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!

Thanks FedUpWithBriiiiick. Will do!

And sorry I can't remember who it was that was watching ptd Seoul and wanted to know songs. Maybe @boaty or @bea ?

There have been some spoilers of the set list I can share if you wanted?

You could PM me BlueMoo.

No spoilers thank you!

@sakura06

I've started Strong Girl Bong-Soon whilst I wait for 25-21. The tone is a bit all over the place 😳 I thought it would be fun and fluffy but really dark so far! I like the interactions of the leads though so will stick with it!

Do stick with Bong Soon Sakura there are so many light hearted and heart warming moments in it, despite the dark side story. DH and I reference it all the time at home, it's my favourite ❤️

Nooooooooo!!!!! No spoilers please just PM anyone who wants to know! I have been avoiding twitter/IG spoilers!

I like the thrill of guessing and then going YES!!!! when I recognise the first few bars.

@sakura06

I've started Strong Girl Bong-Soon whilst I wait for 25-21. The tone is a bit all over the place 😳 I thought it would be fun and fluffy but really dark so far! I like the interactions of the leads though so will stick with it!

PHS and PBY are the best best thing in SGBS!!

Aaaaargh I just want to binge ALL of BUsiness Proposal it is so much fun and the chemistry is beginning to warm up

It would be a perfect binge Bettys but I can't save it.
Taking an Italian holiday and bingeing through the second season of An Astrological Guide for the Broken Hearted instead.

@polkettle

It would be a perfect binge Bettys but I can't save it. Taking an Italian holiday and bingeing through the second season of An Astrological Guide for the Broken Hearted instead.

I’m going to be catching up on S2 of An Astrological Guide this week Betty. 😄

God, it’s frustrating having trashy binger on weekly drip feed isn’t it? More of Ahn Hyo Seop in Milk Tray Man head-to-toe black polo neck get-up, pretty please. 🙏

I love Kdramas. Unfortunately, no else in my family or friends care about them so I'm so happy to see this thread!!

I do lean towards the more paranormal ones and loved Mystic Popup Bar, Tunnel, Signal, The King: Eternal Monarch, Black, Sisyphus and Hotel del Luna. I did not like Bulgasal: Immortal souls or Korean Odyssey.

Other shows I loved were Vincenzo, Lawless Lawyer, Masaeng (although I think I cried through most of it), Vagabond, Fiery Priest, The Lies Within, Live, Designated Survivor: Sixty Days, Cinderella and the Four Knights, You Are My Spring, Law School, Rain or Shine and Move to Heaven.

There are so many to watch and they are usually very well done.

@boatyardblues

God, it’s frustrating having trashy binger on weekly drip feed isn’t it? More of Ahn Hyo Seop in Milk Tray Man head-to-toe black polo neck get-up, pretty please. 🙏

I don't think I will watch a kdrama on a weekly basis again, it is so annoying. And yes, black does suit him very well.

Welcome VinylCafe! Mystic / Vincenzo / Hotel are a few of my absolute faves! So many dramas! Sooo little time!..
(although I'm suffering from a lack at the moment!)

@bettys @boatyardblues @polkettle... I'm saving Business Proposal so can binge!! 😎😁😁😁

Vinylcafe, hello and welcome to the thread!

Bea I'm also saving Business Proposal, I'm very much looking forward to a good binge!

Snowdrop ep11 Bravo Dorm mistress Pi! 👏👏 I need more Jung Hae In in my life, going to try and persuade DH to watch D.P once we've caught up with Snowpeircer

👋👋👋 Hi Vinylcafe!

Hi Vinyl I also loved Mystic Pop-Up Bar* and Hotel Del Luna. Have you seen Goblin, also known as Guardian something something something^? Ok, it's not really called that but it's a long and complicated title I can never remember.

Sakura stick with SGBS, you won't regret it.

I was so tired yesterday I went to bed very early so missed out on kdrama. Today I've been baking for the eldest ds's birthday tomorrow but I'm going to go and watch a bit of The Red Sleeve now. I feel like I've been watching it forever and ever. It needs to be finished!

I'm looking forward to starting Business Proposal and I also have to watch the weekend's episodes of 25/21. Tomorrow I plan to do a bit of serious viewing.

Hi Vinyl! 👋

Hi @VinylCafe pull up the chair & join us. You wouldn’t be disappointed.

I also have no one in RL who watches kdramas.
I also enjoyed watching Mystic Popup Bar,
Vincenzo, Masaeng, Rain or Shine and Move to Heaven. My all time favourite is Hospital Playlist.

Lost my mojo recently & nothing is grabbing me so watching Chinese stuff, some are quite bonkers but I am happy to take one for the team.

However in the last week or I did watch Ghost doctor & On the verge of insanity (office politics similar to Mesaeng) both were enjoyable and hopefully I’ll be back to my binging ways.

I am also saving Business Proposal & 25/21 for later but I lack self control & discipline so let’s see how long I can wait.

Welcome VinylCafe! 🙌 That’s a credible watchlist you have under your belt. You are most definitely in the right place. 😄

New posters and delurkers always put a spring in my step. It’s lovely to have such an ardent and committed bunch of kdrama addicts to sort the wheat from the chaff and compare notes on who wears it (knitwear/jazzy suits/off-kilter high fashion/towel in the shower) best. 😘 to all my thread chingus.

I am enjoying On the Verge of Insanity at a slower burn. The ML is slowly developing as the HR role tests his softer, less well developed people skills to the max. He is shaping up to be an adept politician and influencer as well as a top notch engineer. I have an inkling he might be running the place by the end, but no spoilers please.

Also, I wish to express general approval for warmth, humour and generosity of Simi Liu’s Instagram feed.

That is all (for now).

Please tell me that in Hometown Cha Cha Cha the male lead becomes slightly less of a pillock, cos at the moment, he is not endearing himself to me.

Also, welcome VinylCafe

Yes, he becomes less of a pillock Metheven. You are safe to proceed. 🙂

Thank you, I am very happy to hear that. If I were her, I would take a dental drill to him with no anaesthetic.

How far are you in? There’s a fair bit of low stakes hazing of FL by ML at the start, but a mutual respect quickly develops.

I am on episode 3, he is very nice to look at, but doesn't come across well so far.