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

Even Lee Min Ho is doing a bit of proper acting

LOL. The guy playing Solomon is definitely throwing LMH some shade in the acting stakes. Not difficult. The big rock by the laundry stream had more presence in those scenes. 😂

I'll say one thing. He canny draw maps for shit.

I’ve just got to Lord Sonnaught’s bathroom scene in Men of the Harem (webtoon). Hubba hubba ‘n’ all that, but I would not want to sit next to him on a long haul flight. You’d spend the whole time teetering on one buttock because his shoulders take up two seats. 😄

I need something fun to binge at the mo.
Boaty Have you seen Reply 1988? I thought it was fun and really enjoyable. The reviews are excellent also. It's considered a classic.

Sadly yes Aesops, I’ve watched the whole Reply series but something just like Reply would fit the bill.

Marriage contract and baked goods? I'm in.
www.soompi.com/article/1519230wpp/seo-bum-june-and-choi-ye-bin-form-a-marriage-contract-to-achieve-their-dreams-in-new-kbs-drama

Continuing to enjoy The Oath of Love which featured sharing hotel bedroom jeopardy fueled by a David Attenborough voiced chimp doc. Generally poor pickings on the fashion and interior decor front with the honourable exception of some inexplicable dog themed soft furnishings.

That looks quite good Pol!
Where will it be screened?

LM&D is even more bonkers in season 2.
Cheating husband's step mother who helped to bump off his father (her husband) has huge crush on her stepson. Now her husbands ghost has appeared to seek vengeance. Seeing a 60yr old woman flirting with her son is mesmerising in a creepy compulsive kind of way.
Basically it's about 3 men having affairs.
1, as above

1. Young husband just knocked up his older mistress

3, middle aged husband left his wife & kids for a celebrity. After his wife worked her fingers literally to the bone to get him through University/buy him a sports car and pays for everything. Bonkers, sexist and bloody addictive 🙃

@boatyardblues

Rowdy! 🤣 I had to re-read that cutting twice to make sense of it.

I can't stop laughing... it's just....🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯.... where do you start???????? cloning? false leg> ... for a horse?? sex slave?? 😅🤣😆

Solomon Guy is deeply unpleasant reading recent news!... www.vulture.com/2022/03/pachinko-star-jin-ha-apologizes-for-his-old-creepshot-tumblr.html

[quote Bea]Solomon Guy is deeply unpleasant reading recent news!... www.vulture.com/2022/03/pachinko-star-jin-ha-apologizes-for-his-old-creepshot-tumblr.html[/quote]
I was reading about this the other day, what a creepy mofo!

Had anyone who doesn't have Appletv managed to ahem... watch Pachinko anywhere yet?

I'm all caught up with FLAW, so happy for the penguin couple 🐧 Even after their night of passion Mr Fastidious still put on his freshly pressed Pyjamas 😂

Just pausing to pass comment on the wonky carpet tiles in the sit-com chaebol showdown in Business Proposal. 🤣 They’ve totally nailed the wonky set/bright lighting vibe.

@Rowdythree

I'm all caught up with FLAW, so happy for the penguin couple 🐧 Even after their night of passion Mr Fastidious still put on his freshly pressed Pyjamas 😂

I might just skip all the other bits and watch the penguin couple get together. The only compelling storyline in FLAW

ONLY 12 EPISODES?! Whyyyyyyyy?! 😭

@boatyardblues

Just pausing to pass comment on the wonky carpet tiles in the sit-com chaebol showdown in Business Proposal. 🤣 They’ve totally nailed the wonky set/bright lighting vibe.

I love love love the fake sitcom drama! It's soooo brilliant!

And considering I've just finished Young Lady and Gentleman... Spot on!... 😂😂
52 eps! (with a Liberal sprinkling of skippitydoohdahing along the way! Esp over the Amnesia storyline! 😖😖😖😩) it was a maddening hoot of a drama! Full on screechy hair pulling ajummas... Made my breakfasts very entertaining! It was ridiculous!... But I shall miss it! 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

So enjoying Business Proposal! Made a point of checking out the carpet tiles in the sit-com, I'd watch that in real life it's like Acorn Antiques

I've been watching FLAW on 1.5 speed and going back to normal speed for the penguin couple.

Meanwhile I am joyfully working my way through the The My Tyrant Boss Collection on Tapas with The Lady With A Mask . Now I want a limited edition Anne Shirley doll too

I'm 10 minutes into Business Proposal and I love it already... I wonder how late I'll stay up watching it tonight 🤔

We have come up north for my son's (very belated) graduation, and I have realised that where we are going tomorrow I can get some soju. So my question is, what flavour do I get and is it really strong? Cos quite frankly nowadays, two shots of vodka and I am on the floor.

I am watching episode 9 of Business Proposal and am loving it. Hopefully next week I can watch the last episodes with a drink of soju.

@Rowdythree

Dh just sent me this clip, if this isn't a plot of some crazy international movie I don't know what it is 😂

So many twists … I can’t predict what’s gonna happen

I prefer the classic flavour Metheven, the flavoured ones can taste a bit artificial to me. However, I do find it quite strong, but I'm a bit of a light weight these days.

Enjoy the graduation!

We have a new (and only) Asian supermarket opened in our small town, I haven't been to see what goodies I can get yet! 🙌

Metheven Plum soju for me! I can drink quite a bit of it

Thanks Rowdythree perhaps I will buy a selection, it will probably last me forever, can't drink like I used to.

Thank you, it was yesterday and we really enjoyed it. Two years late, but I was still so proud. I even managed not to cry, which really surprised me (my eyes did water a little bit when he went up, but that doesn't count).

I'm not sure if we even have an Asian supermarket anywhere near us at all, so this is a good opportunity to buy something yummy.

Definitely stock up while you can then! I have a bit of soju trauma from when I had to sleep on the bathroom floor after drinking too much of it, so I take it easy these days 🤣🤣 I like it mixed with beer though

Haha, soju trauma! Never had that, but definitely had some vodka trauma back in the day. Oh and blackberry mead trauma - that was colourful.

I've never had soju. I can't find it in NI ☹️

@Metheven

We have come up north for my son's (very belated) graduation, and I have realised that where we are going tomorrow I can get some soju. So my question is, what flavour do I get and is it really strong? Cos quite frankly nowadays, two shots of vodka and I am on the floor.

I am watching episode 9 of Business Proposal and am loving it. Hopefully next week I can watch the last episodes with a drink of soju.

Soju is like watered down vodka (in a good way). So far of the flavoured soju, plum has been the best. Lemon and peach also alright. The plain stuff actually works well with food - not quite spirit strength, gets you happy-tipsy without filling you up too much.