Ms Latte’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama Addicts #11)

[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)*
The Lies Within (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

Another Miss Oh (Netflix)*
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: Two Worlds (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:

Before We Get Married (Viki - Taiwanese)
Love O2O (Viki - Chinese)
Morning Call (Netflix - Japanese)
Put Your Head on My Shoulder (Netflix - Chinese)

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…

Doctor John is motoring along (because I’m having a lie-in watching it on my phone 👌). The title puzzled me, but the titular doctor’s name is Cha Jo Han = Johann = John. Korean TV audiences (or networks at least) seem to love a flawed maverick doctor with skillz. Yet again, the maverick is surrounded by risk averse scaredy cats who would rather let a patient die needlessly than risk a malpractice suit by intubating him.

You've got to love the 'let him die, I can't afford a lawsuit' brigade. Although I wonder how representative it is of real life. Do doctors have to make that decision on a regular basis?

Congrats on the wrapping completion Bea , I'll hopefully be joining you in smugsville this evening 😇.
I'll have to investigate whether I prefer younger or older Hyun Bin, I just don't know 🤷 😁

You've got to love the 'let him die, I can't afford a lawsuit' brigade. Although I wonder how representative it is of real life. Do doctors have to make that decision on a regular basis?

It was a recurring theme for the police officers in Live as they aren’t indemnified by the force if they injure someone during an arrest or car chase, for example. There is one ex-officer character whose life has been ruined by such a debt and one of the serving ones only wants to do traffic cop shifts breathalyzing drivers etc for that reason. It causes friction in the station because the others have to pick up the slack and are constantly fearful of making a mistake.

As for wrapping presents, I haven’t got all mine yet!😱😱

Watching King 2 Hearts while having mince pies for breakfast in bed - it’s not very good tbh, should really sort out the to watch list for 2109. All in a days work!

Think I prefer the older Lee Seung Gi, as well as the older Hyun Bin

Think I prefer the older Lee Seung Gi, as well as the older Hyun Bin

Same here.

Damn. I’ve just spotted that Doctor John has an ave score of 4 on the spreadsheet. 😩

And King 2 Hearts was so naff I couldn’t get past the first episode. The uniforms were too shiny and cheap, which spoiled the vibe too.

Yeah I’ve got to the part in King 2 Hearts where I need to skippitydoodah for my sanity.

Much as I love Jisung I watched the first few episodes of Dr John, got distracted and felt no pull to go back to it 🤷‍♀️

Another good episode of CLOY, and the backstories are getting interesting, especially the little bit at the end credits.
The bit with the candle was luvverly!
The 2FL always seems to play these roles, she was the spurned wife in Black Knight

I agree the little flashbacks are great. Do you think he has joined the dots yet? The way he was looking at the camera this time makes me think he has remembered, even if she hasn’t.

Not sure if he's joined the dots up yet, she def hasn't. I just love the little touches like you see 2FL looking at the photo fondly, but when it comes to the actual moment she's looking at ML in a puzzled way as he's looking at FL in a 'I like you' way and FL is thinking 2FL isn't good enough for him - complicated!
FL def has a dark past
Enjoying the village NK ahjummas especially how nice FL is to the bad dressmaker.

I like FL with the soldiers, especially the drinking game.

YY so sweet how she didn't let 17 yr old drink I want to have soju like that, what an ace way to cook clams!

I was also impressed with the burning doormat method. What a great idea!

I've just scored CLOY an interim 9
hello is Cassini on the spreadsheet? I noticed she gave Bride of Habaek a 4/10 upthread but it's not on there. I've added The King 2 Hearts at the bottom

I know I sent Cassini the link but maybe she hasn't had chance to add anything yet? I'll have to double check!

I realised I hadn't passed on all of my scores for the pre-2019 spreadsheet:

1% of Something = 7
Antique Bakery = 7
Are you human too = 6
Black Knight = 5
Devilish Joy = 5
Hospital Ship = 7.5 (7 if pushed)
Korean Odyssey = 7
Man to Man = 6
Oh My Ghost = 7
Oh My Venus = 6
On Your Wedding Day = 7
Reply 1994 = 7
Romantic Dr Teacher Kim = 7
She was pretty = 5
Strong Girl Bong Soon = 8
Temperature of Love = 5 (sorry KJW, you're lovely - but still...)
The Heirs = 4 (yawn)
Uncontrollably Fond = 5 (so depressing)
Weight lifting fairy = 7
When time stopped = 4
You're all surrounded = 7

I reckon our positive 1-10 scale broadly corresponds with Viki's 9.1-10.0 - those guys don't know how to use the full marking range. It would be fun to do a comparison of scores. Anything under 9 in the 8 range should tie with with our minus 10 scale, of course.

Also, I have a lot of 7s in my retrospective list because so much fades from view once you’ve moved on.

I occasionally read reviews on Viki and a lot of them seem to be "10 stars. (insert actors name here) is so amazing and wonderful. haven't watched the show yet though." I'd hate to see how bad a show would be if it was rated below 5 on Viki.

No TV for me today but lots of Christmasy activities. I have wrapped all the presents 😇 and realised I'm still short of one!! 🙄.
I'm having an early night but am looking forward to more CLOY tomorrow.

I’m enjoying Doctor John. It’s a rather slight story, but I like the FL-ML-2ML triad. They’re pretty much the only decent thing in it, mind. No wonder the poster is just the 3 of them.

I'll Go to You When the Weather is Nice with racehorse legs SKJ, PMY and dress-him-up-in-anything-he'll-still-look-good Lee Jae Wook is coming to Viki - squeal!

Just that willt make the subscription worthwhile (mine has just renewed at full whack after last year's special deal)

Fingers crossed they get Doctor Playbook too

Having said that it works out at just under £40 for a year's worth of streaming so that is £3.33333 per month. I'd say I definitely get value for money considering how much i watch it