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!

Well the end pf ep 6 of The Red Sleeve is a hot contender for the Shower/Bath Scene Daebak Award

@bettys

Well the end pf ep 6 of The Red Sleeve is a hot contender for the Shower/Bath Scene Daebak Award

100%

Doesn’t anyone Eve notice the holes poked through the screens? 🤔

ever not Eve 🙄

Well I thoroughly enjoyed Panchinko even though it was quite sad. I love those kinds of books. Thanks Boaty and Pol for the tip.

I’ve always thought the guy playing the king in The Red Sleeve was a rather hammy actor ( he played the older law partner in Suspicious Partner ) but he’s just brought a tear to my eye on ep 8

I am enjoying this language talk as well. I find various languages & expressions very fascinating.

In Persian they don’t say
I miss you instead it’s your absence constrains my heart
Wish you were here > your place is empty

I follow this insta account & they share such stuff & Persian poetry
instagram.com/persianpoetics?utm_medium=copy_link

I also liked the phrase ‘The moon is beautiful, isint it?’ < from Romance is a bonus book

Speedy read FedUp!
I'm enjoying Our Beloved Summer but (unusually for me) I could do with a bit more plot I think. I really cba with NJ and love triangle. Presume some childhood trauma involving a tree and being deserted at night to be revealed for Ung.

Going on the teaser for tomorrow’s episode, I think NJ serves a purpose as the outsider looking in who can say what she sees. The bar owner and ML’s manager have known both ML & FL for years and know their history, so aren’t neutral. Same for the PD friend. None of the core characters are neutral, although the original PD has more distance and sees the underlying story. Also, the fact that Ung seems largely oblivious (thus far) to NJ’s charms underscores his enduring entanglement with Yeon-Su, as well as making NJ work harder to get his attention and growing in the process. I can live with her as a character because I think she is mainly a mirror and agitator, as opposed to being a fully drawn, important character.

That makes good sense. But I still find her annoying 😁

Alternative Oppas Day 10.

This oppa is often seen on 'traditional' oppa lists, but two things qualify him for this list

1. genuine oppa to all as over 50
2. hairy and dangerous

This one goes out to Rowdy and all the long-haired lovers. It's Cha Seung-won looking unbelievably awesome.

Mighty Fine FedUp ! 👍👌

Very nice FedUp

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Alternative Oppas Day 10.

This oppa is often seen on 'traditional' oppa lists, but two things qualify him for this list

1. genuine oppa to all as over 50
2. hairy and dangerous

This one goes out to Rowdy and all the long-haired lovers. It's Cha Seung-won looking unbelievably awesome.

😍😍 Lovely Briiiiick

Just TALK to each other and then snog each other's faces off for chrissake (OBS - although may have other drama applications)

Wow Briiiiick. He was sooo charming in A Korean Odyssey but with the long hair he really is a revelation! I'm saving that photo to my hard drive

We watched episode 2 of The Red Sleeve and I'm really glad we started it, I am really enjoying it so far. Her agonies over the apology letter are very funny, as are the red pen corrections from the Crown Prince.

NJ and the love triangle - he clearly isn't interested in my opinion, she is just there to make Yeon-sun insecure and jealous.

Thanks for the information about Luxemburgish Polkettle, it's a real shame that the state doesn't seem to be working harder to keep the language relevant and alive. If a culture loses the language it loses so much. I've always been fascinated by the similarities between Welsh and French, a few here for anyone who is interested: welearnwelsh.com/words/15-welsh-words-french-latin/

JinBhoot those Persian phrases are so evocative and beautiful. I really liked the use of that phrase in Romance is a Bonus Book too.

Ah, ‘the moon is beautiful tonight’ @MusiqueAutomatique? Though how dense was Dan-I not to realise what LJS was saying to her, even when he writes a blog post about it?!

Happy New Year everyone! I sadly stopped reading the thread & watching many k dramas due to life stress and Xmas busyness, so have enjoyed binge reading all the latest and admiring all the oppa advent calendar pictures over the last few days! @polkettle I really enjoyed your interview with Martha - it sounds like you’re local to me too!

