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!

I shall report back FedUpWithBriiiiick

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

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

One of us should send you a care package.

Plum, lemon and peach sound great. Not quite spirit strength sounds good for me nowadays, I am not the woman I was unfortunately.

What’s the secret to reading Tapas webtoons without burning through ink (and money)? I can’t afford to keep consuming at my current rate. 😱 Are there any good free ones?

☹️ If we, have a meet up this year, we'll get you some then Briiiiick!!

Based on my Tapas forays so far, Substitute Boyfriend is crying out for a TV adaptation. Preferably a Netflix production with frisky bits.

Business Proposal is so bingeable! I'm having to force myself to go to bed after watching the first four episodes 🍑🥾 I haven't done that for ages 🙌

I think makgeolli is much nicer than soju Metheven if you can find it.
On Tapas you have to be self controlled and look for the ones that allow you one free episode a day (or 2 days or 3 days if they're being stingy) Boaty. It tells you in the "details". You'll still have to pay for the end episodes though - but only do that for complete series or you're tied in for life. Actually Substitute Boyfriend is one I will waste ink on when I've exhausted the slow daily drop in a few days time - agree it's a good drama prospect.

Absolutely FUMING at the treatment of poor noble Dr Gu by a patient's family and the Netizens in The Oath of Love.
I would not be a doctor in China.

Happy BinJin Wedding Eve!

polkettle I shall have a look for makgeolli, too. It's great to be somewhere I can actually find something other than pasties and clotted cream (can you guess where I live?).

From watching Little Forest (film) I have gleaned that makgeoli can be made at home with the correct ingredients in a giant kilner jar. Like many films, some steps were omitted from the scene and a bit of additional research would be required.

Which side of the grockle/emmet line do you come down on Metheven? 😄

boatyardblues Do you mean what do I call holidaymakers? Emmets. Or am I from Devon or Cornwall? In which case Cornwall, otherwise known as the arse end of nowhere.

Emmets is the Cornish term, grockles is the Devon/general west country term. It’s been a while but I’ve lived in both & still have family there.

Ah, in that case, as you lived here, we will let you back in and not call you an emmet or a grockle. We're nice like that. As long as you put jam first, that is. Cream first and who knows what would happen?

On the soju front, I got fresh and apple. Unfortunately, they didn't have the plum, lemon or peach. There must have been a run on those flavours. They did have makgeolli, but after spending rather a lot today, thought I better not splash out. Maybe next time.

Well 39 is a BARREL of laughs massive rolling side-eye

I'm completely hooked into marriage ft love & divorce. So much so that I'm watching first thing/commute/lunch hour and evening. It's not even that good storyline just salacious soap opera. On ep 14 of season 2 and only started it a week ago. Hope to finish the series tonight. Must say season 2 is better than 1, overall though it's v entertaining and the discarded wives seeking redemption is amusing.

I really want to do soju bombs like in Business Proposal, it looks so much fun! 🍶💣

From watching Little Forest (film) I have gleaned that makgeoli can be made at home with the correct ingredients in a giant kilner jar. Like many films, some steps were omitted from the scene and a bit of additional research would be required.

Boaty I had a go at making makgeoli last year after attending the online class run by the KCC... It didn't work, and I was worried I was going to poison myself 😂

I am back in Jdrama land, finished watching Do you want to warm up this love/ Kono Koi Atatamemasuka.
It was alright (6.5 or max 7) , not happy with final pair. Drama did make me crave lots of sweets (and I did end up eating loads, just ate two pieces of baklava with final episode)

@polkettle

Well 39 is a BARREL of laughs massive rolling side-eye

I am finishing episode 8 and decided a while ago that I am allowed on my phone whilst watching it, just to pass the bleak stretches of time between the slightly more fun bits.

I'm only watching for the Chinese restaurant owner now.

Thanks for the nice messages last time I posted by the way, much appreciated

I wasn't so keen on makgeoli, I prefer soju. I disliked the slight fizz.

I'm a bit worried about what I'm going to watch when all my current shows run out next weekend. Has anyone spotted anything good coming up? I've decided to never watch a programme featuring terminal illness ever again.

Jealous of the baklava JinBhoot!

Argh I'm such an idiot! I thought Business Proposal was finished but there's still 2 episodes to go and I'm left on a cliff hanger after watching it all last night and today 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Musique I hope things are improving, fighting! 💪 I won't watch anything terminal illness related either (unless it sneaks in)

I'm obviously a sucker for punishment because I actually really want to watch Crazy Love now from seeing clips and that involves terminal illness (although seems v jolly, this being KDrama). But not appearing on Disney here so will involve Olga's.
Our Blues is starting after the current screeners Musique and looks a good un.