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’d be up for a Korean (translated) book group, though I can’t 100% promise to complete all of the books. My reading activity has nosedived since I discovered kdrama. 😬 Maybe this is the kick up the backside that I need. 🤣

I just emitted an indeterminate noise when Song Kang moved in for that kiss with PMY at end of ep 4 of FLAW.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZqyJCwA8Jb/?utmmedium=copyy_link

Yup.

@boatyardblues

I’d be up for a Korean (translated) book group, though I can’t 100% promise to complete all of the books. My reading activity has nosedived since I discovered kdrama. 😬 Maybe this is the kick up the backside that I need. 🤣

Book club would be good! Like you Boaty my reading activity has nosedived. I don't know why, because I really enjoy it. I need a kick up the bum to get reading 📚

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

[[https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZqyJCwA8Jb/?utm]]medium=copyy_link

Yup.

Yep, I wonder who the UK equivalent would be for always being on the telly 🤔

💪 and national pride for the extravagant UK Met Office budget! FLAW
Park Yer Bum has made it out of the military with his hairdressing certification.

Yep, I wonder who the UK equivalent would be for always being on the telly 🤔

I saw a thread in AIBU or Chat this morning moaning about Keeley Hawes and Sheridan Smith being in EVERYTHING on TV, so you have a starting point for your list. 😄

Park Yer Bum has made it out of the military with his hairdressing certification.

More importantly, has his military service made him hotter or notter? On the Park Hyun Sik 🔥🔥🔥 to JCW 🥶🥶🥶 scale of post-military improvement where has Park Yer Bum landed?

Given he's been cutting everyone's hair I can't think he'll have beefed up that much? Although maybe his teeth will be a little less distractingly gleamy.

They all have to do the same basic training, no? And I remember reading one star (but can’t remember which one) saying it was great to not be on a perma-diet during their military service so they could eat proper meals. That may have been JCW.

I find Park Yer Bum to be excessively creepy.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

I find Park Yer Bum to be excessively creepy.

Same! He's not ML material in my opinion!

The dorm mistress in Snowdrop has a very Miss Hardbroom vibe about her.

The dorm mistress in Snowdrop has a very Miss Hardbroom vibe about her.

Where are you up to Rowdy? She was one of my favourite characters by the end, pure class and a fantastic performance.

I'm only on episode 3

Ah, still early days. 🤐

Yes, I just enjoyed the 80s disco 💃 it's still fun at the moment, but with a dangerous undercurrent 😬

I think Ji Soo is playing the FL brilliantly, I had no expectations of what she would be like, I know nothing of Black Pink but I think she's really good. Jung Hae In is just 😍, I don't think he looks 80s enough though, he needs a shell suit on 😆

Ah, if you’re up to open day you’ve seen JHI in his borrowed (yeah, right!) navy suit. (happy sigh) Savour the moment, but prepare yourself to be mesmerised by his toned arms.

boatyardblues Is there a list of abbreviations for the actors/actresses?

I'm trying to follow, but am getting mighty confused

Hi Metheven. But here goes for the main ones:

JHI = Jung Hae In
JCW = Ji Chang Wook
KJW = Kim Jae Wook
PMY = Park Min Young
LJS = Lee Jong Suk
Park Yer Bum = cheeky rehash of Park Bo Gum
SYJ = Son Ye Jin

Um, I can’t think of anyone else that is a frequent enough flyer to get their own abbreviation but I’m sure everyone else will jump in if I’ve forgotten anyone.

Thanks, boatyardblues that will save me a lot of googling.

I forgot pocket-sized adorable FL Park Bo-Young (PBY) of Strong Girl Bong Soon fame. To be honest, the context is often the giveaway. If we are discussing a particular show it’ll usually be one of the key characters & you can check the cast list, but it never hurts to ask. 😄

Another one to add to my list, thank you.

A few more to add to the glossary:

LMH = Lee Min-ho
LDW = Lee Dong-wook
PSJ = Park Seo-joon 😍
PSH = Park Shin-hye

I think LDW deserves a 😍 yoo

See, I knew I’d miss some.

@boatyardblues

See, I knew I’d miss some.

Truly disappointed in you Boaty 😁