MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #47: Lee Min-Ho’s a no-show, Kim Soo-Hyun cried himself into a dry husk and a sweet mobster sausage supremo is currently charming the noonas. We continue our ongoing mission to spread Kdrama joy. 😘

[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 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.
Our list is cumulative so includes recommendations and favourites from all previous threads. Shows marked with a star 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
I picked up a celebrity on the street (Viki)
LTNS (no major platform yet)
My Fellow Citizens (Viki/Netflix)
The Fiery Priest (Netflix)

Crime/Thriller
Bloodhounds (Netflix)
Come and Hug Me (Dramafast)
Graceful Family (Viki)
Healer (Netflix)🌟
Heartless City (Viki)
He is Psychometric (Viki)
I Hear Your Voice (Netflix /Viki)
Killer Paradox (Netflix)
Life on Mars (classy remake of BBC series, no major site yet)
Little Women (Netflix)
Maestra (Disney+)
My Name (Netflix)
My Secret Terrius (Netflix)🌟
Signal (Netflix)🌟
Somebody (Netflix, content warning: sexual & violence)
Snowdrop (Disney+)
Stranger - 2 seasons (Netflix)
Suspicious Partner (Netflix)🌟
The Lies Within (Netflix)🌟
The Worst of Evil (Disney+)
Tunnel (Netflix)🌟
Vigilante (Disney+)

Historical/Period drama (“sageuk”)
100 Days My Prince (Viki/Netflix)
Crowned Clown (Viki/Netflix)🌟
Missing Crown Prince (Viki)
Mr Queen (Viki)🌟
Mr Sunshine (Netflix)
My Dearest (Viki)
Our Blooming Youth (Viki)
Pachinko (AppleTV)
Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung (Netflix)
Tale of Nokdu (Viki/Netflix)🌟
The Forbidden Marriage (Viki)
The King’s Affection (Netflix)
The Red Sleeve (Viki)🌟

Makjang
Perfect Marriage Revenge (Viki)

Romance - lighter & fluffier
Beating Again (Netflix)
Business Proposal (Netflix)
Coffee Prince (Netflix)
Dali & the Cocky Prince (Viki)
Destined with You (Netflix)
Don’t Dare to Dream (Netflix, or as The Eighth Sense [BL] (Viki)
Jealousy Incarnate on Viki)🌟
Gogh, The Starry Night (Viki)
Happy Once Again (Netflix)
Her Private Life (Viki/Netflix)
His Master’s Sun (Netflix) 🌟
Hometown Cha Cha Cha (Viki)🌟
King The Land (Netflix)
Love for Love’s Sake(QiYi)
Love from a Star (Netflix)🌟
Lovely Runner (Viki)
Lovestruck in the City (Netflix)
Monthly Magazine Home (Viki)
Pinocchio (Netflix)
Race (Disney+)
Radio Romance (Netflix)
Romance is the Bonus Book (Netflix)🌟
Run On (Netflix)
Semantic Error [BL] (Viki)
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)🌟
Wedding Impossible (Viki)
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 Course in Romance (Netflix)
Crash Landing on You (Netflix)🌟
Daily Dose of Sunshine (Netflix)
Descendants of the Sun (Viki/Netflix)
Doctors (Netflix)
Doom At Your Service (Netflix/Viki)
Extraordinary Attorney Woo (Netflix)
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)/When the Weather is Nice (Netflix)
It’s OK Not To Be OK (Netflix)
Just Between Lovers (Viki)/Rain or Shine (Netflix)🌟
Mad For Each Other (Netflix)🌟
Marry My Husband (
Melo is my Nature (Viki)/Be Melodramatic (Netflix)🌟
My Strange Hero (Viki)
One Spring Night (Netflix)
Red Carpet - film (Netflix, very adult content)
Romantic Dr Kim - seasons 1&2 (Viki), season 3 (Disney+)
Search: WWW (Viki, Netflix)🌟
Something in the Rain (Netflix)
Tell Me That You Love Me (Disney+)
The Atypical Family (Netflix)
The Handmaid (film, Netflix - content warning: explicit sexual content)
The Package (Viki)

Straighter ‘Slice of Life’ dramas on universal themes
Gaus Electronics (Viki)🌟
First Responders (Disney+)
Hospital Playlist (Netflix)🌟
Hospital Playlist 2 (Netflix)🌟
Into The Ring (Viki)
Itaewon Class (Netflix)
Live (Netflix)
Misaeng (Netflix)🌟
My Liberation Notes🌟
Move to Heaven (Netflix)
My Mister (Viki/Netflix)🌟
My Unfamiliar Family (Viki)🌟
Navillera (Netflix)🌟
Not Others (Viki)
Prison Playbook (Netflix)🌟
On The Verge of Insanity (Viki)
Once Again (Viki)
Our Blues (Netflix)🌟
Stove League (Viki)/Hot Stove League (Netflix)
Racket Boys (Netflix)
The Good Bad Mother (Netflix)
Would You Like a Cup of Coffee (Viki/Netflix)🌟

