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!

Tharr she blows!!
(Korea's Foremost Sad Ahjumma Actress, 39)
I've watched Semantic Error and it's nothing much. Sadly they both keep their shirts on throughout and unconvincing chemistry. No SHALALA.

I've watched Semantic Error and it's nothing much. Sadly they both keep their shirts on throughout and unconvincing chemistry. No SHALALA

Plenty of SHALALA in the manwha, it’s positively 19 rated, not that I would know about such things 🙄

Meant to add a pic…….

Omo 👀

The St Paddy's day celebrations are underway in the FedUp house, and Mr Binn is in the middle of it all OF COURSE.

@polkettle check your DMs on IG

The St Paddy's day celebrations are underway in the FedUp house, and Mr Binn is in the middle of it all OF COURSE

We need pictures!! Shamrocks!! Guinness!! Everything dyed green! (Except Mr Binn)

I’m catching up on yesterday’s 39 after falling asleep on my first attempt. I find SYJ’s character really unlikeable - she’s such a drama llama (in MN parlance).

OK, the mugs have caught my eye in this episode. I love a bucket of tea and there are some very classy, capacious mugs being showcased right now. Sexy, stylish mugs, like all that sexy, stylish Korean knitwear. Phwooooar!

Ooh I love a lovely massive mug too boaty ☕

@polkettle

Tharr she blows!! (Korea's Foremost Sad Ahjumma Actress, 39) I've watched Semantic Error and it's nothing much. Sadly they both keep their shirts on throughout and unconvincing chemistry. No SHALALA.

I have reached Sad Ajumma’s dam bursting. Run Forrest, run! (She’s an Oscar-winning bawler. 👏👏👏)

Actually SYJ as another pro weeper (do you think she's contracted to break down every episode?) can take on the Sad Ahjumma workload in ten years time. Circle of Actress Life

I've just watched a YT channel that believes they have deciphered some of the plot for 2521. I cannot unsee it but if true it's a shocker!

Not found anything else to watch so stalking YT for ideas.

It seems that I am seriously missing out by not watching Vincenzo? According to MyDramaList comments. Going to get stuck into that this weekend.

I LOVED Vincenzo!!! Took me awhile... the shop keepers and community I found very irritating at first but it was one of those plot lies which allows a warmth and humour to come through and I throuroughly thoroughly enjoyed it (even though it's pretty lucicrous!!! ) ENJOY!

Aesops Me and DH were thinking of watching Vincenzo next. We normally watch more supernatural shows or the zombie ones together (he really liked Hotel del Luna and Kingdom) but we have enjoyed shows like Young Montalbano and The Sopranos so thought it might be worth a go.

The Soprano's is one of my all time favourite shows EVER. When DH and I had our twin girls that box set kept us both sane through the nights 😵‍💫

I'm on a bit of a go slow with the kdramas due to lack of time but I have a quiet weekend planned after an evening out tonight. I still haven't caught up with last week's FLAW!

In other news, Jungkook from BTS is watching Business Proposal as well as 25/21. He really needs to join our thread.

@AesopsMables & @Prestel go for Vincenzo, initially little boring but then there is plot twist & it picks up from there.

I wonder what will be JK effect on 25/21’s rating? Will it skew the viewers rating?

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ca9G1G1pAP9/?utmmedium=copyy_link

😂

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

[[https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ca9G1G1pAP9/?utm]]medium=copyy_link

🙌😂 Absolutely true!

I'm about to watch the final of Snowdrop 😬😬 will I need tissues? DH is out, I'm just waiting for DD to stop faffing, then I can watch in absolute peace 👏

No comment.

I have finished I'll Find You on a Beautiful Day, it was a solid 8 (7.5 now) till the story development in the final 2-3 episodes. Despite that I really enjoyed the drama.
It’s a slow pace simple story with not many twists. Set in a small countryside town. ML spent 40% of time brewing hot beverages 😂. Side characters are lovely. ML’s sister & friend are just adorable (They should have their own spin-off). Book club meetings were heart warming & I am now tempted to grill tangerines.

On no, 100 Days My Prince - the pretty assassin why did they do that to him? Why?

@boatyardblues

No comment.

I may have shed a tear 😢 Such a brilliant show 💗 I loved the dorm mistresses less severe outfit at the end, and Jung Hae In is amazing and bloody gorgeous! D.P next on the list for me.