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…

bettys I found Chocolate good. 100 Days My Prince is okay too.

I think I'm going to try Love With Flaws next.

The beginning of Chocolate is making me really hungry so I’ve had to pause for some crumpets.

Feel desperately sorry for the octopus though, I haven’t felt the same about them being eaten since I read somewhere there were as intelligent as dogs 😩

I've never eaten an octupus. Are they especially tasty?

All my drama viewing has been put on pause because Netflix recommends shows to me I've already watched and then I end up rewatching Meteor Shower for the third time.

I'm also trying to figure out what to put in DP's first ever Christmas stocking. Why are men so hard to buy for?

I’ve eaten octopus several times. It’s really tasty and ‘meaty’ (substantial) but can be a bit chewy so needs to be well cooked. I didn’t know they were as intelligent as dogs. 😞

I can see why Chocolate is giving you the Just Between Lovers vibe hello

Ahhh! Nokdu finished... It was very very lovely! Classic drama with everything but the kitchen sink chucked in... Great leads... Great characters... Secondary characters excellent too... Good feisty girl power storyline... Hugely satisfying ending! Thumbs up here! 👍👍👍👍

And look who was presenting awards this morning at MMAS.. Mr Vice Chairman himself!... And BTS won everything!!... Ahem! I nay have got a little happy with the soju this evening... How could I not toast their success! 😂 😂 😂 😂

Lol a bit of soju to celebrate sounds grand! Vice-Chairman's haircut must be due to his new role. Agree ending of Nokdu lovely, I gave it an 8
Have just watched the first 2 episodes of Love With Flaws (dramafast) ; some of it is good (FLs family & friends) some a bit odd (Ahn Jae Hyun's bottom clutching need to poo) so I'll reserve judgement. I was thinking Ahn Jae Hyun had filled out a bit, but he's probably just a normal weight compared to in previous dramas. Anyway it seems to be getting quite good figures which is a positive sign given the recent divorce upsets.
Reserving judgement on Chocolate too. Has potential but is obv. going to be a healing type drama. MLs family is making my blood boil.

I’m loving Nokdu. Though DS2 turned to me earlier and said: “ how come no one has noticed he’s a man yet, Mum? It’s really obvious he’s a man, especially his voice. It’s completely different!” Why let reality get in the way of fun, eh? So far, I have most enjoyed the fan dance practice at the waterfalls. 👌

Oh and Love With Flaws has the most gay references I've come across in kdrama (apart from Melo )

Ooh yes Nokdu fan dance practice was luvverly.

Intended to start Nokdu but it's on Vikki which I can only watch on bedroom TV and DH is fast asleep. Started ep 2 Chocolate and I don't think I'm going to enjoy this that much. Background music is annoying me already and it's just not grabbing me, the characters aren't very characterful, if that makes sense?!

Aesop if you have the Viki app on your phone you may be able to cast it to your tv or use airplay from your laptop .....

Or just watch it in bed on your phone with headphones...

Thanks both, I ended up giving in to sleep and was a wise choice as feel rested today

Good call Aesops

What's everyone's plans for this chilly Sunday? Which dramas are we all watching? What real life things are we doing while wishing we could be under a blanket watching dramas?

I supposed to be up already doing stuff. Just finished some Nokdu, which is adorable. The annoying girl from the island has just set the stage for a whole lot of bother. 🙄 Now I absolutely must get up.

Currently putting off getting on with things by watching A Little Thing Called First Love which pleasant enough if slight. Planning to catch up with The Lies Within later.

Today I should be: tidying garden, sorting out linen cupboard, putting loads of stuff on Ebay, planning next week's work

Arghh. Still in my pyjamas. Nokdu is crack.

I managed getting dressed but still got sucked in to my rewatch of Meteor Garden. Doesn't my brain understand I've got 2019 dramas to catch up on?!

prepped dinner for tonight... Sorted out winter accessories bag (hat gloves etc) as dd2 and Dh gone out for autumn walk!... Had shower... Watching (jimin! 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍) whilst beautifying! (😂😂😂)... Now going to carry on with dinner for tonight and tomorrow... And finish Xmas cards!... Might clean out chicken coop if I can be bothered! 😂

Need to find new drama to binge!

Oh Jimin in that clip!!! (22 mins in) had to rewatch

And Taehyung's hair is luvverly

Nothing like BTS for putting a smile on your face.

I need a new binge-watch....am going to look through the spreadsheet & see if I've missed something

bettys... Jimin! I KNOW! 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 💜😍

A kdrama enthusiast I follow on Tumblr mentioned Pretty Proofreader... Jdrama... She's pretty reliable at picking out all the dodgy ones... WWW was one of her all time faves! And has much love for lovely eyes Junho and GRR JCW.. (though was very disappointed with Melting and gave up! 😱😂)... Thus she's quite trustworthy... I might give it a go!.. 😂

Just put my feet up for an hour, up and out for Pilates class at 8:30 this am

Nipped to supermarket, prepped lunch and packed everyone off to pub. Now going to do some admin and perhaps fit another ep of Nokdu before they all return and want feeding

I have about a couple of hours too before hungry men come back and take over the house...I like the sound of Pretty Proofreader Bea I may give that a go as A Little Thing Called First Love is very slow and seems to be aimed at a much younger audience. It doesn't have the quirky charm of Don't Get Tipsy, Get Downright Pissed or PYHOMS