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…

There's a thread on AIBU where the OP says V from BTS is the most beautiful human in the world! She is getting slated! 😯
It's called To think this is the world's most gorgeous human being? if any one wants to offer support.

Boatyard I'm going to look for that bit too! No to serialising k-drama! ❌

Girl - we need to post a link to this thread so she can appreciate him amongst friends. There’s even potential to turn her to kdrama if we post about Hwarang. 👍

Gah I want to know what Im Dong Goo whispered In Namgoong Min’s ear!!! ((Stove League)

Boatyard - Yy put down Extreme Job And also Dr Prisoner I’ll have a look at my to watch list and am happy to also write in/sign a petition

Right, better go and offer support for a fellow V fan!

Gah I want to know what Im Dong Goo whispered In Namgoong Min’s ear!!! ((Stove League)

Yeah, me too. Bloody snake. It’s bloody killing me that this episode ended just as they were about to face off with the Vikings. Two weeks’ wait? Not on!

I went and did some work for a couple of hours to try and stave off the disappointment but the series is so compelling I had to come back and watch it. I need to prepare a cliff hanger support kit!

I think we have done a good job on that other thread

Hello - It’s crickets in here because Betty, Bea and Girl are loose in AIBU. (Loving your work, all. )

I've stuck my head up above the parapet on the other thread! Help!! You know how horrible Mumsnet can become! 😭😢... I'm scared! But had to stick up for the lovely Boys!... I found it really hard not to say... People's reactions to bts... I can't help feeling is all a little misogyny (pah! It's for girls! And teenage girls to boot!) with a mild sprinkling of xenophobia...!... 😳🤔

Yeah, I wondered about the wisdom of linking to the thread but if any AIBU thread is going to smoke out potential new kdrama fans to MsLatte’s it’s that one.

That is the first time I've ever joined in a thread on AIBU! 😯

I have been watching Stove League ep 11 whilst intervening on AIBU so I can now join in with what did he whisper????

Hope it doesn't bring the trolls over!.... 😳

I think we’d bore them to death by being consistently pleasant and obsessive, Bea, so don’t worry unnecessarily.

Join us, Girl. Do we think we’ll eventually find out in a flashback?

Boatyard... Ahhh! The voice of reason and calm! No wonder you're Head Kdrama Prefect... 😁😊

They already did a flash back to a similar whisper from an earlier episode. Are they hinting it's to do with doping???

we’d bore them to death by being consistently pleasant and obsessive

Exactly! Such a cunning plan 😂

It was the Namgoon Min’s eyes opened - what oh what was it?
And the hint at drugs? Who? Who?

Everyone on these threads is pleasant and reasonable (and totally obsessive 😁)

I'm just starting Dr Romantic series 1 now. Hopefully it will fill in the time till next weekend when there are loads of things to watch 😍

I'm stepping away from AIBU now! It scares me! 😳😱😱

... And I want to reply... Yes I am obsessed! 😂 😂 😂 😂

OMG the Dr in Dr Romantic is super hot Dong Mae from Mr Sunshine 😯😁

Yeah.....if they’re not going to get it, they won’t listen.

TheGirl yes he’s swopped his robes for chunky knitwear 🤣

He's not looking quite as lovely without his long hair, sword and gangster swagger but he did just take his shirt off 😁

Bettys... It makes me 😫 at how unnecessarily rude people can be!... 😱😭