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!

On episode 5 of Bulgasol and I think I know what’s going on.
ML is rather moody & long legged with longish hair 👌 so maybe the plot doesn’t matter that much……reincarnated side characters are building momentum as a possible scooby team

Happy Birthday FedUp!

I think we should have had Sung Dong Il! Today is the 12th day though, right?

@leeloo1 pleased to meet another 'You're Beautiful' fan! You're spot on about the Doris Day slapstick in the airport. I love it. I will definitely re-watch parts too and the soundtrack brings me joy. Hopefully you and @Rowdythree will appreciate my Christmas merch haul!

I'm currently watching 'My Roommate is a Gumiho' and I've really enjoyed it!

@sakura06

Happy Birthday FedUp!

I think we should have had Sung Dong Il! Today is the 12th day though, right?

@leeloo1 pleased to meet another 'You're Beautiful' fan! You're spot on about the Doris Day slapstick in the airport. I love it. I will definitely re-watch parts too and the soundtrack brings me joy. Hopefully you and @Rowdythree will appreciate my Christmas merch haul!

I'm currently watching 'My Roommate is a Gumiho' and I've really enjoyed it!

I love it Sakura! I'd be so happy if my DH got me either of those things 😍 (or anything K drama related for that matter)

Briiiiick I'd also love to see your BTS wooden spoon!

I'm currently watching Oh My Venus and I'd love the giant sloth to wrestle with 😄

Happy Birthday to FedUp. 🎂

@sakura06 😮 I am very jealous! That T-shirt is the cutest thing ever and the notebook… I don’t think I’d be able to use it and would have to keep it to gaze at! 😉 I follow him on instagram (asia’s prince?) but I think sadly I liked him more in that role than real life.

I really liked the soundtrack too. When I first finished the series I had to listen to the songs online as I missed them - they were so catchy! I’m the glad there are a few fans of it on here, as it’s such a cute show.

I was another one that wanted a flippy Samsung phone after seeing them featured so much… - the ones in HP 2 didn’t seem to have screen issues 🤣 - but sadly they were a bit too expensive.

I also wanted the flippy phone! PPL is strong. The coffee advert sections in My Roommate is a Gumiho have cracked me up. They're like ones from the 90s.

@leeloo1 I have a Hyun Bin notebook too which we use for family quiz night so I think Jang Keun-Suk will take over after that's full. I also follow him on Instagram and definitely understand loving a character! I think calling yourself Asia's Prince is a little immodest 😂 I think he's crazy popular in Japan though. @Rowdythree you'll have to make a wish list for your birthday!

I'm back everyone! Probs not for long as life is still a steaming pile of shite tricky but I've been lurking through this thread and it's been keeping me feeling so much better. I love the alternative oppas especially no 12, he is such a sweetheart. I have done no kdrama watching basically in December but this week made some space and have watched most of Touch Your Heart and a couple of my fave eps of WWWSK. Really want to watch the red sleeve and happiness but i know I can't cope with it, I need maximum floof right now. So next will be weightlifting fairy and a load of run BTS. Is My Roomate is a Gumiho floof or drama or a mix? Big Jang Ki Yong fan here...

Happy birthday FedUp

@LarryUnderwood

I'm back everyone! Probs not for long as life is still a steaming pile of shite tricky but I've been lurking through this thread and it's been keeping me feeling so much better. I love the alternative oppas especially no 12, he is such a sweetheart. I have done no kdrama watching basically in December but this week made some space and have watched most of Touch Your Heart and a couple of my fave eps of WWWSK. Really want to watch the red sleeve and happiness but i know I can't cope with it, I need maximum floof right now. So next will be weightlifting fairy and a load of run BTS. Is My Roomate is a Gumiho floof or drama or a mix? Big Jang Ki Yong fan here...

Happy birthday FedUp

Good to see you Larry. Fighting! 💜

Good to see you Larry. Fighting!

Same from me! Sorry to hear life is so tricky. I thought Gumiho was a bit pedestrian and Jang Ki Yong had a boring uncle vibe, but that might just be me. Have you seen Search: WWW? He’s good in that.

Sorry things are rubbish Larry
Run BTS is definitely good for getting through tough times ❤️

Larry sorry things are rubbish, fighting 💜

@LarryUnderwood sending you love & hugs. I hope things will settle down soon.

