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!

Ending Again is rather good! It came out as a webdrama in 2020 so is listed on the spreadsheet there if you want to score it 👍

I've spent the whole day totes emosh in China with Because of Love. Totally totally gripped. Fantastic nuanced acting and beautifully shot too. Definitely tissues required territory though.

Good work FedUp #Proud.
Before I went to China I did stop off in Japan this morning for first episode of 60 minutes before first Love Affair which basically seems a similar deal to Would You Like A Cup of Coffee but with sex rather than Americanos. Because it's Japanese.

I'm about to have another go at the final episode of Our Beloved Summer now that I am sober.

My social life has been getting in the way of my kdrama viewing so I haven't watched anything since friday. The birthday party last night was great but I overdid the drink and had a bit of a hangover this morning, the first in ages. I dealt with it by taking the children shoe shopping (gah) and then we had a family lunch at a korean restaurant and very nice it was too. I had a tofu jjigae which was nice and light. I was hoping for some korean dessert but sadly nothing doing. I will have to try to make my own hotteok I think.

The escape room and the artificially flavoured soju both sound a bit stressful Rowdy, I hope the headache has worn off as the day has gone on.

Jinbhoot thanks for the recommendation, I find my attention span is lessening these days so 15 minutes per episode sounds perfect.

Briiick well done for taking the hit!

Fucking hell baby jeebus and all the saints, that was the worst thing I've ever seen. And I'm well known for being generous with scores.

0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ zeros across the board.

THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE SEX. WHAT WAS THE POINT?!

🤣🤣🤣 thanks for watching so we didn't have to!!

😂 God's own work you've done for us there. Gold star 🌟

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE SEX. WHAT WAS THE POINT?!

That’s true service to your fellow addicts. 🎖 Thank you so very much. 🙏

Happy news at my end. I can get into the spreadsheet AND ADD MY OWN SCORES on my laptop. 🎉 I can start adding my comments too. I don’t know why it’s gone awful on my phone but it has. I should have fired it up on my laptop sooner.

A review of the 1-10 scoring on the intro sheet might be in order as the scores currently assume skipping to the end. My approach is to ghost the drama and leave it unfinished, so I think an and/or clarification is required to the lower scoring descriptions.

Ending Again was a delightful amuse bouche. I’m pinned under the cat right now but I’ll score it favourably tomorrow.

Trying to use Google Sheets on iOS is like wrestling with a pig. You both get covered in shit, but only one of you likes it.

I've had a marathon weekend of viewing. Finished marriage contract.
It went on a bit towards the end but overall it was a 👍🏽 with a sensible ending.

I'm going to switch genres next and try Red Sleeve. I don't see too many fighting scenes and the trailers are funny.

Trying to use Google Sheets on iOS is like wrestling with a pig. You both get covered in shit, but only one of you likes it.

I may have to steal this analogy and pretend it is my own 😂😂

Finished All Of Us Are Dead. A very capable and at times inventive zombie drama. Could have done with more scenes of the detective, and I marked it down a bit as there were a couple of parts that jarred (and quite honestly there wasn't enough Gong Yoo, Ju Jihoon or PHS, well they weren't in it at all but ykwim)

Episode 2 of 60 minutes before First Love Affair probably not really a breakfast watch 👀 🍆🍑 (and boob technique is 😂) but sweet.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZY-zF7sUAH/?utmmedium=sharee_sheet

I'm a rich snotty chaebol, who has to move to a seaside village, but then I am forced to enter a contract relationship, just as I realise theirs a secret around my birth.

I'd watch that show...

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

[[https://www.instagram.com/p/CZY-zF7sUAH/?utm]]medium=sharee_sheet

I'm a rich snotty chaebol, who has to move to a seaside village, but then I am forced to enter a contract relationship, just as I realise theirs a secret around my birth.

I'd watch that show...

As I am struck with a sudden amnesia (green colour), I can’t remember my answers 😂😂😂😂

Thank you Fedup for your services.

Who else was watching Cupid’s Kitchen?
All episodes are on YouTube & I have watched the full show.
It wasn’t great yet I stayed with it as there was nothing else to watch. (There is plenty but these days nothing is appealing).

FL did briefly became less annoying (in couple of episodes). Ending was quite pointless & seemed incomplete.

I have been to Jland, now in Cland. Hopefully Thirty Nine will pull me back to Kland.

I was watching Cupids Kitchen Jin, but it's a bit shite, so I gave up.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

[[https://www.instagram.com/p/CZY-zF7sUAH/?utm]]medium=sharee_sheet

I'm a rich snotty chaebol, who has to move to a seaside village, but then I am forced to enter a contract relationship, just as I realise theirs a secret around my birth.

I'd watch that show...

I'm a reporter hiding a deep trauma who moves to a seaside village. Maybe it's the same village Briiiiick and we can share a bottle of wine 🍷😁

I'm an immortal also in that seaside village (funny how we all went for the same drink...) and struggling with a paper cut so can one of you pop round with some ointment and give it a blow please?

On my way with ointment and wine!

I am without drama! What shall I watch, I have a huge pile of laundry to fold and need something easy to watch whilst I do it!

Okay, I've started Just Between Lovers, please don't tell me it should be on the shit list 🙏