MsLatte’s Daebak Cybercafé (kdrama addicts #9)

[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 AmazonPrime and search engine-accessible content available on shady non subscription streaming sites (listed as ‘alt site’ below). The subtitling on alternative sites is variable in quality and the pop-ups can be adult themed...

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, alt site)
Live (Netflix)
Pride & Prejudice (Netflix)*
Prison Playbook (Netflix)*
Suspicious Partner (Netflix)*
Watcher (Viki)*

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

Romance - lighter & fluffier
1% of Something (Viki)
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)*
Morning Call (Netflix - Japanese)
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)**
Melo is my Nature (Viki)/Be Melodramatic (alt sites)**
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
Absolute Boyfriend (Viki)
Are You Human (Netflix)
Goblin (Viki)*
I am not a Robot (Netflix)
Legend of the Blue Sea (Viki/Netflix)
Love O2O (Viki - Chinese)
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)
Before We Get Married (Viki -Taiwanese)
Hwarang (Viki/Netflix)
The Last Empress (Viki)
Sassy Go Go (Netflix)

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

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 (JCW) 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…

Really enjoying Tunnel now - the thriller is in full swing and the heartstrings are being tugged. It’s very well done.

Bea I had to get my agency levels up. They are level 25/6 now. Having 8 5*cards doesn't hurt either, but I wasn't getting near enough regardless until recently when I got my agency level up.

I have no wisdom 5 cards, so those levels always come out a bit lower. Nearly got enough for the special 5 selector so will hopefully get a wisdom card soon.

Also helps to max out friends so you get the extra wings.

Betty, Bea and Ginger - You guys are in deep. 😆 Send up a distress flare if you want us to send in a rescue party for you.

I have to confess I'm not feeling it with Melting Me Softly ...maybe it's because it has that SWDBS vibe as it's by the same writer. I will probably keep watching for the visuals but it's a little disappointing.

Boatyard.... I think its way too late for me... When I start watching Bangtan Bombs without subs... Then I know there's no help for me... I declared to my Dh and ds this morning that Lin Manuel Miranda (Hamilton musical was on desert Island discs this morning) is my second husband and BTS were my second sons! 😂 😂

Bettys.... No ooooo! I loved SWDbs (except for the crazy gangstas)... So I'll love it!..... Hopefully! 🤔🤔🤔🥰🥰🥰🥰

I'm with bettys Melting Me Softly isn't doing it for me right now. I'll keep watching it but it definitely won't be the first thing I pick to catch up on.

Disappointing to hear melting me softly isn't starting off well. I hope it improves. I've not yet succumbed to Vikki, thought hearing you talk about this show would persuade me.

I’m not enjoying My Country as I should either , in spite of the visuals. The FL is a bit blank. Non swampy Woo Do Hwan is the best thing about it. Hoping it picks up when Jang Hyuk gets started.

Jang Hyuk is the draw for me. I’m still busy bingeing Tunnel at the mo, so way behind with even last week’s episodes of everything else (besides the glorious Melo).

Boatyard the South Gyeonggi murders also feature in Signal which is very very good too. Similar to Tunnel in darkness and also has cops working across time.
They only recently identified the killer in real life, but the statute of limitations has passed 😱

bettys every time we mention Woo Do Hwan, I have flashbacks of shirtless swampy. he's ruined for me now

He won't be ruined anymore if you check out his shirtless shot in ep 2, persevere and you'll get through it

I like that I’ve watched enough kdrama that I can now tell when I’m in for a treat from looking at the supporting cast line up. The two cops that work with CJH and Yoon Hyun-Min are both good.

I've had a lovely catch up this weekend Melo all finished and I really hope they make another series as the characters have so much more to offer.

Fully caught up on Camelia and that is keeping my interest albeit more gently.

Time for me to find a new series for sure as Sec Kim isn't turning into a must watch more for me (on ep 5) yet it started so well. The ML expressions are a little tiresome, those of you who've watched it all. Should I persevere? Any other recommendations?!

Hope all are having a good weekend

Tunnel!

Aesops Because This Is My First Life!!

Good call Betty! It’s my all time favourite.

I third Because This Is My First Life I loved it and it was easy to watch which is always good

I like that it was such an unconventional relationship, but proved that love is, indeed, a many splendoured thing.

I'm so glad I dropped onto this thread by chance, you are all so lovely here. Thank you for the recommendation, I'm going to start Because this is my first life right now...

I still smile when I think I dropped into this thread because boatyard mentioned Before We Get Married. It wasn't even a Korean drama that led me to this thread but I'm glad I stayed.

Although it often makes me realise how bad my vocabulary is. I don't think I could've conjured 'love is a many splendoured thing' from my brain if I tried.

I don't think I could've conjured 'love is a many splendoured thing' from my brain if I tried.

I thought it was Shakespeare but I can’t find the source based on some moderately serious googling. ‘Tis a film and song title too. Not my own words, that’s the main point.

"Loooovveeeeee is a maany splendoured thing......." 🎵🎶🎵🎶 Opening scene of Grease!! 😂 😂 😂 😂 "oh Danny! How can I go back to Australia when I've such a lovely summer! I'm so sad it's the end"... "don't say that Sandy!... It's just the beginning!" 😂 😂 😂 or words to that effect! 😅😅😅

I'm on ep 3 of melting and I'm thoroughly enjoying it! I can see the irritating crazy aspects of SWDBS but I can forget them as I gaze at GRR JCW with wonder... And I like the touching story of mi ran and her little brother... It must be OK as I'm still watching! JCW is just yummy! 👌😁😍😍😍

Just starting ep 3 of TIMFL! It's really really good

Kitty is too cute.

Must limit to just one more though as up early

Yay! It's a good 'un isn't it? Glad you like it