejong (crowded drama field), best urbane sociopath, best rumpled detective etc.

Me too!!! We never did sort out the categories for the Ms Latte Daebak Awards did we?

I’m supposed to be having a tidy up/sort out/get ahead for 2022 day today but I’m tempted to just faff about with spreadsheet & Daebak categories

We could shift the Daebak Awards to March (or Easter) like the Oscars to spread out our homework. I haven’t done all my scoring on the spreadsheet yet, though it’ll be at least 2-3 weeks before we top out this thread & need to include the 2021 winners.

Do the Daebak spreadsheet Betty! 🤣

Hmmm I suppose if we shift the Daebak Awards to March it means we can include dramas that started in 2021 but finished in 2022....

You're a bad influence boaty

That’s a very good point Betty. CLOY straddled the year end into January & The Red Sleeve is the same. This proposal definitely warrants further consideration. 🙂

Also, if you are building the spreadsheet I feel we need to capture the episode + time stamp so we can compare and contrast eg weirdest outfits, best hairpulling and yahhing cat fight, best bathing scene etc. on bathing scenes, Jun Ho in the tub in The Red Sleeve will take some beating. The lingering shots of his abs were so knowing that I was actually laughing.

Boaty DH and I watched A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas once, and whilst I enjoyed it I was also surprised that it got made with a multimillion dollar budget!

Briiick I would actually question Kim Dae-myung as an alternative oppa, he was totally my favourite ML in Hospital Playlist but I expect we were all supposed to like the other two better...but nope, Dae-myung for me.

Hmm, categories for Ms Latte Daebak Awards?
Best coat wearing.

Happy new year kdrama chingus!
Looking forward to another year of drama watching and chatting 🎉

How’s the ‘VID Hydrogen? Are you feeling any better?

I’ve just been out to Iceland to raid the party food. The macarons have defrosted enough to be nibble-ready. 😄

Happy new year 🥳
Today’s Oppa is ready best new year present.

@MusiqueAutomatique my favourite dr too, his dialogues & conversation with patients … my heart my heart.

Another vote for moving awards to Easter.

I am watching Wok of Love & ML 🥰
I will start Red Sleeve just to watch him.
Last 3 episodes left, unless story becomes really bonkers otherwise I am not sure why it scored quite low on our spreadsheet.
In my previous life, I have worked in 5 professional kitchen & that’s not how real 5 kitchen work, there are lots of discrepancies BUT they are not disrupting the watching experience. Drama made me crave Chinese food so tonight’s dinner will be Chinese, I boiled rice yesterday to make egg fried rice today. (That is a new for me, I do t plan that far ahead).

Who is this guy in Hungry & Hairy? Is he just a singer or ventured in to acting as well, if so any drama recommendations?

Getting there slowly @boatyardblues thanks for asking- overdid it today getting the hoover upstairs - it's surprised me how tired I still feel doing everyday things

@Hydrogensonata

Getting there slowly *@boatyardblues* thanks for asking- overdid it today getting the hoover upstairs - it's surprised me how tired I still feel doing everyday things

To be honest, Hydro, nearly 2 months after catching it, I still feel pretty run down.

Feel better soon x

JinBhoot is it the hungry or the hairy one you are asking about? The hungry person is Rain, a singer/actor but I haven't seen any of his work. Ro Hong-chul (hairy) is a comedian I think. Glad the professional kitchen errors aren't affecting your viewing experience, I try to avoid any show set in my workplace as I find it too vexing!

How are the macarons Boaty?

I'm still making my way through Hwarang. I've been watching it for about four months now because I've been hoarding it up due to it starring my two favourites. But I need to get over myself and free up time for something new (or old, I am considering WWWSK Briiick, I am guessing you would recommend as you are rewatching?)

Rowdy I will take a look at PSJ on a bike later, thanks for linking to it.

We only managed the tense shows last night so tonight I am insisting on our lighter shows.

The macarons were good but so, so tiny. I now wish I’d bought the special Baileys Christmas ones too.

I see ep 17 of The Red Sleeve is due to drop today and ep 16 leaves many loose ends untied. Damn, it is a 20 episoder. My all-nighter (sort of) was in vain. The subbers are very quick though, a small mercy.

WWWSK is ESSENTIAL viewing. A classic up there with CLOY.

If only for PSJ's chest... 🥵

I think episode 17 is the last Boaty.

I just had a look Pol & I think you’re right, as it is 1hr 40 mins. Subbed already too. 🙌 I’ve just got to sit out the NYD Dr Who special 😴😴😴 until the family scatter and I get control of the TV back.

I haven't watched ANY K-dramas ALL DAY because DH has decided to watch terrestrial TV for NO REASON and made me feel GUILTY on NEW YEARS DAY for wanting to put on my HEADPHONES and use my IPAD.

FUMMIN.

That sucks Briiiiick, boo to no K drama and boo to DH laying on the guilt trip 😒

We just watched ep1 of Silent Sea, I loved it, I wanted to watch more but I have to get up in the morning, I've got loads to do.

hydro I hope you feel better soon, take it easy

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

I haven't watched ANY K-dramas ALL DAY because DH has decided to watch terrestrial TV for NO REASON and made me feel GUILTY on NEW YEARS DAY for wanting to put on my HEADPHONES and use my IPAD.

FUMMIN.

LTB 🤣

But seriously, I am sorry for your troubles. 😮

I now have a bloody headache from blubbing through the last episode of The Red Sleeve. Tissues strongly recommended.

@boatyardblues

I now have a bloody headache from blubbing through the last episode of The Red Sleeve. Tissues strongly recommended.

NOOOOOOO I accidentally saw The Red Sleeve’s clip on insta .. in title major spoiler was written so it was unavoidable. I was so looking forward to watch in last few days of holidays 🥲 Is this story based on true events?