Supernatural/zombies/vampires/fantasy/sci-fi - lighter & fluffier
A Time Called You (Netflix)
Alchemy of Souls (Netflix) 🌟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)🌟
My Lovely Liar (Viki)
Orange Marmalade (Netflix)
Twinkling Watermelon (Viki)
While You Were Sleeping (Viki)🌟

Supernatural/zombies/vampires/fantasy/sci-fi - darker/more grown up themes
#Alive (Netflix)
Black (Netflix)🌟
Delivery Man (Viki)
Happiness (Viki/Netflix)🌟
Hotel del Luna (Viki/Netflix)🌟
King: The Eternal Monarch (Netflix)
Kingdom (Netflix)🌟
Kingdom: Ashin of the North (Netflix)
Moon in the Day (Viki)
Mystic Pop-up Bar (Netflix)
Peninsula - film, Train to Busan sequel (Amazon Prime, iMovies)
Sisyphus (Netflix)
Sell Your Haunted House (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
Chicken Nugget (Netflix)
Behind Your Touch (Netflix)
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)
F4 Thailand (Viki)
Fake it Till You Make it (Viki)
Find Yourself (Netflix - Chinese)
First Love (Netflix - Japanese)🌟
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)
Let’s Talk About Chu (Netflix, Taiwan)⭐️
Lost Romance [BL] (Viki, Taiwanese)
Love O2O (Viki, Chinese)
Meet Yourself (Viki, Chinese)
Million Yen Women (Netflix, Japanese)
Morning Call (Netflix, Japanese)
My Little Happiness (Viki, Chinese)
My Personal Weatherman [BL] (Jdrama, Viki)
Orange Days (Japan, Netflix)
Put Your Head on My Shoulder (Netflix, Chinese)
Rinko Wants To Try (Viki, Japanese)
Some Day or One Day (Viki, Taiwanese)
Sweat and Soap (Viki, Japanese)
The Makanai (Netflix, Japanese)
The Romance of Tiger & Rose (Viki, Chinese)
The Untamed (Nertlix, 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)

Top Scoring 2023 Dramas
#1 Bloodhounds 8.9
#2 = The Good Bad Mother 8.8
#2 = Deaths Game 8.8
#2 = Moving 8.8
#2 = The Glory 8.8
(#2 rankings by number of votes)

Top Scoring 2022 Dramas
#1 My Liberation Notes 9.45
#2 Alchemy of Souls 9.10
#3 First Love 8.88 (Jdrama)
#4 Our Blues 8.83
#5 Gaus Electronics 8.75

Top Scoring 2021 Dramas
#1 The Red Sleeve - 10
#2 Happiness - 9
#3 Devil Judge - 8.75
#4 Squid Game - 8.6
#5 Navillera - 8.57

Top Scoring 2020 dramas
#1 Mr Queen - 9.4
#2 Parasite (film) - 9.05
#3 It's Okay To Not Be Okay - 8.88
#4 The Uncanny Counter - 8.50
#5 Once Again - 8.42

Top Scoring 2019 dramas
#1 Her Private Life - 9.40
#2 Melo is My Nature - 9.00
#3 tied: Crash Landing On You, The Crowned Clown, The Lies Within, and The Tale of Nokdu - 8.75
#4 Hotel del Luna - 8.50
#5 tied: Romance is a Bonus Book, and Search: WWW - 8.17

We are fans of all things Korean, so equally happy to talk about Korean cookery, language, current affairs, film and music when the mood takes us. A few of us are learning Korean, Japanese and/or Mandarin (some more diligently than others), so we swap tips and links to language resources. Basically, anything topical goes.

We often resort to acronyms and/or abbreviations of show titles or 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!

We argued all the way through True Beauty, my youngest and I were team Soo Ho while my eldest was team Seo Jun! When I watched lovely runner recently I told my daughter that Tae-Sung was basically the same character as Seo Jun. This is currently my daughters phone wallpaper 🤣

theloup and clare - what was an idle thought halfway through episode 15 was seriously a raging case of SLS by the end. Not enough personality given to Lee Su Ho towards the end, and so much connection and care between FL and Han Seo Jun!!

And yes... Seo Jun and Tae Sung were basically the same person 😅 but luckily LR gave us Ryu Sun Jae 😍😍

Haha! @clare8allthepies I want to give that phone wallpaper a round of applause 🙌
Iconic.