I hadn’t heard of Bewhy before but have listened to the recommended song lots and love it - the song and video reminded me a bit of Rammstein’s cover of Stripped. Did anyone else get the same vibe?

I’m so pleased You are Beautiful has been gaining some love! That was one of the first shows I watched- and the one that made me stay up til 5 in the morning on a work night, as the temptation for ‘just one more’ got the better of me until it was daylight again outside. 🙈 it reminded me, especially in the early episodes, of a Doris Day film, with the innocent/fun and slightly slapstick vibe of PSH running around the airport to avoid them. I rewatch odd episodes a lot when I need cheering up.

I’ve just finished the king’s affection and was so pleased with how they managed the ending, as I really couldn’t see how they were going to have it all wrapped up nicely. My ds(13) ended up watching the last few episodes with me and was totally bemused by how anyone could think the ‘king’ was a man and then said ‘but what is she going to do when they expect her to produce an heir and she can’t because she’s a girl so can’t…’ I took pity on him trying to explain it and told him the ‘king’ was already married but had told the queen they were just going to be friends. 🤭

Now I’m watching rain or shine, which is a bit peturbing, but makes such great use of flashbacks. I’m really hoping for a happy ending for it too.

Welcome back @leeloo1, I also find it really baffling that why no body recognises females in male get-up.
In Mr Queen, they instantly recognised her (ep 2 or 3) and I loved that King, his friends & Queen’s cousin were not blind.

I have enjoyed Rain or Shine. ML is my favourite these days, I have enjoyed watching him in Wok of Love.
I will watch The Red Sleeve just because of him (I know - I know - very shallow of me)

Thanks Jin. ☺️ I haven’t seen Mr Queen, but it’s refreshing to hear that there’s at least one show where everyone isn’t oblivious to the obvious! I wondered if that was why all the younger male characters didn’t have beards in the king’s affection - so as not to draw more attention to the king’s lack of stubble/beard. I thought it was funny when commander Jung worked out the ‘king’ was the twin sister when he was close enough to notice the acupuncture scar on her neck, but didn’t clock the lack of an Adam’s apple. 🤣

Now I’m watching rain or shine, which is a bit peturbing, but makes such great use of flashbacks. I’m really hoping for a happy ending for it too.

You are in safe hands.

I am caught up with Our Beloved Summer. I thought of poor Pol grinding her teeth tonight at the surfeit of NJ. 🤣

NJ is wile annoying.

There may have been some online Scrabble moves played when she was on screen Boaty to save my teeth. I think this is a series that would have been perfection if it had been a taut 12 episodes.
Waving out the window Leloo. Sorry about the RL stress but hoping that 2022 will include a RL Ms Daebak soju session.

@boatyardblues - phew! Thanks, I can watch with a happy heart then. I can’t place the architect in it, which really bugged me for the first few episodes. Something about him seems really familiar but when I looked up what he’d be in I don’t recognise anything. I’m sure I’d seen him be a baddy/brother? 🤷‍♀️

I agree the ML is adorable and I’ll have to watch wok of love next if he is equally lovely in that. ☺️

Thanks polkettle, I’ll be on the look out for a strong oppa to give me a piggy back home afterwards! 🙈

@leeloo1good to see you back, hope the stress has eased off now.
I am a huuuuge fan of Lovely Eyes Junho and have been ever since Just Between Lovers/Rain or Shine . I couldn’t get on with Wok of Love due to bad script & irrational dislike of FL. Thought he was great in Good Manager though there is no romance apart from bromance.

Had to pause Red Sleeve last night (ep 14) as it’s getting very tense & emotional and but have TV to myself tonight so can binge & no doubt get weepy over the last 3 eps. I keep going back to the RL story and checking his concubines/wives/children it’s fascinating and tragic at the same time. Hate the preceptor so much - does ML ever find out the truth about the torn out page?

Where are you reading up on your Joseon kings Betty? I’d like to do the same.