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!

Is that The Raid @polkettle with Iko Uwais, directed by Gareth Evans? I saw that at the cinema in November and despite it being nearly 10 years old, it was my favourite film I saw at the cinema last year! The second film is even more ridiculous and fighty (actually a bit too violent for my liking).

I’ve stayed up far too late watching jdrama the last couple of nights. After my fourth rewind of the last 15 mins of last night’s Our Beloved Summer I am admitting defeat. Night all!

That's the one Sakura! I have to say hard to imagine that the sequel could be MORE fighty.

The Swoon have Insta'ed a few posts on upcoming dramas for 2022.

I'm looking forward to Forecasting Love and Weather, but nervous about Park Min-young and Song Kang as a couple... they don't really match, do they? I'll reserve judgement...

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

The Swoon have Insta'ed a few posts on upcoming dramas for 2022.

I'm looking forward to Forecasting Love and Weather, but nervous about Park Min-young and Song Kang as a couple... they don't really match, do they? I'll reserve judgement...

i thought this... it doesn't feel like it would work.... i'll see...

meanwhile I started School 2021 as i wanted something jam packed with tropes and usual drama which i know will turn out well... first couple of eps this rang true... however I am loving the way the story unfolds... the subtlety of revealing backstories and relationships is really lovely and well done... am on ep 6 and beginning to enjoy it much more than i was intending... it's going full on storyline ...and much less light and fluffy than i thought it was going to be!!!!

Still enjoying Our Beloved SUmmer ... though getting a little sluggish... choi wooshik is very enjoyable to watch though and liking the secondary characters...

I'm looking forward to Forecasting Love and Weather, but nervous about Park Min-young and Song Kang as a couple... they don't really match, do they? I'll reserve judgement...

Another noona romance? It’s almost as if PMY picks scripts based on the casting for the latest hot young male (well I guess if you can, why not?) although Yoon Park looks like he’s the 2ML and much more appropriate age wise 🤔

Although obvs am in general in favour of noona romances…..it just feels a little bit samey & I don’t think it worked in IGTYWTWIN . Her best romance was with HH Kim Jae Wook imo

…….and of course not forgetting PSJ in WWWSK >fans self>

@bettys

…….and of course not forgetting PSJ in WWWSK >fans self>

Woof woof

Totally agree. Song Kang is beautiful but he looks even younger than he is. Will still force myself to watch though so I can critically assess their snogging compatibility. Noble as ever I am.

And you're right Bettys - who can blame PMY for leading her Very Best Life? You go sistah!

I don't think the age difference is giving me the ick (only about 6/7 years), they just don't look compatible. She needs a strong manly face man to balance her look. Song Kang is softy tofty face man.

We shall see!

I'm back! Trying to catch up on thread after 2 weeks of chaos coupled with post covid exhaustion which has meant no kdramaing as I've been going to bed ridiculously early!
Anything good and new on? I need something light and easy to watch to ease me back in!

@Hydrogensonata

I'm back! Trying to catch up on thread after 2 weeks of chaos coupled with post covid exhaustion which has meant no kdramaing as I've been going to bed ridiculously early! Anything good and new on? I need something light and easy to watch to ease me back in!

Welcome back! We've been enjoying J-dramas recently. Rinko-san wants to try on Viki and Nigeru wa Haji... round Olga's house.

@fedupwithbriiiiick ah rinko san was on my watch list before it came out- definitely giving that a watch!

Welcome back @Hydrogensonata, I hope you're feeling better now. I second Rinko on viki, a nice easy watch.

[quote Hydrogensonata]@fedupwithbriiiiick ah rinko san was on my watch list before it came out- definitely giving that a watch![/quote]
Recalibrate your settings to jdrama so the sexy times/bedfun quotient doesn’t take you by surprise.

I’m now up to date with Our Beloved Summer. I second the “poor Ung #2” post from upthread. I also found NJ more sympathetic in ep 14. Ung #1 certainly seems to attract all the lost souls with his laid back warm vibe. His parents are a draw for his friends too.

There’s a promoted fan collection on the Viki homepage today called My Ultimate favourite “slice of life” K-dramas. Own up, which one of you made it? 😄

@polkettle you're spot on about it being hard to imagine it being more fighty! The Raid 2 is not quite the non-stop action of the first and it has much more of a storyline, but the action is really pumped up! It's good but SO violent.

I’m now on a Shirasu Jin spiral. I may be lost in jdrama land for a week or so. I will report back on his back catalogue. He’s a bit daintier and more flower boyish than my usual faves but there’s something about his smile… It’s hard to believe he is 30.

His tousled, highlighted locks and on-trend cool guy outfits in Can’t Run Away from Love are hitting the mark so far. This player trickster ML couldn’t be further from the devoted, constant Ren in In Time with You. Fun times. 🙂

I'm still in Bong Soon land, posting this in appreciation of Ahn Min hyeok and his knitwear

Can’t Run Away from Love is playing out more like a workplace sexual harrassment case right now. FL is one of those naive, unboundaried milkmaid types that hasn’t worked out how to roar “fuck off creep!” and the value of a well timed knee to the groin. Sigh. I should hand in my feminist credentials because I plan to continue watching. 😂

Noooo. She’s thanking him for it too. 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

The pushy CEO boyfriend from In Time with You is also in this one.