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!

Has anyone spotted anything good coming up? I've decided to never watch a programme featuring terminal illness ever again

Tomorrow is starting on Netflix this Friday with Rowoon 🌴 and the Elven King 🧝‍♂️

Yes, I am very excited about Tomorrow. Elven King looks badass in head to toe black.

I’m giving 39 a swerve at the mo. Seriously not a fan of all the dramatics plus the depressing elephant in the room in every damned scene.

In better news I finally worked out how to claim my Tapas newbie gift after scouring the page and finding a tiny link in the T&C at the foot of the promotion. I now have over 35k ink drops (1 episode = 300-375 drops) at bargain prices, so that’s my webtoon habit sorted for the next couple of days. 🤣😂🤣

Omg!!! 😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰

My CLOY heart!!

@Bea

Omg!!! 😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰

My CLOY heart!!

I was just about to link to the photos too! Absolutely stunning! Hope they release some ceremony ones as well later today!

What a lovely start to the day!

They look so happy and I'm DELIGHTED 🥰🥰🥰
(sucker for a wedding) Now (disclaimer - obviously their fertility is entirely their own business) HAVE A BINJIN JUNIOR! You can't waste those gene pools
The way to go with 39 will be to watch the series ff-ing through all the Jean Mido bits (much as I rate her) and SYJ crying bits and do the orphanage, nice family and love line stories on their own in a three hour or so binge.

Aah what stunning photos and beautiful dresses! ❤️

Ahh BinJin look lovely 😍😍😍

Glued to Twitter live updates with my breakfast.

For those who haven't seen its excellence yet, here's the Pachinko credit sequence.

Those credits are amazing Pol I love the music, the history and the dancing, especially the little girl in hanbok. I can't wait to watch it!

Lovely photos of BinJin, her both dresses are stunning, I am not very keen on men in white suits even if it’s Mr Bin.

Yesterday Netflix saw list of Netflix’s upcoming shows.
I am looking forward to Our Blues & Green Mothers’ Club
Our blues is giving HTCCC vibes.

Black Dog caught my eye (starting ne t week) but I found it in Viki & OMG it’s crackers, I watched it till 3am.
I am functioning on Caffeine today, it will be a looooooong day but at the end I’ll get to watch few more episodes.
Black Dog is work related drama in school setting (think - On the Verge of Insanity & Maesang).

just catching up on FLAW... I hate Ha Kyungs mother... she's soooo unpleasant and it's jarring as I love the actress... but the character is just the worse!!!! ALong with Si Woo's father!!!!... and misery Forecaster Um's wife! and Feckless non studying husband... flippin' Nora... I think I like cheating Fiancee and si woo ex better than this lot!!!! 😫

I know not everyone goes for a CDrama but I really have enjoyed Oath of Love more and more as it's gone on (about to complete at 29 episodes). Sweet chemistry - the lead actors obviously like each other -and an excellent ratio of smooching to plot. Plus a smidge of poignancy.

Japanese reality show Old Enough has landed on Netflix. I've seen clips of it on YT over the years. Toddler based hilarity and heart warmth!

I'm always amazed at the ability of Japanese children to run errands from a young age.

Omo! Kwaiiiii!!
Tbh DSs 17 and 15 might struggle with that task. I have Failed As A Parent 😉

@polkettle

Omo! Kwaiiiii!! Tbh DSs 17 and 15 might struggle with that task. I have Failed As A Parent 😉

Same with DS12!

It's really heartwarming to see whole streets and villages looking out for the wee ones as they do their tasks. 😊

I have completed 39 very much so the rest of you don't have to. Somebody fetch SYJ a glass of water because boy will she be dehydrated after all her sobbing. Going to be cross about the waste of so much gathered talent by that scriptwriter for a while.

Going to be cross about the waste of so much gathered talent by that scriptwriter for a while.

Amen to that.

@polkettle

I have completed 39 very much so the rest of you don't have to. Somebody fetch SYJ a glass of water because boy will she be dehydrated after all her sobbing. Going to be cross about the waste of so much gathered talent by that scriptwriter for a while.

Taking one for the team, Pol.

I'm stuck in Season 3 of LFM&D. It's now ludicrous. Lots of actors replaced in this season and the plot well and truly lost it 😵‍💫
SOS
I can't stop watching this now car crash of a show. Roll on the end which I am FF'ing at speed.

Do we need to stage an intervention Aesops? I’ll make a start: turn off LM&D and you’re not allowed another one for 48 hours. See how long you can hold out. 😉

No kdrama here tonight. DH and DS1 fired up the box for the new Oscar Isaac Marvel series on Disney+ (Moon Knight?), then rolled straight into a Wes Anderson film. The Marvel thing was great stuff and I could MN in parallel. Been reading Webtoons since they went to bed.

No kdrama for me either tonight as I have been on a Girls’ Night Out and am pleasantly buzzed on wine & limoncello. Catching up with my webtoons before falling asleep no doubt mid episode 😴

Ooh! Insomniac newsflash that there's going to be a second season of Business Proposal!

Ignore that newsflash - fake news - I've been April Fool-ed. I should not try and deal with Twitter at 5.30am