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!

Oh dear - several hours already lost to Tapas and their 'Modern Romance' section - SO many chisel jawed, 8 packed, nipple-less CEOs in suits and out of them...

I must admit to having already read Positively Yours on a dodgy Olga Toon site and developed a crush on the ML but now I can read it on Tapas without the dodgy ads hurrah!

......but given that y'all are also reading webtoons why am I the only one on the webtoon spreadsheet ??? Come and add your scores and recommendations please

loving Positively Yours in a slightly queasy way. Okay, I'll do my part. Shall I put books on there too perhaps?

Cheers pol !! I think it would be great to have books too. Can either add them to the webtoons spreadsheet in a different colour, or we can make a new spreadsheet

I have started On the Verge of Sanity last night. Big mistake, it’s not an easy watch but still grabbing. I don’t want to watch it but I can’t stop either. Already planning to watch a little bit during the break.
What type of fluff I watch to counter the mood. It is my kind of show but lately I am avoiding serious stuff.
Why is it labeled comedy on Viki?

Jin there's a lot of exposition in the first episode so it's quite hard going, but it does get funnier. I am just loving Lee Sang Yeob's dastardly micro expressions. It's pure class in the line of Misaeng and very underrated.

I've put books on in red (some Japanese too) and added a note to help people gauge whether of interest or not but not scored them as such because it really depends what you're in the market for. Only going to add things I've finished and enjoyed anyway.

^I have started On the Verge of Sanity last night. Big mistake, it’s not an easy watch but still grabbing. I don’t want to watch it but I can’t stop either. Already planning to watch a little bit during the break.
What type of fluff I watch to counter the mood. It is my kind of show but lately I am avoiding serious stuff.
Why is it labeled comedy on Viki?^

Stick with it Jin it gets better and does have a smattering of funny scenes. I really enjoyed it and agree with Bettys, ML is fantastic in it. I started of thinking he was boring but as it progresses he becomes more and more heroic.

I haven't had chance to view anything new yet just skipping through waiting for a new gem.

That's great pol - I haven't read any books yet so it's good to have some pointers, plus a few more new webtoons which is grand.

Has anyone started Juvenile Justice? I think I may start that tonight.

I dipped into Abyss last night, which I abandoned half way through ep 6, for a Ahn Hyo Seop top up. I’ve forgotten the story but I was getting the sprawling plot/tosh vibe again. What a tragic waste of Park Bo Young and Ahn Hyo Seop! It is pleasing to look at though, so I let it wash over me for 30 mins.

@boatyardblues

I dipped into Abyss last night, which I abandoned half way through ep 6, for a Ahn Hyo Seop top up. I’ve forgotten the story but I was getting the sprawling plot/tosh vibe again. What a tragic waste of Park Bo Young and Ahn Hyo Seop! It is pleasing to look at though, so I let it wash over me for 30 mins.

I did the same with Abyss, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. Ahn Hyo Seop is a beautiful man though 😍

Thanks for adding the books to the spreadsheet Pol, I have been making a list of all the ones you've suggested, but it's good to have the notes added 😄 I'm still working through Pachinko, I only read at bedtime and can only manage a few pages before falling asleep!

@boatyardblues

I quailed at the price of the Cineworld ticket. DH shrugged and said I should just go. It’s easier to justify if you go alone.

Can’t you wear a face mask and black baseball cap Musique? 😄

You are right, I should channel Sung Deok-mi in Her Private Life and go incognito but like The Girl I have other stuff going on - it would be rude (if tempting) to leave my mother by herself looking after the children whilst I went off to watch BTS in the cinema. Plus it's £25 which is rather pricey, the inflation on the tickets is a bit crazy Rowdy!

On the subject, Bea if you buy the livestreamed concerts do you get to rewatch again later? You seem to be the expert in these matters :)

I finished ep 4 of FLAW - goodness me but the men in it aren't coming off well for the most part. I felt most sorry for Oh Myung-joo, the woman who could have been a director if it weren't for her going on maternity leave. Her husband is clearly incompetent but still wants to take that exam anyway, to the detriment of the rest of the family. As for Song Kang's father...

I don't think I'll manage much more kdrama this week, I was out last night watching actual live music and tonight I'm off to a book reading. Hopefully I can fit some in on Thursday and Friday. I really want to start Business Proposal but I'm not sure I have the time, boo.

Musique it's also possible (I have heard) to find unofficial and illegal streams of live streamed BTS concerts. Not that I would ever do such a thing 😎

Enjoying the funness of Business Proposal but hope the fake identity stuff wraps up soon. Makes my teeth itch a bit.

@MusiqueAutomatique the recent livestreamed concerts are not VOD (Video on Demand) but depending on what ticket you buy for the livestreamed... you can watch a "delayed viewing"... where it's streamed online at a given time and date... basically a repeat showing... 💜😊

Oh I am enjoying the Modern Romance section in Tapas far too much

Came across a fabulous line in 100 Days My Prince, which is set in olden days. The amnesiac Crown Prince who is living as a commoner has been discovered to be able to read and write. He is copying out books for money and he queries why one of them is called "Fifty Shades of Mr Grey".

Absolutely brilliant, made me actually laugh out loud.

Ooh! Pirates have just landed onNetflix. Kang Ha Neul all swash buckly in Ye Olde Joseon seafaring times

Metheven 100 Days My Prince is one of my all time faves. It has absolutely everything - a Crown Prince surrounded by danger, feisty FL, amnesia, face-blindness, plotting wispy beard courtiers, a hot assassin, love triangle, some excellent sword fights and some of the most stunning scenery of any kdrama I've ever seen. It's worth it for the bamboo forest alone.

Prestel the scenery is gorgeous, isn't it? I can't tell one plotting wispy bearded courtier from another, not sure who is a goody and who is a baddy, if I am honest!

I do like a feisty FL, can't bear the wet weekend ones. And yes, a very hot assassin.

It did take a few episode to get into it, but now I have, I think it is great.

@bettys

Ooh! Pirates have just landed onNetflix. Kang Ha Neul all swash buckly in Ye Olde Joseon seafaring times

Aaarrrrrrr!!!!!

I'm having a restorative gin now after surviving taking 9 ten year olds out for DSs bday 🤯
Can't decide whether to watch the Pirates film on Netflix or Military Prosecutor Doberman with Ahn Bo-hyun on Viki. The internet has informed me he definitely has his top off in the first episode 🤣

Ahn Bo Hyun has a top off pic on his Insta feed today. I looked at him and thought “nope, that’s a guy who spends far too much time at the gym, to the exclusion of everything else.” There is such a thing as too much. I say go with the pirates. Kang Ha-Neul seems like he has his abs-everything else ying-yang in balance.

Prestel I love your description of 100 Days My Prince. Face blindness does seem to be a common affliction in South Korea 😆

Thegirl enjoy your gin, it sounds like you deserve it! 🍸

Pirates sounds fun, I like a bit of swashbuckling!

I've started Hotel Del Luna after a recommendation from a friend. It completely passed me by when it was released. dh's hobby has stopped for a while now, so I'm not getting several evenings a week to myself anymore. now I have to fit my K drama viewing into little snippets of time throughout the day 😒

@Prestel

Metheven 100 Days My Prince is one of my all time faves. It has absolutely everything - a Crown Prince surrounded by danger, feisty FL, amnesia, face-blindness, plotting wispy beard courtiers, a hot assassin, love triangle, some excellent sword fights and some of the most stunning scenery of any kdrama I've ever seen. It's worth it for the bamboo forest alone.

Does it have FL dressed as a male & no one, I mean NO ONE recognises her? That’s the only thing I don’t like about sageuk.