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!

Metheven I am not that far into Goblin myself but I haven't seen any shower scenes yet, sorry. I think with the 880 year age gap the writer and director might be keeping a lid on the sexual tension

MusiqueAutomatique Ah, well, never mind, that is what my imagination is for!

@MusiqueAutomatique

Rowdy how's the IPA/pomegranate soju combo tasting?

It's quite nice, it tastes like a fruity beer, not unpleasant at all!

I can't settle on a programme 🙄 I keep flitting between shows, it's annoying.

boaty I watched Possessed a while back and thought it was good, and watched it all the way to the end. If you want a spoiler I put a note on my spreadsheet score (it's 2019)

I've gone back to Bong Soon, it never fails me ❤️

I feel a Bong Soon rewatch is needed. I’m warmer to PHS’ charms since Happiness. I wasn’t keen on the gangster hospital scenes and poo wine, but I can ffwd those bits on a rewatch.

I also adore Park Bo Young.

@bettys

boaty I watched Possessed a while back and thought it was good, and watched it all the way to the end. If you want a spoiler I put a note on my spreadsheet score (it's 2019)

This is good to hear. I’m not going to check your sheet but I have an inkling what the spoiler might be. It links to the tragic event in the ML’s young life and the main thread running through the plot.

Yes yes to a Bong Soon rewatch even though I HATE the ending.

Also will retwatch Weightlifting Fairy.

May be drunk. May have shat oneself on entering living room upon seeing extra visitor.

May be drunk. May have shat oneself on entering living room upon seeing extra visitor.

Just congratulate yourself on remembering to bring him home from the pub, especially if you are drunk. 👏

Just finished Gaduri Restaurant simple plot & 15mins- ish episodes
Scene where ML asks FL on a date is cute.
Includes a forced after-shower scene.

I am on Boaty shuffle & watching all the random crap-ish stuff these days. Which I usually don’t watch - it includes a bonkers CDrama Oh my Emperor & Cupid’s Kitchen

I have some nice dramas on to-watch list but I have developed aversion to decent stuff. It’s my escapism from office-life.

I might re-visit Yulje Medical Center to get back my grove back.

Briiiiick, I should also rewatch weightlifting fairy. The bit where she's drunk in a shopping trolley is so funny 😂 Mr Binn does like to startle you, but you do get used to him standing there en garde 😀

I don't like a lot of the endings of K dramas, I've decided. But I do like them being all tied up with no loose ends, so I'm not sure if it's possible to achieve a satisfactory ending, as well as finishing off the storyline of all the characters.

Boaty DH and I often reference faeces wine if we need something for an injury 😂

I'm in the middle of a SGBS ReWatch!! ... It's as sweet as ever... Yes! I fast forward the annoying gangster bits!
And a CLOY ReWatch... As mentioned before!
Nothing grabbing me at the moment!

A stand out for me is My Love From The Star where the ML showers wearing a towel

That was weird! Surely it would’ve been possible to angle the camera so only Do Min Jun’s top half was on view.
Unless on his planet everyone showers in a towel.

Still no one watched Reset? Just me ...

Still no one watched Reset? Just me

I started it on a boaty shuffle Brambly but ended up trying to finish Fly To You which I have got bored with now they’ve finally got together….. should I go back to it?

I think a little rewatch party is needed to cleanse the palette before the new season TV starts this month 👍

I'm going to do Reset this week Brambly.
Really recommend book Love in the Big City by Sang Young Park. Touching, funny and raw stories about a gay man in Seoul.

@Andante57

A stand out for me is My Love From The Star where the ML showers wearing a towel

That was weird! Surely it would’ve been possible to angle the camera so only Do Min Jun’s top half was on view.
Unless on his planet everyone showers in a towel.

Andante I agree! It's what every other shower scene manages to do and is a lot more believable than a man standing in a shower with a sopping wet towel round his waist.

You could be right, it could be a interplanetary cultural difference

Briiick I hope the head is ok today and you have got used to your new family member in your peripheral vision.

Rowdy that is good that the odd soju is ok diluted. It would be a terrible waste of alcohol otherwise.

I'm still at the stage where there is so much new stuff I want to watch that I don't want to do re-watches yet. However, I am also reluctant to start new shows and am also flitting about a bit.

I was looking forward to watching Soundtrack #1, the new one with Park Hyung-sik and Han So-hee, but it is on Disney plus which we don't have. It's only four episodes so I'm not sure if it's worth it really.

Thanks for the book recomendation Pol, added to my list.

I was looking forward to watching Soundtrack #1, the new one with Park Hyung-sik and Han So-hee, but it is on Disney plus which we don't have. It's only four episodes so I'm not sure if it's worth it really.

We have Disney+. I’ll watch this & report back. Adding it to my list now.

I’m watching best bits (event reels) of the last 2 days’ winter Olympics on iPlayer with DS1. We’ve watched a fair bit of speed skating this morning in homage to To Fly with You. I can’t recommend the short distance mixed relay final highly enough, about 8 mins of edge of the seat epic battle. There was some aggressive argy-bargy which led to a restart and several pile-ups/near misses. Like I say, gripping. DS is now actively searching up more of the speed skating. We watched the Russian woman in the purple costume (wonderful) and the pocket-sized 18 yo male Japanese skater (fantastic) in the team figure skating earlier this morning, but then DS wanted to watch the women’s snowboarding freestyle. Did I say how much I love the winter Olympics? Sorry kdrama, the Olympics is winning today.

Hello all.

A long time lurker here. I'm not entirely new to Kdrama, the first Korean language film I watched was The Host, which was quite a few years ago now, but I've definitely been watching more since we got Netflix and my DH stumbled across Strong Girl Bong Soon, which is still one of my favourites.

I've been enjoying this thread for a while and have been thinking of joining but never quite got round to it but when reading the discussion about the obligatory shower scenes today I had to pop on and ask if anyone's watched The K2. It's an action/thriller type thing with Ji Chang-wook. Sort of Die Hard meets Mission Impossible, with a car chase or fight scene in every episode including a fight scene that takes place in a communal shower. Ji Chang-wook takes on half a dozen men in a full-on brawl completely in the nip - pixellated for modesty, of course, but still! I thought I'd got to an age where I'd seen everything but apparently not.

Anyway, I hope you don't mind me joining your thread. I might not post often, but read regularly and appreciate all the viewing tips and banter.

Well I definitely drank far too much of the someak 😬 I woke up at about 6am, and took a revisit to Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life started at about episode 70 and fast forwarded to all the good bits 😂 I think I'll need a Sunday afternoon nap to recover!

I've started While You were Sleeping this morning, but I've got the final episode of The Red Sleeve to watch this afternoon 😬

Hello Prestel welcome to the thread, another Bong Soon fan, yay! I started The K2 a couple of years ago, but I couldn't get into it. I remember there being a lot of abs on display though 😆

Hi Prestel! 👋 As a long-time lurker you’ll know we are always happy to welcome new posters on to the thread. The more the merrier. 🙂

I need to do housework now, damn it. We have visitors next weekend and our pandemic housework slippage will take more than a morning to undo.

Hi Prestel I too am a newbie to this thread, and I must say people are very welcoming, and very funny.

I have now put The K2 on my (huge) list of things to watch, a fight in a communal shower sounds right up my street.

I have just started watching Goblin and I am well and truly hooked, it is so entertaining. Also, a very lovely range of knitwear - Gong Yoo does wear a turtleneck well.