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…

In a bit of a slump kdrama wise as watching on-airs leaves me with gaps...

Skipped a few eps of Entourage to the end as it was getting a bit repetitive and just wanted to know if it ended alright (it does) I can see why the reviews of it were a bit mixed.

Started Mystic Pop-up Bar in spite of shouty Hwang Jung Eum, and it's not bad, quite good fun actually, just not compulsive.

Dinner Mate is alright, (had to stream it though) but again not compulsive.

I hate ambiguous endings too. Cheese in the Trap s ending was ambiguous AND crap. And Vagabond was just left hanging, I can't believe they considered it in the top 10 of that video shared upthread. It makes me cross just thinking about it!!

I agree the product placement in King is awful, and LMH is boring. But I'm really enjoying overall. Eun-Seop's little sister spotted him immediately 😁

I’m in the lockdown doldrums too. Still half heartedly dipping in & out of Love O2O, Entourage & Traveller 2. I watched ep 1 of Misty last night for Go Joo. It seems decent, so I may continue. I just really, really need a killer romcom or Melo that sweeps me along.

Not a romcom but a thriller, I really recommend Save Me on Netflix. First couple of eps set up the backstory & are grim, but hey past that & it is gripping. TaecYeon & WDH try to save FL from a sinister church

Go Joon is in Save Me too, I think. That’s next on my list.

Oh yes he is!!! He is great in it though it is a support role

Watch it instead of Misty I've read mixed reviews of that

Will do!

Currently crying laughing with DH and DS2 at Space Force on Netflix. 🤣😂🤣😂 It’s hysterical. Highly recommended if you need a pick me up.

Currently watching My Roommate is a Detective (Cdrama on Viki) and quite enjoying it. I'm alternating between Kdrama and Cdrama because I can't find anything to binge on because everything I want to watch is still on weekly episodes 😤

Sounds like we're all in the same SS KDRAMA boat 🛥 at the moment! All watching On Airs... Waiting for the weekly drops and being uninspired and u binged!

Started to watch "Where Your Eyes Linger"... The first Boy Love KDrama! 😱😂😳... 12 min eps! I had to clutch my handbag at the longing glances and flirtyness as being in chaste kdrama world for sooo long... It all looks positively XRated! 😂 😂 😱😱😱...

But then again! Watching The King last ep... Off to watch the dawn together!!?... Sir! I think I should point out this is a Kdrama! Not Poldark! 😂 😂

have to say I am really enjoying Where Your Eyes Linger 😆😎 though I think it may end in tears!
Am now trying to imagine LMH in Poldark mode .... but keep coming up with WDH 🤣🤣

bettys... Though it really is a bit daft! 😂 😂

I’ve started watching The Time I’ve Loved You on Viki. It’s a 2015 production, so a little too bright, cheap-looking and a touch cheesy but it’s OK. It has young, spry Kim Myung Soo (L) as 2ML. It’s set in shoe company. In ep 1 there was a discussion in a meeting about the design of a new shoe, then the FL gave her hoobae some pro design tip feedback afterwards which privided some insight into Korean trends. Buckles are a Western thing for people who wear shoes in the house apparently. She recommends changing the design to a zip at the back of the shoe to make them easier to remove going indoors.

Mmm! Lovely Hair Myung Soo (still smarting over Meow! 😖)... Will go and check out!

The Time I’ve Loved You is cracking along nicely. So nicely, I’m in 🥾🍑 territory. Fortunately I’m not in work later today so I can sleep in.

I've downed tools for the day! 😂... Started to watch My Shy Boss on netflix... 10 mins in!... I'm very intrigued!....

Aww Yeon Woo Jin!! My secret Oppa!! 😍

bea watched 2 episodes so far. not sure what is going on! FL is annoying me currently, but willing to give her a chance. Like you, I'm intrigued to see how it all unfolds and will unselfishly devote more of my time to find out .

I’m continuing to power through The Time I’ve Loved You. It’s actually very sweet and quite nicely done. ML and FL are totally clueless - blind to what is glaringly obvious to everyone else. 🤦‍♀️

I'm afraid I skipped from episode 2 to episode 15 of ^The Time I've Loved You' as I just knew he was going to have a stupid reason for refusing to love her.
At least they didn't have the shoes directly on the table like in I Don't Love You Yet, the Japanese version. They were on a box on the table. hello will know what I"m on about.

I'm going to dip into Revolutionary Love which has just landed on Netflix, and although I have seen My Shy Boss I may take another look at it.

Sigh. I just love the three piece suit thing. I love it. I really like men in well cut suits.

Why don't men do themselves this favour and wear proper suits.

They can lose the tie - keep the waistcoat and lose the tie!

I'm still disjointedly making my way through Entourage thanks to my phone not combining that well with the streaming site. SKJ needs a kick up the bum with all his sulking and sexist moaning about his girlfriend acting in a film with PSJ 😂.

Where did that come from lojoko? Whatcha watching??