MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #31): After a kdrama dry January, a bounteous February glut saw the carousing begin!

[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, AppleTV and Disney+. 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)

The Addicts’ Top Scoring 2021 Dramas
Courtesy of Hello’s kdrama spreadsheet, updated by thread regulars. Marks out of 10.

So, current rankings @ 21.15ish today:

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!

@JinBhoot after watching the livestreamed concert today I am now desperate to see them properly live too! I luffs them SO MUCH. It's quite embarrassing how much time I spend thinking about BTS.

It's like they were looking straight at me through the tv

Doh photso didn't attach

Aw great shot of Min Yoongi Larry ! And JK's button incident!!! He looks like a manhwa character in that shot!

I was very very lucky to be able to see the livestream too. I am seriously worried that the demand for tickets is going to be INSANE 😫

@LarryUnderwood

It's like they were looking straight at me through the tv

Definitely 😉

Button incidents seems to be quite frequent now 😆

It's terrible, @JinBhoot, I'm old enough to be their (teenage) mother

25/21 episode 9 was just completely and totally wonderful.

Briiick Snack shop mum being nice to Hee-do 😭😭😭 oh, that bit was so fabulous.

I also liked the equal opportunities wrist grabbing. Women can grab wrists too!

I am dejected about not being to watch any of the BTS livestreams or go to the cinema...today my visitors left at 10am by which time it had already been on for an hour so I reluctantly decided it wasn't worth it. Sigh. I am determined to watch Las Vegas though, even though the time is so much less convenient.

DH got a label printer (you can see why I married him - organisation is my kink) and naturally this was the first print.

@Metheven

sakura06 what can I say, I have a thing for dimples

Me too 😂

Andante good point. I'm not sure to be honest. It will be worth the extra flight time anyway! My in-laws used to regularly fly the route Far East-Europe avoiding Russia with baby/child DH during the Cold War.

@Andante57 🤞 you will be able to fly directly. inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/travel/russia-airspace-map-ban-eu-uk-airlines-closed-asia-routes-diversions-explained-1489534/amp

Sakura thank you for that link - that’s good news, though as you say even a long diversion would still be worth it.

Nice sticker(s) Briiiick!

Watching FLAW and I have had to replay Assistant Director Shin's anguished squeak as PMY's sister invades his flat several times as it amused me so much 😂

I am watching I'll Find You on a Beautiful Day, 2 episodes so far & loving it. Very hallmark Christmas movie vibes. FL moved from big city, ML runs an Indie bookshop… what not to love.
Perfect Sunday evening viewing to calm the Smonday blues.
I hope show wouldn’t be derailed with crazy plot twist.

@LarryUnderwood
I am on purpose restricting BTS as it can spiral out of control very easily. After all Jin & Suga are well within age appropriate Oppa range 😁

That sounds good Jin, I love a Hallmark Christmas movie.

How exciting that S Korea is becoming a holiday destination again! Any volunteers to look after Roland while we go 😜 Andante your holiday will be here in no time!

I'm still working my way through Snowdrop and FLAW. I think they're both brilliant. DH is very much ignoring any hints I make about watching a K drama together 😒

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

DH got a label printer (you can see why I married him - organisation is my kink) and naturally this was the first print.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick 😂😂😂 love the Bowl of Ramen label from Ponyo!!! (my fave ghibli movie... The food in Ghibli movies always look soooo yummy!!!!. DD2 has a permanent request that one day we should have a Howl's Breakfast...) what printer did he get.... just for research purposes you understand... I have a thermal printer but only does grainy black and white!!!!

@Bea the stickers were from RedBubble. The label printer is from amazon.

www.redbubble.com/shop/studio+ghibli+stickers

@FedUpWithBriiiiick 😂😂😂... I've just zoomed in!... It's a Dynamo!! Ohhh! The epic labelling of the 1980's is all coming back to me now! 😂😂😂
I thought the redbubble stickers were from the machine and thought... Wowser! That's a good label maker!!

I'm obsessed with a cricut machine! But that's just taking my need for labels and stickers a step too far!! 😂😁😁😱😱😱 Imagine all those Bangtan stickers I could make! 😱😱😱youtube.com/shorts/vFsqWZaVq64?feature=share

This looks interesting- I don’t have ki Michu so can’t try at the moment.

The 1999 beach fashion in 25/21 made me sooooo nostalgic 😍 I had the same style as Hee-do 😄

I loved the 90s fashion too. DS2 told me the opening credits were really cheesy - I explained they were deliberately so. I’m loving the recap of that period as we shifted from an analogue world to digital and mobile phones.

I fell asleep at 1am this AM. Now up to ep 7 of 25/21 and thank you for advising me to persevere as totally hooked now. Have watched the catastrophic gold medal scene in my lunch hour - how bloody annoying that was to view!😤

Gotta get back to work but finishing on the dot to pick up where I left off.

I'm struggling a bit with FLAW because the 2ML is such an insufferable wanker it is rage-inducing.

He's awful isn't he Briiiiick. I've just watched the latest episode, those two are the embodiment of the saying 'marry in haste, repent at leisure'. He really has no redeeming features, he's crap at his job, a crap son, a crap boyfriend and now a crap husband!

What was forecaster Um's wife doing too, trying to ruin what little father and daughter relationship they have? Also interfering mothers is one of my least favourite storylines of K dramas. Ka Hyung's mum was giving me the rage this episode.

Despite all that, I love the show 😄