MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #49: Still reeling from the insanity of When the Stars Gossip, we dust off our party frocks to present Daebak Café’s 2024 best scoring shows

[boatyardblues]

A quiet corner of MN for serious addicts of Kdrama, or the K-curious. Most of our viewing is drawn from Netflix, Viki, Amazon Prime, 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 - the best are listed below.

The previous thread is here. Our list is cumulative & includes previous threads’ recommendations and favourites. Shows marked with a star are more uniformly loved or admired. On genre categories, 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. This tonal chaos is 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)🌟
Family By Choice (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)
Light Shop (Disney+)
Moon in the Day (Viki)
Moving (Disney+)
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)
I’m Married But… (Netflix - Taiwanese)⭐️
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 2024 dramas with 5 or more votes
Overall scores reduced due to more voters this year.
#1 A Shop For Killers 9
#2 Lovely Runner 8.8
#3 Let's Talk About CHU Score 8.8
#4 Family By Choice 8.6
#5 Squid Game 2 8.5
#6 Mr Plankton: 8.3
Full run down by Bettys here.

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.

Last time I posted I said I was going to make a start on some new dramas after finishing WLGYT (which I thought was just glorious, I can't imagine anything else topping it this year). But then I got sidetracked by reality shows instead. @Dragonrock I absolutely loved Kian's Bizarre BnB, so much so that I went from being meh about seeing Jin live to getting a ticket 🤔😂 kudos to Hybe's marketing department 😁 @MigsandTiggs I'm also hooked on HP. So used to catching up on stuff I'm now peeved I have to wait till Friday for the next installment.

@boatyardblues thanks for the Kim Young Kwang tips 🙏🏻
@Ddakji I loved Wi Ha-joon in Midnight Romance in Hagwon on Viki. Which is another reason to get a subscription.
@Andante57 the wonderful Korean Dramaland website you mentioned is unfortunately inactive at the moment.

I just started Tastefully Yours and am thoroughly enjoying it so far. Really rate Go Min-si, and have seen a few Kang Ha-neul things recently so he's on my radar. Excellent comic actor 👌

@Saram13 oh no, I wonder why that is.

We’ve just got back from 3 weeks in Korea where we had a wonderful time - a few days in Seoul, then to a beautiful place called Awon (where some of Mr Plankton was filmed - tho it looks different in real life), fields of peonies near Hapcheon, Jeonju, quite a few museums, walks in the mountains and then five days on Jeju which was heaven.
Alex the guide who some of you know was as wonderful as ever.
One thing really stuck out: where we stayed in Jeju the bedrooms were little thatched huts dotted around the grounds and when we were shown to ours, Dh asked the lady where was the key.
“Oh you won’t need to lock it” she said, sounding surprised.
Imagine anyone saying that in a hotel in UK - or most places for that matter.

In Seoul we saw a huge electronic billboard high up on a building with a photo of Kim Soo Hyun stating (in Korean & English) Kim Soo Hyun, we stand with you.
Opinion seems to be divided.

One thing really stuck out: where we stayed in Jeju the bedrooms were little thatched huts dotted around the grounds and when we were shown to ours, Dh asked the lady where was the key.
“Oh you won’t need to lock it” she said, sounding surprised.
Imagine anyone saying that in a hotel in UK - or most places for that matter.

We had that in Iceland in a largeish hotel that accommodates school trips and has a restaurant-bar open to the public. Our room was just at the top of the stairs by the lobby. All I could think was, OK it may unlikely but if someone does swipe our digital DLR camera our travel insurer won’t be happy about paying out. 🤷‍♀️

Boaty, yes there’s always the off chance.

Yes, maybe you can trust the locals but what about other tourists??

I think things might be changing in SK. Someone posted on SM that they discovered they had been pick pocketed after being bumped by a local.

Well I have finished Moon Lovers, the ending did redeem it and I had a bit of a cry. DH and I also watched the first episode of Eve after a friend highly recommended it. I'm trying to decide if I want to go back to Melo Movie or start something lighthearted and fun with a hea

Second Shot at Love is proving to be surprisingly entertaining once you get past Ep1. Even better is that the two main leads are strangers to me.

But once again: Lay off the lip fillers ladies!!!

I think things might be changing in SK. Someone posted on SM that they discovered they had been pick pocketed after being bumped by a local.

That’s a shame. People still put their phones down on tables to reserve places in cafes but maybe that will change.

