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!

@Rowdythree @polkettle @FedUpWithBriiiiick so which one are we starting? The Red Sleeve, Mr Sunshine or both?

I've seen Mr Sunshine, so it's Red Sleeve for me. Happy to wait for others to catch Sunshine first though 😄

I've seen Mr Sunshine, so I'll be starting The Red Sleeve jin

@polkettle

I've watched half first episode Pinkbonbon - and will pick it up again as I am not averse to a bit of Love Island - in a very intellectual meta way commentating with DS OBVIOUSLY... In the same (sorta) vein I recommend The Future Diary which is bonkers but addictive Japanese dating thing. So sorry for your loss (of a KDrama watching day) FedUp. The Red Sleeve true story aspect was what put me off starting it. Still satisfying Boaty? I suppose I should wait for Bea's verdict.

I'll check out the future diary if I can find it! Been a while since I watched a Japanese show. Even though that's where drama love started for me, years back, with 'Kurosagi' :)

I've taken a head stagger for Park Min-young so rewatching Her Private Life.

I feel more kinship towards the FL since I've embraced my BTS fandom 💜

It's on Netflix Pinkbonbon

If Rowdy's keeping Fed Up company on The Red Sleeve, shall you an me do Mr Sunshine Jin? I fancy it more at the moment.

I’m only on ep 6 of The Red Sleeve so I’ll join the watch for that

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

I've taken a head stagger for Park Min-young so rewatching Her Private Life.

I feel more kinship towards the FL since I've embraced my BTS fandom 💜

I really, really enjoyed Her Private Life, Briiick, it's definitely one I will rewatch in the future too. Apart from anything else it made me think about how males aren't generally ridiculed for still enjoying things from their youth such as superheroes, but anyone apart from teenagers liking pop music (for anyone, read female) is viewed as most peculiar. Very annoying.

JinBhoot and Hydrogen how are you getting on with 5->9 From 5 to 9? I've watched two episodes and once I put feminism aside, I'm enjoying it a lot. I wonder if he is contractually obliged to do a waterfall penance every episode?

I'll be starting on The Red Sleeve I think.

I need a sit down and a drink after dismantling the Christmas tree!

DH and I have just watched the first 2 episodes of The Red Sleeve. It's got a great cast, and I'm loving the relationship between the FL and ML so far. DH has gone to bed now after having his covid jab this morning, so I can't watch anymore today. I won't be watching Silent sea either tonight! 😕

Musique you're so right about 'female' interests being ridiculed. I was a massive pop fan (Take That) when I was a teenager, but it definitely feels like you shouldn't like things like that when you get past a certain age anyway, I loved HPL

@MusiqueAutomatique I enjoyed 5-9 but more for the secondary couple - you definitely need to put aside feminism plus every so often is think "actually this would be terrifying in real life" and someone needed to have a word with the grandma.
If you haven't watched it I'd recommend Princess jellyfish. It's completely bonkers but I feel more people need to watch and enjoy!

I’m having a little kdrama pause and hugely enjoying An Astrological Guide for Broken Hearts (Italian) on Netflix. So many beautiful men. Not oppa lovely obvs and mostly a whole lot hairier so far, but fun for a change.

We took our tree apart earlier. The living room feels huge.

It's great Boaty - second season to come though...
Started Mr Sunshine and now offsetting with a dose of Singles Inferno which I can see is VERY bingeable.

I've just updated the spreadsheet with my scores, I had trouble remembering which ones I'd watched!

Yeah, feminism has to take a back seat for J-dramas.

It's pretty hard being a feminist these days so a bit of brain farting can help relax and reset 😁

@polkettle

If Rowdy's keeping Fed Up company on The Red Sleeve, shall you an me do Mr Sunshine Jin? I fancy it more at the moment.

Let’s do that 🙂 I will start it today.

Donno why I am not into (properly) Kdrama these days … feels like I have watched all the good ones.

I started kdramas in November 2020 & this time last year, I was hooked & binge watched so many dramas.

I am exploring Jdramas but they are not as good as Kdramas.

Jin - I think you have slumps when you wonder if all the good stuff has already happened, but then a wave of new ones catch your eye and you are back in the groove again. Maybe have a little break or vary things with other content until you get your groove back.

@MusiqueAutomatique I have finished 5->9 From 5 to 9 it was a really fun bonkers & addictive.

CONGRATULATIONS 😂😂😂 I wish I had some friend IRL watching, this congratulations would have been our inside joke 😂

Switch off your brain & just enjoy the ride, don’t think about logic or try to make sense.

Grandma needs some smacking on the head. And what’s with the interruptions just before a kiss 😆. Then amount of cold waterfall showers. I almost caught cold watching that … brrrr 🥶

@boatyardblues

Jin - I think you have slumps when you wonder if all the good stuff has already happened, but then a wave of new ones catch your eye and you are back in the groove again. Maybe have a little break or vary things with other content until you get your groove back.

💯

Jin - I think you have slumps when you wonder if all the good stuff has already happened, but then a wave of new ones catch your eye and you are back in the groove again. Maybe have a little break or vary things with other content until you get your groove back

I'd agree with this. I have been diversifying into kwebtoons and knovels, and then selectively bingeing whole series eg The Silent Sea & now The Red Sleeve & Fly To You. I've had a frantic work spell recently which is tapering off now so I will be able to get back into more dramas.

Many thanks to those of you who have updated the spreadsheet so far! Happiness, Hospital Playlist 2, My Name & Squid Game are currently in the lead with Backstreet Rookie as the pile o'poo to be avoided.

Is it wrong of me to feel (somewhat obscurely) that we can't say Squid Game is the best drama of 2021 as obviously we know better?

@bettys

Is it wrong of me to feel (somewhat obscurely) that we can't say Squid Game is the best drama of 2021 as obviously we know better?

Agree & 2nd that

@boatyardblues

Jin - I think you have slumps when you wonder if all the good stuff has already happened, but then a wave of new ones catch your eye and you are back in the groove again. Maybe have a little break or vary things with other content until you get your groove back.

Thank you for this, otherwise I was feeling that my kdrama stint is over, it was a short lived interest and now in been there done that pile. Phewww

I am in Jdrama & Urdu drama land for a change is scenery. I will start Mr Sunshine, as others are watching along so it will hopefully keep me on the track.

Time to start book reading again, will checkout from the books recommend earlier today. I used to read a lot when chauffeuring kids to various clubs then pandemic happened & I discovered the Kdramas.

Agree re Squid Game
I've just finished Silent Sea it was v good, although super tense all the way through. 🙈, And had a Netflix style cliff hanger type ending 🙄

I agree with sometimes being in a kdrama groove or not Jin I hope you'll enjoy Mr Sunshine with excellent swashbuckling Dong Mae!