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…

I always think I'd end up accidentally putting my sleeves in the food.

DS2 just had to sponge chipotle mayo off my flouncy sleeves. Serves me right for trying to look smart on my work calls this morning. Back to leggings and tunics tomorrow...

Toast scene in Pinocchio!! Although strictly speaking that's not a kiss. Also LYS in W with the handcuffs

Agree with Jealousy Incarnate

Good kissing:

• Doorway scene with ML/FL in occupied SK in Chicago Typewriter.
• PMY & JKW in every scene in Her Private Life

PSJ has never done a bad kiss scene, i think Fight MyWay & WWWSK prob best

Both of those are top notch boaty 👏👏

There's going to be a high number of PSJ scenes in there 😂

Ep13 Korean Odyssey when LSG kisses OYS in her office. Starts with small pecks then full on steamy song.
Strong girl Bong Soon PHS kissing PBY on the piano.

Korean Odyssey office scene 👍👍 good shout monkeywench

Didn’t watch All of SGBS so can’t really compare 🤷🏻‍♀️

PSJ has never done a bad kiss scene, i think Fight MyWay & WWWSK prob best
Agree! But prefer Fight my Way
And the LJS in W with handcuffs.
I've just googled best kiss scenes and it also mentioned PSJ a lot. Another one in that list was the post drinking/kimchi making one by the sea in BTIMFL

Oh yes, that BTIMFL kiss was great - and all the better because LMK’s character is so buttoned up.

Oh, JCW and PMY in Healer just before he goes off to fight, oh and on the rooftop when he kisses her while she's blindfolded.

Uh-huh he has that tsundere but knows what he's doing
vibe

Lee Min Ki that is

I have to say, Lee Joon Gi has nice hands 😍 I see he's in a new drama due on Viki soon, Flowers of Evil. It looks interesting.

I watched ep 3 of Oh My Baby with only 85% subbed, twas Swiss cheese but there was so much gesticulating you didn’t need them for the broad brush stuff. I am liking the ML, even in a shell suit. Nice hands too.

I liked the mermaid in Legend of the etc so much but the ML is just SO BLAH.

He's blahing up King right now, too. Why does he keep getting cast when he's sooooooooo blah? He's not just lacking in charisma; I don't even think he's good looking. I don't get it. I am actually a bit annoyed by him now. Stop standing about waiting for us to admire you! I can't understand the FL at all. I'd bang the sad best friend or even the clown first. Anyone would.

Poor guy, he's done nothing to deserve my ire. Just a jobbing actor trying to earn a crust.

God, Fight My Way was great, wasn't it? Has anyone seen PSJ's MMA movie? Is it worth tracking down?

Stop standing about waiting for us to admire you!

Lee Min Ho’s spirit animal is a peacock.

Lokoho I'm 😂 at your LMH rant.

I liked Legend Of The Blue Sea... It was lovely! And I loved FL! She always plays no nonsense gutsy women And LMH... I like him too! 😂 Legend is a fun drama! Worth a watch I say!..
The mermaids tears! 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂

I’m annoyed for Prof Chae after last night’s Hospital Playlist. The two men behaved abominably at the team dinner. Good for her putting some distance between herself and the situation. I know we’re supposed to find JJS’s character adorable, but I find him smug and annoying (perhaps down to the casting) and he’s raising U-Ju to be an indulged little prince IMO. Yes, I judge him. I am still in Capt Ahn’s corner (just about), but he’s part of the problem. This wasn’t a good episode for me. Prof Chae is a really good surgeon and there is prestige (and career advancement) in running a large department. Why did they have to make it her problem?

re LMH and Legend of the Blue Sea. I have just got to the episode about the mermaids tears . The scene with JJS and LMH is very funny.
Watching Legend to give myself a light relief break from Memorist, and it's working.

AgustD / Suga/ Min Yoongi has just dropped his second mixtape this morninng and it's The MV is epic... filmed where all our favourtite historical dramas filmed... and for ARMY spot JK and Jin!

우리 Yoongi got swaag 😍😍 You've made DDs day!

Swaaaag for days and days and days!!!!!!