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…

The third episode is due to land today, so it might be one to save up & binge.

I've found that I lack the patience to wait for new episodes once I start watching stuff. I can wait for all the episodes to be available to binge but I can't wait a week for a new episode 🤔 I blame all the years of living with DH, he can't even tolerate the ads anymore 😂

I’ve put the Google sheets app on my phone so I can add emoticons to my notes. There’s no hope for me is there? 🤷🏻‍♀️

monkeywench I find it depends on the content.....I can wait for a drama I'm not invested in, but not if it has one of my favourite leads in. However DH & I never never watch a tv series live anymore, we wait for it all so can binge (he doesn't do commercials either)

Finished Gank Your Heart and enjoyed it, but I am done with e-sports dramas for now. I will take a look at Oh My Baby as Jang Nara (and a boaty signal) are usually reliable. Plus ML was excellent in The Fiery Priest as the dodgy but likeable villain. However it is one I can probably leave until it's all up.

Anyone watched Strangers From Hell (Netflix) yet? Bank Holiday bingewatch needed!

betty I expect an abundance of emoji coded notes now. I haven't started Strangers from Hell but hear the acting is hit and miss.

hello I was just desperate to add 😱😱to my notes on Well Intended Love 1 🤣

LOL at the spreadsheet comments, excellent work everyone 😁.

I'm having a post night shift afternoon in pajamas, with The Crowned Clown.

Enjoy TheGirl, you deserve it!!!
And with that description you have just added to my imagined Daebak Cybercafe rogues gallery ...... I'm thinking striped pyjamas and a vast mug of tea, perhaps with kitkats

The tea is correct bettys I've got two favourite mugs and they are both massive 😁☕.
The pajamas are not very seasonal snowflake ones. I've not started on snacks yet but I've got some mini magnums in the freezer for later 😋

Itaewon Class... CLOY tshirts anyone! 😂 😂 😂 😂 If ever we meet up I say we have to wear one of these! 😂 😂 😂

😂😂😂 Amazing!

Hmmmmmmm which of these 3 would I choose???

LOL!!!! who would wear the WDH one??? I mean he's awesome and everything but....???????

It’s a bit in yer face isn’t it? Prob best as a sleep T-shirt, not sure you’d want to leave the house in it 🤣🤣

It looks like it should be surrounded with 'have you seen this man?'

I'm not sure DH would agree with it being best kept for bed 😂😂😂

LOL!!!! who would wear the WDH one??? I mean he's awesome and everything but....???????

Betty beat me too it - it’s for bedtime, surely? (Not sure how DH would feel about, mind.)

Is the first one with the white text on red what I hear as “whi-ting!” (Fighting)

😂😂😂😂 I think something a bit more discreet maybe... I swear DD thinks I'm her PA. Home schooling is no fun for me 😤 I have Lawless Lawyer lined up to break up Rugal. The first episode had me gripped but it was a bit brutal.

boatyard it is fighting!
monkeywench I love Lawless Lawyer but then again, I'm partial to Lee Joon Gi

Have to say I dropped Rugal when they started wearing their Thunderbird outfits but also wasn’t engaged with the characters.
I’m a fan of Lee Joon Gi but confess to a bit of skipping on Lawless Lawyer.....

I just read Hello’s note on I don’t love you yet! 🤣 Hilarious!

I am very scared of accidentally deleting comments or data in the cells. Hello Are you keeping a back-up in case one of us accidentally vandalises the spreadsheet? It’s so precious!

Mystic Pop Up Bar on Netflix looks fun... only one ep so far... another tomorrow... may wait until there are a few more before going to get a pint!.... of gin!!!!!!

I am now being sent emails with T-shirt’s of Woo Do Hwan on.....you searched for...Would you like?.... aaargh!!! 🤣🤣

😂😂😂😂

You know you want to...