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…

I'm standing by my picks now I'm sober.

TBH it wasn't SKJs coffee making skills I was thinking of when I was thinking of self isolation 😉

Well quite, but wouldn’t the contract marriage secure those benefits longer term?

I’m glad I stuck with Hyena. I just finished episode 4 and I have belly laughed or cackled with glee in every episode so far. The leads’ ongoing one-upmanship/screwing over each other is so enjoyable to watch. They are clearly having a lot of fun with their roles. I want to invite Kim Hye-Soo to the pub: she’s so cool.

Well quite, but wouldn’t the contract marriage secure those benefits longer term? oooh true 🤔

Bettys... hopefully home soon.... Drink plenty... admire the view... and try to convince your friends to watch a kdrama?....

Oh Bea I wish I could!! It would make the time go faster ( for me anyway)
I only have half a bottle of soju left 😱

brttys... Drink it all in one go then! 😂 😂 😂

Memorist up! 2 eps all subbed ... 10 secs in and the titles already promise a hoot!... Wahey!

Are you stranded Betty? Or are your flights home all still on track?

Anyone else wondering if filming for Weather has resumed? Does PMY have to self-isolate for a fortnight?

I am booked on a flight tomorrow morning, it just all seems to be shifting rapidly.

Hope you have an uneventful trip home, Betty.

Cheers boatyard !

Meanwhile we will be playing the stuck in an Alpine chalet version of snog, marry, avoid which gets more ribald as the kir royales go down. I keep rethinking my kdrama version and wondering if I should have gone for Jang Hyuk with his martial arts skills for go on the run with. Previously it would've been GRRR JCW in Healer-mode but I fear Melting has done irreparable damage

Nothing has ruined an actor for me more than Melting ruined JCW. (obviously excluding crimes and stuff)

bettys I hope everything is as uneventful and boring as possible for you in regards to getting home.

Safe speedy journey home bettys.. X

I get what you're all saying... JCW!... But... Healer is such a classic and... the fine fine fine fine knitwear!... Healer JCW will always have my heart ♥! 😂

I should have gone for Jang Hyuk with his martial arts skills for go on the run with

I considered him, Betty, but HB did his national service in the special forces bit of the army. I therefore considered him to be the more rounded option.

HB did his national service in the special forces bit of the army.
Ooo-er wavering even more now!

Thanks all, am also hoping for uneventful travel tomorrow. I have downloaded Kingdom just in case of delays. Now there's an idea, HB in Joseon Prince Rampant zombie killer mode to go on the run with....

I need these kind of diversions at the mo. Real life has got very strange. What’s the vibe in your ski resort, Betty?

Memorist is great fun... Funny! Thrilling... Scary... And goes at great pace! Deffo worth checking out! Watched first 2 eps... New ep out on weds!... 👍👍👍

Holo finished... It was a bit of a slog to get through purely due to my dislike of FL character... Found her infuriatingly wishy washy... Loved the second couple... They were fun... Last ep was very very satisfying... A textbook 🐝 ending! Thank the lord! Story wise was a little ropey but still good enough for me to want to get to the end... A score of 5 for me.. 😂

What’s the vibe in your ski resort, Betty?

It’s the oddest thing, beautiful weather but not a single bubble or chairlift moving. People wandering round aimlessly not knowing what to do as there are no cafes, bars or restaurants open. People we’ve spoken are pragmatic but disappointed & trying to get home.

The cocky ex-employee prosecution witness in the D&T case in Hyena has beautiful hands. You know me. Beautiful hands are noted and commented upon whenever I see them.

Nice Spode Fleur de Lys (In blue) china tea cups too in the same scene. It’s funny. Posh china has gone out of fashion here, but it crops up all the time in swanky kdrama settings.

That sounds disappointing Betty. I hope its been a good opportunity to catch up with your friends regardless.

Oh we’ve had loads of fun, even if I did fail to convert them to kdrama & kpop

......and normal service is resumed!