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…

Today's CLOY was so good! I loved the way his family warmed to her and how she recognised his room from his books. As already said, such good writing and little details.

I got a sense of sadness about the divide of Korea too. V touching with the bowls.

Agreed with predictions. Hadn't gone as far as working out where they could settle eventually, but it works.

YY agree with you, I’m hoping Bea’s predictions are right too!

Bea Fiery Priest does get better, I guess it is quite drawn out though, and it did take me a while to get into it. And there’s no romance 🤷‍♀️

Have just tried watching My Lovely Sam Soon (drama cool) but it is very dated, and seems to have been converted from a different ratio as everyone looks short & fat - even Hyun Bin! Total waste of a shower scene 🤣

Plus I really don’t recommend drama cool - boobage 😡

Oh man! How did I mix up Bea and Betty? Bea’s predictions - I agree.

You know what else I’m enjoying about CLOY? The almost total absence of brand placement, apart from the grifter’s Landrover Discovery and the toiletries in the market. I hope that doesn’t change in the remaining episodes.

boatyard.... Maybe Rolex watches popping up all over the place? Towards the end?.... 😂😂😂

They missed a perfect op with his brothers watch! 😂

They could end up in a romantic date in a Seoul subway yet! Or maybe a big family through down in subway? I can't decide which one I'd find more entertaining.

Just caught up on CLOY it really is lovely.
Agree with prediction made further down re them both ending up in Switzerland

I’ve just realised the Ken doll potential of taking HB south - Se-Ri would not waste any opportunity to put him in designer suits and knitwear. Oh, this is going to be so much fun!

Harrumph! Friday night’s Stove League is still only 27% subtitled. So frustrating!

Oh yes the traditional Cinderella style scene in an upmarket clothes store!
Or maybe a shower scene after he has marvelled at the fancy schmancy bathrooms?

We could have fun this morning guessing at what surprises him most, although he’s bot entirely closeted because he’s lived abroad. I think it is her family that will most appall him, especially the back stabbing, grabby siblings and SILs.

Although he lived in Switzerland it was very picturesque, and he was studying, but it it would be annoying if they made hime look amazed at Seoul, he's not like his team members. It would be fab if somehow his team got there as well but that's not going to happen, I guess.

I wonder if any of her ex=boyfriends would show up? He is sweetly jealous (unusually for kdrama he makes it look cute to be jealous)

It would be fab if somehow his team got there as well but that's not going to happen, I guess.

I thought the scenes in the DMZ were really poignant. When she was talking with the youngest recruit about returning to his family at the end of his service, it was left unsaid that they are all likely to be severely punished for helping Se-Ri and will possibly never see their families again. 😞

No-one cooking a home and ordering food in, portion sizes, how much meat is eaten, the prices of high fashion items will shock him. I think there will be other commentary on the loss of social cohesion and individualism, but I’m not sure how. Also, NK has been portrayed as socially conservative, so something about young women’s tiny outfits and hook-up culture, though I’m less clear about whether the latter has caught on in SK.

Thread so quiet. We’re all watching CLOY, right?

YES YES YES!!!!!! ... but......aaaargh!!! another whole week to wait!! 🤣🤣

In many respects I am very pleased they didn’t take the obvious plotting route, but arghhhhh! New variables! (Which is an entirely good thing really.)

Right I am now off out to fulfil my New Year’s resolution. I look forwards to the post match analysis when I get back.

Sorry, the yes yes yes was for the ending!

So after quite a bit of googling - 'cos I knew him but couldn't quite place him due to the wig & green tracksuit - the cameo at the end was -

SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER

Kim Soo Hyun ie alien ML from MLFAS

Just about to watch it now!

Kim Soo Hyun ie alien ML from MLFAS

I was looking at that character thinking: “I ought to recognise this guy, I’m sure I’ve seen him in something recently.” I only finished MLFAS last night. However, this absolutely confirms that he does nothing for me. The dodgy wig sealed it.

Today’s episode felt very much like a bridging episode to switch things up. It didn’t have the same punch as yesterday’s, but I remain excited about the possibilities for fun. The noodle/rice conversation in the convenience store made me smile.

Yes and I’m so happy they are there too! And lovely Rat 😊

Sigh I need another Another Miss Oh but I can’t find one, so I’m trying out Moon Embracing The Sun (Netflix) . Not really in the Joseon mood but it’s quite funny seeing current leads in their child acting days (it’s 2012)

Yeah, I need something like Another Miss Oh. Have you watched Go Back Couple on Viki yet? That was lovely (once you get past the disintegrating marriage in ep 1).