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!

I'm sorry your trip got off to a rocky start, Andante. Hope it's smooth sailing from now on!

Enjoy your holiday, safe travels, we can't wait to hear your trip report!

Oh no Andante that sounds so stressful!!! I'm glad you are on your way!!

Pol I have read some HP fanfic but never got massively into it.

I think the key to finding the good stuff is to find people to recommend fics. There was a thread on here a while ago about Twilight fanfic that I lurked on and got a lot of recommendations from.

There is some really, really good writing in the fanfic world (and a never ending amount of smut), god bless the fanfic writers 😅
BTS fanfic is one of the largest fandoms in fanfic so there is an unlimited supply!!

I have just started The Sound of Magic and am really loving it so far. I must try not to binge it, and eke it out a bit, but I have no will power.

I should clarify again The Girl Hospital Playlist not Harry Potter. My confusing error because there's only one HP in my heart.
Enjoying Crazy Love at Olga's. Not sure I can do musical former-grrr as not a genre I'm usually into but interested to hear how it is.

Enjoying Crazy Love at Olga's. Not sure I can do musical former-grrr as not a genre I'm usually into but interested to hear how it is.

Ooh! I'd forgotten about Crazy Love, I need to check that out stat!

I love musicals, my favourite genre. That and zombies. Anyone know of any musical zombie kdramas by any chance?

4 minutes 40 secs well spent for Mr Gu fans

Mr Gu smiles! That poor, poor cat. Neckerchiefs on cats are all kinds of wrong. Song? 100% forgettable but some points allowed for Mr Gu eating cereal soulfully and the cat.

Hello my chingus and unnis and dongsaengs! Hope your flight was good Andante and you have the time of your life when you arrive.

I've had the worst week with a very sick son, and have barely had time to sleep but today took a break and started Love ft M&D after seeing the comments and am loving it so far. Uncanny Counter is nearly done and I was going to get back to Our Blues but I can't cope with sadness right now so I may give it a swerve. Like the sound of MLN though, will see this weekend if I have any time. Might rewatch HP as I need soothing things right now, or treacherous batshittery which LftM&D is shaping up to have in spades.

Evening Larry. Sorry to hear you’ve had such a wretched week. I hope your son is on the mend. Did you watch Hometown Cha Cha Cha when it aired? That would totally fit the “warm hug and a cup of cocoa” brief that is sometimes needed at these times.

Thanks @boatyardblues , he will be fine but right now he's quite poorly and it will take a while before he's fully better. Ruptured appendix and associated infection, he's been in hospital for the best part of a week and likely will be for a few more days. Coming hot on the heels of my dad passing suddenly before Christmas, it's just all a bit too much right now. But he will be OK and that is the most important thing.

I did see hometown cha cha cha and loved it so much, I was considering rewatching. But LftM&D is distracting me in different way which is still a lot of fun.

Oh no, sorry about your Dad too. 💐 A total double whammy. X

@LarryUnderwood sending soju, a piggyback ride, a swerve from the white truck if Doom and westlife songs! 😘

@Bea thank you, can I swap the Westlife for BTS? I could really do with a piggyback ride to get me upstairs to bed right now, need to get a lot of sleep to prep for being back on hospital duty tomorrow day/night 🤪

Fighting @LarryUnderwood! You've had a horrid six months. All your chingus are here to pour your soju and piggyback you home.

Sending good wishes across the internet Larry 💜💜💜
😂😂😂 Obviously you meant Hospital Playlist fanfic Pol I'm laughing at myself now! Although the initials do match up with Harry Potter characters too

Sending love and positive vibes Larry! It sounds like you've been through the mill recently. Fighting 💪

Larry I am so sorry - losing your father and then a very poorly son. A ruptured appendix sounds terrifying - really stressful for you all. I’m glad your ds is on the mend.

How’s Seoul Andante? Are you still recovering from your longer flight?

Well, I am quite giddy because it’s MLN, OB and Shitting Stars day. 🙌😄 I slept terribly last night, like 4 hours, so I’m contemplating an afternoon nap to make sure I am able to give this afternoon’s shows my full attention.

Oh Larry. That's a lot. Thinking of you and your ds.

Sending 💐 Larry.

Do I need to persevere with Sh*ing Stars? I found ep 1 quite dull and agree that FL wasn't convincing.

Not had much time for viewing but going to nestle down at 3pm to catch up on MLN & OB. I'm missing MFL&D 😳 Penthouse looks quite similar genre (soap opera style). Has anyone watched it?

Have a great weekend all.

Sending you 💪 and 🧃(obvs that’s soju in a carton ) to help you keep going @LarryUnderwood . Fighting!!

Do I need to persevere with Sh*ing Stars? I found ep 1 quite dull and agree that FL wasn't convincing.

There’s a reveal at the end of ep 2 which provides necessary context for their weird dynamic. It’s not must-see telly but it rumbles along nicely. It’s also funny seeing MLN’s Great Dane playing an overwrought, unduly dramatic star. 😄

I also think the soup shop oppa is worth my time.

Thanks Boaty I'm going back in!