Ms Latte’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama Addicts #12)

[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 [[
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/streamed_tv/3758420-Ms-Latte-s-Daebak-Cybercaf-Kdrama-Addicts-11?topicid=16582&threadid=3758420&pg=1 here]] but our ‘Addicts Recommend’ list below is cumulative so includes recommendations and favourites from all previous threads.


Shows marked with an asterisk 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)
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)
Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung (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)
The Secret Life of My Secretary (Viki/Netflix)
Thirty Not Seventeen (Viki) or as Still 17 (Netflix)

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/Netflix)
Chicago Typewriter (Viki/Netflix)
Crash Landing on You (Netflix - still airing)
Descendants of the Sun (Viki/Netflix)
Doctors (Netflix)
Fight For My Way (Viki/Drama bus)*
Go Back Couple (Viki)

Just Between Lovers (Viki)*
Melo is my Nature (Viki)/Be Melodramatic (Dramafast)
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)
Bride of Habaek (Netflix)
Hwarang (Viki/Netflix)
The Last Empress (Viki/Netflix)
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)

Thread Regulars’ Top 5 Dramas of 2019 (courtesy of Hello’s kdrama spreadsheet, scores range from +10 if very good to -10 for truly awful)

1. Her Private Life - 9.40 (5 votes)
2. Melo is My Nature - 9.00 (5 votes)

3.= Crash Landing On You, The Crowned Clown, The Lies Within, and The Tale of Nokdu - 8.75 (4 votes)

1. Hotel del Luna - 8.50 (4 votes)

5.= Romance is a Bonus Book, and Search: WWW - 8.17 (6 votes)

The Most Disappointing Dramas of 2019

1. Melting Me Softly -4.17 (3 votes)
2. Abyss -3.33 (3 votes)
3. When The Devil Calls Your Name -2.33 (3 votes)
4. Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency - 0.33 (3 votes)
5. Vagabond 1.25 (4 votes)

Honourable mention for the worst drama of the year goes to Chinese/Mandarin Well Intended Love on Netflix, which scored -10 (2 votes). It beggars belief that Netflix commissioned a second series, but there you go. 🤷‍♂️

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.

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…

Cool avante garde 🤣 Oh Betty, you do make me laugh. Although a friend told me about a year ago “Boaty, you watch telly like a young person and my kids’ friends.” It might have been a compliment, but more likely it means she thinks I’m lost to adult civilisation and culture and beyond hope.

So much to look forward to! LJS finishing military service, new SKJ drama, being world cinema experts 😎

I've just finished ep6 of Stove League which I loved, especially the bits with the younger brother.

bettys It's Kyro from Boy For Rent (horrific name but it's about buying a relationship experience) He goes from looking like him a lot to nothing at all, I think it might be the cheek bones and floppy hair.

If there's a LJS welcome home turkey, I'd be tempted to send him back to learn how to pick better projects.

I would like commend the mood enhancing properties of Super Junior’s Superclap. I have a day of meetings that I’m not looking forwards. It’s a great tonic.

bettys However I will probably blow my cool avant grade brownie points by instead of talking eruditely about Korean film just babbling that Choi Woo Sik fromParasiteis bezzie mates with V from BTS

Yesterday on twitter! They met up... Took a walk and had a burger on a bench... Both in LA... CWS for awards... Tae for Black Swan (playing I ❤️Radio... And James Corden... And other secret stuff they're not telling us! Rumours of Grammy performance! 😱)

I'm also looking forward to Parasite! Watch me squawk when all familiar faces appear! PSJ in cameo (of course cos he's in the friendship gang with CWS... V... And PHS!... Can you imagine!?!)... Also remember CWS was in Fight My Way! And Train to Busan!... He knows what projects to pick...! 😍👌

I have a playlist on Spotify of songs like superclap that just get me in that mood. Notable entries include; Her by Block B, You're the Best by Mamamoo and Platonic Love by Snuper. If I put any of those on I can garuntee a smile and a quick wiggle around the kitchen.

Just has a little blast of Superclap on my way into work and one of my colleagues said I looked really well!
It's the next Korean pop song I'm working on DH to like. I keep playing to him when we've had a drink. It worked with Boy with Luv!

I'll try those too Hello!

Platonic Love is an absolute bop. It's based on 80s synth pop and you can't not be happy listening to it.

Is anyone watching How Are You Bread? I want to know if it's worth it but don't think I can face another disappointing first episode.

Dammit I've got to listen to Superclap now......which means I have to watch the MV and disappear down a wormhole again....oh well [shrug]

bettys it's such a hard life, isn't it?

I've got caught in The Great Doctor! It's ridiculous!!... But stupidly binge worthy! 😳... And I actually like Lee Min Ho! 😂 😂 😂

80s synth pop is right up DHs street, I'll definitely try that one next 🕺

I can't resist ..... I'm going to have to take a look at The Great Doctor

Well it's not what I expected at all

I feel like I need more detail to tempt me in, Betty. Lee Minho is a pretty insurmountable barrier. What gives?

great doctor.... Historical kdrama... Not Joseon era for once!... Swords and fighting! ... Kings Queens.... Joena!!!.... Time travel?!... A stargate!.. 😂 😂 (sort of!)... Baddies with moustaches!... Great animated sequences!... Heroes (and villains) with unexplained powers!?!... Modern day Doctor who is only slightly perturbed that she's stepped through a stargate!... Just everything! Bonkers!!... Oh!... And a nice floppy long haired Fringe LMH! 😂 😂

I wasn’t expecting the time travel! I’ve watched a couple of time travelling doctor dramas & this is the wackiest 🤣
LMH is less arrogant than usually & as Bea says, rather attractive with his floppy long haired fringe
Not sure if I’ll stick with it for all 24 eps 😱 may need a bit of skippitydoodahing
And surely the doctors batteries are going to run out on her head torch thingy?

I started dipping in to Something in the Rain and have remembered why I like it so much. Jung Hae In and Son Ye-Jin are adorable together. I’m starting to think Son Ye-Jin is like PMY in that she can really sell a FL/ML romance and make it believable. I’d forgotten how good SITR is. If you haven’t seen it and have exhausted Hyun Bin’s tolerable back catalogue*, it might be worth watching some of Son Ye-Jin’s good stuff.

• I keep trying so hard to like Secret Garden but it makes me itch. It’s so dated and I can’t get past episode 3 at the mo. 🤷‍♂️

Super Junior’s Leeteuk has a new cookbook out, as of today. If it guarantees his abs, I’m in.

Oooh off to google Leeteuk’s cookbook/abs

Crikey!!! ☺️

Indeed.

BTS tour announced! London Twickenham Stadium 3/4 July! Arrrgghhhh! 😍😱

Oooh ooh that's near me!!!!!