MsLatte’s Daebak Cybercafé (kdrama #8)

[boatyardblues]

A quiet corner of MN for serious addicts of Kdrama, or the Kdrama-curious. (MsLatte is a Her Private Life reference.) Most of our viewing is drawn from Netflix and Viki, with a sprinkling of Dramabus (non subscription, maybe dodgy) and AmazonPrime.

The previous thread is here, but our ‘Addicts Recommend’ list below is cumulative so includes recommendations and favourites from all previous threads.

Shows marked with asterisk(s) 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. View the categories below as best approximate & ask if you need guidance, eg about suitability for younger teens.

Comedy (with a side order of absurd)
I picked up a celebrity on the street (Viki)
My Fellow Citizens (Viki)

Crime/Thriller
Come and Hug Me (Dramafast)
Healer (Netflix)*
Heartless City (Viki)
He is Psychometric (Viki)
I Hear Your Voice (Netflix /Viki)
Life on Mars (classy remake of BBC series, Dramafast)
Live (Netflix)
Pride & Prejudice (Netflix)*
Prison Playbook (Netflix)*
Suspicious Partner (Netflix)*

Historical/Period drama (“sageuk”)
Crowned Clown (Viki)
Mr Sunshine (Netflix)

Romance - lighter & fluffier
Beating Again (Netflix)
Coffee Prince (Netflix)
Don’t Dare to Dream (Netflix, or as Jealousy Incarnate on Viki)*
Happy Once Again (Netflix)
Her Private Life (Viki)*
His Master’s Sun (Netflix)
Love from a Star (Netflix)*
Pinocchio (Netflix)
Radio Romance (Netflix)
Romance is the Bonus Book (Netflix)**
She Was Pretty (Dramabus/Netflix)*
The Beauty Inside (Viki/Netflix)
Thirty Not Seventeen (Viki)
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (Netflix/Viki)
What’s Up With Secretary Kim (Viki)**
You are my Destiny (Netflix)

Romance - heavier weight/more grown up themes
Because This Is My First Life (Viki)*
Chicago Typewriter (Viki)*
Descendants of the Sun (Viki)
Fight For My Way (Viki/Drama bus)*
Just Between Lovers (Viki)**
My Strange Hero (Viki)
One Spring Night (Netflix)
Red Carpet - film (Netflix, very adult content)
Search: WWW (Viki)*
Something in the Rain (Netflix)
The Package (Viki)

Supernatural/zombies/vampires/fantasy/sci-fi - lighter & fluffier
Goblin (Viki)*
I am not a Robot (Netflix)
Legend of the Blue Sea (Viki/Netflix)
% Orange Marmalade (Netflix)
While You Were Sleeping (Viki)*

Supernatural/zombies/vampires/fantasy/sci-fi - darker/more grown up themes
Black (Netflix)*
Hotel del Luna (Viki)*
Kingdom (Netflix)*
The Guest (Dramafast)
Train to Busan - film (Amazon Prime)
W (Viki & Netflix)*

Guilty Pleasures (for the joy, not the quality)
Hwarang (Viki/Netflix)
The Last Empress (Viki)
Sassy Go Go (Netflix)

Mad as a box of frogs/uncategorisable
Strong Girl Bong Soon (Netflix)

Not Korean but just try it

We occasionally 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:

Love O2O (Viki - Chinese)
Morning Call (Netflix - Japanese)

We have some lovely occasional posters with links to Korea who pop in from time to time to provide the context for some of the more baffling cultural references. (Although we may have scared them all away since our early threads with the fangirling. If you’re still reading, please say hi.)

We are generally fans of all things Korean, so equally happy to talk about Korean cookery, language, film and music when the mood takes us.

We have a few frequently used acronyms:
FL/2FL = female lead/2nd female lead
ML/2ML = male lead/2nd male lead
SLS = Second Lead Syndrome (where the FL/MLis too dense to realise how much better the 2ML/2FL is)
🥾🍑 (boot, peach) = kick up the arse to go to bed

We also abbreviate titles if they’re long, but usually only after using the full title & acronym together or an obvious abbreviation. Some favourite actors & actresses have been abbreviated for speed/efficiency, eg Lee Jong-Suk (LJS), Park Min Young (PMY), Ji Chang Wook (Ji Chang Wook) and his hotness Kim Jae Wook (HH KJW). 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…

I want to watch Ep 5 of Graceful Family but I've just finished night shifts and need to sleep!
In Watcher I think the ex-husband gets explained more in the remaining episodes. I also liked the fight scenes and I don't normally. They must just look better when Seo Kang Joon is the one fighting 😁

boatyard I have noticed the ML slowly looking better too! I thought his suits were fitting better at first then recognised the hair. He's got really broad shoulder though, at least I think he has? His proportions just seem a little bit off in my eyes.

