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!

Boatyard - have not go that far yet...might need to FF but do agree with Clarity, I am enjoying everything thing about Love Next Door. I also started on Romance in the House while waiting for the next episodes to drop. Enjoying it as well, if I can get past my dislike of the FL, Son Na Eun, who I first say in Cinderella and her 4 Knights, where her character just grated a LOT.

I am just here to record my admiration for the creativity of the No Gain No Love writers & producers in working around Korean broadcast rules. The Newton’s cradle in the erotic fiction scene was 👌. 👏👏👏

If anyone is looking for some Rom-com respite, the crime thriller Black Out is worth a watch. It's the K version of the German book Snow white must Die and will keep you intrigued while you wait for your weekly rom-com fix.

I'm loving this show!! Shin Min-a gives good flirt.

I'm following all your comments on LND with interest. Currently really really enjoying Jung So-min in BTIMFL (I totally identify with both ML and FL, which is providing alot of the watching joy😁AND I want the cat). I came to the drama game relatively late (started watching in early 2021) so have alot of 'classics' to catch up on. The more older series I see (Itaewon Class, Her Private Life, Fight for My Way etc.) the more I'm missing the depth, humour and emotional warmth they seem to have in new releases. Of course it's subjective, and I realise there's still good stuff out there (Midnight Romance in Hagwon and My Sweet Mobster being my favourites this year so far).

I binged The Frog. It was memorable, had a fantastic cast, styling, soundtrack and setting, but I felt it dipped for too long in the middle before shaping up again in the last few episodes. And Lee Jung-eun was underused, too, which is never a good thing. But definitely worth a look for those who enjoy darker dramas. Plus it's only 8 episodes, most of which come in at under 1 hour.

Once I'm done with BTIMFL I'll start with Lovely Runner and another from the long list of older classics 🙌

@Andante57 (and Rowdy and Cobol) I was sorry to read about Yoo Ah-in, and I also fear there's no coming back from this for him.

On the subject of scandals, I have of course being following developments in scootergate with interest. (For those not into K-pop, Min Yoongi = Suga of BTS - my gateway drug to all things Korean 😁- was caught driving an electric scooter while under the influence, when he fell off of it outside his appartment 🙈). The case has now gone to the prosecution service. I do wonder if it will have any impact on the much-rumoured world tour next year. We shall see!

In other Bangtan news, I'm looking forward to the JK documentary (in cinemas from 18 September, I'm going with course chingus) and Hobi's discharge from military service (next month 🎉), and excited to hear about the upcoming RM documentary.

And yes, it's that time of the year again - I'm starting the next term of Korean this weekend. Which will also be my last, assuming I pass the exams in January 😱We have to speak Korean IN CLASS at this level 💀 Nice knowing you all 💀💀💀😳😁

I was in tears in episode 6 of LND!! The scene with the dad was so heart breaking.

And whenever the main two are sparring on screen together it is really electric.

Based on comments up thread, looking forward to catching up with no gain no love now.

@Saram13 Jung So-Min was good in Alchemy of Souls too. It gave her many opportunities to demonstrate her range.

I was sorry to read about Yoo Ah-in, and I also fear there's no coming back from this for him.

Saram yes I agree, Koreans tend to be quite unforgiving about drug offences. However Ju Ji-Hoon was given a suspended sentence years ago for taking ecstasy and he’s still around. The career of the actress who provided the pills has not survived, however.

I am seriously impressed with your Korean progress. I find vocab very hard to remember and the endless different verb endings also slip from my mind.
My speaking is ok provided I keep things very simple, but my listening is hopeless. I’m going to ask my teacher if we can spend at least 15 mins every lesson speaking.

Hello everybody, I've not posted for ages because I havnt watched any dramas for weeks!!! But I am going to book to see Jungkook's film with work Army friend. And excited about RMs film too!

Had a lovely lovely indulgent weekend binge of all of A List to Playlist which is basically my equivalent of BTS content. Got all soppy about CJS and his missus together and the reunion of the HP squad.
Thoroughly enjoying both warmth of LND and wit of NGNL. Although annoyed about the (inevitable) haircut.

Glad you had fun Pol ☺️ ☺️

I am all caught up on No Gain, No Love and really enjoying it. It is so different and fresh, within the framework and tropes of a kdrama romcom.

Was thinking that Lee Sang Yi wasn't really having the usual 2ML story line / treatment and was basically just wheeling around being an anti smut weirdo. However I just saw that his character (and the writer friend) have a spin off show which will air directly after this. Explains the slightly disconnected plot here.

I just finished Good Bad Mother (loved it and disappointed that when DH proposed to me, there was no cute piglet involved).

So, I can start Love Next Door and No Gain, No Love and catch up with you all!!

Drum roll ... just about to start my 50th kdrama!!!

#Goalz!

Obviously can't tell people IRL but knew you guys would appreciate!!

Excellent work! 👏🤩 💪 I never thought about keeping a tally like this, but now I'm wondering if I can go back and remember them all 🤔😁

What a great idea to tally them!!

I can't remember all of mine 😳

I have a terrible memory so decided early on to make a note and also score them. So glad I did!

I definitely haven't kept a tally of mine, but I'm going to start from now on (and add in those that I CAN remember!)

Me either - if they have a similar plot I start mixing them up in my head as well 🤣

This resonates for me. I’ve totally lost track, though I am 6-7 years down the rabbit hole. I wish I’d kept a list.

At one point I made a note of all the sageuks I'd watched which were loosely based on real history and arranged them in historical chronological order, but that was for reference for reading up on history rather than a list of what I've watched. I don't think I want a reminder of how much tv I've been watching.....

I’ve totally lost track now. I totted up at the end of my first year(ish) and it was around the 800 hours mark. 😬 I should be fluent by now, right?

I hadn't thought to do the number of hours - best not to probably!!