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!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-59662783.amp

This is quite interesting, I'm not sure the scary mother in law in Search www was a medical professional 😆

Rinko is a 2021 drama so I will add it to the current page & We Married as a Job is 2016 but we will need a new 2022 page soon for the spreadsheet.

I'm not sure if @helloswellow is still around and can do this as she created the thing of beauty that is the spreadsheet. If no one else is a spreadsheet whizz I will have a go (with which may not be wise)

@bettys

Rinko is a 2021 drama so I will add it to the current page & We Married as a Job is 2016 but we will need a new 2022 page soon for the spreadsheet.

I'm not sure if @helloswellow is still around and can do this as she created the thing of beauty that is the spreadsheet. If no one else is a spreadsheet whizz I will have a go (with which may not be wise)

Go for it! If you need a hand, let me know 👍

Whaaaat!?!? I’ve already finished it. Friday night wine & crisps is spot on.

I've finished it too! Loved it ❤️ I want to watch it again

Where can I watch Rinko!!
I've just caught up with My Beloved and it's a no from me. Soooo sllooow 😒
Not had chance for much viewing this week so will be hunkered down from tonight for viewing.

Rinko is in Viki Aesops, its so easy to binge, you'll get through it in an evening.

Thanks Rowdy

Be prepared for Bridgerton-style culture shock if you’ve been mainlining kdrama for a while.

Still passes the no pumping buttock test though.

I really enjoyed In Time With You btw if anyone wants a nice non-doormat JDrama with lovely leads. Scores low on the gratuitous smut front though alas.

Has anyone watched In-house Marriage Honey on Viki? It’s another Japanese contract/sham marriage set-up, cert 12 so probs no sexy fun times, but who knows? It seems quite sweet and the ML/FL are not remotely annoying yet.

I’m trapped under a sleeping cat so I watched the first episode of The Novellist (Viki, 18, BL) out of curiosity. It manages to squeeze hot and heavy snogging with tongues and a blow job at the roadside into 12 mins of actual drama. 😱 I was clutching my pearls, I tell you. 🤣

I don't seem to have much time for dramas at the moment but I've just started Ghost Doctor, the one on Viki with Rain and Kim Bum, and I'm enjoying it so far. It's quite comedic which I need at the moment! Rain is very stern indeed at the moment, I predict a total change of personality around episode 16.

Rowdy that was an interesting read. I knew tattoos occupied a grey area in Korea, so I was surprised to learn that there were so many tattoo artists working there.

In House Marriage Honey is the Saturday morning hot chocolate with marshmallows, whipped cream and a flake to last night's wine and crisps Boaty. Very sweet and slightly guilt inducing at its lack of true nutrition but ultimately you'll have no regrets.

Glad to hear it Pol.

@polkettle

In House Marriage Honey is the Saturday morning hot chocolate with marshmallows, whipped cream and a flake to last night's wine and crisps Boaty. Very sweet and slightly guilt inducing at its lack of true nutrition but ultimately you'll have no regrets.

Perfect review. You should be a writer, Pol...

Perfect review. You should be a writer, Pol...

😱 I was clutching my pearls, I tell you. 🤣

You definitely don't want to watch Mood Indigo then boaty which is the prequel...or sequel...I forget the order but it seems irrelevant anyway...

But then when would I watch all the dramas that need to be watched FedUp? 😉 😁
Or essential 15 minute videos of YYS doing over the top DIY for his dog Rita. That man is such a sweet geek. I still can't fathom what he channelled to play Dong Mae.

This will be an interesting one
Puppy movie
www.instagram.com/p/CXh0RqHJ4u0/?utm_medium=copy_link

That man is such a sweet geek. I still can't fathom what he channelled to play Dong Mae.

Me too! I watched Reply 1997 after Mr Sunshine and I could not reconcile YYS’s brooding machismo as Dong Mae with the puppyish baseball star in Reply 1997 at all. I am a tad disappointed that every other role has leaned puppyish.

[quote JinBhoot]This will be an interesting one
Puppy movie
www.instagram.com/p/CXh0RqHJ4u0/?utm_medium=copy_link[/quote]
YYS is staring in this one with puppies 😆
It was random, after posting I read the comments & you guys were talking about him.

Who is the 2nd guy, I can’t place him.

You guys!!! I can't believe I left this absolute TREASURE out of the alternative Oppas list!!!

I'm sorry, my darling Ahn Jae-hong!

P.S. Gird your loins for the second photo...

Crikey!!! Smokin' shot of Ahn Jae Hong

The FL in In-house Marriage Honey is cute and puppyish. She needs to be introduced to YYS, who lived in Japan as a child & speaks fluent Japanese. They’d be very cute together and he’s tall enough for her. She’s very leggy & looks to have at least a couple of inches on the ML.