While I like that fact that they've gone for a ML who is not an ex-model and so a bit more approachable in real terms, he's not in the racehorse paddock

I started watching 1% of Something in bed this morning. I’m still in my pyjamas. Avoid if you don’t want another lost weekend, but the cat & mouse set-up is quite funny. Basic premise: spunky unmaterialistic FL, arsehole chaebol ML, wily elder chaebol & a cleverly written will.

I quite enjoyed 1% of Something

ML’s such a dick, especially the possessive crap. Binning the idol’s bouquet would have been his first strike. The rudeness at the gallery #2. He’s insufferable.

Also her BFF’s brother (gallery) - indisputable racehorse. Sooo tall and leggy.

Seon woo is most definitely a racehorse. Is it just me who thinks ML cousin/brother person just looks a little dirty, like his make up is the wrong shade and he just needs a good wash?

This looks fun!! Vagabond on netflix...

Ooh, Vagabond looks like so much fun. I am ever so partial to Lee Seung-Gi and it looks like he has a cracking role in this. What’s the betting he got through plenty of Arnica during filming?

Really looking forward to Vagabond

Gah noble idiocy in Rookie Historian! And ep 16 isn't the last one I'm going to have to wait for more when I thought it'd all aired

Bettys! 😂 😂 😂... I've caught up with Rookie now and I'm not happy at having to wait! 😡😡

Bea there was a bit of a spoiler about MLs ‘filthy roots’ in the preview....do we think her roots are going to match for a happy ending?

ML is sweet but I’m not convinced by why her character would fall for him & not 2ML (although to be fair 2ML is more likely to fall for religion 🤔)

I really enjoyed % of Something. It was a rather light confection, but lovely too.

I'm in USA currently (work)
Checked into hotel this eve. Lo and behold a Korean receptionist!
So of course I had to share with him my new found K Drama addiction
He was so sweet- bumped me to a 'club' level room and provided lots of free meal vouchers

Happy Aesop's

Just on ep9 of Melo , thankfully VIKI streams here. Binged Coffee Prince on flight and very much enjoying it now. FL and ML are soo cute

Oh smart move Aesops!

Ooh goody Melo & Graceful & WTDCYN to catch up on today 🕺

That’s brilliant Aesops.

Pausing Melo to say how much I enjoyed the exchange between the director’s side kick and the dietician. “This could be sexual harrassment... but I like it. It’s like I turned on the radio and I like it.” There’s some fantastic writing and acting in this show. Also finding all the stolen key crew members and the creeping sense of betrayal hilarious. Of course, we all know why he’s doing it, don’t we?

Yesyes and his little face when she suggested curry was a delight!
I admit to being a bit teary with the docu directors bit 😢

Impatient for next episode now I want the actress and her manager to get together

I enjoyed the contrast between the two director's styles, the way Bum Soo rushed over with food whereas exbf turned up with spare part.

The decline in assistant's relationship with cheating gf is sadly believable

Yes to everything you said, Betty. I think it is very well observed and written, but also beautifully acted. I am back to liking Director/Writer Jin Joo best, but only because we haven’t seen enough of So Min and Min Joo (?) this episode - just her utter misery at being without him.

I already know Melo is going in my top 5.

Meet the bastard son of Italian and Korean cuisine. I had two packs of tteokbokki in the fridge which were getting close to date but the kids were saying no thanks to, as they were nervous about having their heads blown again by the gochugan sauce. I did some chicken, garlic, leeks and porcini and chestnut mushrooms in a light cream sauce using the liquor from rehydrating the porcini. It was seasoned with Korean miso paste and I added 5 spice firm tofu chunks. Success! Everyone was happy. 😄

I'm heading to yours for dinner boatyard

I’m on my way with soju 😉