MsLatte’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #15): Tiring of your usual telly during lockdown? Want to be transported somewhere else? Try our escapist boxset recommendations

[boatyardblues]

A quiet corner of MN for serious addicts of Kdrama, or the K-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. 

We also dip into Japanese, Taiwanese & Chinese drama as & when. 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)

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
Hospital Playlist (Netflix)
Itaewon Class (Netflix)
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. Quite a few of us are learning Korean, Japanese and/or Mandarin (some more diligently than others admittedly), so we swap tips and links to language resources. Basically, anything topical goes.


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…

hello it's ok. The way the ML falls for her is cute and there is a fair bit of angst in some places. Good points are that there is a balance between the ML and FL, so it's not like one has all the power. Once ML is in live with her he's supportive.
Bad points are some of the plot holes are just meh, and the subplot not being consistently in the background.

I also watched JoJo's World (Taiwanese on Netflix) which is about a career woman who feels the bio clock ticking after being diagnosed with premature ovarian failure. Loved the FL BFF in this, very supportive and always cheering her on. FL indecisiveness did get annoying but not that many episodes for a Taiwanese drama. King of Romance I and Just You are also easy to watch Taiwanese drama on Netflix. See you in Time has a bit of time travel aspect and was alright, but I found the ending frustrating. (Also Taiwanese)

I've had a bit of a C-drama/Taiwanese drama binge.
Singles Villa , Unrequited Love , A Love so Beautiful , Somewhere only we know have all been pretty good.

A contract marriage c drama you say?? Like Hello I am watching it even if it was a turkey 🦃 but I am getting "not available in your region"😭😭😭

It's on Viki. I've been trying to get Gentleman's Dignity and Man Who Sets The Table with no luck.

My tea was v nice 👌.
Now I'm continuing with watching things recommended in the thread header that I haven't watched yet by starting The Crowned Clown.

thegirl... Oh the crowned clown is lovely! It's got everything right... Story... Actors... Pace... It's lovely! And beautifully done! Enjoy!!

Hospital Playlist is very warm and cozy! Enough conflict to engage you but not too much to cause anger! They're all such lovely doctors!... It's like a nicer... Warmer... Kinder and gentler St Elmos Fire...! 😂 😂 In terms of the lovely friendship! 😂 😂

Bea I wasn't expecting a child murder so soon into it (the Kings brother) 😢
And the Queen is the FL from Memorist, it took me a moment to recognise her in her many robes.

Oh The Crowned Clown is just great, in my top ten! Lot of poisoning going on though

The queen and her gentle paramour are the best thing about Crowned Clown.

Just laughing my head off at LMH having to go on a sanitary towel run for SYJ in the middle of a party and his horror of the cooing school girls. Hilarious. 🤣 Not nearly as chilled as all those practical cdrama oppas.

I saw a historical Chinese drama deal with periods a couple of days ago. Random man stopped FL while she had a bowl full of bloody rags in water. He kept telling ML that she must've been injured in battle because she was bleeding heavily and there was so much blood. Cue ML's exasperated cries of 'you're an idiot' while FL scurries off.

I almost ditched Personal Taste around ep 4 when SYJ slipped on the bathroom floor and fell into LMH’s arms. 🙄 It was so frickin’ cheesy and the production is on the cheap side and far too brightly lit. However, I’m glad I stuck with it as LMH and SYJ are good as ML/FL. The casual homophobia though - wow, it’s quite an eye-opener.

Finished Faith, I got bit bored half way through, I can only take so of the much long, lingering, smouldering close ups without action
I then ended up watching Love in the Moonlight which I really enjoyed. Loved the sweetness between the ML/FL, good plot, and it zipped along very well.
Now searching Netflix, and Viki, for something light, breezy and fun - having no luck. I'm considering watching My ID is Gangham Beauty. I think I vaguely remember someone mention this before, but not sure if it was in a good way or not. Happy to take any recommendations of what to watch next ? My plan for the weekend is definitely Memoirist but needing to work up to it, still feeling a bit sensitive to anything too violent at the moment.
I can't wait until Hospital Playlist is concluded so I can watch right through.

My ID is Gangham Beauty is fun, not earth shattering but v enjoyable

Have you seen Prison Playbook Fifi? By the same people as Hospital Playbook. It takes a while to get sucked in but the it’s great

Yes bettys I've watched Prison Playbook, it's in my top 5. Strangely, I was thinking about a couple of scenes from it this morning when I was walking the dog, The scene where Yoo Han Yang (gay drug user) is sitting in the van with the syringe is very powerful.
I am veering to Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung, but wondering if I can watch three sageuk in a row .
I will give My ID is Gangham Beauty another look,. not looking for earth shattering, enjoyable is what I'm after.

Both Rookie Historian and Gangnam Beauty have the same ML, Cha Eun Woo who is very easy on the eye, though not really called on to do much

Rookie Historian is great fun and has enough intrigue/fun/love/skullduggery to keep it zipping along...

I sort of liked ID Gangnam Beauty though i found the whole plastic surgery thing and the acceptance of change your face a little frustrating... thus i found the female lead character a little annoying... Cha Eun Woo character is good though as he seems to not give a flying fig... though a little hard to read...

agree about Faith it got very samey and dragged on... i'm not sure if i even finished it...... i think i skippitydoodahed!!

oooo! Memorist is great for binging!!!!

Have you watched Another Miss Oh, Fifi? That was light, fun & well done.

I enjoyed Rookie Historian & took a shine to her boss in the historians’ office, more so than the ML. Lots to enjoy in it.

Yes boaty watched Another Ms O, another one of my favourites. Eric Mun running in those red heels is my favourite opening scene in a Kdrama.

Just started Rookie, and indeed the historian is lovely , it helps that he is a bit older, as ML is younger than my son!

Loving the endless permutations of WDH on King. Smilier, short hair & fringe forwards version is my fave so far.

I think King has one of the most unsubtle approaches to PPL so far

Loving Eun-Seop pretending to be Captain Jo 😍
The PPL is very annoying, you’re right Brambly

I think King has one of the most unsubtle approaches to PPL so far

All it really needs is more of a cheesy car salesman grin and a fake sparkle effect edited in on their gleaming teeth and you’d have a 1950s advert. Agree it’s really poor and grates. I much preferred the Melo approach, which was to totally skewer the PPL - it was laugh out loud funny.

Also what the hell are those robot mask things we are supposed to want to buy? Are they frying their faces?

Not enough WDH in this episode. Also like the short hair but with brushed forward fringe look. Actual who am I kidding they all look good.