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…

😂 😂 😂 Lee min ho! 😂 😂 😂... I've yet to admire the dandy highwayman look! I'm going for a quick snooze and then me and my army bomb will be off bangtanning! Good night! 😂 😂

Does anyone feel sad thinking it will probably be a while before any of us can travel to Seoul, even if we had the money to go? I think long haul will get a lot more expensive and there will probably restrictions on travellers from hotspots like the UK or quarantine arrangements.

Yes, while I hadn’t booked yet I was thinking of a trip to SK/Japan 🙁 I think it will be quite a while before travel returns to as it was, if indeed it ever does 😫

In which case, we should redouble or language and cultural immersion programmes from the comfort of our own homes.

I'm Ready! 😂 💜

Ahhhh! HYYH era... The most beautiful moment.... Sigh!! 💜💜 Danger... Butterfly...
Mint Yoongi and Orange Haired Jimin!
What's not to love! 😂 🥰💜

Jin's t-shirt says... "Lost in Lust"...!! 😳😱💜

.... Annnd! That's one down! Sigh! I love 2015 BTS! Less polished and slick then 2020 BTS but just as good! 💜💜

💜💜👍💜💜

HYYH Epilogue Concert 2016 now... it's amazing... one year later... they're now in a much much larger venue..and you can tell....slicker production and sequins!!... much more choreo too! still amazing to watch!!!!

Fighting 🤜🏻👏🏻👍 for monkeywrench!

And did someone say breeches?!? Point me to the dandy highwayman instantly 😍

RM in this era has Park Sae-Ro-Yi Itaewon Hair...

And did someone say breeches?!? Point me to the dandy highwayman instantly

Netflix: King: The Eternal Monarch that way >

Red Bullet Tour now... Their first tour! They're sooooo young and the venue is tiny! I love it!! 🥰💜😂
And these were the days before the official Army Bomb! 😂

Hi all, I've missed so much...

Just watching the BTS concerts. Dd got up at 4am too Bea. I watched the second concert, V wearing a towel on his head at the end lol. Really uplifting concert to watch. Is the current concert really their first ever? Red Bullet. We thought it was a fan meeting at first.

My K-drama viewing has taken a bearing from my lack of concentration with all that's going on... I'm watching Hi, Bye mama and Mr Sunshine. King sounds good though. And I want to try Weather as it sounds really good for current mood, but can't get Vikki on my TV. Don't enjoy watching on laptop as much.

Hope all are ok.

Thank you Boat 🙏

You’re welcome Cassini.

Is the BTS stuff paywalled, or can anyone join in?

boatyard Bts on YouTube... Just search for bangtan TV...it's free!

ginger red bullet tour was their first proper tour...

After this one I think its the 3rd Muster...a more relaxed concert for Fans... Lots of skits... Old fave songs and remixes... It's almost like a variety show... Really good fun!! Last year was the 5th muster...

💜💜👍😁

monkeywrench... 👍💪💪💪Fighting! 😂

House of Army! It's hilarious!... 3rd Muster.. 😂 😂

I'm once again in awe of Woo Do Hwan's ability to have chemistry with all of his male costars. He is the best at bromance.

I'm the girl with the camera taking photos of WDH, although LMH is yummy.

Bea is that JHope in drag??

hello Yes WDH is just lovely in bodyguard bromance mode, looking forward to his alter ego who is apparently a happy character, not something he's played before!

Caught up with Weather - SKJ & LJW & all the community stuff is lovely & warming but I increasingly find PMYs character annoying, it's def not her best role.

APOYM definitely better now with less staring in to space

Waiting for Eternal Monarch now....'suppose I ought do some chores so I feel less guilty

Or Suga???

😂 😂 😂 Jhope... She played the Army mum!... It's a very silly sketch!... Rm plays the daughter! 😂 😂 😂

Well! After 11hours straight (with an odd interval between concerts!)... I'm done! Phew!... I thought day 2 was next weekend!... It's tomorrow! 😭 😭 😭 😂😂💜💜💜💪💪💪👍👍👍... Wahey! 💜

bettys... Yes! Weather and all the secondary characters are gorgeous!! PMY character could do with a slapping... I don't understand why she is soooo unforgiving!!

Memorist is really ramping up! 😱😱😱😱🤯