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!

Agree it's a wobbly line between "Don't judge others for what they're into" and "Join others in what they're into you prudes" but I didn't feel it crossed it FedUp. Leads seemed (cough) very well suited...

Apart from anything else TheGirl isn't Bae Doona just the coolest name ever?

I wish to register my disappointment that the only female intelligence service agent in Snowdrop is the one who loses her shit during the [redacted key event] and fails to follow orders. It’s such a sexist trope that women are all emotional and can’t hold it together like the chaps. 🙄

OK, now things have gone sideways and serious (ep 5 onwards) Snowdrop is much less silly and pretty gripping.

Oh bravo! A yahhing/hair-pulling ajumma catfight is brought to the masses. 🤣👏

@boatyardblues

OK, now things have gone sideways and serious (ep 5 onwards) Snowdrop is much less silly and pretty gripping.

This sounds similar to Youth of May, it starts off all very sweet and happy, until all of a sudden it isn't, and it gets very gripping and sad.

DH and I are still working our way through All of us are Dead, it hasn't gripped me like some of the other zombie ones

The closing music on each episode of Snowdrop is reminiscent of the sad choral tune in Chicago Typewriter. This has the same kind of poignant, doomed love air about it but it’s gripping nonetheless. Jung Hae In and her off PinkBlack are terrific in the lead roles.

The hall director is a fantastic character. The actress is great and I love her head to toe Edwardian widow get up.

You know, (and I've only watched less than one episode of Snowdrop so this might be a premature observation) for all the "disneyfication" of the traditional K-drama structure and look/feel, they haven't done a very good job in explaining the historical or cultural context of the story.

Ep 13 of Sharpshooter - a very awkward but quite sweet period related issue where the ML has to go and buy pads for the FL, he then comes to her rescue with a romantic jumper tie around the waist to protect her modesty 😆

@Rowdythree

Ep 13 of Sharpshooter - a very awkward but quite sweet period related issue where the ML has to go and buy pads for the FL, he then comes to her rescue with a romantic jumper tie around the waist to protect her modesty 😆

The cdrama chaps are great in a menstrual crisis. The kdrama fellas not so much, though the FLs in kdrama don’t seem to menstruate nearly as much so we can forgive them.

Does every Cdrama have a period scene? It was even a plot device in Reset. It is in GogoSquid as well.

I wondered if it was part of the state guidance of what all dramas must promote along with 'trust the police' and 'be the best at sports'

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

You know, (and I've only watched less than one episode of Snowdrop so this might be a premature observation) for all the "disneyfication" of the traditional K-drama structure and look/feel, they haven't done a very good job in explaining the historical or cultural context of the story.

I woke up at 3am to say this 😖

@BramblyHedge

I wondered if it was part of the state guidance of what all dramas must promote along with 'trust the police' and 'be the best at sports'

Maybe, support women when she's having menstrual pain, be a good citizen etc. That's no bad thing though!

I thought you were up having a late night with Mr Binn Briiiiick 😉

OK, I’m up to ep 8 of Snowdrop now and it’s getting really interesting and twisty. They’ve also massively dialled back the Hollywood. I’m starting think this is a Trojan horse. It’s getting progressively darker in tone and everyone’s getting more strung out. I’m interested to see where they are going with it. Also, Jung Hae In 😍 This man clearly spends a respectable amount of time in the gym. I am transfixed by his arms.

In theory at least the funding by Disney shouldn't influence the feel of the KDrama either way. Snowdrop still made and broadcast by JTBC team.

Haaa ... lots of new dramas coming up on Netflix, which is good as lately I've just been reading toons.

TODAY!!!!!
Forecasting Love and Weather - will Song Kang have chemistry with PMY? Do we care? We'll watch it anyway.

Twenty Five Twenty One - Kim Tae-Ri & Nam Joo Hyuk. KTR is fab in everything she does, let's hope NJH has a better shot with this than Start-Up and The Light In Your Eyes

14th - Fishbowl Wives JDrama so every opportunity for yer typical jdrama sexee timez

16th - Thirty-Nine Hoping for a rocking' BFF drama with her who has stolen Mr Binn

25th - Juvenile Justice - Can't believe she's 51 Kim Hye Soo

28th - Business Proposal - read this as a toon & thought it was perfect for a drama. Gorgeous leads, Kim Se-Jeong & Ann Hyo-Seop so should be fluffy perfect rom-com.

@bettys

Haaa ... lots of new dramas coming up on Netflix, which is good as lately I've just been reading toons.

TODAY!!!!!
Forecasting Love and Weather - will Song Kang have chemistry with PMY? Do we care? We'll watch it anyway.

Twenty Five Twenty One - Kim Tae-Ri & Nam Joo Hyuk. KTR is fab in everything she does, let's hope NJH has a better shot with this than Start-Up and The Light In Your Eyes

14th - Fishbowl Wives JDrama so every opportunity for yer typical jdrama sexee timez

16th - Thirty-Nine Hoping for a rocking' BFF drama with her who has stolen Mr Binn

25th - Juvenile Justice - Can't believe she's 51 Kim Hye Soo

28th - Business Proposal - read this as a toon & thought it was perfect for a drama. Gorgeous leads, Kim Se-Jeong & Ann Hyo-Seop so should be fluffy perfect rom-com.

A veritable treasure trove of upcoming goodies. Stellar work, Bet 👏

January was dry January on the kdrama front. Let the February carousing begin!

@polkettle

In theory at least the funding by Disney shouldn't influence the feel of the KDrama either way. Snowdrop still made and broadcast by JTBC team.

The OTT music could have been added post-production at the behest of Disney execs. In hindsight, the lavish sets at the start could have been a function of a mega budget and to set up/contrast with the ensuing darkness. It’s looking more like a standard kdrama now, though the girls’ dorm set is impressive. I wish my university accommodation had been as grand.

Please admire my new t-shirt 👕 DH and DS are just not as excited about it as I am ☺️

Ooooh I like very much The Girl!!🤩🤩

Is that from Bangtan Social Club?

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

Please admire my new t-shirt 👕 DH and DS are just not as excited about it as I am ☺️

That. Is. AWESOME!

It's from House of Pins, which is on Etsy. They mostly make really cute BTS themed pins and stickers but also this t-shirt.