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!

That's my kinda genre slide Leonardo 😁 I wholeheartedly approve and welcome! 👋

Welcome Leonardo!

Welcome Leonardo 👋
*
Bea* - I will take your guidance and stick with Vincenzo (after Business Proposal)

Conversation over lunch on Sunday in the Aesops house;

DD2- "Mum I'm having a break from dating DB as I want to focus on my career more"
Me- "that's a shame but as long as you are happy darling"
DD2- "I'm thinking of joining your trip to SK, would you mind?"
Me- "oh yes! I want you to meet a lovely Korean Doctor and marry him and move there and give me Korean grandchildren !"
DH- "Oh FFS you're watching way too much KDrama now🤦"

Yep. I've turned into That Woman. I should add she is a newly qualified Anaesthetist. It could happen right?!

Welcome aboard Leonardo! 👋

The last couple of weeks I’ve downed my WFH tools and cracked in Business Proposal before making dinner. I had to work on site today. With commute, regular evening appointment and cooking bloody meal when I get back it’ll be an age before I can sit down and watch it today. There might even be a living room telly tussle with DS as he’s midst boxset binge. Bah humbug!

Send her to work in one of the prestigious US teaching hospitals Aesops. If kdrama is to be believed, they are positively teeming with kdoctors honing their specialisms.

Send her to work in one of the prestigious US teaching hospitals Aesops. If kdrama is to be believed, they are positively teeming with kdoctors honing their specialisms.

I'm definitely going to look into that.

Yep. I've turned into That Woman. I should add she is a newly qualified Anaesthetist. It could happen right?

You must be very proud of her, Aesops.

Welcome Leonardo and say goodbye to any free time you once had. I've only been watching kdrama for a couple of months, but the house looks like a tip and my new mantra is "Just one more episode".

sakura06 that is hilarious, but |I suppose most Koreans hear the American accent more than a British one.

Has anyone managed to access Business Proposal episode 8 yet? It still hasn't dropped on my Netflix and I am gagging to watch it.

It dropped at 2.30 Metheven. I may have started watching it at 2.31...

polkettle WHAT? I have been looking since about that time, and it is not showing. Will check if I can see it on my laptop. Thanks.

@bettys

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.

Was there also at one point, a list of Oppa's not invited to the pub? Yoo ah In being one of them I believe 😆

I'm so far behind on all my dramas and this thread! I need a week off to catch up on everything

Welcome aboard Leonardo 👋

Aesops yes yes to your daughter & kdoctor then we can all be Aunties.

I have just watched this video of PSJ and a baaaaaaby 🥰🥰

fb.watch/bVVleNGzI8/

Rowdy I think you’re right about the not I it’s to the pub list! Opinion was divided on So Ji Sub and Jo Jung Suk as it was thought they’d be jamming with the pub band but Ji Sub got in on his broad shoulders for piggybacking.
Anyone too serious like Yoo Ah In was ruled out. Racehorse legs were ruled in.

I have just finished Business Proposal episode 8 and all l have to say is squeeeeee.

Oh, and plenty of dimples, I am very happy.

Ahh that baby/PSJ video is very cute bettys
Aesop's tell your very clever daughter she has to do it for the thread chingus 🤩

You must be very proud of your clever daughter, Aesops!

Now when you get over to SK, get her into a hospital as the rookie heart-of-gold doc who, after initially butting heads with a tsundere rich boy head of anaesthetics, falls in love when it's revealed he is the mystery donor paying for poor orphan children's surgery

I've even offered to pay for her flight...providing she stays for minimum of 3 months!
I'm not a 'clucky' mum at all, but yes v proud 🥲

Speeding through Business Proposal. Such fun 🤩

Welcome Leonardo! Have you seen Train to Busan, brilliant zombie movie. Have just finished a rewatcch and it's just as good second time around.

"Why do Korean zombies have to be so FAST. Darn these K-Zombies!" (No outtakes) making me laugh this morning.

Would Watch Aesops DD in FedUps drama 😍 Hoping for hilarious high jinx drugged up confession after she mistakenly trips up with the morphine and injects it into chaebol doc's bum.

And my initial KDrama enabler s-in-l has ALREADY scored a SK d-in-l. We are both rubbing our grabby Ahjumma hands in glee at thought of future baaaybeees

Morning! Thanks everyone for the warm welcome 😀

I started Black last night, quite enjoyed that.

I have seen Train to Busan Hawthornknitter, I loved it. I also enjoyed it's sequel Peninsula but didn't understand why after 4 years the zombies were in such good condition and not decomposed a la Walking Dead.

Can't wait for episode 9 of Business Proposal ❤️

Leonardo it would be remiss of me not to recommend my favourite Korean-zombie-political-thriller-sageuk-drama ^Kingdom.
^
"Genres? Where we're going we don't need genres..."

Definitely watch Kingdom if you enjoyed all the other zombie shows Leonardo there is also #Alive, a zombie movie on Netflix

Just spotted this new Lee Min Ki drama coming soon 🙌