MsLatte’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #14): Special welcome to any MNers stuck at home who need escapist boxset recommendations

[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)
The Fiery Priest (Netflix)

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)*
Signal (Netflix)*
Suspicious Partner (Netflix)*
The Lies Within (Netflix)*
Tunnel (Netflix)*

Historical/Period drama (“sageuk”)
100 Days My Prince (Viki)
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)*
Where Stars Land (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)
I’ll Go To You When The Weather is Nice (Viki - currently airing)

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)
My Mister (Viki)**
Prison Playbook (Netflix)*

Stove League (Viki)

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

Extraordinary You (Netflix)
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: Two Worlds (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)
Go Go Squid (Viki - Chinese)
Instead of Tipsy Why Not Get Drunk (Viki, Chinese)
Love O2O (Viki - Chinese)
Morning Call (Netflix - Japanese)
Put Your Head on My Shoulder (Netflix - Chinese)
Tientsin Mystic (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 agree with this fifilacklustre
I am determinedly watched EC to the end last night, it really wasn't what I was hoping for but I didn't want to give up. Maybe give it a generous 5.5, as I did laugh at some moments and it does have CHJ in it

I can also concur this thread is lovely, absolutely no flaming!

Boatyard... there's never been a cross word amongst us! Ah yes! the days of disagreement over Vice Chairman! It seems such a long long time ago! I look back to those early kdramas I watched with real fondness!... I'm sooo sad... it was only about a year and half ago?

The drama I am absolutely loving at the moment and no one else seems to be watching (apart from Bettys) is Memorist... It's really really good though i understand why not many maybe watching at the moment as it's quite dark and somewhat disturbing which I find comical as the opening titles are soooo quirky and fun and zany!!!!...
ANyway if anyone feels like thriller dark twisty storyline with super acting and gripping storyline ... deffo Memorist on Viki...

I'm at how EC has become a little pants... even thiinking about it now makes me irrationaly cross ... I have to admit i don't really like CJH.... sorry Bettys...even though i started Rugal quite enjoying it I've abandoned taht too!

Oh dear I don't seem to have much staying power at the moment...
Weather is still lovely... there's a fair few things I can find fault with but on the whole the gentle pace (although i hate it!)... I love it and the music is really lovely too! I love all the secondary characters... did anyonoe catch the ref to Extraordinary You ref in ep 13 How Eun Sil had dated Baek Gyeon because she liked Bad Boys{grin} I love it when they do things like that!!!!

Welcome Fifi... I sometimes wonder what the Lurker is thinking whilst we're twittering away... you must think we're complete loons!!!! Enjoy and please delurk!!!!

I reported one of my own kdrama thread posts once - it was speculation about a kdrama actor which, after basic googling, proved to be wrong. I didn’t like the idea of it being “out there” so I asked HQ to delete it. 😏

I'm at how EC has become a little pants... even thiinking about it now makes me irrationaly cross ... I have to admit i don't really like CJH.... sorry Bettys...even though i started Rugal quite enjoying it I've abandoned taht too!

I have gone off CJH a bit, but then he was an early oppa in my kdrama travels and I have refined my taste since then. He does oafish behaviour a leetle too well, but he was v good in Tunnel & Last Empress (in spite of his late arrival & early departure in the latter)

I agree Memorist is good, I have a backlog of episodes now so may save until it's all up. I'm all about soothing & fluffy drama at the moment.

Memorist has some amazing cinematography. It's easily on par with A Piece of Your Mind or Tale of Nokdu for beautiful camera work.

Right! I've finished EC so you don't have to 😂😂😂. It didn't improve and there were some really stooopid bits. If anyone gets to the last episode, the bit through the patio window!?! But.... There were some bits that made me genuinely lol, and if you watch to the very end and the outtakes, Grumpy ER Dr looks like he's very good at dishing out the hugs 🥰. CJH didn't really redeem this (even though I love, love, love him in Tunnel)
Anyway now that's done I can watch Weather tonight 👍

Oh oh oh I am just starting last ep this means I can watch while cooking & not be bovvered & save Weather for post dinner relax & wine - thanks Girl 👍😆

Glad to be of service 👍😁

Btw if I am right grumpy ER doc is grumpy tv news director in Pinocchio 😊

Ahh yes! So he is 😊

Random question, can anyone place the film in the huge poster behind 2ML doing his Park Morgan impression?

I was going to mention the hoovering 😂.

boaty haven’t you seen Pinocchio???😱
It’s the one that gave LYS the ‘Toasty’ moniker!

I know. I watched clip. My world was not set alight. I think it must be set in its proper context and therefore I must watch it to be sure. Also, LYS is a bit too boyish and lanky for me. If he comes back from his military service with more muscle on that racehorse frame, we’ll talk.

But as well as Grumpy ER Doc ( that’s going to stick, isn’t it?) it has Kim Young Kwan (from Gogh Starry Night guaranteed to give you SLS), Yoon Gyun Sang and Yoon Sang Hyun in a guest role

I’m sold!

I’m quite enjoying the Korean Knightly cameo in Hospital Playlist. She seems to be a good sport.

Hospital Playlist is light years apart from EC

It’s like comparing War & Peace with Enid Blyton, Betty.

Agree Korean Knightley is good in this, and I just love the older generation they are a hoot with their selfies & car keys

I like the hospital board chairman guy.

bettys That poster is of Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey in Franco Zeffirelli's "Romeo and Juliet".

If he comes back from his military service with more muscle on that racehorse frame, we’ll talk.

My sentiments exactly 😂

Welcome Fifi 👋

Damn, I think Jo Jung-Suk is being lined up as Prof Chae’s squeeze - although it could equally be that he carries a torch for her which is not reciprocated. Anyone else feel like they need to do a teen crush-style pros & cons list for each of the potential runners? JJ-S’s character is ahead on swottiness & academic/general brilliance (annoyingly). Yoo Yeon-Seok’s character is compatible on religious and compassion grounds. I think JKH’s character is out of the running for now. Capt Ahn likes camping, even in the rain (or perhaps he’ll tolerate camping in the rain for Prof Chae alone time), and is reserved and thoughtful. I still can’t call it.