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…

Had our first omurice for lunch today. DS2 simply said “hit”. Now added to our list of easy dinners.

Omurice is how I sneak veg into DD. DS says that it's my version of fridge shrapnel fried rice, which is true 😂

fridge shrapnel fried rice

Great phrase. It’s similar here.

Do any of your kids watch? DS14 is always mocking my habit and decided to wind me up by writing me my own kdrama. He has been asking me for the tropes etc and eventually I said maybe he should watch a few YouTube compilations ...thinking he'd get bored. Instead he has watched the first episode of CLOY and has spent the last half hour analysing, mocking etc...but said he did enjoy it.

Instead he has watched the first episode of CLOY and has spent the last half hour analysing, mocking etc...but said he did enjoy it.

Mwahahaha. Resistance is futile.

Just enjoying my first Jinzu yuzu gin G&T. Yep, DH finally sorted out my birthday presents. They’ve let me have a second birthday like the Queen because my present gratification was so delayed, so I’m choosing dinner and tonight’s film.

Cooking music tonight is Super Clap with a large glass of Prosecco.

What could possibly go wrong? 💁🏻‍♀️

Brambly I haven’t been able to persuade ds (20) to watch anything, but his gf has watched a couple of films I’ve suggested 😆

@helloswellow I would like a link to your spreadsheet. :)

appeared to have accidentally turned editing off on the spreadsheet for a little while. however it's all fixed now! sorry to anyone working on it

Where Your Eyes Linger 👍 but I’m only 2 episodes up curses.

Thanks hello I couldn’t get on earlier I’ll go back now

Boatyard - I think the gateway for him was watching Train to Busan last week (for the zombies)

I’m glad King has stepped the action up, as last week was meh. This week was much better, especially with more WDH. Loved his sideways crab dance of happiness about the roll cake.

And Lady Noh!

On a roll now. I’m also wondering if Lee Lim has shot himself in the foot by taking Luna to the republic. She’s not easily tamed.

I think .....

SPECULATION SPOILER!!!!!!

It was Luna who went back in time to save Lee Gon as she has Tae-Eul’s ID card and poss is terminally ill

Also

POSSIBLE SPOILER

Tae-Eul’s reaction to the blue coat & his lack of reaction made me think there had been some time slips.

Also, has there been a mother switcheroo?

The last five minutes today (the King) made me go 😱😳😳😳... No ooooo!! 😂

I still enjoyed Oh My Baby more this week, but was more kindly disposed to the melée rehash in King tonight and liked it better.

Tae-Eul’s reaction to the blue coat & his lack of reaction made me think there had been some time slips.

Yes she had a precognition when he appeared in Korea in that outfit with the blue flowers but he wasn't really there. Wedding outfit? Coronation of the Queen?

I didn't think there'd been a Lee Gon mother switcheroo although it was just revealed she was a scientist and he was asking her why the scars were happening. And why don't Tae-Eul & the 2 x WDHs get them

Perhaps the scars depend on who you’ve done your crossing with & LMH’s scar is due to being stabbed with the other part of the flute, like a good & bad end of the stick - splitting it has taken things out of balance.

My theory was that you got a scar if you killed your counterpart, but that didn't fit with LMH, but the flute thing makes sense for him

Ah!! Maybe it's a lack of balance thing!! If there's only one of you when there should be two!!!

But then what about Sin-Jae? Gah Im so confused
And then there's the young lad who says he has to keep the balance

Could the young slum lad be Sin-Jae on a different timeline/loop? It seems Luna has an affinity with him.

I’m in need of something light and with a bit of heart to see me through the bank holiday. Oh My Baby is really floating my boat just now, but on a weekly drip feed so no help.