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 don't really rewatch any dramas. I don't have time there are too many ones I haven't seen yet 😂. I do sometimes watch complication clips and MVs from OSTs. These are usually Fight for My Way, Hwarang and Start by Gaho from Itaewon Class.
🤔 Just realised it looks like I have a massive thing for PSJ 😂. I mean I do but there's a few others I'd put a bit higher in my list. I think those dramas were just really entertaining. And there are so many hilarious clips from Hwarang

I’m going to have to watch Hwarang, aren’t I? It garners so much affection on here. I couldn’t get into it last time but you all seem to love it.

boatyard once you suspend any belief in historical accuracy it is an absolute hoot!

It's just like a very long, silly music video 😂👌

Is there no plot?

As with all sageuk dramas it's all about who will be King. PSJ is the one who has been hidden as a child and doesn't know his royal background but has lots of practical, fighting skills. PHS is the pampered Prince. They and other beautiful young men attend a training school for Poet warrior youth. There are many excellent bromances!

And V!!😍💜

I just checked and I've got the plot mixed up 😂. PHS is a Prince in hiding and PSJ is mistaken for a Prince in hiding, while trying to get his revenge on the Royal family.

And V 😂

It has a plot submerged beneath the fluffy, funny nonsense. It's a nice little break from reality with some genuinely lovely scenes.

Oooo! I make red bean ice lollies! They are lovely my grandma used to make them and my mum has made them now and again! They're sooo yummy! Hmmm! Think I'll make some tomorrow now! 😂

Bea - can we have the recipe? I have an ice cream machine & if this lockdown drags on much longer will dig it out.

Hwrang!! 😂 😂 😂... It is completely bonkers and when you compare to quality sageuk (the crowned clown 👌👍❤️) its ridiculous! But it has an endearing puppy playfulness about it!... And of course Good Boy Kim Taehyung! 💜💜💜... Park Hyung Sik! My first kdrama lovely ML (SGBS)... And of course Vice Chairman! All with long hair! 😂 😂 😂... And I think it's hot Enough great soundtrack... And the best closing sequence in a kdrama! It made me cheer and hoot! 😂 😂 😂 Bonkers as conkers! 😂 😂 😂

Gah! Check! Before I post...
"it's got a great soundtrack!".. 😂

omnivorescookbook.com/red-bean-popsicles/
I basically follow this recipe... But with eng measurements! Americans and their cups! Pah!

70g dried red beans (aduki beans)
240 ml full fat milk
150ml condensed milk

Soak beans overnight
Next day...
Boil beans for around an hour until soft.. Drain
Whizz up half the beans /milk /cond milk in a blender
Add rest of the beans... It's nice for a bit of a beany texture!
Pour into molds and freeze...

No need for ice cream maker!
Hmmmm!

And the best closing sequence in a kdrama! It made me cheer and hoot! 😂 😂 😂

Yes! I'm going to go and watch that now!!

girl... Oh no! Now I feel burdened!! I love the ending because it was just lovely and cheesy and full of... What the kids say... "the feels...!" 😂 😍

On no Bea! I already knew I loved it, you just reminded me. It was just a good as I remembered! Watching it back also reminded me I wasn't expecting the ending either, which made it extra good 😁

Back to Nokdu now, who looks like a kid in his Dad's clothes in his Palace uniform

girl... Phew! It is a hoot though! 😂

DH caught a bit of 100 days earlier and was intrigued by the nobles’ waste paper bin hats, also the domed ones with the bunny ears. Does anyone know what the up/down/half way position of bunny ears on those hats signify?

Incidentally, I was reminded of Green Wing and the game where Dr Guy Secretan (Stephen Mangan) has a waste paper bin on his head and Mac (Julian Rhind-Tutt) is firing balls of paper at him. DH and I said that show would probably have stood the test of time, because it was so bonkers at the time it isn’t tethered to any particular period that would date it.

I don't know about the hats, but I'd like to know!

This link is encyclopaedic about men & women’s hairdos, hats, accessories, but as far as I can see doesn’t explain the bunny ears: thetalkingcupboard.com/2013/04/17/a-guide-to-joseon-hairstyles-and-headgears/

Watching Moon Embracing The Sun! Very much enjoying it... But.... Is it a 🐝 ending? I don't want to be disappointed! 😭😞

I really enjoyed the start of Moon Embracing The Sun but I was so invested in the characters of the young actors that I didn’t feel the same about them as adults, even though Yeo Jin Goo turns into lovely alien whose name escapes me. It did drag a bit towards the end, but it is 🐝friendly.....eventually!

Huzzah! Yes! I love the young leads... Hotel del luna / crowned Prince... /.... Squid elf extraordinary you.../... Female Eunuch Love in the moonlight.... They're all there and I recognised them all!! 😂

It's shaping out to be a good story! Pleeeese don't let the brothers turn against each other! 🤔😭