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…

😱 the feckers!!!

Oh Hello, I am sympathetic but there’s part of me that wants to remind you that you knew this was going to happen snd did it anyway.

It was worth it though. It had a compelling story, well written characters, fantastic special effects, top notch soundtrack and I didn't figure out the murder mystery until episode 5 which is a long one for me.

Why make something so wonderful and then ruin it all by doing something stupid like a cliff hanger.

But I also accept I'm a glutton for punishment when it comes to dramas. Aren't we all?

That AIBU thread is still clattering along like a runaway train. Glad we all hopped back off.

I made the kimchee stew I made last weekend for dinner again tonight. I went slightly easier on the gochugaru, chopped the kimchi finer and used belly pork slices as directed in the recipe. It was a hit with my boys this time, so goes in the regular faves box. I still think the smoked firm tofu is the way to go, even though the recipe calls for plain firm tofu - it has so much depth of flavour. 👌

I'm staying well off now! I can understand how you can go a bit loopy on social media... I've never really gotten "involved" before... This is supposed to be fun! But when it turns! 😳.. 😯

Wow, lots of splashy claret on ep 2 of Romantic Dr Kim 2. I can see why so many surgeons wear Crocs in theatre - very easy to clean...

Do you think crocs are dishwasher safe? Or do you chuck them in a washing machine? I feel sorry for the cleaning crew on that set though

Good question Hello.

The blood splurge is indeed high in Dr Kim! 😂

Ta da!

Place your Crocs in the dishwasher for an alternative cleaning method. Fill the soap dispenser with dishwashing detergent and run a normal wash cycle. Do not put the Crocs in the dishwasher with dishes. You can, however, place other items such as toys, garden tools and other shoes in with the Crocs.

From: www.ehow.com/how_5978441_wash-crocs.html

Ooh that's useful I forgot to bring my garden crocs in and they are now full of manky rainwater bleurghhhhh

I am not going back on the AIBU thread there are people on there who just can't/won't read posts properly or understand the difference between admiration and fancying someone.

The kdrama threads: your one stop shop.

To be honest, I think there’s some willful mischief in AIBU and that thread is not immune.

It's not just wilful mischief, some of it is downright insulting.

Anyhoo.....back to The Great Doctor.....

TvN are showing Extreme Job and a behind-the-scenes special instead of CLOY, the least Netflix could do is show it as well

I love how they had to specify not to put your crocs in with your dishes, as if someone would think their manky shoes covered in unidentifiable substances should go right next to these things that they cook and eat with. Always a good tip though, bet surgeons don't find that out at med school.

'Willful mischief' is such a lovely turn of phrase. You have ever such a way with words boatyard

I’ve spent too much time on the feminism board trying to stay within MN’s arcane, opaque special moderation rules for that board. You find a way of saying what you need to say in different ways. Also, I don’t want this thread to get pulled for overstepping the ‘thread about a thread’ rule.

great doctor .... Gah! Choi Young has changed his hair! 😫😱

Well! Looks like money is going to be a little short in the Bea Household this year.... 😂😂

Very useful items. Every household needs them 😁👍

Loving the head nurse in Dr Romantic series 1. I feel like unexpectedly shouting my head off at work would be v effective

YY she is formidable! It may be wrong of me but I think I detect a spark between her & unlikeable cold surgeon chappie. I think her & anaesteologist are just old friends

No no no! I want the screen to pull back in the ending episode to see the both of them just snuggled up on the sofa drinking tea! 😊

I’m enjoying the study partnership back story in Dr Kim 2 and the cheerful junior doctor misunderstanding the director on his return from his vacay. 😂

Happy New Year Alll!!
🥳🐀🐭🎏
Here's some lucky money packets for you all! Usually given to those younger than me! (and children!) So sort yourselves out! 😂 😂 🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧

😂 Thanks Bea Happy New Year!