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…

No way!! 😱😱😱

I can already feel my blood pressure rising at the thought of tickets! 😭😱

Tbh most venues in London are near me! Though with the wind in the right direction I could possibly hear them 😂 And they could pop in for kimcheese toasties if they are peckish after their performance 😉💜

So....watching The Great Doctor there are a few things I like:
Sung Hoon in a long grey wig playing killer flute
LMH wielding a police shield like a boomerang in C14 Goryeo
FL telling evil moustachioed baddie to F* Off 🤣🤣 literally!
LMHs hair - there seems to be a hair theme

I’m puzzled by all the mystical stuff, it’s a right mish-mash and seems slightly older than 2012. Either everyone is very tall or the king is very short 🤨 . However it’s quite good fun.

Note to self:
Do not listen to Superclap while waiting for tube as will look like mad middle aged bopper

Ha! The Great Doctor is great in a stupid bonkers way isn't it?! I think ML does a good stoic general, not sure how well he'd work in a more, um, emotionally ranging role

From one Dr to another.. Taking a break from crazy bonkers time traveling Dr... And jumping ship yo Dr Romantic... Need a bit of sanity... in a kdrama?! 😂😂

Not enough actual doctoring going on in The Great Doctor, I’m very confused by all the political whatnots

The BTS news is kind of exciting - I am pondering whether I can persuade DS2 to come with me on the Saturday and make a weekend of it.

Also I have picked up some jujube (giant ones!) on the way home so I can attempt that yaksik recipe this weekend. I need to check that recipe to see if I do the ‘cake’ on a rice setting or a cake setting in my rice cooker. If anyone is lurking or reading who knows, let me know - by PM if necessary.

Just found CLOY ep11 preview on youtube (it didn't seem to be on Netflix at the end of ep10 for me this week) so I am now in my happy place...shiney polished Hyan Bin.

What are jujubes? Are they dates? I popped in to the Korean shop today & they had jujube tea (and plum) which looks like jam

Linky Brambly pls pls? 😃

There are a few others with speaking

. May be better

They are red dates, Betty - Latin/botanical name Ziziphus Jujube. DH and I tried one just now. They are crispier skinned and fluffier/pulpier inside than a normal date. Taste-wise they are like a cross between figs, dates and raisins with a slightly acidic, astringent twang. Jury’s still out on whether I like the taste. I think they’ll be fine in a sweetened rice cake.

Part of the buckthorne family: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziziphus

with subtitles

Sorry I can't delete the first two failed attempts...

Thanks boatyard, sounds like an acquired taste!

Thanks Brambly! can’t wsit😊

Thanks for the trailer Brambly 😁👍

I want to say thanks to Brambly, but my frustration at the two week delay just stepped up a notch.

brambley.... Oooo! That looks good! Can't wait!! 😂

How on earth would they manage on Chaos Friday in Dr Kim’s ER without Mr Go?

Just watched both recent Dr Kim eps! They're sooo good! Finished before they started!... It's a good filler whilst waiting for CLOY!.. M
bettys... Mr go! Mr go!... That's what I'll be shouting when chaos erupts in our house! We all need a Mr go!... And great 👍👍👍for Dr cha! At last! She's coming into her own!!