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!

The relationship seemed much healthier and equitable than WWWSK (sorry might get flamed as know there is a lot of love for that!).

That was my view of WWWSK too. I’m not a fan.

Happy birthday for yesterday Sakura

I'm up to episode 7 on Snowdrop there were a few lighter moments to relieve some if the tension 😅 I'm firmly back on Jung Hae In's side again now! Kim Mi Gu who plays the second spy looks different in this, his face looks more chiseled. Has he been under the knife or just grown up? 🤔

I thought he looked slimmer and more toned Rowdy, which could explain the chiselled look.

Haha! Thank you Aesops and Rowdy.

Pleased to find agreement on WWWSK Boaty. Such uneven power dynamics!

Everyone drinking iced lattes in FLAW is making me crave one 🤤

Happy birthday Sakura! I loved Her Private Life too, but you are right about those last two episodes. Glad to know Pachinko the novel is a fast read.

I've not watched WWWSK yet, I am sure I'll get round to it one day but I've got too many dramas on at the moment.

I've been too busy having countryside walks, baking cakes and gardening to watch more than half an episode of FLAW but yes, I kind of fancy an iced latte too Briiiick. I wonder who was on the other end of the phone to Song Kang and his ex? The cheating ex-fiance is coming across worse and worse, a thoroughly unlikeable character.

Thanks Musique. I did have a week off which allowed me to finish Pachinko quite quickly but I've been rubbish at reading since I discovered K-drama so I was happy to be hooked by a book again!

Today’s FLAW and 25-21 were both really enjoyable and cheering.

I liked PMY’s reaction to meeting the reprobate father in FLAW. It was so unexpected and refreshing, totally unexpected.

Then the meet in the street/meal in 25-21 was brilliant. Again, a totally unexpected reaction from the additional guest - one that made me smile. Also, NJH phoning in his story from the grooming parlour was very funny. I just don’t understand why NJH isn’t Korea’s #1 male lead. He’s got such great acting range, he ticks all the boxes for looks and model stature, he usually has great rapport with his FLs. Is he a bit shy and dorky in real life?

Hopefully I'll be able to race through it too Sakura.

I think they spend most of their budget on reprographics in FLAW, the amount of paper floating around is staggering.

I liked PMY’s reaction to meeting the reprobate father in FLAW. It was so unexpected and refreshing, totally unexpected

Did I miss something? I didn't think we got to see her reply to the gambling dad

I was trying to avoid spoilers. I meant her conversation with Song Kang afterwards, over a meal.

Ah thanks boaty, I thought maybe I'd missed a chunk when I had to let the dog out..

He (dad) is a real scumbag. She is obvs a softie as she also helped cheating ex-fiancé when she should've kicked him in the shins again. And what's with the new wife's attitude??

I’m quite enjoying Yoon Park’s realisation that he really depended on PMY, that she was the brains driving his career success and that he’s made a terrible, terrible mistake. It’s funny that her colleagues have already clocked it and know who the real ideas person is.

just started Ghost Doctor... I'm in a real kdrama slump... hope this perks me up!

Can’t wait for Business Proposal starting today!

I was so looking forward to it that dinner will be later tonight as I am watching now. Not struck on Ahn Hyo Seop’s CEO cowlick even if it exposes his manly forehead. Give me floppy bangs any day.

AHS currently giving an asshat CEO performance in the WWWSK mould. I hope the FL whips him into shape quickly.

I have just watched the first episode of Business Proposal and it is looking quite promising.

Tall, rich, handsome, cold, emotionally stunted ML - tick.
Pretty, non rich, emotionally more open, slightly clumsy FL - tick.

I have only every binged kdrama before, so it will be interesting to watch only two episodes per week. Whether or not I will remember what has happened, remains to be seen. The old memory isn't what it was, unfortunately.

I want the chairman’s colourful dressing gown more than I want a date with the tall, rich, handsome, cold, emotionally stunted ML. 😆

That is a fab dressing gown boaty, fight you for it.

Sure, it’s definitely some yahhing and hairpulling. 💪

Omo!! I’m laughing so hard at the blind date where he calls her bluff.

Oh, hairpulling is a must. Go easy, eh?

I would love to have seen them actually get up to the room, though.

OMG OMG OMG
I posted a long reply today and can’t see it here …. Dang wast it posted on some random AIBU thread 🤦🏻‍♀️