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!

That sounds pants @Hydrogensonata, quality streets and fruit sound like an excellent plan! I hope you start to feel better soon. Same to all the other covid folks

bettys I mostly like films from the 30s to 50s. I think it is to do with the reasons I like kdrama - entertainment without too much violence, sex or horribly distressing storylines involving rape/murder. I sound like Mary Whitehouse now!

Hydrogen sorry to hear you feel so rubbish still. A Korean Odyssey was my first kdrama too, back in August 2018. How does it compare with the first watch?

DH and I just did first episode of The Silent Sea and got very giggly at the terrible work awayday team building vibe. Particularly the type in a tricky code while wearing space suit gloves to get into station challenge. Were they expecting burglars?

@boatyardblues

I’m all caught up with Our Beloved Summer. I love the pace and vibe.

Me too.

I've just finished The Silent Sea and immediately want to watch something else with the winning combo of Bae Doona, Gong Yoo and Kim Sun Young (I suspect I shall be thinking of her as Doc Hong from now on)

Cracking sci-fi, properly tense at times.

Hope everyone had a good Christmas. I've been caught in the cooking/hosting bubble since Xmas eve and now enjoying a quiet couple of days. Really enjoying Our Beloved Summer also, up to ep 4.

Alternative Oppas Day 4. He's a dopey, funny man in k-dramas and on insta; but I ain't laughing now... check out the serious, shexsy side of Lee Yi-kyung.

Ooh yes, indeed! Very sexy 😍

Why does he get all the goofy sidekick comedy roles? like in Eulacha Waikiki & Secret Royal Inspector ...he's really rather attractive...

He's lovely!

We watched ep. 2 of The Silent Sea last night and I drove DH mad by trying to remember where I'd seen the various actors before. It's a quality programme though, I am intrigued.

Ep. 7 of Our Beloved Summer was equally good. I loved what Eun-ho (the manager) and Sol-yi (the best friend) got up to in the absence of everyone else .

Well it seems we had a dodgy lft here! Several negative pcrs and many negative lfts have been done 🤷🤷🤷 so we are no longer isolating.
Fighting to everyone who does have covid.
I had to google today's alternative oppa as I don't think I've seen him in anything, but he does look v sexy.
DS has persuaded me to binge all the Harry potter films in the last few days, we've just got the last one to go this afternoon then hopefully I can watch the end of Jirisan and start The Silent Sea

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CXGcvSnDeSo/?utmmedium=copyy_link

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

Well it seems we had a dodgy lft here! Several negative pcrs and many negative lfts have been done 🤷🤷🤷 so we are no longer isolating. Fighting to everyone who does have covid. I had to google today's alternative oppa as I don't think I've seen him in anything, but he does look v sexy. DS has persuaded me to binge all the Harry potter films in the last few days, we've just got the last one to go this afternoon then hopefully I can watch the end of Jirisan and start The Silent Sea

Good news TheGirl! Glad you are all covid free.

Check Lee Yi-kyung out in Welcome To Waikiki. Its better than it sounds!

🤣 at that reel FedUp so true!!

Oh, I can totally relate to the reduced reading time in that Insta post. 😂

I’ve had a crazy couple of days but I will get to searching up the alternative oppas tomorrow morning and will return with my thoughts. Alternative oppas bring different energy to the table beyond pretty faces so more consideration is needed.

DH has asked for a kdrama respite break this evening 😭 so we watched Falling for Figaro on Netflix. It was pretty decent, but not nearly enough layers, subplots and secondary characters. It felt so pedestrian and thin. Kdrama has ruined me.

DH is reading a non-fiction book about story telling. He tells me there is such a thing as a professor of narratology. Sounds cool. I am sad about the boring career choices I have made. If I was a professor of narratology I could make kdrama viewing analysis my real job. Win!

Also, can I just grumble about the unseasonably mild weather? I have to keep checking in with DH to see if he is overheating too as I fear I’m starting hot flushes. I know I’ll be glad of cheaper bills for December when utility prices rocket in the next couple of months, but still!

I’ve made a start on The Red Sleeve. It’s great fun. My only grumble is that the crown prince’s bodyguard is the stuntman brother from Once Again. Grrrrrr.

Arghhh. The Red Sleeve pulled me in. Must. Stop. Watching.

12 Days of Alternative Oppas: Day 5

Going for something a little different, a little more... mature today. It's the lisping, silver fox, Park Ho-san.

Would I like a cup of coffee? Eh YES PLEASE.

@boatyardblues

Arghhh. The Red Sleeve pulled me in. Must. Stop. Watching.

We were too late for the 🥾 🍑!!! I'm sorry Boaty, hope you managed to get some sleep x

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

12 Days of Alternative Oppas: Day 5

Going for something a little different, a little more... mature today. It's the lisping, silver fox, Park Ho-san.

Would I like a cup of coffee? Eh YES PLEASE.

He looks stunning in this picture! A total silver fox. He almost appeared in the advent calendar, but there wasn't enough days 😆

Now Park Ho San is an alternative oppa I both recognise and can get behind. 👍

I managed to tear myself away from the TV after I posted early this morning. I am about to get back to it. How wonderful to have started when it has all aired during the holidays when I can binge binge binge!

Ooh a v good alternative oppa 😍

Oh my goodness, I rather liked him in Coffee but with his natural hair colour he is really something else. Thank you Briiick!

@boatyardblues

I’ve made a start on The Red Sleeve. It’s great fun. My only grumble is that the crown prince’s bodyguard is the stuntman brother from Once Again. Grrrrrr.

OMG!!!! It is!!!! I knew I recognised him!!!!

after starting Red Sleeve a while ago... I let it simmer away for a couple of weeks so I could bank it up!!!!!

Dear Oh Dear! Last two nights I have been going to bed well past 2am as I can't watch during the day!!! (Covid House! I'm the Non Covid adult thus in charge of everything!!!!! ) far too busy and thus save it all for night time... I Love it!!! It's a great watch!!!! Up to ep 14 ane enjoying it very much!!!!

Ooh, yes another excellent alternative oppa choice - I've started watching would you like a cup of coffee- it's so lovely and gentle so far and if I doze off half way through I can just rewind or carry on!
Looking forward to watching silent sea once I can focus a bit better