MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #32): Spring is in the air, it’s blossom season and the BinJin wedding was lovely. Happiness abounds!

[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 actively 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)*
Snowdrop (Disney+)
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)
Pachinko (AppleTV)
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)
Business Proposal (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)
Twenty-five Twenty-one (Netflix)*
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)*

On The Verge of Insanity (Viki)
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)

Posters’ Top Scoring 2021 Dramas
Courtesy of Hello’s kdrama spreadsheet, updated by thread regulars. Marks out of 10.

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, writers, film and music when the mood takes us. We have some ARMY (BTS fans) among our regulars. Some 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!

Let us know what it's like Chingus!

He’s currently barfing a lot. 😬

I'm watching the 2005 Japanese Boys Over Flowers which is CRAAAAAZZZAAAYYYYY.

Hmm. The way the pregnant man is being fêted and fussed over is making me grind my teeth, but I’m kind of enjoying the role reversal and the GF’s “you can’t eat that… You need to look after your body now, no more ramen…” etc.

I'm late to the party but this new layout is rubbish!
I haven't watched any dramas or TV at all recently. I just feel like I can't concentrate 😵 hopefully my brain will spring into action soon

I’m not getting far either - I keep nodding off mid episode. I will have to retrace my steps tomorrow.

@Bea I am watching Again my Life and enjoying it - I liked the ML in Flower of Evil. Agree about the music...only usually seem to hear it on British period pieces set in wartime or Oxbridge. Narration makes sense as he can't talk to anyone else about his situation.

As much as you all know I love a J-drama, I don't think the male pregnancy one is for me 😁

It is very, very silly. The ultrasound clearly shows a womb. Where are these men actually growing these babies? How did the fertilised embryos get into their abdominal cavities? I could go on. None of the mechanics are explained. As a thought experiment for a very patriarchal society it has some merit, but the absence of an internally consistent world view or narrative explanation is annoying. Also, who gets lactation or a let-down response at 10-12 weeks. Harrumph!

You're not selling it to me Boaty! The fussing and fawning over the chap would have had me turning over, let alone the rest of it! 😬

I'm actually deeply in love with you Boaty 😍

@FedUpWithBriiiiick I can report that the apple soju is absolutely delicious, I hope one day you manage to find some in NI. It definitely made my toes tingle😂

I watched The Master's Sun this week, quite enjoyable and fun. Although I didn't find the ML the best actor in the world.

Does anyone know if there are many kdramas on Disney+? I have now got it for 6 months, to catch up on The Walking Dead. I only like happy endings though, so that may narrow down any that I want to watch.

Ohhh sounds lush @Metheven!

I'm very close to paying the £££ delivery charge from the UK for soju 🤣

I am definitely going to stock up whenever I can FedUpWithBriiiiick , I hope to get some other flavours soon.

Aw shucks. I just came over all shy like nerd-variant NJH at the beginning of Start Up. 🤣

I watched The Master's Sun this week, quite enjoyable and fun. Although I didn't find the ML the best actor in the world.

So Ji Sub can only be fully appreciated by watching Oh My Venus (even if he is a biscuit nazi in it).

This is adorable and all very true.
I can also recommend Oh My Venus it's weirdly ok despite the fat shaming.
I'm watching 1994 TOTPS with DH and it's just had the Chippendale's on it! I totally don't remember they had an actual single. They all looked like they are painted in gravy 😂

Mmmm gravy. 🤣

Gravy 😍

I'd totally forgotten the Chippendale's existed, I remember a friend's mum going to see them live 😂

Every time I watch One Spring Night I get so cross at the way everyone tries to manipulate the FL to stay in a relationship with someone she doesn't want to 😡 I still love the show though, love wins through in the end 💞

I've decided to ditch Love Alarm. I was looking for something light and fluffy but just ended up with Song Kang looking sad all the time. Not really what I was after 🙁😤😥
Have switched to Her Private Life instead which I was meaning to try but had forgotten

Have switched to Her Private Life instead which I was meaning to try but had forgotten

That is an excellent decision Prestel. Her Private Life is top notch.

Sitting on my hands until tomorrow afternoon to watch Our Blues and MLN.

Will distract self with cleaning BBQ and harassing election candidates on the doorstep 😁

Mumsnet reboot has messed up my app and 'I'm On' and 'Watching' won't load at all. I can’t post on the app either…

Glad to hear you're watching 'You're Beautiful' pol. I loved it! 😂

I'm a big fan of Run On Aesops, but I really liked all the movie references and the second couple had amazing chemistry (although a little toxic in power dynamics). I liked the quirky and shy relationship between the leads too. Plus, Im Siwan inspired me to start running!

We just finished Kim’s Convenience. Feeling a little bereft now.

DH saw He's Expecting advertised and immediately added it to our list!

I was so disappointed that my local councillors knocked to canvas when I was half way through plating up dinner. I was terrified the cat would make off with a chicken breast so had to send them on their way without a full grilling. However, one recognised me from our last pointed doorstep conversation and drew his own conclusions when I sighed at his “can we count on your vote?” 😂

Netflix is currently leading me a merry dance so I can’t get into my account. I’ve rebooted. 🤞