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…

Phew! And what a great start to resuming your viewing. 👍

I’m really enjoying Where Stars Land, I can’t believe we haven’t watched it before!

It isn’t CLOY outstanding but I really felt it was the complete package.

Welcome home Bettys!... Hope you've managed to destress!! 😂

I've started Where Stars Land now too. It looks like a classic drama to me. All required elements in place. Lovely distraction from everything else.

I need something like WSL, as I need something more soothing than Hyena. Real life is so weird at the mo. 😞

I'm back! Had to do real life stuff (boo).

I think I would isolate with Li Xian, marry Gong Yoo and run away with Sung Hoon.

DS was teasing DD earlier about her Netflix list then saw mine and asked if I was planning to isolate for the rest of the year. DD just sighed and pointed out that my Viki list was just as extensive and I would probably be found with dried out eyeballs and dramas playing on a loop. They obviously love their mother... Apparently none of my family are concerned about my ability to keep myself entertained

Watching WSL... It's good just like you all said... However! I'm hating the over the top Chief... Just too much and its beginning to really annoy me! Grrrr! 😡😡

DS was teasing DD earlier about her Netflix list then saw mine and asked if I was planning to isolate for the rest of the year. DD just sighed and pointed out that my Viki list was just as extensive and I would probably be found with dried out eyeballs and dramas playing on a loop.

Thank you for that genuine belly laugh. Laughter is very much welcome at the mo.

Oooh I forgot about Li Xian might have to put him down to go on the run with

Reasons to be cheerful... This suggests Weather filming has resumed (spoilers):

www.soompi.com/article/1388518wpp/park-min-young-and-seo-kang-joon-share-an-intimate-moment-in-ill-go-to-you-when-the-weather-is-nice

I've watched barely any dramas over the last few days. The hello household is quite under the weather. Damn chronic illness ruining my immune system. Hopefully it's just a bad cold but you can never be too careful.

YouTube recommended Advance Bravely to me which is a Chinese drama with a gay relationship that became a bromance with lots of skinship. Only notable as it had ML from Don't Get Tipsy, Get Downright Pissed in.

Hope you can take it easy and feel better soon Hello.
I'm heading to bed after my night shift now 😴😴😴 then I've got an afternoon on the couch watching Where Stars Land 😁

Sorry to hear that hello, look after yourself and hopefully things will pick up soon.

You've reminded me now about the ML from Don't Get Tipsy, Get Downright Pissed, will add to the list for after Where Stars Land which is currently ticking all the escapist froth boxes.

I can't remember if I've seen WSL but it sounds like I should watch it anyway. Let's face it. I have the time 😂

Everybody stay safe and eat delicious food! We need to take inspiration from boatyard in these trying times. I've got instant ramen with a side of kimchi on the list for this afternoon. Not up to boaty standards but good for the circumstances

I went to Waitrose yesterday (rare treat) before the updated govt advice was released to buy nibbles for a small social gathering which has now been postponed. Our lunches for the next few days will be uber naice, a last hurrah before a diet of pandemic supernoodles and baked beans kicks in.

Take care hello. DD is off for half term and we're expecting the school to move to remote lessons soon since the local University has already and it looks like the FE college will follow suit.

I took a notion for some fluff so watched Playful Kiss. I have the dubious honour of having watched it and Boys over Flowers in all available versions 😂 I don't even like the manga because the FL in PK is a total stalker but it's always handy as background noise because it doesn't matter if you wander off.

I have Ms.Hamurabi and Hyena lined up for a courtroom binge and will be sifting through my list for some mindless fluff and possibly supernatural stuff to watch.

I also share that honour monkeywench and wonder quite often when I wasted my time with some of the versions. Why do we torture ourselves like this?!

I finished ep 8 of Hyena earlier & I’m now champing for Friday’s episode. It’s worth sticking with it when they are doing the whole lawyer pissing competition thing because I does start to broaden out and get more involved. The two leads are brilliantly cast for these roles and are chewing up the scenery in their wake.

I have no idea, although it's interesting to see how it's interpreted for each country. I just can't relate to clingy FLs, so part of it is pure curiosity 😂 I remember an ex when I lived in Japan saying that I was very much like a cat and affection was most definitely on my terms. DH says I'm just a pain 🤣🤣 I don't get jealous, possibly annoyed, but I figure that if you want to be with me then you'll do what you need to stay in my good books (works both ways). DD is very much my clone that way with friendships, so she tends to have a wide and shallow pool of friends with the exception of 3 besties.

BTS Europe leg ticket sale delayed with pre-sale on 29/4 and general sale 1/5 according to Ticketmaster. I may have no money by the time they go on sale lol

Just wanted to say a huge thanks to you all for the threads on Korean dramas, I’ve been working my way through some of the ones on your list – although annoyed that can’t get ‘Her Private Life’ to load on Viki! Particularly enjoyed ‘Chicago Typewriter’, ‘Stranger’, Because This is my First Life’, ‘Something in the Rain’ as well as ‘Romance is a Bonus Book’, ‘She was Pretty‘ 'What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim’. And now trying to work out which others to watch. Look forward to reading more of your reviews. The romantic comedies particularly good for trying to unwind at the moment.

You are very welcome YounghillKang ! Do join in with the chat, the more the merrier 😀It’s nice to know that our hard work is appreciated 😉🤣

I'm really liking Rowoon in WSL... he's playing a character so different from Haru in Extraordinary You... His acting is so completely different... I'm impressed! 😊👍

I’m smitten 😍 but we all know he’s the 2ML so 🤷‍♀️