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!

Of course, the clocks changing makes perfect sense.
I’m loving BP. It was a great episode once again.

I love, love, love Strong Girl Bong Soon Metheven. I really need to watch it again soon. There really isn't another show quite like it (and believe me I've looked!)

Welcome KpopArmy! I thought the staging at the Grammys was superb, especially given all their recent mishaps and lack of rehearsal. I'm looking forward to the behind-the-scenes Bangtan bomb(s) now.

I finished 25/21 this afternoon and I have to confess I wept through the last 20 minutes, I'm blaming a lack of sleep! I kind of liked the ending - it was fuzzy and unresolved just like real life. I think wanting to know more is the sign of good writing at work. If it were a western drama it would be an open door for series two but doubt that will happen. I also wondered how they would end it given that they'd got an older version of Hee-do but we hadn't seen an older Yi-jin.

I really wanted to have more Seung-wan in it though. She deserved her own series, I loved her character so much.

I agree re: NJH voice by the way.

Right, the last 1.5 episodes of FLAW next!

Go Ha-ri!!!!! 🥵🥵🥵

Business Proposal the great healer

Welcome KPop!!

Prestel it really is one of a kind, isn't it?

Loved the end of Business Proposal episode 11, well worth the wait.

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

Metheven Bong Soon is my absolute fave too, I'm jealous you're getting to see it for the first time. Also have you tried the soju yet?

Welcome to the thread Kpop

I'm saving Business Proposal for tomorrow so I can have a double bill. I can't wait

Rowdythree It really is great isn't it, every time I watch an episode, I end up laughing or smiling. No, not tried the soju yet, I am saving it for an evening when I know I don't have to do anything the next day. I hardly drink these days and really can't handle it any more. My 20 something self would be ashamed.

Just finished 2521 - Not that great IMO would give it a 7/10 as although lovely in places I thought it was too sentimental and not enough plot. Drawn out unsatisfactory ending was my conclusion. Going to finish the day with Business Proposal which will cheer me up!!

Very taken with the integral box lighting for the thing that was given on the bridge in Business Proposal.

I could not get past AHS’ character’s arm being injured enough to warrant bandaging and an overnight stay or two in the VIP suite in his jammies but not so injured as to preclude niche acrobatics. Most strange. Otherwise, a completely enjoyable hour.

@polkettle

Very taken with the integral box lighting for the thing that was given on the bridge in Business Proposal.

Very... blue

@boatyardblues

I could not get past AHS’ character’s arm being injured enough to warrant bandaging and an overnight stay or two in the VIP suite in his jammies but not so injured as to preclude niche acrobatics. Most strange. Otherwise, a completely enjoyable hour.

He took the bandage off, winced, shook his hand a bit and then proceeded to do all sorts of night based activities. I was quite impressed.

Definitely found it unbelievable that he was in his jammies for 2 days with NO PHONE TO READ GOSSIP AND BROWSE WEBTOONS.

Definitely found it unbelievable that he was in his jammies for 2 days with NO PHONE TO READ GOSSIP AND BROWSE WEBTOONS.

Half a day was enough for us. Part of the “fix it at all costs!” convo with DH was along lines of or it will get ugly fast (but also neither of us wanted to go into work every day this week). DS1 found 18 unwatched episodes of Travel Man on the cable box and saved the day. The wicker sled things on Madeira (Richard Ayoade and Robert Webb episode) looked so hazardous I’d wager there isn’t a travel insurance policy on Earth that covers that activity. Dubrovnik seemed nice.

Oh me too, polkettle - very impressed with that. They do things well in Korea.

Our WiFi glitched for 30 minutes this morning and DH and I almost had a breakdown. We almost had to talk to each other... I absolutely sympathise.

Travel Man not a bad distraction though. Ayoade always good value. I think my favourite was the Bob Mortimer episode because Bob Mortimer.

@boatyardblues

I could not get past AHS’ character’s arm being injured enough to warrant bandaging and an overnight stay or two in the VIP suite in his jammies but not so injured as to preclude niche acrobatics. Most strange. Otherwise, a completely enjoyable hour.

It was a man-injury. Similar to man-flu.

Just watched the pigeon scene in Vincenzo.

Hmmmmm...

Did enjoy the snogging though. Pleasant. 👍

We watched the Bob Mortimer (Hamburg) episode too. It’s the first time I recall RA looking like he was enjoying drinks with his companion. Bob was definitely enjoying his cocktails! 😄

@boatyardblues

We watched the Bob Mortimer (Hamburg) episode too. It’s the first time I recall RA looking like he was enjoying drinks with his companion. Bob was definitely enjoying his cocktails! 😄

Bob Mortimer seems to be very personable. He asks good questions and listens well. I love him on the fishing show.

Thank you all for my lovely welcome. You’ve made me feel right at home already

That’s just the way we roll Kpop. Kdrama fans are far and few between in real life, so we treasure every new arrival here. 😄

Hi KPop! 👋👋👋
Such a chatty thread today!
To summarise
Agree re NJHs lovely voice (and lovely everything thing really)
Metheven Strong Girl Bong Soon is ace!
Musique you should definitely check out more BTS on YouTube 😉 are you feeling the urge to learn their names yet???

And I'm not going to bother going back to FLAW or 39 but I am going to start Business Proposal as it sounds v enjoyable from your comments 👍

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

And I'm not going to bother going back to FLAW or 39 but I am going to start Business Proposal as it sounds v enjoyable from your comments 👍

Super fun TheGirl, you'll like it!

Dramas based on Webtoons seem to be outclassing the establishment these days!