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 would like to put in a formal complaint about whoever mentioned BTS fanfiction. I like a few of theirs songs, not all, and you have sent me down a rabbit hole from which I may never escape. Please send help.

Haha Metheven it's me that mention the BTS fanfiction! It is a deep deep rabbit hole 😬 let me know if you want any recommendations 😉

TheGirlWithTheArabStrap So now I know who to blame😂 It surprises me how many vampire and werewolf ones there are, I feel like I am back in my Harry Potter fanfic days. It is a very deep rabbit hole indeed, should keep me entertained for a while.

I am watching The Sound of Magic finished ep 3 (half drama) but still story seems to be not going anywhere.

Read a review today & apparently it will all come together in a jaw dropping way in episode 6 (last episode)
so the question is do I keep plodding or ditch it?

Evening all! I have had a bonkers day. There should be smoke coming out of my ears. 🤯

Thank you for rescuing me from my monologue.

I’ve noticed that we are within 100 posts of this thread topping out. Time for header updates and tweaks. If suggesting an addition, please give the streaming platform & genre category too. Much obliged! 😁

Are we adding Pachinko? Apple TV and Slice of Life serious?

JinBhoot I am on episode 2 now and it is definitely not what I expected. I imagined it to be light and fluffy, but I don't think it is going to be. Amazing how a 31 year old is playing a school pupil so convincingly. I am definitely sticking with it.

What about period drama for Pachinko? Slice of life feels a bit too fluffy.

Yes absolutely. I knew it didn't sound right.

Hope the steam has cooled down now boaty and you have had a relaxing evening ❤️

Sounds like I really need to start watching the Jane the Virgin remake (apologies, the new site formatting makes going backwards and forwards in threads very tedious and time consuming so I can't remember the exact title). Too much to watch again, a happy situation!

I was wondering about The Sound of Magic Jin - it looked a little odd. If it's only 6 episodes I may give it a try.

I hope you have decompressed from your vexing day Boaty.

I have no useful suggestions for the new thread but I think nearly all of us were in love with Business Proposal so perhaps a new title could reference it? Failing that, MLN is a strong contender for drama of the year so perhaps those onomatopoeic bursting frogs 😁🐸🐸🐸

I thank you all for your new thread title inspiration. My current draft captures at least two recent strands. I think it will please you. 😉

I am feeling much better thanks. DH and I went for a much too long walk after dinner so I could stomp it out of my system. About half an hour from home the pint of water I had with my dinner had filtered through. The remaining walk home was exceedingly uncomfortable. Life lesson #56341: never pass an open pub with a full bladder out of embarrassment about using the loos without buying a drink. 😩 Buy a bag of crisps if you have to, but do not pass by.

Enjoying the nonsense and slush of Crazy Love anyway (not that it makes much sense but who cares) but particularly DELIGHTED to find Jilly Cooper, Marian Keyes and Jodi Picoult on shelves of office of baddy setting herself up as top tier educational tutor.

OOh I have Jilly Cooper & Marian Keyes on my shelves too (and I'm not ashamed to admit it), respect to the villainess 💪
Also enjoying Crazy Love. I have abandoned OB for the moment as I have a craving for fluff. Am I the only one watching Showtime? I got emotional over the dog story 😥

I’m out-out with DH. No kdrama for me tonight. Feels weird to be in a busy venue. Nice to see some return to normality though.

👋 chingus,

I managed to get locked out of the site for a while with some weird bad gateway (?) message. Google helped me figure out in the end that it was a cookie-related issue, so have finally sorted it and back on track.

Larry hope DS is firmly on the mend now 🙏

Musique I listened to the translation talk, as did a friend from my Korean course 🙂 More of it was new to me than to her, but it was food for thought and gave us something (extra 😃) to chat about.

I also have a DC under 10, so the realities of life and work means very little viewing time at the moment 😨 I do however follow all the discussions, and you've all been invaluable in helping me sort the wheat ftom the chaff, so thanks again 🤗 I really like the look of The Sound of Magic so keen to hear roughly how it winds up.

bettys and pol my shelves are heavy under the weight of Jilly Cooper 😁 I've not revisited them for years, but their time will surely come

There is another interesting-looking talk coming up. With Elisa Shua Dusapin, talking about Winter in Sokcho. Very atmospheric novel which I enjoyed alot.

I'll provide the link in a separate post just in case I balls it up 🙈🤔😁

The upcoming book talk: Elisa Shua Dusapin online talk, 25 May

Now I've worked out how to do links 😁 (I hope 🙈), here's one for other Yoongi fans:
That That MV Shoot Sketch - BTS

I was going to catch up on Again My Life but got sucked in to the glorious madness that is Eurovision qualifiers 🤯🤣😎

Rivals is always worth a reread Saram 😉
I enjoyed the sparseness and atmosphere of Winter in Sokcho (perhaps not quite as much as Jilly...). Timing of talk doesn't suit me but will be interested to hear how it goes.

Cast of MLN on The Swoon tomorrow with ✨wackiness✨

😁

Where is this Swoon of which you speak?

It's a fan style YouTube channel from Netflix. Loads of trailers, clips and fun promo games with casts. I like the jenga game best.

Popped in to the Asian supermarket on the way home from work (I know! Office!) to get a couple* of things.

Saw our boy PSJ looking photoshopped to perfection.

Made bibimbap for the first time from the Seoul Food cookbook, it was delicious. Who knew egg would be the glue that binds a whole dish together? I'm a convert.

*£35 worth

I'm back after a few days away with my dc. I definitely over estimated how much drama time I was going to have whilst I was away. I went with the whole season of The Crowned Clown downloaded, and managed to watch 1 1/2 episodes 😆

There is another interesting-looking talk coming up. With Elisa Shua Dusapin, talking about Winter in Sokcho. Very atmospheric novel which I enjoyed alot.

Thanks for linking to this Saram, I've registered too, although I haven't read the book yet

Lucky you Briiiiick seeing PSJ in the Asian supermarket 😆 what other goodies did you buy?

Bettys I'm so excited for Eurovision tomorrow! 🙌 It's actually my wedding anniversary tomorrow, but we will be celebrating by watching Eurovision with our Bingo cards and Score cards 😂💞😍

We’ll be watching Eurovision tomorrow too. (Didn’t we have the same conversation last year? 🤔😄)