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 have finished On the Verge of Insanity, really enjoyed it.
Now the most difficult part, what to watch next. I have started high school mini series Best mistake it’s a light watch for Saturday.

Haven’t started any current once’s as I’ll be on hiatus in April. All the current ones are finishing in April. I don’t want to wait for a whole month to watch the ending. But I am very tempted to start Marriage Proposal & 25/21.
On a positive note, lot to binge watch in May 😁.

I LOVE to crocodile toes issue in FLAW. Can we have a score from 1-10 from Pol on how maddening that would be? 😂

You are welcome Rowdy, that article made me feel all calm and happy! Lovely PSJ .

I watched episode 6 of 25/21 this morning and it was an absolute corker. The scene where poor Nam Joo-hyuk was having to transcribe his mother's lovelorn utterances and listen to the equally toe-curling things his father was saying was so so good. I also loved the scene in the pet grooming parlour. And the catfight!

Andante, Boaty is right. I remember in The Hungry and the Hairy the comedian was gleefully saying you can do anything on Netflix!

@boatyardblues

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

Yes! Good for you! Fans are usually super welcoming so hopefully you'll find a few other noonas to sigh and scream with.

Just seen scalpers are selling LV tickets for 22k.....

Jeez, I really really hate ticket touts, I hope no one buys them and that something can be done about them. 😡

I've had no time to watch any drama the last couple of days. Actually, I started watching Snowdrop, then I was required to referee a sibling squabble after 10 minutes, so I gave up 🙄 hopefully I'll have some time tomorrow! I need to catch up on FLAW

How could you have abandoned the drama to deal with children now you’ve reached the tense, exciting bit of Snowdrop? Are they not yet at a stage where they bounce instead of breaking?

I was worried the neighbours might complain about the screeching 😂 I have got to a very tense part of Snowdrop too! I really to want to finish it off

I felt most sorry for Oh Myung-joo, the woman who could have been a director if it weren't for her going on maternity leave. Her husband is clearly incompetent but still wants to take that exam anyway, to the detriment of the rest of the family.

I really like Oh Myung Joo's character, she's such a strong woman and a good colleague, I wish I had a colleague like her. I hope we see more of her in the series.

Ep7 was good, I love how KI Jun becomes more and more pathetic each episode. The final scenes of the episode were funny with poor Ha Kyung stuck in the middle of these male characters, who each have a truck load of issues.

WHY DID YOU TELL ME ABOUT TAPAS FedUp??I'm now totally addicted to its particular brand of both devoted and horny men and it's going to take all my money. It's Polnip.

WHY DID YOU TELL ME ABOUT TAPAS FedUp??I'm now totally addicted to its particular brand of both devoted and horny men and it's going to take all my money. It's Polnip

AND ME!!!!

Honestly I've only managed to squeeze in FLAW this weekend as the rest has been spent working my way through the Modern Romance section🤦🏻‍♀️

Thanks for the heads up, I'm not even going to look at Tapas

Decisions decisions...
We'll have to start a recovery programme support group Bettys

🤷‍♀️

What can I say? There's something about nippleless men that I just can't resist.

I love Oh Myung-joo unni too. She would definitely be a Mumsnetter. Although, then her advice to Deputy Director Han would have been: "when you marry your mistress, you leave a vacancy" in true MN style.

@polkettle

Decisions decisions... We'll have to start a recovery programme support group Bettys

I don't think there's any hope for me....I've spent an inordinate amount of time trying to choose between Do-Joon & Tae-Mu....

I hope the BTS livestream was great? Thought about going, was only about 20 euro here but just couldn't face the slagging I would have got

Finished Coffee prince, thought the whole going to Italy bit was a bit unnecessary, especially the airport scenes, but overall I loved it. On to Goblin/Guardian properly now

Oh Myung-joo is great, isn't she? Very strong but kind too. I agree with your assessment of her Briiick

I enjoyed episode 7 a great deal. Song Kang in the shower yet again, I almost feel sorry for him having to strip off constantly. Then there's Ki-jun. Rowdy, I thought he was starting to develop some human-like characteristics when was trying to understand his wife, but then he went and blew it by begging Ha-kyung to write his column for him for the zillionth time.

The final five minutes of FLAW ep7 was the TV that has made me laugh the loudest in 2022. What a farce! Reminds me of that episode of Frasier where they all went to stay in a cabin or something... I can't wait to see how Ha-kyung resolves it all.

I also loved the section with her sister, when she was putting her picture book on the top of all the other books in the bookshop. Very true to life that bit in my experience. And I now know more about crocodile toes than I ever thought I would need to.

I've downloaded Tapas but I'm too scared to open it now! I don't need anything else to use up all my time, I've got eight years of BTS content to work my way through!

Which BTS albums do I need to cram for next Saturday? My approach to date has been classic Boaty shuffle in Apple Music so my playlist is a real pick ‘n’ mix of the ones with good openings, heavily shewed towards the dance and more melodic hiphop track.

@boatyardblues

Which BTS albums do I need to cram for next Saturday? My approach to date has been classic Boaty shuffle in Apple Music so my playlist is a real pick ‘n’ mix of the ones with good openings, heavily shewed towards the dance and more melodic hiphop track.

I think it will be a decent selection across most of the albums. Looks like they will definitely be performing ON and PTD (and probably the rest of the English trip - dynamite and butter). I wouldn't be surprised if they do Spring Day as that's a favourite of K-army. I'm hoping for Mikrosmos and as a rap line fan UGH! Or Ddaeng

Thanks bluemoo.

Anyone else finding PMY’s ex’s hypocrisy enraging in FLAW? He’s acting all wounded and jealous that his wife lived with Song Kang before they met and yet he was living with PMY and shagging new wife on the side before they got married. The gall of him! I’m glad the kids are upstairs because I keep muttering “wanker!” and huffing loudly.

Boaty he's a weasel all right.

Boaty he's a absolute fucking wab, as they say here...

Started Juvenile Justice and its so far so good. Same FL as Hyena and she is excellent in this also. Quite scary in the first episode which I was not expecting.

hawthornknitter I loved Coffee Prince but I agree, the Italy trip did seem a bit odd, filling time I think. I hope you enjoy Goblin I thought it was one of the best kdramas I have seen (although I am fairly new and not seen loads) and will probably do a rewatch fairly soon.

I watched Love and Leashes again last night, I have to admit, I liked it even more the second time around. The male lead was so sweet and his barking was top notch.

Looking forward to more Business Proposal tomorrow, but in the meantime need to find something for tonight. Decisions, decisions.

Oh my word, 25-21 just tops up my happy tank to full every time. More of this please (with everything else that’s going on).

Metheven - was it you praising the ML’s barking in Love and Leashes before? He’s clearly caught your eye (and ears). 🤣

I am also looking forwards to Business Proposal. It is silly, but the good kind of silly. For some reason it has reminded me of Into the Ring with the slightly ditzy but highly focussed FL. Also it is fun seeing Ahn Hyo Seop in a less serious role.

Into the Ring is fun, Metheven. It has fun with local politics with a very naive but passionate activist FL breaking all the unspoken rules on her city council. ML is good too.