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!

My Baby Just Cares For Me for us (on the way out). 🙂

Song Kang is looking particularly buff in his pale blue jumper in today's FLAW

Oh forecaster Um! I don't think you should have made that decision, but yay for being a good sunbae 👏 Ha Kyung's mum, Omo what a sad sack! I absolutely cannot stand her character in this, but it did make me laugh in the scene with Mr Fastidious and Tae Kyung, I always thought it was a problem that their front doors opened outwards 😆

We had Moon River on the way in, Beach Boys when signing the register, and Beatles Two of Us on the way out 😁

First dance was My Cheri Amour.

Ahhh nice memories!

@boatyardblues

I get the sentiment, but 39 is actually a quality show IF (big if) you want a downer and 16 hours’ assured miserablist wallowing. If SYJ has time out now for little BinJins it would be the worst farewell show. What on Earth was she thinking?*

• PPL maternity pay scheme aside.

Fair enough Boaty. I bow to your superior knowledge!!

Did like HB walking in to I was born to love you 🥰
In other news - Kim Tae-Ri is such a good actor. Give her all the prizes. So good.
And have you seen gossip that Gong Ho-Jin is dating a singer 10 years younger than herself and going to marry him and that's why she caught bouquet. Both impressed and a bit sad that she wasn't in the lovely Unni loving Unni relationship that I had surmised from her Ig.

Aww lovely wedding memories, I don't remember what song we had signing the register 😬 Chasing Cars was our first dance 🥰

Ah love hearing the wedding memories 💗. I walked in to The Book of Love by Peter Gabriel and we went out to Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac.

Fair enough Boaty. I bow to your superior knowledge!!

Honestly, all opinions are equal. It’s just my view that it doesn’t fall in the hateful/abusive/major ick camp (Well Intentioned Love S1) or the total missed mark (eg Melting Me Softly) camp. It was unappealing subject matter and a downer, is all.

Agree, 39 frustrating because there were the bones of a good drama in there overwhelmed by the terminal illness storyline. Particularly annoying in last couple of episodes when other storylines didn't get the space they needed.

Arrhh lovely wedding memories 🥰

walked in to Handels 'Queen Of Sheba' (to appease DH posh parents) Walked out to 'everywhere' Fleetwood Mac. First dance was 'Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now' Starship. I still get goosebumps when I hear all of them. We met when we were both 18 and first year at Uni. Still going strong 38 yrs later💕

Crikey 38 years! Will done Aesops and DH! ❤️ I hope DH and I can do as well as that!

Wow Aesops! 38 years! That's daebak!

Thanks Rowdy!

Realised that LFM&D hasn't fully dropped for series 3 and now I have to extend my viewing over a few weeks. It's annoying as I want to finish and forget it ASAP.
Watching 2521 ep 14&15 tonight and so looking forward to Business Proposal on Mon/Tue.

Wow Aesops! 38 years! That's daebak! 😀

So many comments to read but congrats Aesops on 38 years :)

The Girl hope you get some rest!

I enjoyed Run On too but mainly for the second leads. Not much really happened in it but I liked it.

I watched ep1 of Tomorrow last night and I quite enjoyed it. I predict a tragic backstory that we go into in depth for the pink haired boss lady. Rosa from Hospital Playlist is magnificent in those shoulder...things.

Yesterday was my last day at my job. It was very, very odd. I've been there for 12 years so it's a bit of a wrench leaving some amazing colleagues behind but $%^& that place, I'm free!

Today I drove for 8 hours and I'm now in a distant holiday cottage with wonderful views. Just started ep 15 of FLAW. I think the writers made a big mistake having all the romance in the first 3 episodes, it's been a bit heavy going since. But not in the same league as flipping Thirty-Nine at any rate.

Bea did your DH ever pass judgement on the meteorology aspects of FLAW?

Oh, and to fill up this thread a bit more I walked down the aisle to an Andrew Cronshaw tune and our first dance was to Otis Redding. I really enjoyed reading about all your wedding song choices

Oooh Aesops snap! For walking out to Everywhere 💗 and congratulations on 38 years.
Also congratulations to Musique on leaving your old job! I have had a few hours sleep thank you 😘
I've also had some wine and blubbed my way through ep 15 of 25/21 especially the bits with Yu-rim and Hee-do 😭 it's so good!!!

[quote polkettle]This Twitter thread will sort you out for BinJin wedding spam Sakura twitter.com/EdelweissPH_FC/status/1509391894777892866?t=1YvxlEUgwrMmStRvYfdZyw&s=19[/quote]
Thank you 🥰

Enjoy your holiday Musique and good luck with whatever you're doing next!

Thegirl enjoy the wine and the rest of the weekend 🍷

DH and I have just finished D.P, it was heavy going but I actually really enjoyed it. I wonder when series 2 is coming out. More Jung Hae In is always a good thing 😍

@Rowdythree

Enjoy your holiday Musique and good luck with whatever you're doing next!

Thegirl enjoy the wine and the rest of the weekend 🍷

DH and I have just finished D.P, it was heavy going but I actually really enjoyed it. I wonder when series 2 is coming out. More Jung Hae In is always a good thing 😍

I loved DP. It was heavy going tho. Filming series 2 was recent and ongoing I think!

Lovely lovely Son Seok-koo 😍 Really looking forward to My Liberation Notes.

K-pop idols may swap stage for combat fatigues

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/43048ed2-b2a7-11ec-9af1-7ee554784c95?shareToken=325d281449f20c8028761daca2cebbd9

@MusiqueAutomatique

Bea did your DH ever pass judgement on the meteorology aspects of FLAW?

And the likelihood of a forecast rage punch up?

I’m about to watch yesterday’s FLAW. It was too late when I got home. Our taxi arrived just as the last point was scored in the Madrid fencing match too, so I couldn’t finish 25/21 til I got home. 🤯 It was a fun evening though, some compensation. 😀

I walked in to Joyce Grenfell "I'm coming to see you today", signed register to Link Wray "Walking down a Street called Love", walked out to Flook "Calico" (I think - not entirely sure which track)
Filly filly filly thready