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!

Also as it's a slice of life about "older" women with some of my faves in it I am uncritically DETERMINED to enjoy.

I dunno, maybe it will settle in, you're right, it was very info heavy for a first episode. I'm just finding the female characters a little unlikable at the mo.

Did like the hand drip coffee set up in Son Ye-jin's immaculate kitchen though. Wee nod?

@Bea

Sigh! Farewell Grr JCW... I fear he has gone for good! 😭😔😔😔

😭 sad but possibly true...

If anyone is looking for some truly amazing fashion inspiration f4 Thailand is a gold mine- Best so far was a tiger print shirt topped off with a full length leopard print coat. It was mentioned in a podcast and I watched it solely for the fashion choices.

I like their sweary, boozy, yes I'll have a go on that why not-ness.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick you are an evil wench I have now binge-read all available episodes of Semantic Error & bastard Manta only updates EVERY 10 DAYS!!😫 And Viki only has 2 episodes of the drama up (although there’s no way it’ll have the sexee timez the toon does)

@polkettle your degrees of separation to Nora Ephron is just pure class and just shows how kdrama can make the world smaller and more fun

Discovered some Seville oranges at the back of the salad drawer so now making marmalade while watching Why Women Love. It’s a quick cheats recipe I call Gladys Knight Marmalade (‘cos it’s full of pips oh I’m so funny)

I’ve just yelled up the stairs to DH to go get milk because he hasn’t bothered, even though I asked nicely several hours ago and we should only leave the house tomorrow for emergencies. 💨💨💨💨

I hope Thirty-Nine picks up tonight. It will be a tragic waste of a good cast if it’s all awkward and weird. So far Son Ye Jin’s eonni is the most likeable character.

@boatyardblues

I’ve just yelled up the stairs to DH to go get milk because he hasn’t bothered, even though I asked nicely several hours ago and we should only leave the house tomorrow for emergencies. 💨💨💨💨

I hope Thirty-Nine picks up tonight. It will be a tragic waste of a good cast if it’s all awkward and weird. So far Son Ye Jin’s eonni is the most likeable character.

Mmmmmmm

Does anyone know the name of the kdrama about a selected group of celebs going on an entertainment show and they flew by plane which caught fire and they woken up on a beach on a deserted island. There were members of the group being found dead, leaving members accusing each of other of murder. I saw this series some 6-8 years ago and I managed it download it off the net. I'd loved it so much when there were extreme teary moments in it, especially when the melancholy violins came on!

Does anyone know of this - I think it was very well-received across the Asian countries?

PS. they all wore beige/buff-cream clothes.

@irridium

Does anyone know the name of the kdrama about a selected group of celebs going on an entertainment show and they flew by plane which caught fire and they woken up on a beach on a deserted island. There were members of the group being found dead, leaving members accusing each of other of murder. I saw this series some 6-8 years ago and I managed it download it off the net. I'd loved it so much when there were extreme teary moments in it, especially when the melancholy violins came on!

Does anyone know of this - I think it was very well-received across the Asian countries?

PS. they all wore beige/buff-cream clothes.

Hi, was it Missing 9? I haven't seen it but knew from your description of the beigeness 😂

asianwiki.com/Missing_Nine

I think it was Missing 9 too, with Jung Kyung Ho & PSJs fella as the baddie. I watched on dramabus which is no more.

🤦🏻‍♀️ Not PSJs fella, PSH’s fella whose name escapes me for the moment.
Autocorrect working overtime as had just watched PSJs Chanel ad 👀

@bettys

🤦🏻‍♀️ Not PSJs fella, PSH’s fella whose name escapes me for the moment. Autocorrect working overtime as had just watched PSJs Chanel ad 👀

Phew! I near shat there 😂

Hospital Playlist’s Insta account made some announcement today, which is totally lost in translation. Can anyone tell me what’s going on? Special episode? Season 3 or is it like director’s cut with commentary type thing?

There's going to be a special Blu-ray of seasons 1 and 2 with director and cast commentary (and maybe some cut scenes??) Jin

@bettys

I think it was Missing 9 too, with Jung Kyung Ho & PSJs fella as the baddie. I watched on dramabus which is no more.

Yes, you found the show!! I'm so pleased. Now need to find out how to find it again and rewatch it! I think it was one of the first Kdramas that made me cry sosoo much! (well, there's another one called Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo which is probably the worst one for wet moments! It's always the music that does it for me!

Any series can anyone recommend to me, please? I'm only on Netflix and Amazon - sorry.

I also like crime and thrillers too. (Love Forgotten, such a twister of a film!)

@irridium Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo is one of my all-time favourites too. Have you seen all the dramas at the head if the thread in the recommended list?

Today has felt a bit like Forecasting Love and Weather for me, as a weather warning has made me do an unplanned drive back home, after a very brief visit to the Midlands. I bet Song Kang didn't visit a trampoline park though.

Home made marmalade is the absolute best Bettys, with or without pips!

That's a lovely __ degrees of separation there Pol.
Heartburn shattered me into tiny little pieces the first time I read it.

I'm trying to imagine how they'd do the orgasm scene from When Harry Met Sally if it were remade as a kdrama.

@MusiqueAutomatique

I'm trying to imagine how they'd do the orgasm scene from When Harry Met Sally if it were remade as a kdrama.

Do that scene on a weekend break to Japan? 😉

Hi @irridium! 👋 Have a gander at the recommendations in the OP & feel free to ask for a further steer if there’s a particular theme or vibe you are aiming for. 🙂

Thirty-Nine… Flippin’ ‘eck. Still, I was able to admire Son Ye Jin’s range tonight. Mr Peony is growing on me. I liked his drunken disclosure. The ineptness of his approach is quite endearing.

@bettys! 😂😂😂...

There was less cringing in ep 2 of 39
And I agree boaty that Mr Peony is improving.
I can't decide if the married bloke is a dick or not. I presume we will find out.