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!

Also the dramatic tension waiting for Sad Ahjumma Actress to finally hear the news and fully turn on her Sad setting in 39 is killing me.

She will be crushed when she finds out everyone else knew before her.

I'm not going to bother with 39. It sounds really disappointing which is annoying as the stills make it look like another Melo 🤨
I've downloaded Juvenile Justice as away skiing from Sunday for a week. Reckon after a 4 yrs hiatus from snow I'm gonna be more into the Apres Ski. More time to cosy up and watch k drama with fur rugs and van chaud. 🍷

We’ve got to episode 6 of FLAW and we’re loving it.
I think maybe K dramas are becoming a bit more risqué: in FLAW there’s Song Kang and Park Min Young naked in bed together y the second episode, and we’ve also been watching Disney’s Rookie Cops in which there are a couple of long and graphic kisses.

I think it’s the stuff that’s produced by non-Korean networks that’s naughtier. The network stuff has to comply with terrestrial broadcast rules (like our 9pm watershed). Netflix and Disney+ owned productions walk the line between not frightening the SK horses and meeting the expectations of a more frisky international subscriber base. 🤷‍♀️

Boaty that sounds exactly right.

안녕하세요! I'm still lurking around with a crazy work schedule interfering with my drama watching. I'm seriously seriously tempted to get BTS cinema tickets. The ONLY thing holding me back is a worry that I might be spotted and outed as a middle aged boy band enthusiast. 8 yr old DS has already refused to be my beard.

Also LOVING LOVING LOVING FLAW. Lovely Song Kang. Beautiful PMY. Boo hiss at the awful ex and the nasty dad. So good. And I watched ep 1 of coffee prince yesterday and really loved it. How budgets have changed since 2007 though!

Not being funny, but Lee Dong-hwi has done nothing to celebrate Jung Ho-yeon's win at the SAGs. Can he not praise his girl?

Last two episodes of On the Verge of Insanity, I am going in.

Regardless of his backstory, I don’t want plonker R&D Team Leader to pull some stunt and turn out to be a hero.

I want HR lady, anti hero & finance lady’s brother to save the day.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Not being funny, but Lee Dong-hwi has done nothing to celebrate Jung Ho-yeon's win at the SAGs. Can he not praise his girl?

Do you think they've gone their separate ways? 😬

I hope not. I just hope he's not a SELFISH BUGGER.

Maybe I've missed a "Snapchat" or whatever is cool these days.

I saw the Namsan Tower lit up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag earlier on Instagram. It looked great. I suspect many South Koreans have great sympathy with the plight of Ukrainians given their own bellicose nuclear-enabled power-mad neighbour to the north.

I could not keep my eyes open tonight and will have a third run at On the Verge etc tomorrow morning to catch the bits I missed.

Not true FedUp! He put her pic on his story with a big gold medal photoshopped round her neck and it got some press attention as being the first time he'd daringly actually shared her picture.
Listening to a podcast called 'Hello Hallyu' about the Indian experience of Korean culture. Very interesting.

Episode 2 will strike many chords
hello-hallyu.simplecast.com/

Just woke DH up crying with laughter over their mention of Meow The Secret Boy. But he's going to make tea so all good.

@polkettle

Not true FedUp! He put her pic on his story with a big gold medal photoshopped round her neck and it got some press attention as being the first time he'd daringly actually shared her picture. Listening to a podcast called 'Hello Hallyu' about the Indian experience of Korean culture. Very interesting.

Good news. Thanks for clearing up my fake news Pol 😁

@polkettle

Just woke DH up crying with laughter over their mention of Meow The Secret Boy. But he's going to make tea so all good.

That has got to be one of the most bizarre shows I've ever watched! Off to listen...

I'm glad Lee Dong Hwi is supporting his girl, it must be quite difficult when one half of a couple goes stratospheric overnight.

Just woke DH up crying with laughter over their mention of Meow The Secret Boy.

Why did I press play 😂 I have definitely felt like this, but something keeps you hooked and going back for more craziness.

Yep! Loved the uncle at the end of the episode riffing on Indian v Korean buses.

@LarryUnderwood

안녕하세요! I'm still lurking around with a crazy work schedule interfering with my drama watching. I'm seriously seriously tempted to get BTS cinema tickets. The ONLY thing holding me back is a worry that I might be spotted and outed as a middle aged boy band enthusiast. 8 yr old DS has already refused to be my beard.

Also LOVING LOVING LOVING FLAW. Lovely Song Kang. Beautiful PMY. Boo hiss at the awful ex and the nasty dad. So good. And I watched ep 1 of coffee prince yesterday and really loved it. How budgets have changed since 2007 though!

Do it Larry! There was a infographic going around on twitter and a lot of fans are noonas and grandnoonas!

Also are they officially now a manband? Or just a band? They are all well into their twenties!

I’m going on my own (BTS livestream). 🤷‍♀️ If I see anyone I know, that’s a win in my book.

Oh my God. I’m watching 25-21. Poor Na Hee-Do! 😕😕😕 Go Yu-Rim deserves a sharp kick in the shin right now. What. a. cow! And Na Hee-Do’s Mum? The worst!

Me too Boaty Actually felt sick for her. Enjoying all the current shows for different reasons but in terms of punching me in the feels 25/21 is a notch above the rest. Such good performances. Brilliant show so far.

(although I may exclude the "Australian" referee from that praise of performances...)

Class 7’s pretty boy is a class act.