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!

boatyardblues oh I really hope that happened. A perfect gent with perfect dimples.

Gosh am I the only one that thinks they had a drunken tumble in the sheets? That's what happens in the manhwa

TheGirl there may have been a list in the very early days of the thread...Gong Yoo has always been on it! an early discussion also included Him Off Black and So Ji Sub. There was also talk of which FLs we'd invite along for a Girls' Night Out.

@bettys

boatyardblues oh I really hope that happened. A perfect gent with perfect dimples.

Gosh am I the only one that thinks they had a drunken tumble in the sheets? That's what happens in the manhwa

Nooooooo, she was far too drunk. The fact she didn't remember anything makes me think nothing happened. If my daughter was that drunk I would hope a bloke would be a gent.

Metheven Oh absolutely ! I agree with you on that.

I notice that in both Business Proposal & FLAW where there is a drunken possible sex outcome they show the woman kissing the man first as if to suggest that she made the first move and that they were both drinking.

Gah sorry, not clear, I meant I agree I would always hope a bloke would be a gent

[quote bettys]Oooh and this is a favourite from Olga's

www.viki.com/tv/38384c-why-i-dress-up-for-love[/quote]
YEY!

bettys I shall look out for the drunken possible outcome sex with the woman kissing first in future dramas I watch.

Of course, if 2FL did end up in bed with 2ML, blimey, she would want to remember it, wouldn't she?

Well I think it's implied they're going for an action replay.....

And who can blame them?

@bettys

Metheven Oh absolutely ! I agree with you on that.

I notice that in both Business Proposal & FLAW where there is a drunken possible sex outcome they show the woman kissing the man first as if to suggest that she made the first move and that they were both drinking.

I notice this more and more where there is a power imbalance too, for example chaebol boss ML/more junior employee FL. It seems like they’ve clocked that a very persistent male holding all the cards pressing for more could look like coercion, so the woman has to yield willingly.

I wasn’t a fan of grabby MLs but I do mourn the wane of Korean contract marriage dramas. The Japanese and Chinese ones don’t get the tone quite right or mine the possibilities for humour. They’re usually played too straight for my taste. Even the naughty Japanese ones are a bit muted emotionally.

[quote FedUpWithBriiiiick]Look what's coming to VIKI! Get your dance moves ready!

www.viki.com/tv/38393c-the-full-time-wife-escapist[/quote]
I can do the whole dance now 💃😉

@Metheven

The ones I have heard speaking English do sound quite American, but I will forgive them that. There is a pub invite list?

This reminded me of when DH's landlady in Korea asked me why I (British) couldn't speak English properly like DH (American accent)! I was quite put out to be honest!

Just finished ep12 of 2521. It's so good 😊
Going to start Business Proposal* tonight as Vincenzo*^^ hasn't caught my full attention yet. Guess DP snoring throughout didn't really help 😟

If anyone needs a perfectly adequate chugs along CDrama to add to their weekly list I'm quite enjoying An Oath of Love. Features nerd poppet hero and least convincing cello player ever heroine.

Going to start Business Proposal^ tonight

Aesops you’ve got a treat in store.
I am going to London tonight and I suggested to dh that we watch the latest episode in synch - eg, me on my iPad and him at home on tv, and texting whenever we’ve got something important to say about it.
Dh says no let’s wait until tomorrow to watch it together when you’re home.
Oh dear, I’ve always found deferred gratification difficult and this evening will be a test of my (non existent) Will power.

Thanks Pol. I struggle to find good C Drama as they are sooo slow. My attention span is that of a gnat at the start of any show and I either need an immediate attention grabber or gentle prodding from you all to keep me focussed to discover the gems!
Take Vincenzo. Within the first 5 mins it showed similar scenes to both the opening of Cinema Paradisio and North By Northwest which just turned me off 😒

^Aesops you’ve got a treat in store.
I am going to London tonight and I suggested to dh that we watch the latest episode in synch - eg, me on my iPad and him at home on tv, and texting whenever we’ve got something important to say about it.
Dh says no let’s wait until tomorrow to watch it together when you’re home.
Oh dear, I’ve always found deferred gratification difficult and this evening will be a test of my (non existent) Will power.^

Lol, you're lucky your DH shared your enthusiasm 😀

Aesops I definitely couldn't categorise it as a "gem" 😁 More of a "that'll do-er". I don't mind the slowness as I quite like a predictable sweet natured plodder of a show as lunchtime/early morning company.

@AesopsMables

Thanks Pol. I struggle to find good C Drama as they are sooo slow. My attention span is that of a gnat at the start of any show and I either need an immediate attention grabber or gentle prodding from you all to keep me focussed to discover the gems! Take Vincenzo. Within the first 5 mins it showed similar scenes to both the opening of Cinema Paradisio and North By Northwest which just turned me off 😒

stick with it @aesops... around ep 4... it all kicks off... up till then i was finding all the characters hard to like and just plain silly!....but from 4 it all starts getting Goooooood!!!!!!

ahn hyo seop!!!... i didn't know he was Canadian... moved there when he was 6 and then lived there for 10 years!!! His english is very lovely!!! - just started Busness Proposal...top three watches at the moment..
1 - 2521 / 2- Busines Proposal / 3 - FLAW
Daily silly watch whilst eating breakfast - Young Lady and Gentleman

Hello! Newbie here whose world has been expanded greatly by Squid Game, which lead on to Hellbound and All of Us Are Dead. Feeling a change of genre was necessary I went for Crash Landing on You which I absolutely loved. I'm now enjoying Business Proposal 🙂

Welcome @LeonardoAcropolis there's plenty to watch!!! Ahhh... CLOY CLOY CLOY! One of the best ever!!!! Enjoy all the treats that are coming your way... you'll never watch proper telly again!

Thanks Bea my Netflix list is bursting with K drama (rubs hands).

@Bea

Welcome *@LeonardoAcropolis* there's plenty to watch!!! Ahhh... CLOY CLOY CLOY! One of the best ever!!!! Enjoy all the treats that are coming your way... you'll never watch proper telly again!

I’ll second that.

I’ve really enjoyed several of Park Ji Eun’s ( CLOY screenwriter) dramas - CLOY was the best but I also loved My Love from the Star and Legend of the Blue Sea.
The last episode of CLOY was in early 2020 - surely she’ll have something new coming out soon. Hope so, anyway.