MsLatte’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #16): Serving up guaranteed corona-free escapism throughout lockdown to lurkers, passers-by and regulars.

[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 AmazonPrime. There are also platforms streaming content illegally if you go looking, but we don’t promote them.

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, no major site yet)
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 (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/Netflix)*
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 (other sites)
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/Netflix from June)
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 (no mainstream platform yet)
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 decent quality
Regulars also 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 Scoring Dramas of 2019
(courtesy of Hello’s kdrama spreadsheet, which are updated by/for thread regulars)

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've become hooked on Korean variety shows. Currently watching Dogs Are Incredible on YouTube and enjoying the segment on dogs that we miss. They had a stray pup that was cared for by some locals as they tried to rescue it and it was then adopted by a US serviceman. They managed to track the dog down and the people who cared for it and rescued it managed to see it again before the family were redeployed (they took the dog with them to Germany). Proper onion cutting. They also have segments on search and rescue/guide dogs and it's good to see them educating people about the etiquette when you see a working dog. Also watching 7.7 billion in love and Ordinary Family on Viki, which are interesting. Running Man is a family favourite and even DH gets into it.

I needed a Li Xian fix, so Tientsin Mystic is getting rewatched 😁 A friend asked for Netflix recommendations and I couldn't give her any English speaking ones 😂😂

Space Force, Monkey. It’s very funny. But, yes, I struggle to recommend English language stuff.

Ep 13 of OMB subbed is up, courtesy of Olga.

Gosh that's quick!

I can only see 27%

Brambly dramacool

Jae-Young almost redeemed himself in ep 13 by calling Yi Sang at the right moment.

I’m liking Eu Ddeum’s ongoing duck & parry to avoid office biyatch.

@AesopsMables - I like the look of those square pans but they are surprisingly expensive in the UK online shops. I suppose they are probably a sensible price if you are fortunate enough to find a decent sized RL shop that caters to that sector of the market. Sadly, my nearest shop a) doesn't stock much fancy cookware, & b) it's a fair trek away - if I'm going, I'm bringing black sticky rice, herbs & spices, condiments etc back. Not cookware! Having said that, I have bought a solid iron griddle thing, to use on the hob, because I really like the look of Japanese street food, especially onomiyaki.

You can use a small frying pan or crepe pan (my preferred choice) for making rolled eggs since the main thing is to make thin layers. I would but a square pan if I could get one because they tend to be the perfect size for fish, but they don't work well on an electric hob and I think DH would have a meltdown if I wanted to convert the hob to gas (which I will once the bugger breaks). Every other kitchen appliance has needed to be replaced in the last 5 years but that thing is still going strong (sobs)

A square pan would help get the rolling started, but otherwise a standard pan works fine IME.

monkeywench if you leave a window open, we can come and do a number on it ala Scarlett and Tami in Search: WWW If I can survive MsLattes baseball bat beating, I think it should be allowed to stay 😂

I hadn't realised that Gogh, The Starry Night is now available on Viki.
That's my weekend viewing sorted.

Oh boatyard I see...

@fifilacklustre

I hadn't realised that Gogh, The Starry Night is now available on Viki. That's my weekend viewing sorted.

There are only a handful of episodes, maybe your Friday night?

I may have to rewatch Gogh just for Kim Young Kwang’s legs

Aww, that's disappointing. I will wait, as I prefer binge watching. Okay, back to the drawing board to find something light and fluffy for this weekend.

fifi fear not!! all the episodes are up it is a mini-series, that's what boaty meant

Oooops no I stand corrected!!! They haven't uploaded all the episodes yet. Strange because pastime it was on Viki it was shown in about 4 hour long episodes but they seem to be showing it in smaller chunks now.

LAST time not pastime!! Gah the heat is getting to me!

Must remember to check facts before posting willy-nilly

Loving Betty’s monologuing this morning. Posting partly to break the run.

Sorry, stray biscuit. It was meant to be a wink.

bettys - you raise me up and then let me down . It gives me something to look forward to.
Marriage, not Dating, is coming in July, so that's another one to keep an eye out for.
I keep looking at Madame Antoine, and wondering if I should start it - it gets ok reviews on Dramalist, and Kdramakisses.

I am the same with the heat - it's too muggy and hot!
We need to be on Jeju Island enjoying the sea breeze

We need to be on Jeju Island enjoying the sea breeze

Oh yes! This is a sentiment I can get behind.

Oh to be on Jeju!!

So sorry fifi but it will be worth the wait, as is Marriage Not Dating, TYPICAL CONTRACT RELATIONSHIP YAY!!! oops sorry for caps

Do report back on Madame Antoine, not seen that one

Park Bo Geum, also starting military service in August. They are all going. When does LSJ return to civvy life?