I may be wrong but I believe in the webtoon of TB, which carries on a lot further, she ends up with the SL

I liked Hwang In-youp's character in True Beauty too. Real life Hwang In-youp was also the stand out star in ^Young Actor's Retreat. He's so adorably dorky and funny, he constantly had the rest of the cast in stitches.

I'm also really curious about what Pol said about the webtoon now. I did read a bit of it, to see how it compared with the show, and I remember it starting with the FL in her twenties looking back on her school days (so the bit in the show) but it did seem like there was a lot more to come after that. I can definitely see Han Seo-jun as the constant in her life she eventually falls for sort of thing. I might have to go back and finish it.

I absolutely loved True Beauty and was definitely team Cha Eun Woo all the way through. I really don't get feathery stroker vibes from him, not judging by his Instagram photos anyway 😆 I really like Hwang In Yeop too, it looks like he's got a couple of new dramas coming up so I'll look forward to watching those.

Dh and I are absolutely loving MSM it has made us laugh so much. I loved the small Mr Ahn from Bong Soon parody in episode 10 too 😍

I started the Bad and the Crazy this morning to get my Lee Dong Wook fix and I'm also ploughing through the entire back catalogue of Viki's BL dramas it seems 🤣

I'm also ploughing through the entire back catalogue of Viki's BL dramas it seems 🤣

< sheds single tear of pride >

When you get to Kiseki: Dear to me hit me up because I'm down for a rewatch 😎 @Rowdythree

Anyone else watching Love Next Door thinking “ewwww, I don’t want the guy with the streaming runs anywhere near commercial food prep or making my dinner?”

That was my immediate thought too.

Will do @TheLoupGarou , I've just started Unknown , I'll do Kiseki next 😁

Mo-Eum sitting in her garden in today’s Love Next Door? 👌 Nicely done.

I think Mo-Eum and mudflat man will need to stage an intervention, poor tortured Choi-Sueng, someone help the guy out!

These Love Next Door updates are intriguingly baffling 🤔. I'm looking forward to it 😀. Meanwhile I'm still on Miss Night and Day awaiting the previously mentioned plotline that can only happen in kdramas because Koreans inexplicably fail to talk to each other (can't be worse than Boys Over Flowers, though, surely?)

@Rowdythree just after I called CEW a feathery stroker he posted this photo shoot on his Instagram... I take it all back!! https://www.instagram.com/p/C_P1nXlSWJ5/?igsh=emtvZDJtbzl4MnR2

I guess I am thinking specifically his character in True Beauty was a bit lacking.

Agree, @Cobol , I'm going to have to start Love Next Door as you're all giving me FOMO.

Goodness me! 😍

When we were on holiday the other week my eldest found a TikTok video of the ‘20 best looking idols’ we all said immediately Cha Eun Woo, and or course we were not wrong!

Ha ha, yes that's the shoot I was thinking of, although I'm somewhat disappointed by his choice of Westlife as his chosen music 😂 he's a handsome bloke, and he knows it! I'll forgive him for his feathery stroker leanings in TB as he was playing a high school kid 😁

So gross. First of all I was disturbed by the germs drowning the poor people who had to travel in the car with him and then it got a thousand times worse as he dives into the food prep.

Loving everything else about Love Next Door - except waiting for the next episode!

Yoo Ah In has been sent to jail for a year.
I hope this doesn’t mean the end of career as he’s such a wonderful actor. (Obviously he won’t be able to act while he’s in jail, but I mean after he’s released).

Oh that's such a shame about Yoo Ah In but not a huge surprise. I think a comeback could be very difficult, sadly. It wasn't easy for Robert Downey Jr to return to acting after similar, mostly because of insurance issues, and, of course, South Korea is much more conservative about these things than the US.

I also think it will be very difficult for Yoo Ah In to make a come back after his jail sentence, who knows in the future though. I hope he can receive help for his issues.

Dh and I finished MSM last night, and we absolutely loved it. There was nothing I didn't like about the show. I feel really sad that we don't have any more episodes to watch tonight 😢 We're going to continue with Sweet Home and hope we get it finished before Gyeongseong Creature 2 comes out at the end of the month.

Spurred on by @TheLoupGarou I now have IQIYI subscription with a whole host of new shows to tempt me with 🥳

Haha @clare8allthepies who else made the top 20 handsome idols? Surely Rowoon, Mingyu from Seventeen and V got a look in?

Cha Eun Woo is v handsome - I prefer him looking casual, out on the town with the other 97 liners 😉

Haha rowdy I'm like the witch with my gingerbread house, tempting people in 🤫

I can’t remember all 20, the top 10 included Mingyu, Felix, Niki, Jimin and V. The top 3 were Hyunjin, Jungkook and Cha Eun Woo. My daughter was very cross that there was no Lee Know! 🤣