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…

Beautiful cat! www.instagram.com/p/B_uE3vmAPkb/?igshid=9twhphyakhfe

boaty that description is just... 😳😳😂😂😂😂

Lovely Cat & Lovely Eyes 😍

The phrase ‘dormant serial killer’ might be a thing now 🤣

I've spent the morning catching up with King which I enjoyed very much. A king, maths genius, medal winning rower and a navy commander 😎. But I agree the white outfit wasn't that hot. I also love the Korean police team, esp the enthusiastic rookie.

I'm really enjoying the King. Also like the soundtrack so have added it to my Spotify playlist.

I got sucked into a Japanese drama that seems to be about a teen who develops Stockholm syndrome. It's not great but it's addictive. Only 10 episodes so hopefully I'll be back to normal viewing soon.

monkeywench Murphy's Law was dated when it aired and now it just looks horrific. Its an okay drama but you'd be better doing a skip through in some places.

I’ve finished Miaow and I can report that it is a 🐝 friendly ending, if a little vague - it’s not quite explained but I don’t really know why I was expecting it should be given the whole premise is that a cute cat turns into a cute fine knitwear wearing human 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣

I now really want more episodes of Woo Do Hwan looking so fine The King but will have to wait until next week.

hello is the Japanese one on Viki? oR CAN YOU OR MONKEYWENCH RECOOMEND ANYTHING LIKE YOU'RE mY pET?

OOPS typing fail can't be arsed to retype

I’m trying to watch Hwarang because Cassini’s offer to watch it with me was so tempting, but its utter toot so far and now Korean Denis Waterman has appeared I can’t bear to continue.

The dodgy wigs are hard to ignore too.

😂 Who is Korean Dennis Waterman? And yes the wigs are v bad.

Does he sing the theme toon? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Sung Dong-Il When I first started watching kdrama I didn’t mind him, but he pops up everywhere and his presence increasingly makes me switch off (like Denis). It’s mercy that his scenes in Prison Playbook are so limited.

Conversely, after rather a sweet, self-aware cameo in PP and You’re All Surrounded, Korean Knightly (Go Ara) is growing on me.

Does he sing the theme toon? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

I can’t even remember where that line comes from, but me or DH say it reflexively whenever the other mentions Denis.

I admit Korean Knightley was v sweet in HP but she annoyed me so much in Ms Hammurabi I couldn't watch in spite of lovely hair Kim Myung Soo. Didn't actually mind her in Hwarang. She strikes me as someone that prob gets on v well with her co stars, as she seems quite jolly.

Maybe time to try Haechi as she's in that with ML from Cinderella.
Or Extracurricular ?
Or get back to Memorist now it's all up?
Still don't quite fancy anything gory although watched a violent English language film last night Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, not bad at all. Brad Pitt is ageing better than Leonardo, but my favourite was Brandy the dog

I can’t even remember where that line comes from, but me or DH say it reflexively whenever the other mentions Denis

So do we. I think it's David Walliams in Little Britain

bettys on Netflix
Good Morning Call teen fluff
Midnight Diner bit slice of life mostly seen from behind the counter.
Hot Gimmick film. Not watched yet but the trailer piqued my interest
Giri/Haji has made it from BBC. Yakuza/cop brother relationship
Love and Fortune student/teacher

Slightly surprised that the first scene in Haechi is full of semi clad concubines and a eunuch checking under the crown prince's robes to see if he is....er....excited I can't tell if this bodes well or not

Thank you monkeywench! I have seen & loved Giri/Haji (2ML the brother phwoar) but couldn't get through Good Morning Call after 2 two tries in spite of Dori Sakurada. I look forward to trying out the others , excellent will add to the list

Didn't mean to post yet lol
Atelier office drama based in lingerie earlier
Switched teen body switch, a but Mean Girls with bite
Followers , Scams, Million Yen Women haven't watched yet but on my list
Dad of Light dad and son bond over video game
Dr X was enjoyable on Prime. Freelance female surgeon basically kicks ass and takes no prisoners
On Viki
Hey Sensei, Don't You Know?, My Moochy Boyfriend, Hoping to give you a big hug

For sheer WTFness I am Shiratori Reiko. The manga was a firm favourite when I was younger and everybody knew the laugh 😂 The drama series is better than the film.

There was a Korean film recommended on here a while ago which I recall someone linked to because the ONS near the beginning was notably explicit, although it was more a relationship-based film IIRC. What was the film & who was the ML?

Oooh goody, more, thank you!
I enjoyed Hey Sensei, Don't You Know? but the others are all new to me
I do like a long list. I have developed a liking for a certain kind of JDrama (ie where the FL isn't annoyingly ditsy)

bettys the FL in Good Morning Call annoyed me too much lol When they try to recreate manga as live action, it helps to keep the OTT stuff muted

boatyard was it Whatcha Wearin'? aka My PS Partner with JiSung being rather raunchy.

I've stopped Haechi for dinner but I'm betting it's not x-rated

Thanks Betty.