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!

@bettys

Oh TheGirl That’s pants, but I’m liking your plan B

Same here. Disappointing but not a disaster. There were a lot of 11th hour LFT no-gos on a thread in Chat last night & some people with no food in. I’m glad you still get a proper Christmas dinner Girl.

Merry Christmas everyone!
So sorry to hear about your DH TheGirl, at least you have the Baileys.
I hope you feel ok today Hydrogen.

I got these things for Christmas (snap Briiick!). I love the snowglobe bettys :)

My DC decided to wake up between 1.30am and 2.30am and wander in and out of our room at will so I'm a bit tired now but it's been a nice and calm Christmas apart from that. I reckon I've earned my hour of kdrama by myself now before Home Alone with the DC. I've had a very difficult year but kdrama has proved a very welcome distraction (even if it was going WTF at hour after hour of ^Boys Over Flowers).

Thank you to everyone for being so welcoming to a new person too!

Yeah lots of people have definitely had a worse Xmas due to COVID than us. My SIL dropped our presents off too. She had managed to get BTS wrapping paper for mine!!

Merry Christmas kdrama changes!
Least festive Christmas every (even more so than the year I worked a 12 hrs shift Christmas day!) Family member dropped off presents and festive food socially distanced yesterday but I've decided to delay ant present opening/food opening until I feel less grim!
Hope everyone had a lovely day!

It's Covid city in our house! Staying at in laws... Good job too as we're out in the country so plenty of room! However MIL tested positive this morning! It's at good job I'm comfortable cooking for a large family! Dh also got it so at least they were able to have Xmas lunch together and keep each other company! 😭😂😭😭😣😣

No drama watching here... Too mad here! Love looking at all pressies! Esp love the snow globe @bettys 😂😂😂🎅🎅🎅

Hope all of you are keeping well and safe!! Luckily this one seems to be nothing more than aches... Fatigue and coldy!

Merry crimbo all! Xx

Have to post my marvellous Bangtan Xmas Jumper again! 😂😂

I’m marvelling at the crew in Silent Sea handling samples from the -56C freezer with their bare hands. 😂

After a successful 48 hour binge with DH I can pronounce Silent Sea a thumping good sci-fi romp and nicely tense.

This was a lovely read: www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-59636403

Should add it's about tourists visiting CLOY locations.

@sakura06 you beat me to it! Quite fancy going myself

It feels more achievable than getting to Korea during the pandemic, that’s for sure.

Me too Bettys! I think Korea is a lot cheaper though Boaty (if we can get there soon)!

Ooh, really? I’d love to go.

Happy Christmas everyone. I got the lonely planet guide to Korea so will start planning my fantasy holiday which will probably never happen...

@boatyardblues

After a successful 48 hour binge with DH I can pronounce Silent Sea a thumping good sci-fi romp and nicely tense.

Watched first ep last night and it's looking good to me, thanks for the ringing endorsement Boaty!

Oops!! I almost forgot my task! Presenting the 12 Days of Alternative Oppas!

🎶On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me... Noh Hong-chul with Netflix on his tiddy!🎶

I am looking forward to the 12 Days of Alternative Oppas!

That's a good start - looks like he'd be great fun on a night out though I suspect a piggyback ride home might be dicey

Always so embarrassing when you fall asleep on the sun lounger with a giant N on your chest.
Sorry to hear of the general Covid-ness - get well soon!

That's a good start Briiiiick! He's very alternative 😬

I'm finally back home after a stressful couple of days, I didn't get to watch any kdrama and my stress levels have definitely risen because of it! I hope to remedy that straight away!

Sorry to hear of those with covid in the house, feel better soon

Excellent start FedUp love the lyrics!!!!

Hmmm I just have to walk the dog (in the snow!) and then settle down in front of the fire with either:
The King's Affection (on ep 3)
The Red Sleeve (ep 5)
or start
The Silent Sea
Fly To You
5-9

Hmmmmm....

I have started Melancholia. Oh I miss maths now. It was my favourite subject.

Watched first ep last night and it's looking good to me, thanks for the ringing endorsement Boaty!

It’s not without the odd bit of wonky science or glitch in its internal logic - DH and I were debating finer points on our walk earlier - but it was very well done all the same. I’d be happy to watch Bae Doona read the papers aloud to be honest. She’s a great actress. Gong Yoo was good too and the hardest working actress in South Korea earned her fee on this.

I am up to the penultimate episode of To Fly with You. It is a good one to chip away at over the break. It is cosy and undemanding, but not gripping. If the skating wasn’t there to hold my interest I would have ditched, I think.