MsLatte’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #13)

[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 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)
My Secret Terrius (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)**
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)
Romantic Dr Kim - seasons 1&2 (Viki)
Search: WWW (Viki)*
Something in the Rain (Netflix)
The Package (Viki)



Straighter ‘Slice of Life’ dramas on universal themes
Live (Netflix)
Prison Playbook (Netflix)*

Stove League (Viki)

Supernatural/zombies/vampires/fantasy/sci-fi - lighter & fluffier

Goblin (Viki)*

I am not a Robot (Netflix)
Legend of the Blue Sea (Viki/Netflix)
My Holo Love (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)

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/ML is too dense to realise the 2ML/2FL is better)
🥾🍑 (boot, peach) = kick up the arse to go to bed



We also abbreviate titles if they’re long, but usually with an obvious abbreviation. Some favourite actors & actresses have been abbreviated for speed/efficiency, eg Park Min Young (PMY), Kim Jae Wook (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…

That’s correct. It’s all like that. There’s no Basil Exposition character who comes wading in to explain the relationships Austin Powers-style. You just glean snippets and hints as you go.
Oh good, I was thinking I'd missed something due to looking at my phone!
I havnt got to the noraebang scene yet but I can imagine him having a good singing voice as his speaking voice is lovely and very deep.

You’re in for a treat Girl! 😂

Right, there’s a 2008 kpop album called Song Book with various artists on Apple Music. He has track 8 on the album & has a very pleasant singing voice. The awfulness of his My Mister noraebang turn is a testament to his acting abilities.

😂 I'll look forward to it

Shiny Happy Spreadsheet!! Thank you hello it looks splendid especially now that 2019 is tidied up without the loose shows and everything is colour co-ordinated!

How did you add that comment thingy on Tientsin Mystic? That is really handy!

They look lovely. Thanks Hello. 2020 is looking to be a high scoring year so far, though we are spoiled with choice at the mo.

I've tried adding a couple of comment ( On Train to Busan & Last Empress) but I don't know if it comes up anonymously? Can someone look and tell me?

This is what i can see on the spreadsheet in regards to your comments. I can't see your email or anything.

Cool! I like the comments thing I didn't know you could do that as I am a spreadsheet ignoramus. Your comment doesn't have any info though, so am I doing something wrong or is it 'cos you are admin?

I think it's because mine is a note and not a comment. I think comments are supposed to be for shared working so have the details of who put it. I'm not 100% sure though.

Ah! Sorted have now switched to notes

Quite handy for things like the ending to Black Knight and also warning of violence etc

Preach Sister

^^

Black needs a note, then. And absolutely!

bettys now you've changed to notes, I can't see any details about you!

Lovely jubbly !! I shall feel free to annotate now!

We might just be the most organised drama discussion thread of all time.

Kdrama addicts everywhere will be weeping with envy hello

Hold Onto Your Army Bombs! BTS have announced dates for ticket sales for Europe...

Boatyard here's all the info you should need ....

[https://discover.ticketmaster.co.uk/music/bts-43114/]

I think i've got the gist of it,... it befuddles me with all the presale / membership / guffins... argh!

Basically...

general onsale at 8:00 on Friday 20 March 2020

Fan club members ..presale will begin 8:00 on Wednesday 18 March 2020

Sqqqqueeel!!! fingers crossed fingers crossed!

[discover.ticketmaster.co.uk/music/bts-43114/]
Gah!

discover.ticketmaster.co.uk/music/bts-43114/

I really should preview!!!!

But will it go ahead (as a large public gathering) with corona virus circulating? I suppose by July things will either have gone one way or the other.

(PS Thanks Bea!)

Incidentally, my partner in crime messaged me the details too. I think we’re on, if either of us can snag tickets.

I swear bts are slowly trying to convince me to go. I was in asda earlier mindlessly looking for new pens when I turned to talk to DP, I was confronted with a giant bts poster behind him. If that's not a sign, I don't know what it.

Do it! (Although only after I’ve secured tickets, obviously.)