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!

He's very striking 😍

@LarryUnderwood Best wishes for your DS’s speedy recovery.
Sending +I’ve thoughts & virtual hugs your way 💐

Thanks so much everyone, he's doing better little by little and I'm hopeful that he'll be home in a couple of days. It is making me rethink my extremely full on job though, I feel so stretched thin at the best of times and when the shit hits the fan like now I have no reserves. Supportive boss etc but I'm not sure it's enough.

But in other news, LftM&D is settling in to be top fun and I'm planning to start another this evening (valiant DH has volunteered to be on hospital duty for another night so I can catch up on sleep). What do you think my changes, MLN, Yumi's Cells or Shitting Stars? Something warm huggy would probs be best.

Larry, that's good that your DS could be home in a few days. You've had a very difficult time by the sounds of it. I rethought my full-on job after a total shitshow of a 2021 and it's only now that I'm in my new job that I'm starting to feel a bit more like my old self again. I hope you find a solution that is right for you.

I'd go for Sh*tting Stars from those options if you want pure fluffy hug time. MLN requires a bit more thought. Yumi's Cells was super cute though.

Re: Mr Gu in My Liberation Notes.

What did I tell you? I'm a genius.

I caught up with Sh**ting Stars earlier. It’s total fluff but making the most of its talent. 😁

Just starting Our (Misery) Blues. Skipping all the Dong-suk/Seon-a bits because bore.

I've just got back, watched exactly 8mins of Our Blues and am in tears already. DH just brought me a large glass of wine and said he's going out for a pint to leave me to it 😭 😳.

Seon-a is an absolute head fuck.

Young-ok is also a head fuck.

Quick switch from OB as way too violent for a lovely spring evening for me. To the wonderful MLN It's just perfection. As is Gu's back

I’ve been to the pub. Am I right in thinking MLN should be my first port of call?

Gu’s reaction to the bursting frogs anecdote is priceless.

Absolutely 😂

You made the right call Boaty

For better or worse, I’ve just started Our Blues. Seeing Ho Sik on his knees made me wonder how many of my trousers would make acceptable apology trousers. My jeggings are OK but none of my work trousers have any stretch in them. 🤔

@AesopsMables I've watched two seasons of Penthouse, started S3 and but didn't continue as it had run out of steam for me. S1 was quite good tho. However, it's not a patch on LftM&D but tbh, nothing, and I mean nothing, is like LftM&D! I think the writers got together, smoked some weed, drank gallons of soju and decided to see how outrageous they could get. Yet it draws you in because some episodes are so damn good and the dialogue so well written. Enjoy!
My current kdrama fix - I'm really enjoying MLN and Taxi Driver on Netflix and Love, all Play (elsewhere) which has a bit of 25/21 vibe only with badminton.

I must be a kdrama addict as I've just realised that I'm watching/following FIVE shows!! My life is gym or sofa 😂

Sounds about right to me, Migs. 😄

Two important things to note about this post.

1. Look how the Great Dane positions himself like a giraffe to take a photo. Fascinating.
2. Mr Gu liked it.

In laws are here so I'm saving MLN for a glorious double bill when they've gone and I can send rest of house out to watch Marvel later.
But have just cracked and done OB in bed on my phone punctuated by DH snoring. I think I'm an outlier in not finding it a depressing watch at all - loving all the light and shade of the different stories. I was very bothered by dodgy continuity in painting doors blue though.
BEAUTIFUL childhood hanok home.

I liked the hanok too Pol and I am not hating OB. I’ll join you on the outliers’ bench.

What’s Mr Gu’s insta handle? Asking for a friend. 😌

I really like OB too! Although last week's violence was difficult to watch. I'm not as interested in the Seon-a and Dong-Seok storyline as the others, but seeing their back story explained his feelings towards him mum.

One thing that I've noticed in a lot of K dramas, is that when parents separate, there seems to be no joint custody of any children, it seems to be all for one parent and the other parent is out of the picture, with no access. I wonder if that's representative of real life 🤔

I'm all caught up with MLN too after having a lazy morning in bed! There was a change in Gu, the way his face hardened and his expression changed when Mi Jeong was at his house eating grapes. It made him seem quite scary 😬 (but still hot AF 🔥)

What’s Mr Gu’s insta handle? Asking for a friend

I'd like to know too 🙋‍♀️

True. The violence in OB is hard to stomach but overall I am finding the stories interesting.