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!

Filthy Noona checking in!

Briiiiick aah, its the lack of drinking snack that singles Gu out as an alcoholic! I didn't think of that! That and his lonesome drinking habit of course

also of the admire no touchy branch, though I find my early entry Oppa tastes have changed, or maybe matured eg have totally lost interest in Ji Chang Wook

@bettys same here! JCW was my first top Oppa after watching Healer, but I really have gone off him. I don't look forward to watching any of his new dramas now, in fact he makes me not want to watch them!

The house is quiet, tea is made in going in for My Liberation Notes

One thing I've noticed about rural Korea is that they have a lot of street lighting!

Ep5 of our blues is heartbreaking 💔 I think the acting is brilliant in this series

Our Blues is doing a great job of exploring relationships at every stage of life and of differing types. I wonder if they will be brave enough to explore a same sex relationship. It’s a Netflix production rather than a SK network, so less constrained by broadcast rules and advertiser reaction.

Very irritated by the bookmarking fail in the Talk app since the so-called upgrade. 😠

As we're talking crushes, I'm willing to admit that I did find the guy from Black rather hot, but only playing that character and wearing that black suit. Reminded me of Yul Bryner in Westworld, who was also really hot, if rather before my time.
I've also got a bit of a soft spot for hot assassins, as may have been mentioned before re 100 Days My Prince 😉

Both a filthy noona AND a clucky Ahjumma in a schizophrenic mix - internal dialogue would run "phwoar look at the arse on him - that's right dear go snog the face off that pretty girl and make babies"
Yet to catch up on weekend shows as want to wallow when family not around but TOTES joining the Tae Kyung fan club Rowdy. Where can I get my poster of him glowering in cowl neck and eye liner? Poppet.
This new format is annoying. Could we consider TWO threads - one with minimal header for actual chat and one with all the gen (and where to find us) for newbie info?

By the way I highly recommend this for anyone it happens to be accessible to (it's only on for a week).
shoreditchtownhall.com/whats-on/tsunagu-connect

Re the thread issue - wouldn't it be possible to have a minimal header followed by all the info in the first reply? As long as the OP does both, they'll both appear in green so should still stand out.

Genius level solution Prestel

polkettle I think the mumsnet team are aware that the full header on all the pages isn't working for all threads so they may change it for some of the topics but it doesn't hurt to have a back up plan if they don't. I like having all the lists on the first page where I can always find them so it would be a shame to lose them.

Episode 5 of Our Blues was sad. The way the docs and nurse treated that poor wee girl was heartbreaking. Especially that male doc 😡

💜😍

Lovely ost from Our Blues (which I haven't started yet! It looks tooooo angsty and sounds too sad! 😩😢]]

Interesting reading about abortion laws in SK, It was only legalised last year!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_South_Korea

I can't wait to watch the next episode

The mystery back stories for the characters in Our Blues is verr verr intriguing. I'm really enjoying it, even though it is verr verr sad so far.

Next! MLN and the gorgeous sweaty Son Seok-koo

Thanks for the rec of Oh My Venus boatyardblues - So Ji Sub's acting is much better in this, and oh my, that body! Filthy noona here for sure.

Rowdythree and bettys I would watch Ji Chang Wook read the telephone directory if they existed any more. So looking forward to seeing him in The Sound of Magic as I absolutely love musicals.

Prestel oh yes, the hot assassins are lovely. Still got Hwarang to look forward to on that score. It's the long hair and black clothes that do it, I think. And the brooding, I love the brooding.

It's the long hair and robes that do it for me too Metheven 😍

Both a filthy noona AND a clucky Ahjumma in a schizophrenic mix - internal dialogue would run "phwoar look at the arse on him - that's right dear go snog the face off that pretty girl and make babies

I so relate to this!! I can appreciate the oppas but it is so remote from my actual life that it is (to use an analogy I've have used before) like visiting beautiful art in an art gallery. I can appreciate it but have no expectation of having it 😂

I am low carbing in the vain hope of getting into a party frock in two weeks time and my first glass of kir royal mûre of the night has gone straight to my head so I'd better not catch up with Our Blues as it sounds emotional. Hwarang here I come!!!

(Obvs my method of low-carbing is somewhat errrrrrrr idiosyncratic)

Oooooh yes!!! (see previous post ré filthy noona acceptance & denial)

PS still hate hate hate this bastard reboot of MN but if they don't sort out the OP first post thingy at the head of every page I think Prestel's solution is genius 💪

I try to ignore the fact they are sooooooo young and concentrate on the hair and robes.

The dazzling green light from Gu’s soju room made me laugh.

I think you were onto something with your soju + snacks = fun times/soju - snacks = alcoholism dichotomy FedUp. The three ladies are in various states of intoxication in ep 6 but there are snacks on the table. Fun time! Mr Gu with a fridge full of soju and no snacks? Not good.

Latest update on LFMAD. Well that ear wax cleaning did the trick for sure. The 50 yr old bride is pregnant 😕. Is anyone remotely interested enough to try this show Chingus??!

Now for some normality as ready to catch up on OB & MLN. I'm taking myself off to bed early with a large glass of red and bag of Twiglets. Ooh the glamour 🤩.

In my low-carb one drink up for anything mood I am interested Aesops !! After all, you were right about On The Verge of Insanity being classy. Plus I like hearing about how makjang it is 👌