MsLatte’s Daebak Cybercafé (kdrama addicts #10)

[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)
Graceful Family (Viki) - potboiler!
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)*
Tunnel (Netflix)



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



Romance - lighter & fluffier
Beating Again (Netflix)
Coffee Prince (Netflix)
Don’t Dare to Dream (Netflix, or as Jealousy Incarnate on Viki)*
Gogh, The Starry Night (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/Netflix)*
Descendants of the Sun (Viki/Netflix)
Doctors (Netflix)
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

Regulars 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 its possible we 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…

Oooh I need to watch that - only in iPlayer for another 15 days

kpop industry

Thanks Betty.

😭😭😭😭😱😱😱😱... Flower Crew!! Disappointing ending!!... That is very annoying as it seems to look really good on paper!!... I admit though I have stalled with it and with your posts... I'm not sure if I'll go back to it now! 😭😭😭😱

Also on iPlayer The Spy Gone North
Film with Ju Ji Hoon (him from Antique and Kingdom )

Ooh, good catch on the spy flick Betty.

Rainy November afternoons were made for tea, parkin and Korean Odyssey. Can't believe it took me 3 attempts to get into it. And Vagabond later

I'll get a fire going in a minute. Autumnal pleasures.

ooh that sounds bostin bettys. I can't wait for winter and sickly sweet, fluffy romances. I always get lost in autumn; I never know if I want fluff or action.

Betty why did you have to mention Black Knight I have only just gotten over that travesty.

Well I've stuck with Prison Playbook on ep 4. After a productive morning doing chores and food shopping etc, going to put my feet up and fit another ep in. DH birthday today so we our out tonight celebrating with friends at the local pub/curry house his choice!

The druggie is hilarious

Arsenal Military Academy has just released six 45 minute long episodes on one day again so that's my plan for this fine evening. Maybe a little bit of When The Camellia Blooms if the mood takes me later

Soz Cassini , I'm still not over it either can you tell?

Hello all! Finally managed to catch up with the thread. Stupid real life getting in the way of drama watching.
Although DH did watch the k pop thing on iPlayer with me last night 😁 I think he was surprised at how much I knew about the subject. Totally down to this thread 😂😂😂

I also just watched the last episode of Tunnel . I really really loved it. I was really gripped all the way through. The police team were all so lovely. I wish my colleagues were as nice. And as someone said up thread, a very satisfying ending.

Prison Playbook is one of my absolute favourites too.
I've got the last 2 episodes of Flower Crew to go but I'm not holding out much hope of a good ending.

TheGirl You'll have to let us know your feelings on the last bit of Flower Crew. Just to see if the dissatisfaction is universal.

So is the general feeling not to bother with Flower crew?

I think it’s fine to watch, it trots along nicely and Kim Min Jae is easy on the eye, it just runs out of steam towards the end.

cassini bettys summation is spot on. its an easy watch but don't expect fireworks.

I agree re Flower Crew it was ok but I just didn't get drawn in to caring about the characters that much.

Righto. Back from adulting and about to start catching up. Where to begin? Current options:

1. Finish the last 2.5 episodes of You’re All Surrounded and then catch up;
2. Watch this week’s solo episode of Vagabond; or
3. Watch this week’s The Lies Within episodes.

Did any of the currently airing series realky smash it this week?

I thought it was a so-so episode of Vagabond this week, I employed some 10'' skipping through the Blue House shenanigans. Best bits are PSH dolling herself up, computer chicken shop guy & David&Maddie the two assassins.

Haven't caught up on Lies Within as am lost in Hwayugi

Favourite on-airs this week were Nokdu, Extraordinary You & Camellia

Am compiling a list of Best of 2019 and most disappointing which so far is Abyss, Melting Me Soflty and possibly even My Country in spite of shirtless WDH

The fake blood in Surrounded is atrocious. It looks like pre-schoolers’ washable poster paint, nothing like blood, and way too pink.

A long-handed way of saying I’m having to work quite hard to suspend my disbelief in some scenes.

Are we going to have a 2019 round up of best and most disappointing dramas? If so, I am prepared! Surprisingly my list has thoughtful reasoning too.

I agree with My Country. As it stands even shirtless WDH isn't saving it.

I'm really enjoying Tales of Nokdu. I didn't expect to enjoy it half as much as I am. While not a great indicator of female friendly TV, I think it Tales of Nokdu also passes the Bechdel test, which is another positive thing about it.

Anyone else watch Seven Planets tonight and think of KPop boy bands while watching the mannequin birds dance? 🤣🤣🕺 I say that in a fan way obv.

I think a year end round up would be interesting to see if we all think the same 👍