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

There's not a lot of doctoring going on so far but if PSH carries on kickboxing every bad girl she meets in those tight leather trousers she's definitely going to need treatment for a yeast infection.

I'm scratching just thinking about it 😖

I've had a bit of a boaty shuffle tonight on Viki. So far I've watched:
The Veil - Namgoon Min in pumped up Rambo mode
Reset - ML from YAMH in Source Code style bus bomb timey wimey thing
Moonshine - sageuk caper with Yoo Seung Ho
School 2021 - didn't get past the titles but Bea said it's good so prob worth another go
My Love Mix-Up - BL Jdrama actually watched the whole (23 min) episode

Two Lights: Relumino - 30mins short film is lovely. Couple of scenes after credits so watch till end.
Starting ML (Strong Bong) & FL (one spring night). It is Samsung’s product advert but story is very heartwarming. FL is visually impaired & ML is losing his vision, met in a photography club.

The last nights have been a bust for kdrama or anything. I’ve fallen asleep on the sofa.

I’m taking the opportunity to do a spreadsheet reminder as we’re nearing the end of this thread, even though I’m likely the worst offender. 😄 We need to tot up the top 2022 scores for the next OP.

Also, please post any additions for our list with suggested category. There will be few for the ‘not Korean’ list given our recent jfever.

Your DH is like a maverick Zorro on the spreadsheet Sakura swathing down averages with a merciless single stroke of contempt 🤣
I was about to send him condolences on PSH's wedding but I'm not going to bother seeing what he did to my beloved HP 😂😂

OMG 4 an actual FOUR for Hospital Playlist ….. man that’s brutal.
HP is like my emotional support puppy in Kdrama land.

Oh god, pol I was a bit embarrassed! And he is ridiculously pro-PSH so there is distinct bias in his scores for Alhambra and Sisyphus! I was going to thank bettys for welcoming him, but maybe I shouldn't 😂 Sorry Jin!

Weirdly neither of us enjoyed the second season that much and I think it affected his memory of the first. I didn't feel like there was quite the same sense of overarching story as S1 with Professor Ahn and Dr Jang and Jun-Wan and Ik-Sun. I did like Bear and Mina though. Wanted Mama Rosa and the Chairman (?) to get married!

I've enjoyed Park Shin-Hye's wedding photos this morning. She looked beautiful.

I was going to watch Our Beloved Summer but will wait for final verdicts I think.

I think the nature of HP is it's a show about character journey rather than destination - a tapestry of lots of little stories. And totally accept that meandering and shaggy round the edgeness won't suit everyone. No, no - I'm all for an agent provocateur in our spreadsheet midst 😉

Had a wee cry at PSH and Choi Tae-joon's wedding vows.

I may be slightly overly menstrual-related emotional today.

Didn't spot many (any?) on screen snogs of bride or groom among the guests. Do we think they're not allowed to come?

Lee Min-ho was there for sure.

Sakura we don't want a Hospital Playlist echo chamber, it is good to hear opposing views (even if they are wrong )

I've been luxuriating in the bath this morning with Let Me Be Your Knight whilst I have the house to myself. It's all building up to a head, secrets are coming out. I'm enjoying it immensely, though in a guilty pleasure kind of way.

I also finished Rinko Wants To Try this morning, it was very sweet in the end.

Good to hear sakuradh is using the full marking range. 😄 There’s probably a bit of politeness to other poster’s faves and groupthink at the mo so he’s going to help with splitting all the tied scores we usually have.

I just had a look at the wedding photos. The one of her sitting in amongst the greenery was a bit strange, like she was having a hiking wee in the bushes in full wedding regalia.

Wow PSH posted a photo on her insta of her in full traditional hanbok. Amazing. How many wedding dresses does one woman need? 😀

What’s her insta handle?

@boatyardblues

What’s her insta handle?

@ssinz7

Oh PSH looks gorgeous!! All of the dresses are excellent 🤩

That is a very beautiful, elaborate hanbok. She wears it well.

She looks stunning, what beautiful hanbok.

I'm off out for korean food tonight with my language group, can't wait 😋 Mr Binn might be making an appearance 😬

Ooh he'll love that Rowdy
Getting quite giggly at the sheer amount of cerebral hemorrhages these Doctors keep stumbling across going about their day to day lives. I'd cross the street to avoid exchanging a word with them given the risk of a fit following.

@Rowdythree

She looks stunning, what beautiful hanbok.

I'm off out for korean food tonight with my language group, can't wait 😋 Mr Binn might be making an appearance 😬

Oh wow enjoy!

So PSH as ace neurosurgeon has just revealed she gets by on 10 hours sleep a week. You ain't going anywhere NEAR my brain sunshine.

Looking forward to Mr. Binn having Korean Rowdy.

When PSH choked on her vows, I did well up! Loved Lee Min-Ho's insta post with having Kim Tan Nim as his name card 😂

I hope Mr Bin was a respectable dinner companion Rowdy ☺️
I remember lots of blood spurting everywhere in Doctors and no one wearing any eye protection 😰

I’m so excited. The planets have aligned and I can look forward to a morning of kdrama in pyjamas for the first time in weeks. 🥳 Just as well because I have a stinking hangover. 😞