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…

Oh, I remember reading it was doing so well they extended it by two episodes. 😩 Let us not forget how that worked out for Black. 😖

Yeah! 💃 kdrama addicts on tour!!

I'd be well up for that!

The Lies Within has gone really dark, no hints of any light relief. I hope there is a satisfying ending to make it all worthwhile. Although I am enjoying LMK.

I just finished Tale of Nokdu for a bit of a AMO break. I dont think they could have ended it any better if they tried. All the loose ends were tied up and it was so satisfying.

Oh oh oh I need to finish Tale of Nokdu I was so worried it had gone a bit dark and desperate I’m so glad you said it was good I can look forward to it now 😊

Struggling to catch you guys up. I’ve just finished ep 13 but need sleep, so I’ll have to save the hairy feet for tomorrow.

Wahey! Good to know Nokdu ends well! You know I like a good satisfactory happy ending! 👍👍

OO-er colour coding on the scores for pre-2109!!

I forgot, can we add Saimdang and You're All Surrounded?

I forgot to mention it. I did it so I could find good things to watch without having to read actual scores I can take it off if you prefer! I'll add those two soon.

I like it, it does make it easier to find something good to watch. I also like that there are some on there now that I haven't heard of with high scores
Maybe the minus ones should be a different colour as a warning?

What's a more alarming colour than red? Once we've figured out the sub zero colour I can do it

Oh I’ve just clicked, the colours are red, amber green! 🤦‍♀️

As you were

I think it's something like below 5 is red, 5-7 is amber and 7+ is green.

I do love how medicine is packaged in SK. It seems so efficient but definitely a waste of plastic.

Finally got to the ending of AMO and there's not much I can say. I hope everyone finishes it soon so we can talk about it.

Yep I've finished it too.....I'd just like to say that FL's dad is so sweet and her mum so cool

FL's dad was such an underrated character. He was lovely. Just a really good egg.

Not yet finished, so no spoilers please - but I loved the policeman on the megaphone: “wrap up what you’re doing and come out of the barley field!”

That scene did make me laugh. I imagine the British equivalent is 'oi stop shagging in the feild mate' or at least it would be where I'm from.

I've caught up on Don't Get Tipsy, Get Downright Pissed and its gone from lechy to intriguing to sweet. With 5 episodes to go, it's all to play for.

I have just enjoyed Jin-Sang’s dawning realisation about his fish dream. He and the alien are excellent value. I love the crazy she’s bringing to the role. The mad French asides. Everything. 👌

Hmm. Compared to DH and DS1, Eric’s feet are positively unhairy. I am clearly living in a house of Hobbits. Once DS hits puberty I am anticipating him being the hairiest of us all.

DS2, that should have been.

Ah, more of a close up. Still not as hairy as my menfolk.

I was just taken aback, either the men in kdrama shave everywhere or he unusually hirsute for a Korean man

The hairiest person in our house is the dog

Oooo joy I have Don't Get Tipsy, Get Downright Pissed AND Tale of Nokdu to catch up on now that I've finished bingeing AMO

Have lots of people in the house tonight so will have to wait until tomorrow though

Just finished AMO
I loved it from start to finish ⭐️
FL parents were superb characters