MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #50: God rest you merry gentlemen 🎶 Oppa season is just around the corner and we are here for it.

[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 cumulative list includes previous threads’ recommendations and favourites. Shows with a star are more uniformly loved or admired. On genre categories, most Korean dramas have multiple strands - e.g. supernatural, romance with a thriller; crime series with fantasy elements. Genre-busting mash-ups are normal. Series tagged as dark may also have moments of comedy or the absurd, likewise fluff can have heavier moments. 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)
Squid Game - 2 seasons (Netflix)
Suspicious Partner (Netflix)🌟
The Lies Within (Netflix)🌟
The Worst of Evil (Disney+)
Tunnel (Netflix)🌟
Vigilante (Disney+)
Walking on Thin Ice (Viki)

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)
Our Movie (Disney+)🌟
Our Unwritten Seoul (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)⭐️
Glass Heart (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)
Romantics Anonymous (Netflix, 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

#1 A Shop For Killers Score: 9 Votes: 7
#2 Lovely Runner Score: 8.8 Votes: 10
#3 Let's Talk About CHU Score: 8.8 Votes: 8
#4 Family By Choice Score: 8.6 Votes: 9
#5 Squid Game 2: Score: 8.5 Votes: 5
#6 Mr Plankton: Score: 8.3 Votes: 10
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.

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!

@Andante57 While I like the main actors in Wonderfools, it's not engaging me that much. Maybe it's the heat but I sorry to say that the current crop of kdramas have been like marmite for me. Can't wait for July drops.

Migs
’What oft was thought, but ne'er so well express'd;’
I kept glancing at my iPad and then had to ask dh what was happening as I’d missed some important plot turn.

It was Mode! Family not Modern that I was watching, anyway finished that now It was watchable but a bit dull, tried Wonderfools and it hasn't really grabbed me, but I may go back to it when I can give it more attention.

Andante - I enjoyed Legend of the Kitchen Solider, silly and really well-acted. Doctor on the Edge is on my list. And am getting towards the end of The First Jasmine as well Miggs. Can't recall who recommended the c-drama The First Frost but it sure helped pass the time on my flight back from Shanghai last night. Just wonderful , lots of longing looks but think they need to have a serious heart to heart about what went on at Uni! Now I am back home and excitement is building towards the BTS concerts on Monday and Tuesday.

Dragonrock - re The First Frost - they will (have the serious heart to heart) and it will be heartbreaking (I thought).

Andante - I enjoyed Legend of the Kitchen Solider, silly and really well-acted
@Dragonrock we’ve watched 4 episodes and we’re loving it.
Dh wants to watch Agent Kim Reactivated - is it very violent?

DH and I started The Scarecrow tonight - looks like it’ll be good. Does anyone else think Park Hae-Soo and Son Sukku could be twins? I think they are so similar.

Morning Chingus, I will not spam the group but happy to say I am off to the BTS concert later today and tomorrow. Any of you going, let me know and we can maybe wave🙋

Have a great time, Dragon.

Have a fantastic time! Please come back & tell us about it.

Have an amazing time!

I managed to finish Reborn Rookie. It wasn’t bad enough to give up but not sure I’d recommend it. I had to force myself to watch some episodes halfway through and the last episode is very silly and kind of annoying. Not quite When the Stars Gossip levels of stupid ending but close.

I’m enjoying See You At Work Tomorrow even though not much happens. I loved the FL in You and Everything Else so maybe I just love her! Slightly confusing as also watching Boyfriend on Demand and Seo Inguk is essentially the same character in both - outwardly grumpy office colleague.

Well Chingus, what a great few nights! The music and vibe was just fab and I had a wonderful wonderful time with one of my daughters. Amazing how many of us had learnt the lyrics so fast to the new album. BTS were just as you'd want them to be, happy, in great voice and seeming to enjoy life. Met some lovely fellow ARMY. One lady from Germany who also went to Wimbledon and ran into Ok Taec-yeon! She did not know his name but just as the villain from Vincenzo. She said she saw an incredibly handsome, well dressed, tall man, heard him speaking, he moved out of her way and she said kamsahamnida and he smiled realising she had picked up on who he was! I've now looked it up and was there as an ambassador for Stella Artois and my word she is right, so well dressed 😘. Met other wonderful women (one who had gone on holiday to S.Korea last year and done all the sights) and all in all had a fab fab few days. Am now officially pooped as coming on top of a short 5 day work trip to Shanghai, my feet have not touched the ground for weeks. So I now need ot sit back, relish the whole experience and watch all those lovely fan cams.

Sounds fantastic Dragonrock

Currently enjoying both The Husband and Agent Kim Reactivated. Ep4 of the latter (scenes where the North Koreans 'train' their agents) is not for the faint-hearted.

I’m glad you had such a great time at the BTS gig @Dragonrock - thanks for updating us on your experience.

I need to get back into my kdrama groove. I’ve had a busy few weeks including travel so barely watched any TV, so much so that Netflix sent me a “we miss you” email. 😂 Thanks for keeping the recommendations coming. 🙏

Came here to recommend The first jasmine, I can see quite few of you are watching it. C dramas have significantly improved in last couple of years.
I have been watching more c dramas now. I do miss the bonkers fashion & lego sets in modern story lines.

Was reading an article about China and why they are not in football World Cup. Basically it’s not perceived as a cool professional and one of the reasons was face card & how playing in sun will damage your skin & looks 🤭
Seen a trailer of new cdrama around football theme. I guess govt is ready to inspire young people to get a team ready for next World Cup.

In kdrama land, was reading about IU & LSJ, I remember us expressing our disbelief (and theories) when their relationship became public.

DD and I started series 2 of Better Late Than Single yesterday - so cringy but I love the panel so much.

MrsFeather - great update, saw the first one and agree completely on your assessment, I mean Seo In Guk 😍so will look out for it. I am still stuck around ep 10 of Heart Signal S5 as it got a bit too much suspense, so need to get back to it. JinBhoot - I have been watching First Jasmine but my Viki did not like my trip to China and I have not had time to sort it out yet, so need to get back to it. I have it and First Frost on the go and like you, watching more C drama at the mo. I had downloaded Royal Nemesis to finish that but again stalled mid-season. Seeing the face masks/coverings that people wear on the beach, I am not surprised to hear about the face card and footie. My girls, who are Chinese used to love to tan but now avoid it like the plague. Spotted the news about IU & LSJ, I was a bit 😮about them as a couple but assumed he must have have a stellar personality that we did not see publicly. Like many I still can't get past the 'feathery stroker' element and seeing her with her bodyguard and hearing others talk about her, she 'seems' awfully nice. Seem lots online trying to drag Byeon Woo Seok into it, which is a shame, as seeing him in Jae-seok's B&B Rules!.He also seems awfully nice and quite shy? Or am I just as nuts 😼as knetz, as they are actors afterall.

Agree @Dragonrock on both Byeon Woo Seok and Seo In Guk! Both seem lovely.