MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #30): In which we return to Korea from our January Japanese adventures

[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 list is cumulative so includes 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)
The Red Sleeve (Viki)*

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)
Black (Netflix)*
Happiness* (Viki)
Hotel del Luna (Viki/Netflix)*
King: The Eternal Monarch (Netflix)
Kingdom (Netflix)*
Kingdom: Ashin of the North (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)
In House Marriage Honey (Viki, Japanese)
In Time With You (Viki - Japanese)
Instead of Tipsy Why Not Get Drunk (Viki, Chinese)
Lost Romance (Viki, Taiwanese)
Love O2O (Viki, Chinese)
Million Yen Women (Netflix, Japanese)
Morning Call (Netflix, Japanese)
My Little Happiness (Viki, Chinese)
Put Your Head on My Shoulder (Netflix, Chinese)
Rinko Wants To Try (Viki)
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 aka “the shit list” 💩

Melting Me Softly
The Birth of a Beauty
Well-Intentioned Love season 1 (S2 is fine & stands alone)

Posters’ Top Scoring 2021 Dramas
Courtesy of Hello’s kdrama spreadsheet, updated by thread regulars. Marks out of 10.

1. The Red Sleeve - 10 (2 votes, more pending)
2. Happiness - 9 (6 votes)
3. Devil Judge - 8.75 (3 votes)
4. Squid Game - 8.63 (12 votes)
5. Navillera - 8.57 (7 votes)

2020’s top scoring dramas
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 sometimes resort to acronyms and/or abbreviations of show titles or favourite actors’ names. 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!

Larry I have had a terrible year like you with bereavement and other stuff, so you really have my sympathy. I too am finding BTS content to be a welcome distraction for a troubled soul.

It is interfering with my kdrama watching though

I know I say this a lot but I just ❤️ Melo Is my Nature.

@LarryUnderwood thinking about you... fighting!

I know I say this a lot but I just ❤️ Melo Is my Nature.

It’s one of my top 3 too & long overdue a rewatch.

We did watch The Red Sleeve last night though, the one where Deok im flies the kite and does a lot of running. I really loved this episode a great deal, even the fighty bits were good and that's not usually my thing.

My usual work pattern has been significantly disrupted for the last three days because of Covid and I am in the very unusual position of having nearly run out of work. I have been reading Lost In Translation on Webtoon to fill the time. It's a good one, about an idol group and their evil manager. Anyone else read it?

@boatyardblues

I will PM you Musique.

Merci Boaty!

She's still beaming... 😊

In all honesty I am spontaneously beaming about 50% of the time from thinking about KDrama or related content. Was just grinning like a mad-but-happy woman cycling home from the supermarket on a random train of thought about YYS laying flooring for his rescue dog for instance.
This is why a Viki pass should be available on prescription as an HRT/antidepressant alternative.

I have been reading Lost In Translation on Webtoon to fill the time. It's a good one, about an idol group and their evil manager. Anyone else read it?

Sigh……I haven’t but I am now. I guess I don’t really have to work/go to the post office/attend a zoom/decorate the spare room today, do I?

I've saved up all my web comics this week as a special Friday night treat for myself (except the BL ones, they get read in one sitting...)

Oooh, I have found a little belter on VIKI!
On The Verge Of Insanity, started it last night and thought the first ep a bit slow but wow, it gets better and better. Lots of rich script writing and not too OTT at all. Workplace drama that I recommend should you want to watch something quite different to the norm. I shall be switching off my laptop and diving back in after 5 tonight!

Pol - I found a Brazilian Fan Page instagram account for The Future Diary. They are still together! How lovely. 💕

SPOILER (not very) but I know Aesops ☺️☺️☺️! They do these adorable Insta Lives where they just grin at each other and try out puppy face filters
etc while they answer questions and you can hear her mum making dinner in the background. My Japanese friend watched one and says they've been making trips to see each other for a few days at a time every month or so. From their joint pics and captions they're still all giddy about each other in the cutest way.
This is why I can't stop thinking about the show - shameless manipulation to make two strangers fall in love for entertainment but it WORKED and we get to see it happen.

