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!

Bloody webtoons! I had to buy more ink too.

The Positively Yours webtoon has been quite shocking in that pregnancy outside of marriage could see a young female teacher hauled through a disciplinary and potentially lose her job for the equivalent of loose morals. Also the amount of judgy unpleasantness by her colleagues. Sexist much?

I tell you boaty webtoons are bloody addictive!!
No wonder do many

Oops should read no wonder so many are made in to dramas.

They have their own set of tropes and stylistic references and have converted me into finding chibis cute. The contract marriages/enemies to lovers /BL are still my favourites as ever but I’ve also got into fantasy/revenge reincarnation/transmigration toons as well. I now have 4 apps on my phone and a very very long list of ones on the go to keep track of what I’m reading.

Really enjoyed the first episode of Pachinko - love love love the title sequence! I don’t think I’ve watched anything so cinematic in appeal since Mr Sunshine . Good review from The Guardian

Looking forward to Pachinko! Glad people are enjoying it. I was ridiculously excited to turn to a huge photo from it in the paper's TV section. We have had visitors so haven't been able to start it yet.

Pachinko... No Apple TV! 😭😭😭😭

I'm sure Olga will have Pachinko on......

I love Ji-Woong’s 90s outfit near the beginning of ep 13 (party). Happy days!

My weekly 25/21 heart-eyes explosion
💣💥 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
wavering! mittens! fishbread! snow!
NOW DON'T YOU GO BREAKING MY HEART IN LAST 3 EPISODES.

Same Pol. DH brought me a cuppa half way through and I told him it is my most heart-warming hour of the week.

I see Bonkerton is back. 😂 It might just the counterbalance something as innocent as 25/21 needs.

PMY’s scene in the rain with Song Kang near the start of FLAW of ep 13 is ridiculous. Why stand in that rain when there's a perfectly good, dry undercroft barely 6 feet away? Madness!

Business Proposal... 😍😍😍😍😍... thought i was going to go slow... but i've binged all afternoon... it's been bliss... not watched the last ep available as i'm taking dd out to the cinema!!!! Grrrrr!!!! Parental duties.... though going to watch anime Belle... so I'm swapping korean for japanese!.....

Penguin-gate! 😂🤣😂

@boatyardblues

I see Bonkerton is back. 😂 It might just the counterbalance something as innocent as 25/21 needs.

I read a review in the paper that said there is a distinct lack of sex in this series 😱 Also, no Rége-Jean Page!!

25/21 was wonderful again. I made DH rewind so we could watch the last scene again. 🥰 Min-Chae scene; the car parking and the jealous note were all very funny.

I have made a serious error and booked to go away next Sunday. I will need to go on social media blackout for the finale. Instagram spoiled something in the latest episode. Gah!

Myung-Ju is a flippin’ saint. I would have skinned DH if I’d found him playing hooky with his friends in that scenario. 😡 She’s too good for him.

I'm having a bit of a time of it lately but the kdramas are seeing me through. I just want real life to have all the loose ends tied up in a nice big bow right now!

Business Proposal is making me curl up with joy, and I was up to date with FLAW until today. I hope it cheers up a bit. I did fall asleep twice in the same crucial bit in Business Proposal. After that third rewind I decided bed was the more sensible option. It's very bingeable Bea, I agree

25/21 from last weekend is on the cards for tonight so I can catch up with it.

We do have Apple TV but DH has gone off for the weekend so I won't start Pachinko until he gets back.

I’ve just watched ep 2 of Pachinko. It’s really, really good. There’s something about the languorous pacing, the slightly low-fi, grainy resolution of the 1920s SK scenes, the soundtrack and the time-switching that is bewitching. It’s drip-feeding details rather than painting the plot by numbers, so I feel drawn in. I read the book a while ago and can’t remember the detail, so it’s great to see it with fresh eyes. If it brings more people to kdrama, all good. It has managed to dodge the shiny-shiny Disney+ razmatazz of early Snowdrop to deliver something grown up and thoughtful. I’ll be interested to see how AppleTV vs Disney+ kdramas shake down. My early impression is that they are aiming for quite a different aesthetic and audience.

@MusiqueAutomatique when times are tough, your chingu are here. Hope things get better soon x

Watched first episode of Pachinko with DH. T'is excellent. The eyes meeting across the fish dock at the end was spot on. Also loved the credits.

@boatyardblues

I’ve just watched ep 2 of Pachinko. It’s really, really good. There’s something about the languorous pacing, the slightly low-fi, grainy resolution of the 1920s SK scenes, the soundtrack and the time-switching that is bewitching. It’s drip-feeding details rather than painting the plot by numbers, so I feel drawn in. I read the book a while ago and can’t remember the detail, so it’s great to see it with fresh eyes. If it brings more people to kdrama, all good. It has managed to dodge the shiny-shiny Disney+ razmatazz of early Snowdrop to deliver something grown up and thoughtful. I’ll be interested to see how AppleTV vs Disney+ kdramas shake down. My early impression is that they are aiming for quite a different aesthetic and audience.

This. 💯 this.

Musique - sorry to hear you are going through the mill right now. Fighting chingu!

Happy Mothers Day chingus x

Happy Mother’s Day to all mums & mum like figures. DS has made a tablet stand in DT class to enhance my Kdramas viewing 😂 I can now go hands free.