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…

My current sageuk binge is having one unanticipated benefit: my success rate at getting supermarket delivery slots in the hour between 00.00 and 01:00 is pretty consistent. Yay kdrama!

I’m now in the swing of Queen In-Hyun’s Man (Youtube) dated though it may be, but am so looking forward to King and I never EVER thought I’d say that about a LMH drama😳

I managed to snag a delivery slot last night using similar tactics. I'm looking forward to some drama bingeing tonight, it's just finding something to binge that seems to be my issue.

but am so looking forward to King and I never EVER thought I’d say that about a LMH drama😳

Word!

@Dontwanttobeyourmonkeywench I really enjoyed flower boys Ramyan shop but for jung il woo!

Food network had john torode(?) korean food journey on midday today. I watched it as I worked! If you have a korean supermarket near you, it was great for ideas, interesting for how they make sauces, pastes and soy sauce. I don't particularly like him in master chef, so wasn't sure if I could watch it, but he didn't piss me off and his pronunciation made me giggle - though probably better than mine!! Worth a watch if food network gave a catchup, or watch it next week it's a 6 parter first shown in 2017?

I spotted that John Torode show elsewhere. I must catch up on it.

Anyone else started King yet? The running narrative in my head is basically channelling the Dramabeans reaction women. WTF is the pink acid trip dimension bit all about? I feel like the narrative is like that theory of time with it folding back on itself and it slipping at the touch points. Heeeelp! I feel stupid because I’m having trouble following.

And Maximus is a girl? 😱 (I had been querying the dangly bits but assumed it was camera angles...)

Just finished! I'm guessing pink sky place is a between-the-worlds zone, whereas I though they leapt straight from one into t'other. And from Busan to Seoul it seems.

I kept doing dramabeans-esque squees and comments in my head

I thought Maximus was a boy (and also that baby Maximus was a Shetland)

I so want the Prime Minister to get her comeuppance

Do we think he has dated before? Is WDH going to get embroiled with the palace aide? Will WDH in the republic of Korea be given a makeover by FL and he will suddenly be damn hot?

And is there going to be a tragic ending 'cos they will have to seal the door between worlds and stay on their own sides?

and also that baby Maximus was a Shetland

Yeah, I spotted that and thought WTF!

I did like the bit after the maths conference where he said ‘I was cool wasn’t I?’ And bodyguards replied ‘Yes you were’. ‘I always thought you were cool’. 🤣🤣

Oh I have been looking forward to watching king later after a hard day ‘at work’. Want to watch it now but will stop myself until fed kids etc.

I'm lining them up! Much to look forward to...
Last two eps of Memorist...
2 X the king
Moon embracing sun! (I'm thoroughly enjoying and loving the young leads!)... It's laying down a solid story of intrigue! 👏👏👏

I am still on a rewatch kick, I find I enjoy the acting and the interactions more when I am not trying to read at the same time.
And in watching 1% again I have noticed 2 things:

1. Ha Seok Jin is an age appropriate Oppa (yay 🎉), and;
2. no, no, no to the frog spawn cold milk drinks

Boat I am going to join you in watching Hwarang for the first time so we can wtf together 🧐

I haven’t started it yet and I am still dubious, Cassini, but I’ll have another look this weekend. I have 2 more episodes of 100 days & Hospital Playlist to clear.

I thought the PM was a cow at the lunch but her frenemies seemed like proper mean girls, so I’m counting that as a 50:50 fault situ.

Like the chief palace guard more than LMH in Corea, but LMH more than flipflops social worker and cop friend in our world. Funny how the rankings shift between worlds.

May I suggest a thread theme tune?

Nice one Cassini.

Love that Cassini!!!

DS1 is learning Japanese. He foubd this earlier and sent me the link (his description: “totally bonkers but right up our street”):

I can’t find moon lovers anywhere. Is it something that used to be on viki or Netflix and now isn’t?

Apologies if already posted as it is a week old but this made me laugh. www.todayonline.com/8days/sceneandheard/entertainment/cnn-indonesia-apologises-after-using-photo-hyun-bin-when-reporting

Well, 100 days had a 🐝 friendly ending, but a strangely unsatisfying one IMO. A 7 for me.

Brambly you couldn't make it up could you? It's like something off Drop The Dead Donkey

Moon Lovers isn't on Viki or Netflix, but you can find it on alternative sources if you can cope with ads / boobage

Memorist! Finished!! A solid solid 8!... Great storyline! Thrilling! Gross! Gritty! And damn scary at times!
Characters! Charming... Intelligent!... Feisty... Funny... Endearing...
A really good thriller drama! Really enjoyed it! 👍👏🥰