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!

worth staying up all night for!!!! 🤣😂🤣

[quote leeloo1]@sakura06 - yes! I thought the bit after the credits, or the changing job (orchestrated by her mother to get him to SK!) or their tearful interview was going to lead… somewhere. Even something about who the husband/father was (did she settle for Cutie Pie?), what her life was like now or if she was still good friends with the gang would have been more satisfactory for me.[/quote]
Completely agree! Gah!

Well I was going to restart 25/21 but not sure I will now......

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Still no Grammy for BTS.

Sure, those awards are a load of old shite anyway, lads.

Definitely a load of old shite!

What a performance, Bea!

Hi! I’m new to these threads, as I’m a recent convert to kdrama/Kpop (thanks to my teenage dd!). I started off watching CLOY, and I’ve never been so emotional!

Re: BTS at the Grammy’s, what a performance! Did anyone else see J-Hope stumble? He managed to recover it so well

Sorry, I meant Grammys

Welcome KpopArmy! Yes, CLOY seems to have been a very successful recruiting tool. 😄

Yeah, I’m still a bit bummed out by the lack of answers/updates but I would definitely recommend watching 25/21. The journey was beautiful even if the ending was a bit muted. Worth sticking with to the end to see NJH in his smartest suits and with (gasp) his forehead exposed/proper manly hair.

@boatyardblues

Welcome KpopArmy! Yes, CLOY seems to have been a very successful recruiting tool. 😄

Yeah, I’m still a bit bummed out by the lack of answers/updates but I would definitely recommend watching 25/21. The journey was beautiful even if the ending was a bit muted. Worth sticking with to the end to see NJH in his smartest suits and with (gasp) his forehead exposed/proper manly hair.

Thank you for the welcome and recommendation . 25/21 is definitely next on my list.

@boatyardblues

Welcome KpopArmy! Yes, CLOY seems to have been a very successful recruiting tool. 😄

Yeah, I’m still a bit bummed out by the lack of answers/updates but I would definitely recommend watching 25/21. The journey was beautiful even if the ending was a bit muted. Worth sticking with to the end to see NJH in his smartest suits and with (gasp) his forehead exposed/proper manly hair.

🤣 This is so true true about NJH.

Did anyone else see J-Hope stumble? He managed to recover it so well

He did!! The performance was amazing, I loved the jackets choreo and light beams international thief bits! And someone PLEASE give Kim Taehyun another role in a drama!!!

I keep forgetting to say that the timbre of NJH’s voice does funny things to me, the kind you don’t mention to your husband. 😂

@boatyardblues

I keep forgetting to say that the timbre of NJH’s voice does funny things to me, the kind you don’t mention to your husband. 😂

🤐🤐🤐 🤣😂🤣 @boatyardblues !!!!!

Welcome KpopArmy!!! CLOY was THE best!!!!
and now there's a gazillion more to get through!!!!! Good Luck! 😂

@boatyardblues

I keep forgetting to say that the timbre of NJH’s voice does funny things to me, the kind you don’t mention to your husband. 😂

Yes yes.

@polkettle Word on the street is that Barro password inputter (being careful not to spoil) is the man Gong Yoo himself...

Hello KpopArmy and welcome. I have never got into kpop, but I did watch the BTS performance at the Grammys and wow, they can certainly dance. Might have to check out some of their other stuff on youtube tonight.

I have just gone onto Netflix to watch Business Proposal and for me, episode 11 isn't showing yet. Happened to me a couple of weeks ago too. I am most seriously displeased. I may have to stamp my foot soon and have a small tantrum.

Metheven - I’ve found if I start a show in the Netflix app on my phone it bumps it into my continue watching list & I can resume watching on the TV.

Thanks boaty, last time when I went onto it on my laptop, it suddenly appeared on the tv, but this time, it isn't on the laptop either. I haven't got Netflix on my phone, so can't try on that. Grrrrrr.

AHA, it has just appeared. Panic over.

Caught up on the FLAW final and although everything was tied up I thought it was pretty meh

@Metheven

Hello KpopArmy and welcome. I have never got into kpop, but I did watch the BTS performance at the Grammys and wow, they can certainly dance. Might have to check out some of their other stuff on youtube tonight.

I have just gone onto Netflix to watch Business Proposal and for me, episode 11 isn't showing yet. Happened to me a couple of weeks ago too. I am most seriously displeased. I may have to stamp my foot soon and have a small tantrum.

Thank you

I know Business Proposal has finally appeared for you, and I noticed one day last week it was showing at 3.30pm (it was 2.30pm the time before), so not sure if the episode tomorrow will also show at 3.30pm.

KpopArmy I certainly hope the next episode turns up on time tomorrow, because it is the last one. It is a really lovely series, I highly recommend it.

Now That's What I Call A Healing Drama ☺️ Business Proposal

It's the clocks going forward - we have to wait an hour longer now.

@polkettle

It's the clocks going forward - we have to wait an hour longer now.

Oh, of course. Didn't think of that.

After all the messages on here, I have decided I won't be watching 25/21 it doesn't seem like my kind of thing. Might try FLAW one day, not sure.

This weekend I started watching Strong Girl Bong Soon which is hilarious, actual laugh out loud moments. Love it.