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…

I watched Flower Crew last night Hello . The last episode was much more gritty and gripping than the last few. Finally feels like it's moving the story on.

I woke up stupidly early this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep so watched an episode of You’re Surrounded. I’d already got as far as ep 3 and had watched one last night, so they’re starting to dial down the crazy and the cases are taking a darker turn. I’d somehow managed to forget about the historic murder case at the beginning, so it was handy to have a flashback. I’ve had a sufficient break from Korean Odyssey now to find the inspector easy on the eye - when I first watched, he was still the hammy devil from KO.

boatyard it took me a while to realise that the inspector is the same guy from Hwayugi, he is possibly Gangnam Leopard material in this

hello I had to look up gray pea as I'd never heard of it, the name is not the most appealing but it sounds nice with bacon.

Agree Flower Crew has picked up pace since last week

TheGirl I've got 4 episodes to catch up on so I'll persevere!
bettys my butcher also sells them as pigeon peas which makes them even less appealing. They're a dying dish now which is a bit sad too.

it took me a while to realise that the inspector is the same guy from Hwayugi, he is possibly Gangnam Leopard material in this

Agreed. He’s less spivvy in You’re Surrounded and borderline dashing in his dress uniform.

Ep 5 BTIMFL... Ji Jo's mum's letter at the wedding!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭... It is really really well done with lovely lovely characters!... It's got everything that Melting is missing!... Characters with heart... A solid story... Also loving the ups and downs of Rangs relationship with the cute student (my favourite side story!) from Beauty Inside!... Lots to love!! Great Recommendation ladies! Xx

Also loved the little nod to The Graduate... Sitting at the back of the bus!... Very clever! 👍💜

Gah! Ji Ho... Not Ji Jo!! 😱

How are you finding Lee Min Ki’s slow thaw, Bea?

Yay! LSG’s shower scene does not disapiint! 👌

My spelling OTOH. 😮

Thawing very very nicely thank you!... Ahhh! You got to his shower scene! 😂😂😂🚿... I was going to mention it but thought you'd like the surprise! 😂😂

I like the inspector’s ex when he’s hassling her about the youth of her one night stand: “dating young men is in.” 😆 She’s a proper Gangnam leopard, in the badass elegant cougar sense. Great character. 👍

Bettys... £2 at my local Korean (was in there today!... They do have a slight pattern! Let me know if you're interested! 👍😂

seems we're all thinking of bettys while out shopping today. I went to morrisons and they had parkin in the bakery. I've picked some up and it's in the cupboard for a little treat tomorrow.

I managed two episodes of Flower Crew before I tapped out. I think it might be that I'm overdosing on historical dramas. 5 of the dramas I'm currently watching are historical and they all seem to be blending into one.

Hello... Absolutely! I'm having a break from historical... Flower Crew I'm in the middle of... Tale of Nokdu is on my to watch and 100 Days Prince also to finish but I'm Joseon-Ed out thus... Vagabond is a great relief and You're All Surrounded was great too... And Now I'm But This Is my First Life... Which is excellent... It's in my Grown Up Sensible Well Written Drama list..
Romance is a bonus book & The Crowned Clown are the others that come to mind... I love all the characters in this one... The men are lovely and all the romances are well played out... It really is very very well done! Thoroughly enjoying it!... Also loving the straight forward attitudes towards sex and relationships! 👍👍👍
"you have a husband... But you can still have a boyfriend"... (or words to that effect!)... 😂😂😂😱😱😱😱😂😂😂

I have been out at A Bit Of A Do tonight and just catching up now...

Bea so glad you're enjoying BTIMFL, it is quality isn't it? Those chopstick & spoon sets are the same as the ones in my Korean supermarket lol! for checking them out for me, I am just being arsey fussy to want completely plain ones I know

hello enjoy the parkin! At this point in evening I am fancying it warm with clotted cream.

Shower scene with LSG??? I'm only on ep 4 you must be ahead of me boatyard

Tsk too much wine - should've said Thanks for checking them out for me Bea!

Shower scene with LSG??? I'm only on ep 4 you must be ahead of me boatyard

You’re nearly there. It’s a good one.

You’re nearly there. It’s a good one. wink

I now am imagining LSG smells deliciously of strawberries

😂😂😂😂😂

Lee Seung-Gi = 🍓🍓🍓

I might have to have a 3rd go at Hwayugi after Youre All Surrounded in spite of the dodgey haircuts

Planning to watch the Jung Hae_In film tonight

His haircut in Hwayugi was something else!

LSG definitely has something about him, as I am a fan despite him not conforming to my usual racehorse proportion preferences. He channels WTF, side eye and sarcastic asides with great aptitude. Also, his awkward romance scenes are quite endearing.

I’m just having a chuckle at the inspector’s fancy date and his trouble with the tricky rice pancake wraps. I seem to recall they were roundly mocked as impossible to eat in something else recently, possibly Melo. He’s trying so hard to look cool, it’s hilarious. And he’s 49, so definitely more age appropriate for the Gangnam Leopards amongst us.