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!

I’m leaning towards dick, Girl. He’s strung her along for years & didn’t respect her recent decision to pull away. Dick!

I LOVE Mr Peony and his refreshing and absolute straightforwardness and how it's played between them.
Mr Agent appears total red flag toxicity at the moment but there will be more to it than that won't there?
Strong identification with Jeon Mi-Do's eye make up ineptitude and loved the telephone scene too but seriously worried about their livers (obviously one liver status kind of irrelevant...) Also good to see a whole new ppl beer brand.
Once again medical confidentiality in SK is jaw droppingly cavalier.

Ah Heartburn Musique 💔😭

He's totally being a dick now, but I wondered if he'd done something supremely unselfish in the past.. or maybe the marriage was some form of nobel idiocy?? Or he's just a dick 😂

Oh yes! Massive, ridiculous no medical confidentiality scene 😱

Noble idiocy for sure but he is still a massive dick. They kind of both are. They kind of all are.

Dr. Cha's sister is the best character so far.

I'm absolutely furious about the unlawful disclosure of medical info. That has affected me more than the prognosis.

Sister is great.
Predict Mr Agent's wife has mental health issues which stop him leaving her (we've already seen her to be a careless NON-SHEET-STRAIGHTENING mother 😱) and he won't be sleeping with her. Some crisis will enable him to have passionate interlude with JMD.
I just love a healing drama.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Noble idiocy for sure but he is still a massive dick. They kind of both are. They kind of all are.

Dr. Cha's sister is the best character so far.

I'm absolutely furious about the unlawful disclosure of medical info. That has affected me more than the prognosis.

I agree with every point here.

Do that scene on a weekend break to Japan? 😉 yes, or get Netflix to make it, they are allowed to do anything!

Exciting day here. I tested positive for covid this morning and then our electricity and cellular networks have both been down for three or four hours.

I've located the wind up camping lantern and am busily downloading Thirty Nine and the other new one with Mr Bride of Habaek in (sorry, not with it enough to remember names) in case the Internet goes down again. I need something to do whilst I hide out in the attic from the rest of the family after all.

I hope you all escape this storm unscathed! we are down a fence panel so far

Oh no Musique hope you don't feel too poorly with it and you get enough downloaded to last you 😅

Hope you're back to every sort of full power soon Musique
In honour of approaching nuptials it's CLOY rewatch time for me.

Sorry to hear you have COVID Musique and all your tech/elec troubles. I hope things settle down quickly.

I met a friend earlier this week who texted me the following morning to tell me they’d just had a positive PCR result back. I’ve been feeling periodically over-hot today and have a new, sporadic tickly dry cough though I’m otherwise feeling fine. My LFTs are still coming up negative. The hot spells could equally be meno as my period has gone MIA. 🤷‍♀️ I’ll keep taking a daily LFT for a couple of days and hope for the best. If COVID nixes our half term plans to see the family we couldn’t see at Xmas I’ll be pretty pissed off.

We had some Eunice-related excitement here earlier. Everyone’s OK but there are a couple of crushed cars in the street that are now write-offs.

I’m very happy it’s wine & kdrama o’clock. 🎉 I wish FLAW was a Friday/Saturday show. That’s exactly what I’m in need of just now.

Boaty hope you are all ok!

Yes I too wish FLAW was weekend too.

Just heard a woman killed in her car about 300 yards up the road. Shocking.

Hope you don't feel too bad with covid MusiqueAutomatique and your electricity etc comes back soon.

Am down in Cornwall where we have had a Red weather warning, but it hasn't been too bad here actually, I was expecting worse. I think we have been quite lucky. Quite breezy, though!

Hope you feel better soon Musique.
Looking forward to a review of 39.

Oh polkettle that is awful, poor woman.

We are fine thanks FedUp. Thankfully no one was in the way when it happened.

Is it just me, or has this week felt incredibly long?

@MusiqueAutomatique

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.

I have marked some off on the list - thanks. It's great for this thread to continue for so long; shows there are dedicated fans of Kdrama et al all over. I enjoyed Crash Landing On You a few months back.

@MusiqueAutomatique sending you best wishes.l, I hope symptoms are mild.

@boatyardblues I am glad you all are ok.

We are in Amber but border of Red, very windy morning & afternoon.
DCs home as schools were closed today. We have spent morning by watching ours & neighbours’ fences falling.
Afternoon was dedicated to Big Jet TV’s live feed

Now I am about to start ep 10 of Why Women Love really enjoying whacky fashion - MLS shirts & FLs earrings .

@irridium hello 👋
Are you new on this thread? I don’t think I have seen you on previous threads.

I’ve just stumbled on a kfilm on Netflix called Miss Granny. It’s about an elderly woman bodyswapping into a 20 year old’s body. The trailer was so good I’m giving it a whirl. Five minutes in and I’ve already had a scene with thread wrong-uns’ fave Sung Dong Il and another with the lovely old man from Navillera. It’s also got the ML from When the Camelia Blooms. I will report back. 😄

Omo! Two pensioner halmeonis hairpulling, yahhing and a Glasgow kiss! 😱 That’s a first!

🤦‍♀️ The granny is the abeoji dancer’s wife from Navillera. This is golden!

Miss Granny is great fun, very uplifting. Look out for a little cameo at the end

[quote JinBhoot]@irridium hello 👋
Are you new on this thread? I don’t think I have seen you on previous threads.[/quote]
Yes, newbie here on this section. Great resource and support here!