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!

Ye gods if only I looked like PMY with a hangover 😫

Smudged eyeliner though Bettys. Shocking.

My heart swells more for 25/21 weekly. So good. SO good. Manages to be light, warm but also meaningful. Seung-wan and her mum today were spectacular.
I need I ❤️ Class 7/3 Pretty Boy merch

I’m chuckling at meticulous Asst Dir Shin and ditsy Tae-Kyung discussing the contract and penguin mating habits in the cafe. It shouldn’t work, but it kind of does. 😄

Oh so that's how you renegotiate royalties then. Good to know.

Yeah, you just need Asst Dir Shin batting for you Pol. 👍

I'm finding FLAW a little infuriating! On or off... Hide what they feel or pour it all out! Arrrrgghhhhhhh! And si woos awful awful dad and forecaster Um's miserable miserable wife (although I sort of get it!).. Put up or shut up!... What a change from lovely understanding timid Rat Wife in CLOY to misery sullen resentful Um Wife!

... I have VLIVE on phone whilst reading the live translations on my laptop! 😁👍

I reckon Seung-Wan (class president) will be a politician or judge, something important where she can stand up for the vulnerable etc, when we catch them all up in the here and now.

They all need a waggy finger and a cuff round the ears Bea. Honestly 🙄

I'm finding FLAW a little infuriating! On or off... Hide what they feel or pour it all out! Arrrrgghhhhhhh! And si woos awful awful dad and forecaster Um's miserable miserable wife (although I sort of get it!).. Put up or shut up!... What a change from lovely understanding timid Rat Wife in CLOY to misery sullen resentful Um Wife!

Exactly this!!! How are they going to drag it out for 4 more episodes?

I'm finding FLAW a little infuriating! On or off

Yes. Also was it the presence of Forecaster Um that prevented corridor creeping in Director Jin’s flat? After a racy beginning there’s been little passion
I agree about Forecaster Um’s wife - she was definitely more appealing as Man Bok’s OH.
Nonetheless I hope it works out for the Um family in the end.

I haven't had chance to watch this week's FLAW yet, I'm disappointed to hear how it's going. I agree Andante, it got off to a very racey start, but passions have definitely dampened since they decided to be in a relationship. They should have carried on as a drunk hookup 😁

I seem to have developed an almighty crush on Jung Hae In, he never really appealed to me before but I feel like I need to watch EVERYTHING that he is in! I'm really enjoying my rewatch of One Spring Night, it's been about 3 years since I first watched it. Coincidentally I was on holiday in Quebec when I watched it, so there are lots of thoughts of Quebec going on, such a beautiful place ❤️

Glad I'm not the only one re:FLAW! 😂😂

@Rowdythree... I love JHI in While You Were Sleeping! 😍

Whereas 21 25 is just so so so lovely, heartwarming and full of good honest drama plotting! No cheap tricks and absolutely love the Yu Rim and Hee Do relationship! 😂😂😂🥰🥰🥰

I'm glad I'm not the only one finding FLAW a bore. PMY not her usual sassy self, and there is more passion in the carpet moss I lifted in the garden yesterday than between them two...

I think PMYs last good role was Her Private Life. Can’t wait for Business Proposal tomorrow it’s the only one that’s ticking all the boxes for me at the moment as I have paused 25/21 until nearly all up

Rowdy - I really enjoyed JHI in Snowdrop. He’s intense and very buff in Prison Playbook. He’s also good in slow-burning romances like One Spring Night and A Piece of Your Mind.

I really hope that DH would have a conversation with me before serving divorce papers if he thought he’d seen something that looked dodgy. Forecaster Um’s wife is not at all sympathetically written.

And I have just finished this week’s 25-21. 🥰 Solid feel good loveliness. I have been pondering whether Baek Ye-Jin is more an ideal oppa or ideal son-in-law for your adult daughter. He would make a lovely husband but is he naughty enough to be a top oppa. I do love Nam Joo-Hyuk though. I don’t believe his racehorse legs are getting enough praise on the thread either. More frank NJH appreciation is needed.

I didn't realise he was in While You Were Sleeping! I started that a while a go, but only watched one episode... Omo I've got a lot of dramas to watch all of a sudden! Thanks folk! 🙌😀

Seung-wan is the absolute dogs proverbials in 25/21.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Seung-wan is the absolute dogs proverbials in 25/21.

Isn’t she just? There are so many great characters in 25/21.

Strangers From Hell what the hell is it with dentists?

@boatyardblues

And I have just finished this week’s 25-21. 🥰 Solid feel good loveliness. I have been pondering whether Baek Ye-Jin is more an ideal oppa or ideal son-in-law for your adult daughter. He would make a lovely husband but is he naughty enough to be a top oppa. I do love Nam Joo-Hyuk though. I don’t believe his racehorse legs are getting enough praise on the thread either. More frank NJH appreciation is needed.

Oi! I was 🥰🥰🥰 over NJH a few posts back! But! Yes! We don't talk about his Race Horse Legs... That's usually Seo Kang Joon or Toasty LJS! It's time NJH joined them in the Stables! 😂😂😂🥰👍

Ah Bea, yes I recall there was some love for NJH last week.

I started watching On the Verge of Insanity again earlier. Who knew the temperature tolerances of microchips could be so gripping? I love all the contextual colour in the work-based kdramas. Hot Stove League was fascinating for the same reason.

I've also just finished this week's 25/21
I'm enjoying it so much 😍
The bit with the band in ep 11 was ridiculously cute!! And Seung-wan and her mum were very kick ass.
NJH definitely has race horse legs and I love that Ji-woong can't stop raving about his body 🤣
The wardrobe department are definitely showcasing NJHs assets to the max. So many very well fitted shirts 😁

I thought the bit with the Frenchman in the hotel reception was brilliant. NJH’s reaction was fantastic.

The actor who plays Ji-woong is way younger than the rest of the cast, but he's really holding his own! Future star in the making.