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!

A BTS x B&S link??? What sorcery is this??

The Girl like I said, it is a tenuous link, but it mad me smile anyway. ARCADES, who co-wrote and produced Microkosmos amongst other songs are a duo from the UK. Matt from ARCADES was in an indie punk band signed to the hallowed Jeepster records, who also released all of the classic B&S
EPs and LPs. I think B&S had already left for Matador by the time Parka signed to Jeepster but I don't care, it's a link between two bands I love and it tickled me immensely.

We've had to watch Death in Paradise tonight. Tropes a go go but where's the soju? I miss Korea.

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

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 😅

00:00 o'clock! 😭😭... Makes me cry and feel better but cry as well! Magic Shop... Makes me cry Spring Day... Is THE song They all make me cry! 2!3!...😭😢

Microkosmos 😥😢😭😟😱😭😂 always bitter sweet as it was the last song at Wembley and I was dragged out by my sensible non army friend as we were going to miss our train home if I waited till the absolute end! 😭😭

I could go on and on! All the songs are just lyrically beautiful and tie that in with their back story and subsequent success! You couldn't make it up! It's fab! 😍😁

Pink cardi girl and mullet boy in All of us are Dead! Their attituded are far scarier than the zombies! 😱

Ahh Bea you were absolutely my turning point from knowing they exist to complete obsession 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

Ahh Bea you were absolutely my turning point from knowing they exist to complete obsession 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

I'm always recruiting!! 💜💜💜💜😍

... And if I'm going to Purple Hell! You're all coming with me! (except to concerts! It's every ARMY for themselves when that happens!! 😱😁😂😂😂💜💜💜)

Oh my god, I'll need to take a day off work if I need to buy actual concert tickets 😵

.. I need to train to get my stamina up! Copious all night kdrama watching is part of the training regime! 👍

So when they next play the UK we're all going right? I'll get freelance DH to sit at home and buy my tickets.

I can't remember who it was on this thread but it was in early December when the subject of recognising individual BTS members came up that pulled me in. Just one video...then another and another...

I would love if we can have a thread BTS concert trip 😍😍😍😍

If we can get tickets I'm in!

😂😂😂😱... Tickets are like gold dust! It's the hunger games!

@MusiqueAutomatique ooh excellent tenuous link ❤️❤️❤️

Bea I am trying not to get my hopes up, I am expecting disappointment. All I can say is fingers (and toes) crossed!

I was all set to fight it out for London tickets in early 2020 when the COVID axe fell. I had persuaded my SIL to come with me purely on “global phenomenon” grounds and everything. Bloody pandemic!

Just binge watched Reset and really like it. Different standard to other cdramas I've watched.

DH spotted Lee Min Ho in adverts at Gatwick which we were excited about.

I don't think I should start down the BTS rabbit-hole... I already dream about retiring early to spend all day watching K drama 😳

Finished BTIMFL. Loved the more grown-up themes and how it dealt with sexual harassment and crushing societal expectations. I was a bit disappointed by the last two episodes overall though. Also desperately wanted Ho-rang to dump Won-Seok. DH loved the fact that the men were all fairly ordinary looking for a change (and the women were all stunning) 😆

I've said it before and I'll say it again, LMH is lying about his age.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

I've said it before and I'll say it again, LMH is lying about his age.

Yes! You've hit the nail on the head. He's like an old face wearing a young face laid over the top

😂 How old do you think he is Briiiiick? I do think he's had some work done to try and look younger, but it hasn't worked 😬

I don't think I should start down the BTS rabbit-hole... I already dream about retiring early to spend all day watching K drama

Oh my word, something to aspire to!

@Rowdythree

😂 How old do you think he is Briiiiick? I do think he's had some work done to try and look younger, but it hasn't worked 😬

He says he's 34. He's 39 if he's a day.

Speak of the devil!!! www.soompi.com/article/1510327wpp/pachinko-gives-first-glimpse-at-emotional-journey-featuring-lee-min-ho-kim-min-ha-and-youn-yuh-jung

That's is going to be one depressing show, but I can't wait!!!

Ohhh LMH is Koh Hansu in it!!! That's a brave choice...