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!

@Bea I started that but not found if toilet humour. I wonder how is the K version of it.

I am watching two CDramas,

1. Negotiator - started because of the FL, she was lovely in Legend of Fuyao. But in this one, something is off.
2. Lucky with You, it’s on air. FL is bodyguard & ML is heir-to-be/volunteer rescuer. Like all CDramas, I am sure there will be an earthquake disaster in few episodes & whole cast will end up volunteering one way or another.

Both are good light watch.

In Kdrama, I am having a crack at The Third Charm just because it will be off Netflix soon.

Avoiding Inferno as it’s a one slippery road.

[quote JinBhoot]@Bea I started that but not found if toilet humour. I wonder how is the K version of it.

I am watching two CDramas,

1. Negotiator - started because of the FL, she was lovely in Legend of Fuyao. But in this one, something is off.
2. Lucky with You, it’s on air. FL is bodyguard & ML is heir-to-be/volunteer rescuer. Like all CDramas, I am sure there will be an earthquake disaster in few episodes & whole cast will end up volunteering one way or another.

Both are good light watch.

In Kdrama, I am having a crack at The Third Charm just because it will be off Netflix soon.

Avoiding Inferno as it’s a one slippery road.[/quote]
Autocorrect changed the full sentence
Re: Use for my talent - I don’t like 💩 involved humour.

Had enough by 2nd episode (with shoe incident). I will pick it up again as I am sure it will get better & offcourse Dimples is in it 😆.

Well all you Inferno refuseniks are hurting nobody but yourselves, as my old headmistress would have said (Although possibly not in this context). 🤷 😁

@JinBhoot I dropped The Third Charm after the perm as it just felt unappealing somehow. Went to the last episode for closure & check if I missed a good ‘un & don’t think I did, the reviews are v mixed too

Jin I watched The Third Charm at the beginning of my K drama addiction. It has some quite funny moments but the story does take a sad turn later on in the series.

I enjoyed seeing the Portuguese scenery too, but at the time I think I was disappointed it wasn't set completely in Korea 😆

Coffee and Vanilla you say? Adding it to my watch list now...

I'm on my millionth re watch of Strong Girl Bong Soon I've felt poorly all day, it's really cheering me up. I love it so much ❤️

Popping in to say the rubber broom is indeed a game changer, thanks Aesops! 👍🏽

I finished YAMD this morning. Had it been 16 not 20 episodes it would have been better as there was a lot of unnecessary arsing around. Overall quite good though - solid 7/10

What next??! I'm thinking of trying either Hospital Playlist or Vincenzo. Which is funnier? I need fun in January as luke Boaty I'm just back to back team meetings and annual planning 😣

Rowdy I adored Strong Girl Bong Soon. Just such a madly brilliant show. And the first I watched by myself too.

Aesops I wouldn't say Hospital Playlist was funny as such. It does have funny bits in it but it is mostly heartwarming in a very wonderful kind of way. I gave up on Vincenzo due to not enjoying the violence but I know lots of other people loved it.

I need to finish Vincenzo. And a whole bunch of other shows.

We’re over the hump of the thread and freewheeling down the hill towards thread #30 so we’ll have to pull our collective fingers out on the spreadsheet so I can add 2021’s top scoring dramas to the OP.

I've updated all mine apart from those I'm still watching

Going to try Still 17 as that looks funny and is on the front list

for Aesops. If only I was so diligent. 🙂

Just watched ep 6 of The Red Sleeve now that's what you call a bath scene 😍🤣
It would cheer anybody up on a dreary January Monday 😊

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

Just watched ep 6 of The Red Sleeve now that's what you call a bath scene 😍🤣 It would cheer anybody up on a dreary January Monday 😊

💯 완전히!

I've been musing on the fact that period K Dramas don't hold my interest ( even TON which was cute,but I've not finished it) I watch most of the classics based in UK repeatedly. I think it's the fighting scenes. 🤔

Anyhoo, tonight I'm going to dip into Red Sleeve with an open mind!

Hope you're feeling better this morning Rowdy. I love how one's particular flavour of KDrama fave can be a comfort blanket that never gets old. They improve on revisiting just like a casserole.

I'd say Coffee and Vanilla was a doormat too far for me except I seem to be on episode 5. Snorting at how it's all terribly terribly norty except that all the ML does is sort of burrow his face in her neck. And the internationally accepted signal of successful coupling of the clenched intertwined fingers (because that's always where one puts one's hands in the moment...)

Yes the neck burying is 🤔

Considering how many times he leaps on her back, I'm surprised she doesn't have terrible lumbago.

@AesopsMables Vincenzo is HUGE fun! Yes the violence is tehre ... but the storyline is great... the ensemble characters who i disliked to begin with I loved at the end and lead characters are marvellous! It really is epic and i found it hugely enjoyable!!! Lots of twists and turns and I really loved the characters towards the end... it was very good storytelling!

Thanks Bea!

Oh Pumped Plug has a new drama on Viki, Lucky With You. I'll check it out and report back

I'm feeling a bit better today Pol thanks for asking, I'm back at work, but I'd rather be lying on the sofa for another day. Oh well

I'm thinking the same about Coffee and Vanilla, I also got to episode 5. To be honest, I wanted more naughtiness, and the fact that he looks like he's borrowing his dad's suits puts me off him slightly 😬😆 I'll probably finish it off though

I know - all this talk of him being such a mature man and he looks about 17.
Sniggering at message on European fans' birthday bouquet to SYJ suggesting she 'tend to her Secret garden'...

@polkettle

I know - all this talk of him being such a mature man and he looks about 17. Sniggering at message on European fans' birthday bouquet to SYJ suggesting she 'tend to her Secret garden'...

😅

Benched Pumped Plug for now in favour of a fluffy J-drama on over at Olga's.

Contract marriage one (my faves!!) called Nigeru wa Haji daga yaku ni tatsu (We Married as a Job)

So far so good! Lovely fact of the day: the ML and FL got married in real life last year.

@Rowdythree

I'm feeling a bit better today Pol thanks for asking, I'm back at work, but I'd rather be lying on the sofa for another day. Oh well

I'm thinking the same about Coffee and Vanilla, I also got to episode 5. To be honest, I wanted more naughtiness, and the fact that he looks like he's borrowing his dad's suits puts me off him slightly 😬😆 I'll probably finish it off though

Glad your feeling better Rowdy.

Make sure you finish it off well 😄