Thanks to whoever mentioned The Secret Life of My Secretary recently. I needed something binge-y for this weekend and it's spot on!

I am really enjoying Our Unwritten Seoul. Park Bo Young is such a versatile actress and this split role is playing to her strengths. Park Jin Young is an interesting choice of ML, though I think suitably cast. It has huge potential. I want to see the horrible company bullies get their comeuppance. I like the switching between urban and rural settings. There’s a lot to chew over and many strands that could be explored. It gets my early promise thumbs up.

I’m glad you are enjoying it. I need a Kim Young Kwang boost so may start rewatching it.

It's the first thing I've seen him in and he has the loveliest mouth/lips/smile!

I’ve just watched the first episode of Nine Puzzles on Disney+. It’s a stylish, atmospheric murder mystery, shades of 7even in tone. Thread favourite Mr Gu is the lead detective. Kim Dami is the female lead, a profiler with a back story. It’s shaping up well.

And only 6 episodes!

You got here before me boaty, so I'm just saying Snap! to your pp on Our Unwritten Seoul. Believable M/FL romantic connection, and 2nd leads have potential. Twin magic!

I’ve got half an episode of Nine Puzzles to go (fell asleep on the sofa) so I can’t say how it ends yet, though I suspect it is left open for another season. I can say that it is excellent. Son Suk Ku and Kim Da Mi riff off each other’s performances brilliantly. The plot is engaging with the right balance of twists, turns and forward trajectory. The production design and pacing are spot on. There’s an excellent supporting cast. It’s a very sure-footed production. 👌

Odd observation maybe, but there are some spectacular geometric woodblock floors in Nine Puzzles and also the geometric ceiling panels in SSK’s apartment living room. I suspect it’s a nod to Japanese puzzle-box design. I am so here for it though. I love the hexagonal one in the first house. They just panned out at murder scene in the Canon Tower office in episode 6 and I was 😍 at the woodblock flooring there. I am also coveting the tan leather armchair and hexagonal coffee table in the therapist’s office. The design aspects are 👌. For eg SSK in his dark blue beanie against the burnt orange wall in the violent crime squad’s meeting room was perfection. A lot of thought (and money) went into this production. <chef’s kiss> 👏👏👏

There is definitely another season of Nine Puzzles. It does not wrap up in those 6 episodes, not by a long chalk.

@MigsandTiggs - just finished ep 10 of HP and still in shock still about the single thin jumper, open long coat look and no gloves, scarf hat. WHO goes ice skating in the snow with no gloves on? Honestly, they are all as bad as each other. Apart from that, enjoying myself immensely still, esp with the new game changer arrival. I need to get started on Our Unwritten Seoul. Our girls are identical twins so I am looking forward to it. I don't tend to think of The Secret Life of My Secretary by it's title it will always be 'Verrrronica Park' to me!

@Dragonrock they most likely had filming asst with puffer coats, hand warmers, hot drinks and uggs, standing by after each scene!

After hearing it mentioned as a favourite drama on HP, I watched Discovery of Love (Viki). I can't believe that it was filmed in 2014 as it seemed so modern. There was a surprising depth to the characters, helped by the device of talking to an off camera interviewer. I liked that it looked at 'the one who is loved vs the one who loves' as I personally don't believe that couples love equally.

@MigsandTiggs - snap, I just googled Discovery of Love and was going to start on it myself. I think it is apt in this circumstances, I am still at marshmallow eating phase, but assume the love triangle is ongoing? I am not sure about JY, I know that the female hand over mouth is common in that culture but I would have thought a lawyer would have grown out of it? Enjoying the other couples but feel for JM and Haneul. Both seemed to be smitten with just one person from the off, do you think it was based on looks only, in which case it is shallow or is there more to it? I am FAR too invested in this programme.

In tall men news, did you see that both Cha Eun Woo and Rowoon are off to the military 😥. At least CEW got to frolic in Finland for a bit before he left.

Has anyone else where watched Devils Plan?? We were obsessed with both seasons.

AmVa Yes, I'd seen that Cha Eun-woo had enlisted in the military band (probably filled the space recently vacated by Kim Min-jae 😀). I didn't realise Rowoon was off as well, though 😢

I look forward to newly-ripped Rowoon’s return from the military in due course. 😄 Quite a few actors look more mature and less waif-like when they return. The fresh air, physical training and stepping off the celeb treadwheel for a while seems to suit some of them.