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!

Oh Jin. It should be in your ‘I’m on’ threads. Can you C&P and repost here?

Right, we’re nearing the end of this thread 😱 Please post any additions or updates for the OP asap. 😄

Business Proposal is going to be a classic binger once it’s all uploaded. I wanted to watch ep 2 straight away. Damn those wily Korean screenwriters…

I'm enjoying Flaw (particularly the side characters - looking forward to the impending kimchi handover) but main dramatic tension is trying to work out how they're going to muster 10 more extreme but differentiated weather conditions.

@polkettle

I'm enjoying Flaw (particularly the side characters - looking forward to the impending kimchi handover) but main dramatic tension is trying to work out how they're going to muster 10 more extreme but differentiated weather conditions.

The fastidious meteorologist would have loved SKJ’s drip coffee in I’ll got you when yadayadayada but would likely disapprove of the chaotic book racks.

Please ignore all the typos above. One of those days.

I've just caught up on this weeks FLAW I'm really enjoying it, I definitely want an iced Latte too, but also the sunshine to go with it ☀️

I love the fastidious metrologists bachelor pad, and his fancy pj's and slippers. I wonder if he'll get tangled up Ha Kyung's chaotic sister in future episodes.

I think I'm going to wait for a few more episodes of Business Proposal to drop before I start watching. I feel like there hasn't been anything good to binge for a while.

Ooooo!!! Rubs hands in glee... Business Proposal looks like JUST the thing that will get me out of the clicking around diff kdramas...why oh why is there only one ep!!!!... Might wait until a few more drop... I'll start FLAW!!!!...

FLAW!!!! ... I think i might have to make my meteorologist dh watch so he can point out the inaccuracies!!!!

@Bea

FLAW!!!! ... I think i might have to make my meteorologist dh watch so he can point out the inaccuracies!!!!

Oh do Bea! That would be funny.

@Bea

FLAW!!!! ... I think i might have to make my meteorologist dh watch so he can point out the inaccuracies!!!!

Ooh, a real life fact checker 😁 I hope he confirms that it is exactly as they portray it in FLAW

He's never going to have felt so vindicated in the importance of his job Bea. Finally he gets to be the HERO.

Bea Im looking forward to a real life meteorologists input into FLAW 😁

Bea I want to hear a meteorologist's take on FLAW as well, make him watch it! I fully expect him to say that meteorology really is all stalking elegantly around in trouser suits and high heels in front of enormous screens.

I'm watching FLAW now in the car whilst I wait for a child to finish his activity.

I agree that the sister will get together with Mr Fastidious. I also love how the ex's lack of attention to detail at work is getting called out.

I would love a review from Mr Bea.

I’ve pointed a friend who competed at national level in fencing towards 25-21, though I did say not to rubbish it too much if the fencing aspect is awful as it might spoil my enjoyment of the story. 😄

Watching Coffee Prince for the first time. It's all a bit daft but very lovely and I wish I didn't have to work :(

Gasp. Is Mr Bea Tomasz Schafernaker, or even better... Michael Fish??

What platform can I read Business Proposal on?

@polkettle

What platform can I read Business Proposal on?

I think it's on Tapas, it's not a platform I've used before.

Anyone having Korean pancakes for dinner?
Just spotted a recipe on FB, I should have made those instead of boring crepes 🥞

Righto! Last orders for changes to the OP. I’m off to create the new thread shortly peeps. 🔔

Look what I found on Netflix, @polkettle and other "Koi" fans!

www.netflix.com/title/81171871?s=i&trkid=13747225

Has anyone else bought tickets at Cineworld for the global livestream of BTS’ upcoming live gig on 12 March? I’ll be there on my own bright & early at 8.45am on Saturday 12th. 🤣 DH and my kids think I’m bonkers. I told DH that it’s vital research to determine whether I’m ARMY enough to battle it out for UK tickets when they announce their European tour dates.

Ooh FedUp ! I'll be watching that with my face. And dancing along obviously...
Thanks for Tapas tip off too - already stuck in.

Ahoy me hearties! New thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/telly_addicts/4494425-MsLatt-s-Daebak-Cybercaf-Kdrama-addicts-31-After-a-kdrama-dry-January-a-bounteous-February-glut-saw-the-carousing-begin?watched=1

You know the drill - finish this one up so no Addict is left behind, talking to themself in a recently vacated thread. 🙂

Filling up the thread! Filling up the thread! We will do our best! Filling up the thread!