They are both just adorbs, and I too, spend an inordinate percentage of my day thinking about them. In between humming Gen Hoshino songs.

@boatyardblues

Noble My Love - yes or no? I couldn’t see a score on the spreadsheet but one of you must have watched it. Sung Hoon’s dramas are a real mixed bag but I saw it on a contract marriage list.

I watched it a hundred years ago... one of my first ones... i don't think it set my kdrama heart on fire... a bit meh!....

@LarryUnderwood... ahhh the Bangtan rabbit hole... you will never resurface the same again... there is a LOT of content!!!! A LOT!!!! You'll be busy for months and months... and it occured to me that FESTA (Bangtan Birthday - where content quadruples daily!) is just a mere 4/5 months away! I'm clearing my diary!.........................

(except the BL ones, they get read in one sitting...)

Same here!! I now have 3 apps for my webtoon addiction 🤦🏻‍♀️ (Plus the Olga equivalent 😱)

I wonder if we need a spreadsheet for webtoons?

That would be really useful for those of us who only paddle in the Webtoon shallows

Bettys are you enjoying Lost in Translation? Poor, poor Wylde (what a name). I now have to wait for an episode a week after zooming through it far too quickly a while ago. I'm also really enjoying the one that was recommended here a while back, Your Smile Is a Trap.

Bea I am trying to feel totally overwhelmed by all the BTS content, just when I think I've discovered all the different shows they've done I discover another one, last week I found out about BTS Episode and mentally totted up all the extra hours to watch. And they're on a break! I'm never going to keep up when they return!

Aesops that show does sound good. And it looks like the main cast aren't in their twenties/early thirties for a change. Added to the watch list!

Pol kdrama makes me so, so happy. It's good stuff.

Having said all that, we have visitors tonight so we will have to watch a film or something. I did get my mum to watch a bit of Hotel Del Luna once and she was very polite, but I'm not sure it was her thing sadly.

Musique I am going to start Lost In Translation tonight - I do love a good binge read! 100 eps or so woo-hoo!

pol I will have a go at a spreadsheet

Aesops Gah! that's Verge of Insanity AND My Only One added to my list.

@polkettle

That would be really useful for those of us who only paddle in the Webtoon shallows

I agree. Perhaps just stick to one sheet for the webtoons though.

Ahhhh I have ended up on BTS and Kdrama tiktok and its like crack. There actually is a therapist who posts on there about how she uses kdrama as a therapeutic tool for some clients!

I haven't delved into BTS tiktok. I already find bangtan interferes with kdrama and boring life very well!!
I think one of the first BTS YouTube spirals I went on was "BTS being good at things" . I was transfixed!!!
They have loads of songs for making you feel better when life is rubbish.
I did make DH and grown up DSS watch a lyric analysis of microkosmos on YouTube the other week, while I waxed lyrical about how lovely it is 😅

I have added a webtoons sheet. It is very basic, just the name of the toon, where you can read it, and a score. It is colour coded, so Green = Complete and Blue = Ongoing

While the Webtoons app is fairly family friendly & any darker themes (such as Money Game) tend to come with an advisory of such, Manta and Lezhin have a lot more adult/smut/wrist-grabby stuff . We can put what kind of manhwa it is in brackets if that helps eg fantasy, isekai, BL, adult etc or write a note

Someone else please add some as it looks like I do nothing else but watch dramas and read manhwa (I do, honest!)

I'm not going near tiktok, I know I will get addicted Larry. You have confirmed my suspicions :)

The Girl I discovered the tenuous link between BTS and B&S yesterday, two of my music worlds colliding.

I showed my primary age DC the dog training Run episode and they were transfixed. Did your DH and DSS have a similar reaction to Mikrokosmos?!

The Girl I discovered the tenuous link between BTS and B&S yesterday, two of my music worlds colliding.
@MusiqueAutomatique oh oh oh what????? Tell me about this!!!

DSS said "ah that's nice" 😂