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!

Been a bit quiet of late. Distracting myself from the teens going to Uni this autumn, with trips with friends, sister and OH. Confession time, on the flight back from Geneva on Saturday I started A Virtuous Business. I have form for LOL on planes if I like something (used to mortify the teens) and this hit the spot. An elderly French gentleman was very keen to try and see what I was watching😂. As a big fan of WDH I have been considering Mr Plankton but not sure I am brave enough.

Do it, @Dragonrock - you won't regret it!

I'm trying to finish Doom at your Service even though I'm not enjoying it. The only thing I'm loving is FL's extensive collection of gorgeous coats!

ohh @mrsfeatherbottom , I loved Doom. One of those that I just wanted to watch and watch. I will brave it and go for Mr Plankton then!

@mrsfeatherbottomMr Plankton is so good! Everyone in it is so perfect, the styling is so interesting and cool. I have three episodes to go.

Fighting from me too, MrsFeatherbottom.

We’re home now from our wonderful trip and Alex guidenim who some of you know, really excelled himself.
Dh and I remembered a wonderful beef barbecue restaurant in Busan which we were keen to return to, but it had closed. However, once we were in our hotel Alex then went to the trouble of returning to its former location and asked around to see if it still existed elsewhere.
I’ve got a relation who gets very exercised about people parking on the verge outside or near his house and when I saw cops waving their flashing red batons I said to dh “wish I could get one of those for X’
The next thing is Alex was ushering us into a shop which sold flashing red batons!
Christmas present sorted.
Anyway we had a lovely time visiting new places and revisiting old haunts like Gyeongju and Hahoe village. I am craving pork barbecue wrapped in perilla leaves right now.

Sounds like you had a great trip Andante. If you have any restaurant recommendations in Gyeongju I’d welcome them. We are planning our trip for 2025.

Boaty, we went to a cafe called ‘Do Not Disturb’ which has a good view of some of the tombs from upstairs and they had a white roll filled with a slice of cold butter and sweet red bean sauce. It was the most delicious snack I’ve ever eaten. I wish I’d photographed its name.

Thanks Andante - added to the list. 🙂

There are so many delicious restaurants and snack bars and we couldn’t decide whether to return to ones we knew and loved or try new ones.
They are also very reasonable. Alex, Dh and I went to a beef barbecue restaurant where there was a really generous amount of beef and loads of side dishes, some of which were refilled, and the bill was £23 for 3 people.

Wow! Do you have the details of that one too?

ALERT - ALERT 📢Just seen this - The upcoming South Korean drama Ask the Stars, starring Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin, is scheduled to premiere on tvN in January 2025. The series will air every Saturday and Sunday.

Now that’s winning ML/FL casting. I will look forward to it. They’re both so good. I hope they have good chemistry. 🤞🤞🤞

Fighting @Mrsfeatherbottom!

I finished Mr Plankton on Monday, loved it and been recommending it to anyone who will listen. DH and I finished A Virtuous Business at the weekend, we liked it but it wasn't amazing. We have started Mouse but haven't got very far yet. I decided to rewatch Lovely Runner last night as I didn't fancy starting anything new but I think I might ditch it in favour of Hidden Love. All those long longing looks is what I'm in the mood for. Although I need to catch up with Family By Choice first which is tonight's agenda

Thanks for all the fightings, chingus!

DH and I started Chief Detective 1958 this week. Someone here recommended it but I can't remember who. It's great - very funny.

I got into the swing of The Judge from Hell and I am really enjoying. Some of the PPL is slightly mad. The cola is obvious but the squeegie dustpan and brush scene in Judge Kang’s kitchen was v odd. 😂 Also, what’s with the outlandish meals in the law court canteen? It was whole lobster in the last scene. I can only assume there’s been some kind out public outcry about lavish subsidised meals in the real life justice sector & they’re satirising that, or vice versa - the food is appalling IRL.

Another nomination for our Advent Calendar- Ko-soo. Currently in Parole Examiner Lee.

I'm glad to see someone else is enjoying The Judge From Hell, I didn't know if it was a bit niche. The lobster dinner was particularly memorable, along with the office gossip-mongers, who only appear briefly but have some great scenes together looking on from the sidelines.

I'm not familiar with Ko-soo or Parole Examiner Lee, Migs, I may have to do some googling.

Judge from Hell wrapped up nicely. It won't be one of my highest scores this year but i would give it a solid 7. The leads were both good, though Park Shin-Hye is head & shoulders above the others in terms of screen presence. As said above, it was great seeing her let rip.

Hello chingus
I hope you all are well.
I don’t think I have watched anything this whole year 😱
Lately I am not finding any comfort or distraction in K/J/C drama or generally tv viewing.
I am hoping Advent calendar will pull me in.

Hi Jin! Hope you're well. Lapsed watchers always welcome. I think this year has been a mixed bag for quality shows

Hi Jin

I have watched fewer dramas this year too, though mainly because I have been reading manhwa and novels on Tapas. Also looking forward to the Oppa Advent calendar though!

Hello JinBhoot yes I agree with FedUp that this year hasn’t been outstanding. I hope that the global success of K dramas doesn’t mean that they’ll be churned out as fast as they can.

Also, I wanted to watch an episode of one of my favourite dramas, Secret Love Affair. It’s no longer available on Viki or Netflix so I tried Olga’s but no luck there either.
However, Olga’s different sites have become very similar - have they joined up as one company but kept their different names?

Hi Jin. Good to see you back on the thread. 👋 As FedUp says, lapsed watchers, infrequent visitors, lurkers & all are welcome.

I also fell down a manhwa rabbit hole for a few months, got my novel reading mojo back and have been watching less TV lately. I’ve also been watching more non-Korean subtitled TV over the last few weeks. It’s interesting seeing the parallels between The Empress (German, Netflix) and most sageuk - palace intrigue, plotting, hierarchy and protocol, pressure on the royal couple to breed, mistresses. So far no poisonings, but I’m still on the first season…

I started When The Phone Rings last night. Yoon Yeon-Seok was terrific, manifesting some of that angry, brooding energy he brought to his role in Mr Sunshine. Chae Soo-Bin is great too. She’s convincingly cowed and wishy-washy at the beginning like she was in A Piece of Your Mind, but is gradually hardening to a core of steel. I think it has huge promise.

There seem to be more misfires this year. In the rush to meet the growing global appetite for Korean content it feels like we’ve lost some of the quality control. I remember Netflix cranking out loads of meh cookie cutter English language sci-fi and romcom films about 8 years ago until the supply side improved. Hopefully things will settle down with the streaming platform’s k content too. 🤞 People are discerning & will bin off the rot. Perhaps we need to train them to do better by ditching anything sub par mid-season.

I see Andante and I cross-posted & said more or less the same thing.