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!

Spent large parts of my Sunday delighting over Hospital Playlist Goes Camping in between lovely squishes with toddler niece and baby nephew. Red wine closes off the perfect Sunday 😁

Snowdrop did not have a Bea-friendly ending but everything was neatly and satisfactorily concluded. I have a couple of niggles about the final showdown but in all a very solid 8 or 9. The leads were terrific and there were some standout supporting roles. Yoon Se Ah was outstanding as Director Pi and Jang Seung Jo and Jung Eugene were also great as the SK agents. Jang Seung Jo looked knackered by the end, but his wife had baby #2 on New Year’s Eve 2021 so I’m guessing he was combining a punishing filming schedule for Snowdrop with full-on home stuff with his missus and their toddler.

Did anyone else google "Just how bad can hail get in Korea?" after watching Forecasting Love and Weather?

I was expecting the hail to burst the dam next in the montage scene!

I enjoyed it though, and hearing episode 2 is even better makes me want to keep on going.

It's all gone wrong on Coffee Prince and Eun chan is crying and crying. It's a bit exhausting but I'm hoping for happier news in episode 13.

Briiick that sounds like a delightful way to spend a Sunday

Ahhhh good work FedUp. And don't miss Three meals a day: Doctors/Wise Mountain Village Life over at Olga's. Really truly delightful viewing.

I’m watching the first episode of FLAW and just saw the most fantastic umbrella in the commuter scene. I want one just the same!

It was like the black & rainbow one here, but some of the other designs on this site are even lovelier:

www.brolliesgalore.co.uk/ladies-double-canopy-umbrellas-c102x2585547

Yoon Park is a pretty versatile actor. He’s a top notch cad in FLAW.

@boatyardblues

Yoon Park is a pretty versatile actor. He’s a top notch cad in FLAW.

Oh yes he's a despicable bastard isn't he?

I've watched the first two episodes of 25 , 21 and FLW today. I've really enjoyed both of them. Love how you get to learn some random stuff via what ever you are watching. So now I know a bit more about weather forecasting and fencing 😂

@MusiqueAutomatique

Did anyone else google "Just how bad can hail get in Korea?" after watching Forecasting Love and Weather?

I was expecting the hail to burst the dam next in the montage scene!

I enjoyed it though, and hearing episode 2 is even better makes me want to keep on going.

It's all gone wrong on Coffee Prince and Eun chan is crying and crying. It's a bit exhausting but I'm hoping for happier news in episode 13.

Briiick that sounds like a delightful way to spend a Sunday

Yes extremely concerning hail that shatters your windscreen IMMEDIATELY ON IMPACT 😱

Just realised Stunt man ex husband from Once Again and Head of the king's guards in the Red Sleeve is the cook in the bar in FLW

I thought that aeroplane windows were extra strong to cope with massive hail 🤷‍♀️

Yes extremely concerning hail that shatters your windscreen IMMEDIATELY ON IMPACT

I can’t speak for aircraft but I was annoyed about windscreens always breaking so easily in US TV series so I did a little digging. They don’t use the same kind of laminated safety glass that we do in the UK/Europe. It was a while ago, mind, so things may have changed.

I’m enjoying the FLAW vibe. I feel stupid for not spotting that the weather reporter at HQ regularly was the same anti-camping reporter that Song Kang was trying to win over.

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

Just realised Stunt man ex husband from Once Again and Head of the king's guards in the Red Sleeve is the cook in the bar in FLW

Yes, my heart sank. I hope he is seldom seen. That scene as a one-off cameo would be even better. 🤬

Hahaha. I just cackled when Song Kang told PMY his temporary assignment had been extended. 👍 for FLAW. PMY and SK are perfectly cast in this.

I’m enjoying the FLAW vibe. I feel stupid for not spotting that the weather reporter at HQ regularly was the same anti-camping reporter that Song Kang was trying to win over.

Boaty DH was also struggling with the same person wearing different clothes, it wasn't just you!

Yoon Park was a lecherously slimy wrong 'un in My Shy Boss too.

Once again I find myself baffled by The Netizens. Start Up is an (enjoyably) average show in many ways but the one person who is GREAT in it is Nam Joo-Hyuk. I thought he was supposed to be terribly outshone by Kim Seo-Hoon and he's so not. Really like his character development.

Losing my mind over new Insta updates of Hospital Playlist cast in scrubs with current haircuts. WHY? I mean it's not going to be a Season 3 announcement but please please please be a Season 3 announcement...

I suspect it's for some kind of meta cameo in Ghost Doctor but haven't watched any so don't know how likely that is.

@polkettle

Losing my mind over new Insta updates of Hospital Playlist cast in scrubs with current haircuts. WHY? I mean it's not going to be a Season 3 announcement but please please please be a Season 3 announcement...

OMO I would DIE!! 😍😍😍

It's probably for a cameo or advertisement or something stupid

Where where … let me check? What do I search?
OMG OMG

@JinBhoot

Where where … let me check? What do I search? OMG OMG

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ83wCpiKy/?utmmmedium=copylink

🥰🥰🥰

Awwww 💞💞💞 Right back atcha Valentine. I'd bring abalone porridge to your door when you had a cold and let you rest your head on my shoulder during long bus journeys.