WWWSK? I thought it was WWW Search but K is extra.

@JinBhoot

WWW: Search is show with Jang Ki-yong

WWWSK = What's Wrong With Secretary Kim?

I've just made this!.... Bungeo-ppang 붕어빵 - "carp bread"... traditionally filled with red bean paste... but i put nutella in mine!!!!

This was in retaliation to not being able to nab a Wind chime designed by RM the other day! (which had the cutest Bungeo-ppang as part of it!) It sold out in less than a minute!!!!!! It was in my basket and by the time i got to pay it was sold out!!!! arrrrggghhh!

Amazing! Where did you get the mould from? They're my favourite.

@LarryUnderwood sorry you have had a hard time. I would say Gumiho is mostly floof. I have enjoyed it. I'm pretty much only after floof too. No gritty thrillers for me.

I can see what boaty means** about uncle vibes. Some of his outfits are distinctly Grandad to be honest! If you like Jang Ki-Yong though, I think you will enjoy (especially some of the kissing scenes)!

Carp bread with Nutella sounds yummy!

www.amazon.co.uk/CookKing-Taiyaki-Japanese-Fish-Shaped-Pancake/dp/B06XS5RPQS/ref=sr_1_5?crid=110T4F04RHA8Y&keywords=taiyaki+pan&sprefix=taiyak%2Caps%2C77&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1641573514&sr=8-5
They're too cute... I could just make them for the fun of it!!!

Here's the BTS spoon! It's really hard to work out who is who!
I'm sure it's j-hope in the middle, jimin to the left of him and Jin bottom right.... But after that I keep changing my mind 😅

😍 Putting that on my birthday list. I've bought the frozen ones but they leak their middles in an unappealing way and so otherwise it's a trip to Chinatown bakery.

TheGirl that's definitely J hope in the middle, maybe Jin on the bottom right? 😆 For some reason I thought it was Briiiiick that had the spoon! Thanks for sharing, it's brilliant!

I also want a carp bread mould, but I suspect it will end up languishing on the cupboard with the pasta machine and the waffle iron 😬

Thanks all! I am going to start MRIA Gumiho after I watch all the best bits of secretary kim. I smashed my way through search www a couple of months ago, loved it. Slightly tempted to rewatch Goblin but I know it will make me cry. There are so many on my to-watch list right now. Had my first Korean lesson in a month yesterday and it was not as bad as I expected so that was a bonus too. And I am on a strict diet and dry Jan kick after I drowned my sorrows in booze and chocolate over Christmas. Delighted to find that vegetables and fish/tofu simmered in a broth made with miso, dashi and gochujang and gochugaru is both delicious and very diet-friendly. So I'm feeling a lot more positive having some spice-induced endorphins in my system! 화이팅!

@Bea

I've just made this!.... Bungeo-ppang 붕어빵 - "carp bread"... traditionally filled with red bean paste... but i put nutella in mine!!!!

This was in retaliation to not being able to nab a Wind chime designed by RM the other day! (which had the cutest Bungeo-ppang as part of it!) It sold out in less than a minute!!!!!! It was in my basket and by the time i got to pay it was sold out!!!! arrrrggghhh!

This wind-chime is very pretty. I didn’t get his insta post around naming it. Insta translation is not great & comments by the members are also without translation option.

What is Bungeo-ppang & it’s significance?

I made stew for dinner, I had zucchini & Gochujang paste & wanted to try something Korean but ended up making Turkish recipe . Why in the kdramas they will bring big grocery bags of fresh vegetables then chopping green onions & zucchini (makes me excited) AND IT IS ALWAYS ROLLED OMELETTE.

Larry I'll join you with dieting and dry January! I need to try some recipes from my new Korean cookbook. 화이팅.

I bought our boys some extra spicy ramen from the new specialist grocery shop near us as they love snacking on noodles. DS1 made some when he got in from school and chucked all of the chilli paste and dried flakes in. A few minutes later I joined a Teams meeting. My meeting was punctuated by him coughing, sniffing, gasping and oh my God-ding in his room. I texted him from my meeting to ask how spicy they were. His reply: “ I finished them but it was really painful” 😂🤣😂 I’ve suggested he adds half the paste and skips the dried chilli flakes next time.