MsLatte’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #17): I need suits and dimples and questionable morals

[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 as they are peppered with pop-ups of “Olga” and friends offering a good time, which gets in the way of the drama.

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/Netflix)
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/Netflix)*

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)*
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/Netflix)*
Kingdom (Netflix)*

Mystic Pop-up Bar (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…

Just finished MUF
Such a satisfying ending, I give this a 9 out of 10.

Hi Heechuloppa - like Brambly I'm about 18months into K Drama.

I'm up to ep 5 of Unfamiliar Family and I'm really enjoying it. All the characters are interesting and well acted. Once again a great recommendation 👌☺️

DS has gone to bed at a decent time for once, DH is watching telly upstairs and I have a day off tomorrow. I'm just starting ep7 of MUF. How many episodes do you think I can watch?? 🤔😁

All of them! Can you pull an all nighter and sleep in tomorrow?

I’m quite enjoying Into The Ring although I’m not getting all the politics stuff. It’s picked up by ep 4 and has a quirky sense of humour - I love the ML & FL having their discussion by the ‘traffic’ 🤣

Ooh, now - it was a toss up between Into the Ring and Train this evening because FL in All the Guys is making me cross in this heat. Train is an OCN production and, though I’m only 9 minutes in, there’s already been a historic murder, a death in mysterious circumstances, a rape where the weeping victim has lots of visible injuries and a body dump (leaky suitcase). MUF it ain’t... 😩 Sounds like Into the Ring may be cheerier. Should I jump ship?

It’s definitely cheerier but I’m sure I’m missing a lot of the finer points of politics. I’m enjoying the leads and their gawky chemistry. Plus 2ML okays the young version of dad from MUF

Plays not okays 🤦🏻‍♀️

I'm back to report that my drama viewing has almost returned to normal post family bereavement. I took some time to catch up and ended up sobbing happy sobs at Psycho but It's Okay/It's Okay to Not be Okay. I've started on Was It Love? purely because of Song Ji Hyo so hopefully I become enthralled by it.

I've also found someone to practice my conversational Korean with as well which is giving me something to focus on when I'm not doing 'proper adulting.' I hope everyone has been okay during my brief absense!

Hello hello the ending of It's Okay is definitely good for a cathartic sob.
I'm up to ep 9 of MUF 😁, I have got to get up in the morning unfortunately but at least I'm not in work 😂

Just spotted the decanter 👍

It’s good to have you back hello. No, it’s more than that - really lovely. Hope you are feeling OK. Great news about your conversation partner - I’m envious.

Just finished ep 1 of Train. It’s very good but dark and tense. Body count racking up too. 😕

I've got to the end of ep 9 and I'm sending myself to bed. I'm enjoying it so much I don't want to rush it!

I got about 25 min into Into the Ring before I nodded off, but it looks good. I like the ML’s offbeat take on things and his disregard for social conventions and norms. In such a highly hierarchical and ordered culture, his character offers so much scope for mischief and mayhem. I like FL so far too. She’s the Tiger Moth, yes? Also a great character. So much fun to be had!

Betty - You didn’t mention the arrests in the kids café in Into The Ring. 😆 The trampolines & then slide getaway were a nice touch. It’s early days, but this could become my new favourite thing.

I just started ep 3 of Into The Ring and I like it very much. I’m not sure about the politics, but I think the ML is noteworthy because he’s achieved such a level of seniority at a young age. Remember, deputy director is a demotion. In so many dramas you see people in their late twenties and beyond still trying to pass the civil service exam. There was a bit when I thought: “oh no, he got there through connections” but that was swiftly put to bed with the backstory & linked relationships. So, even if we are missing the fine detail of the politics, we are meant to see ML’s exceptional achievement (and FL’s bin fire of a career in contrast).

👋👋waves at hello glad to see you back!

Still enjoying Into The Ring & think the actor is now def out of the running in WIL. Keep forgetting about To All the Guys - I’m back to being annoyed by Ms Shouty Mystic was obv a flash in the pan.

I was recently given some noise cancelling earbuds - it has revolutionised my drama watching! 👍 I can’t hear anything else!! 🤣😉😎

I don’t have the noise cancelling earbuds, but I treated myself to some Airpods. Same as you, I can motor through my kdrama when DS is watching endless crap on YouTube.

It was fifi that recommended Into The Ring - a good shout!!

Yes mine are AirPods too, the sound quality is amazing and I can't hear the endless drone of F1 cars/football/golf - result!! (The fact that family now have to stand in from of me & wave to get my attention is beside the point)

I'm still trying to get my way through Go Go Squid, on episode 32, but not sure I can do anymore!

Viki finally getting round to subbing more Into the Ring episodes. M/FL relationship is such a breath of fresh air, I like their attitudes to each other, and the way he supports her and believes in her, but is still honest. I have never been bored with the show.

Also managed to squeeze in One Sunny Day, web drama with So Si Sub. It was fine, sweet in places, FL good, okish Kdrama storyline. The location shots of Jeju island are beautiful, definitely, to be put on the road trip I think I will need a couple of weeks just on Jeju

Thinking of starting the Kkondae Intern this weekend - has anyone seen it? It has been getting good reviews.

I haven't seen Kkondae Intern but the reviews have been good, I think it rescued Park Hae Jin from the disaster that was Forest

I really enjoyed the later episodes go GoGo Squid

I will keep persevering bettys

I have 2 eps of MUF to go and I really love it. I really want to know what happens with all the characters not just the leads. My eyes never drift away from the screen!
It's also got lots of locations for our trip. I think the record bar was mentioned already. There's also a bar where there are fridges full of different beers that you help yourself too (and I presume you pay at the end 😂). And a restaurant by a river that the 2 MLs go to. That restaurant was featured in John Torode's Korean Food Tour too. Ive been googling but I can't find the name of it.