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!

Thank god for Rowdy's Advent Toppa to restore me to good cheer daily in the face of shitting owls.
Hoping we'll escape full lockdown but if needs must we'll definitely need a continuing daily Oppa to remind us Big Hands, Handsome Face and Ooh yes fly me to Space.

Hurray!! a festive Bin to finish the advent oppas!!!
Thanks Rowdy 😘
And thanks Pol for the IG advent! I'm v WTF about wellies as the big finale!! 🤣

Gong Yoo lands his lunar module on Netflix today. 👍

So many treats today!! Double Bin Delights!! A Pol Advent Win!! Mahoosive Alien Wellies in the Sky (also advent)
… and Gong Yoo landing soon hooray!!! 🚀

I have started on 5->9 From 5 to 9 ahaha it’s really bonkers & addictive.

CONGRATULATIONS 😂😂😂 I wish I had some friend IRL watching, this congratulations would have been our inside joke 😂

Food shop: no progress, DH & I are waiting for each other to give in. I know it’s a mad world out there.

I can tell I’ve lost the plot because James Mason is looking goooood in his blue trousers and roll neck sweater. I haven’t even had a drink as that would involve moving from the sofa to the kitchen. 🤣

boaty back in the day James Mason was almost a Yorkshire version of Bin with his cheekbones & voice and polo necks and black and white movie style 👍

@bettys

I can tell I’ve lost the plot because James Mason is looking goooood in his blue trousers and roll neck sweater. I haven’t even had a drink as that would involve moving from the sofa to the kitchen. 🤣

boaty back in the day James Mason was almost a Yorkshire version of Bin with his cheekbones & voice and polo necks and black and white movie style 👍

Yum

Oh, what a wonderful conclusion to Advent, Rowdy you have brightened up December for me. The lovely Mr Bin. Thank you!

I'm looking forward to seeing KDRAMA IN SPACE tonight, I can't imagine anything more festive . Goblin on the Moon!

James Mason was a fine looking man but Cary Grant is the one for me. A person who can make me laugh is very attractive (much like Park Seo Joon in fact).

I've made about ten tonnes of pastry for mince pies and for my boxing day pie this morning, next to peel all the vegetables...booooorrrringgggg.

JinBhoot I hope your DH loses the face off :)

Just read Suga has covid for Christmas..nooooo

@Rowdythree an excellent finish to the advent opposite!
@jinbhoot I liked 5-9 that first meeting at the restaurant where he just launches unto what it'll be like once they get married although there were time when I thought if this was actually happening it'd be awful although thats true of most dramas! jdramas are another level of bonkers sometimes- if you've not watched it I highly recommend Princess jellyfish which is just utterly another level bonkers but also delightful. Hey sensei don't you know is another one that's very sweet

I'm looking forward to seeing KDRAMA IN SPACE tonight, I can't imagine anything more festive grin. Goblin on the Moon!

I think it’s interesting that kdrama doesn’t really do space but since Netflix have started throwing money at them we’ve had Space Sweepers and now Silent Sea. As a vaguely reformed sci fi and fantasy nerd I entirely approve of this development. 😂

We have done our veg, the spiced red cabbage is cooling down and I’ve just boiled our ham. Let the games begin!

I may have talked the family round to watching some Silent Sea. If anyone gets started early can you give me a heads-up if it is either so crap it will ruin my chances of selling kdrama to them longer term or super gory/unsuitable for a younger teen.

This evening, I should have added.

I think it’s interesting that kdrama doesn’t really do space but since Netflix have started throwing money at them we’ve had Space Sweepers and now Silent Sea. As a vaguely reformed sci fi and fantasy nerd I entirely approve of this development.

I like a bit of sci-fi too, although I prefer to read it. I agree that the paucity of kspace drama/film previously must be entirely down to budget Boaty. It must cost a fortune to film all the greenscreen/sfx stuff. I enjoyed Space Sweepers but what I'd really like to see is a korean adaptation of some Iain M. Banks or perhaps Ursula Le Guin.

I think I'm going to give From Five to Nine a go too, I haven't watched any jdrama yet so am intrigued!

I blinked first 😆
Just completed my fridge jenga.
Now eating sampling some cheese & crackers.

@MusiqueAutomatique Jdrama is very interesting world, quite often good bonkers story lines. Few WTF ones too (I am looking at you Kalafukaka ). I feel their editing & story telling skills are way behind Kdramas.

I have recently watched Million Yen Women and found it very captivating. I wonder if it’s a Kdrama, how writers will tell the story.

Thank you @Rowdythree for keeping us entertained with lovely advent calendar.

We should have a winter series with oppas in fine knitwear & then summer series with shirtless oppas 😆

I'm glad the Oppa advent had been entertaining! As an added bonus, I now have a download folder dedicated to gorgeous Oppas on my phone. That will keep me warm on a cold night 🔥

I'm happy to pass the baton on for Twelve Days of Christmas Oppas if anyone wants to take it on

James Mason was a fine looking man but Cary Grant is the one for me. A person who can make me laugh is very attractive (much like Park Seo Joon in fact)

Oh yes! Currently watching North by Northwest which has both Cary Grant & James Mason in (both definitely in age appropriate Oppa era)

Eve Marie Saint has said one of the best pickup lines on the train - “It's going to be a long night and I don't particularly like the book I've started.”

Don't trust me to take it on, I've had a "funny turn" and dreamt about Noh Hong-chul last night...

I like them husky and hairy 😂

Husky and hairy themed January? 🤣

@Rowdythree

Husky and hairy themed January? 🤣

Alright, I propose an alternative oppas list. I'll post 12 confusingly sexy oppas until 6th Jan (which also happens to be my birthday)

How's that sound?

Oh yes! 🙌 Alternative Oppas! That will make a gloomy January much brighter!

Alternative Oppas sounds ace FedUp
DH texted me at work today (doesn't normally bother) to tell me Suga has COVID. V important news.

Alright, I propose an alternative oppas list. I'll post 12 confusingly sexy oppas until 6th Jan (which also happens to be my birthday) How's that sound?

Sounds great👍👍

Poor Min Yoongi and everyone else grappling with Covid - Fighting!! 💪💜