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!

@polkettle

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

Hmm. I can’t decide whether this makes me cross or happy.

Morning fellow insomniac! 👋

Update: phew! I can stand down my moral indignation. 😄

April Fools are the worst! I have been fooled by Season 2 news (for Run On which I loved) and fake BinJin wedding photos!

Currently watching Kim's Convenience on Netflix which is very funny.

Thanks for reporting back on 39 pol - will be one to swerve!

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

Those pranksters 😆 although my heart did flutter a bit at the thought of a second season!

I've started Mad for Each Other (In my head I say this with a Mancunian accent, a la Liam Gallagher) , I liked that it was only 30 minute episodes so I didn't stay up too late!

Mad for Each Other is great Rowdy. It was one of my favourites from 2021.

Actually I've started on Run On as a bingeable antidote to 39 😁
I don't want to go on about it but the last two episodes (of 39) are particularly irritating. Just started to type a long thesis about why but - meh - I'll save my monologue of annoyance for four bottles of soju in when we all meet one day.

@polkettle

Actually I've started on Run On as a bingeable antidote to 39 😁 I don't want to go on about it but the last two episodes (of 39) are particularly irritating. Just started to type a long thesis about why but - meh - I'll save my monologue of annoyance for four bottles of soju in when we all meet one day.

I'm with you. I know Run On is beloved by some but the plot was so... meh

The same Weak Plot/Ending Covid Curse that got Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol and that awful Park Yer Bum one.

Only 3 episodes into RO FedUp so I'll let you know my meh status on that in due course 😁. Really like the leads so far but not on top of the plot and sorting out everyone else.
My "hic and ANOTHER thing..." slams fist on table monologue will be on The Nonsense That 39 Was A Healing Drama.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Mad for Each Other is great Rowdy. It was one of my favourites from 2021.

I love the FL's crazy woman aesthetic, it's something I aspire to 😂

Currently watching Kim's Convenience on Netflix which is very funny.

The beginning of my admiration for Simi Liu. I also love that it’s so warm-hearted. It riffs on stereotypes and one-sided/repressed affections but it never punches down. The episode where Russell takes a fantastic portrait of Janet’s mother for his art assignment and her parents immediately declare it a great funeral photo and get it framed still tickles me. DH and I now talk about whether photos we’ve taken of one another are “the one”. 😄

I loved the leads in Run On so much and the vibe. I have a suspicion a lot was lost in translation because there were scenes I couldn’t make head nor tail of. I hold great affection for it but will willingly admit it was a bit meh plot-wise.

I love the FL's crazy woman aesthetic, it's something I aspire to @Rowdythree me too & I have similar hair (only if I learn how to manage frizz).

@boatyardblues I also wonder about ‘the one’ photo, luckily our funerals & wake doesn’t involve any photos. Other wise it would have been additional stress to keep
Presentable & latest photo ready for just incase.

I am really enjoying Black Dog. Competitiveness of getting in to college is very close to home & I have been through the mill. I hope DC will never have to. Don’t think it’s this crazy in UK but may be for Oxbridge & Russel group it is.

I love the FL's crazy woman aesthetic, it's something I aspire to @Rowdythree me too & I have similar hair (only if I learn how to manage frizz).

Sadly I don't have the hair, but I do have the same shoes as her, so it's a start 😂

I have to admit I am spending more time than I should scrolling all the sneaky guest videos and pics from BinJin's wedding and they're absolutely making me beam.
It looks like they had a lovely day ☺️☺️☺️

I’m half way through Tomorrow ep 1 but arsing around on MN, which is telling. Elven King is magnificent in black with his haughtiness dialled up to 11. The black leather gloves are really working for me. 👌 I am unsure about Rowoon so far. He is mugging like Choi Siwon. Lady reaper is cool. The Director is fun. I will get back to it, but I’m not entirely on board yet.

Finished. Hmm.

Not for Insta, but thought I would share this EXCLUSIVE pap shot of Mr Binn on his stag... OMO!!

Lads! Lads! Lads! Lads! LADS!

OI OIIIII!!

I’m trying to work this one out. You haven’t decapitated Mr Binn have you?

I’m busy burning through ink reading Business Proposal on Tapas. That’s how I roll on Friday nights these days. 😂

@boatyardblues

I’m trying to work this one out. You haven’t decapitated Mr Binn have you?

I’m busy burning through ink reading Business Proposal on Tapas. That’s how I roll on Friday nights these days. 😂

it was DH's photoshop skills

Oh thank God! The alternative was too awful. I want to see where he’s going next. 😀

Mr Binn should be off on his honeymoon shurely??

Not overly impressed with Tomorrow apart from Elven King strutting his besuited stuff (previous career as a model paying off big time)

Loving Pachinko

Now back to Tapas.....

@boatyardblues

Oh thank God! The alternative was too awful. I want to see where he’s going next. 😀

I think his touring days are over Boats. He's ready for retirement... wedded bliss has put an end to his roaming.

Right, Pol?

Really? I feel like he needs one of those Viking boat burials where he’s set on fire in his craft and pushed out to sea. Something fitting like that. The recycling box on a wet Wednesday bin day doesn't feel right.