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!

@polkettle

I can't BELIEVE you're choosing Pachinko over Singles Inferno. Blocking and reporting.

🤣😂🤣

🤣

All I can say the men fighting in the mudpit over who got a date that evening was worth it. 🙌

OK, Se-hoon just announced his Paradise pick. 😱😱😱😱 oh boy!

Your powering through Boaty!!

I'm on ep 6 already if YAMD it's kept my attention for sure. I do like a feisty Omma 🥊

I'm going to have to resist Singles Inferno, I have too many shows on the go despite finally finishing Hwarang and Fight For My Way today. How will I get my PSJ fix now?!

I’ve nearly finished ep7. 😂

Blimey Boaty! What else is there to do in a January pandemic though?!

Solitary Rowdy!!

🎵We shall not be moved! We shall not be moved!🎵

FFS!!! SOLIDARITY

@MusiqueAutomatique

I'm going to have to resist Singles Inferno, I have too many shows on the go despite finally finishing Hwarang and Fight For My Way today. How will I get my PSJ fix now?!

Tell me you've watched WWWSK...

All the fussing over vapid, duplicitous Ji-A has made me revise my opinion over (some of these) men downwards. There are some good outcomes though.

@MusiqueAutomatique

Blimey Boaty! What else is there to do in a January pandemic though?!

It’s weird though because I got a load of other stuff done today. I’m trying to work out how I’ve fitted it in because I’ve had a productive day. 🤔

I ended up admiring Ji-a for her nerves of steel and A grade game play. And her ability to keep a fluffy pink bag immaculate in sand. At least she never wept about hard it was having too many men like her.

I've just finished Oh My Venus, I enjoyed watching it, but I don't know how I feel about the message behind it. On the one hand, it makes me want to get out and do some exercise, on the other it makes me want to stay home and eat cake in defiance! 😂

@Rowdythree

I've just finished Oh My Venus, I enjoyed watching it, but I don't know how I feel about the message behind it. On the one hand, it makes me want to get out and do some exercise, on the other it makes me want to stay home and eat cake in defiance! 😂

I was conflicted too. So Ji Sub’s character is so absolute. I thought such a hard line would be hard on viewers with eating disorders etc and not a great message.

It definitely doesn't send out a positive message, in fact it probably encourages unhealthy eating habits as seen by the 2fl. I doubt her career would have been so successful if she hadn't lost weight, that's what we assume anyway.

It would have been nice if the ML had just liked the FL as she was, even though he fell for her when she was heavier he was constantly trying to control what she ate and telling her she'd be prettier when she is healthier thinner

Anyway, it's made me want to get back in shape after the Christmas indulgence, but for someone with an eating disorder It would it would be difficult to watch.

"It’s weird though because I got a load of other stuff done today. I’m trying to work out how I’ve fitted it in because I’ve had a productive day. 🤔"

Maybe you had one of those rare 30 hour days Boaty?!

Briiiiick I have not watched WWWSK yet. I am leaning towards it being my new old drama if you see what I mean. I want a drama from him in 2022 instead of films where the release date keeps getting pushed back, grrr.

I've not been tempted to watch Oh My Venus yet because of the content matter. Transformations and making people 'better' can be a thorny subject to get to grips with. She Was Pretty did it quite well though.

In She was Pretty I thought the FL looked better before her transformation than after! 😬

@Rowdythree

I've just finished Oh My Venus, I enjoyed watching it, but I don't know how I feel about the message behind it. On the one hand, it makes me want to get out and do some exercise, on the other it makes me want to stay home and eat cake in defiance! 😂

I enjoyed watching it & (strangely) it did encourage me to change my eating habits for a week 😆. I am a serial offender when it comes to skipping lunch. So after watching OMV, I tried to eat regular meals specially the lunch & made effort to step away from the desk while eating.

Rowdy I agree, she looked wrong when hair got straighter and the make up went on but I'm thinking about the last couple of episodes when things changed again (trying hard not to do spoilers here).

I am going to have a go at making japchae later this week. Just assembling my ingredients. I have the noodles, the veg and the meat will be easy enough but I still have to acquire mirin and sesame seeds.

O. M. O.

Why did I start watching Singles Inferno

I'm really torn re You Are My Destiny. There are some good parts for sure but the ML is such a tool and FL is getting too pathetic not stronger. Not to mention giving a nickname 'Doggypoo' for your unborn child. WTF??

Yep that is weird one, unless something is lost in translation.

I remember watching it to the end though that may have been due to the addition of Choi Jin Hyuk...

@MusiqueAutomatique

I am going to have a go at making japchae later this week. Just assembling my ingredients. I have the noodles, the veg and the meat will be easy enough but I still have to acquire mirin and sesame seeds.

Let me know how it goes, I bought ingredients before Christmas but ended up using veggies in soups & chowmein. I think, I will love it.