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…

No, on Olga's . What did you think about it bettys? I would give it an 8 as I'm enjoying it, only a few episodes to go. but hopefully a happy ending. I'll also catch up on Once Again.

I've just added it to the bottom of the pre-2019 list and give it a 7.5

I watched ep 4 of Alice with Olga & the girls because I couldn’t wait for Viki to finish the subs. Betty pointed me in the direction of the dark side and I’m utterly corrupted now.

The two women fighting over the expressionless ML in the precinct office was funny, especially when the sporty one dropped his weights and said there was bo point in working out.

The sporty cop, that should have said.

I didn't realise that we could just add shows to the list - so slow!! I've seen quite a few not listed, I will add them. Added my score now for Queen In-Hyun's Man, I'm definitely an 8 (if good ending) - I am being more generous to shows which make me feel good, smile, and give me a wee glow . Plus, by baseline for me is Introverted Boss, which gets a 7 from most people, and I now think my 5 was way too generous . That's the beauty of Kdrama, we can all get something different from shows, but we do all seem to agree on the very good ones.
All going out for lunch now with our son and his girlfriend, son arranged very off the cuff and is paying. Of course, my mind goes to - why is he taking us out, is he going to tell us something, is girlfriend pregnant, are they getting engaged. I watch way too much drama

My friend watched Giri/Haji off the back of my recommendation and loved it, but I think kdrama is a no-go. 😞 I'm only good for thread starting and pied piper cross-posting on MN. My recruiting skills IRL are hopeless.

My sister has similar taste so I lured her in with the Sung Hoon/Henry combo and now have her hooked on Japer Liu's dimples 😁 I'm getting messages cursing about her lack of sleep 🤣🤣🤔 Going to start Flower of Evil today and then cry about having to work for the rest of the week lol. Finally have a full weekend of next week so have planned absolutely nothing and will not be venturing out of the door, much less pj's!!

I’m still in my PJs, though sitting in a secluded corner of my garden with coffee and birdsong.

Ahh....want to binge Alice and can’t :-(

Finished Matrimonial Chaos and gave it a 7.5. It lost half a point for taking too long and going round in circles. It could have been a really good tight & funny drama about relationships if they'd wrapped it up in 12 episodes.

Agree Betty.

Caught up with Once Again - what a nice show this is! V relieved at Na Hee's situation

And Lee Pl Mo is looking good for an AA Oppa at 46 (age appropriate oppa)

I've been watching once again intermittently whilst lying by the pool! So many LOL moments. Totally addictive and loving every single character.
It's a solid 9 for me so far (ep 26)
Such a feel good factor show.

The kimbap owner dance scene is delightful🥰

Ooh Aesops that sounds nice! I'm upto ep 44, which was excellent! I cheered at Da Hee's horrible ex getting punched and then slapped 😂

AAAAAaaaaaargh!!!! I shouldn't have started Alice !!! I want to binge it and I haven't even finished the first episode!! I feel your pain Brambly!

Aesops that sounds delightful! There are benefits to being a golf widow (I am one too )

I’ve now attempted to watch the last 20 mins of yesterday’s Stranger eight or nine times. I am so knackered I have fallen asleep every time. Must start earlier tomorrow!

Really enjoying Missing, I like the concept and the acting is good. ML, actor Goo Soo is definitely Oppa material - well still young for me (41 in RL), It has a good pace and enough going on to keep me guessing.

Still loving Once Again - the new Oppa is very easy on the eye . I can't believe it finishes this weekend

Binged all 4 eps of Alice and I am going to get very confused .
Not spoilers as all happens in first episode, but WARNING as contains complete guesswork

SPOILERISH GUESSES

If FL in 2020 is in her 20s (child genius so young for professor) then I guess she could be pregnant with ML in 2030 but that had me confused for a bit.

Is it herself she is rescuing at start, albeit unknowingly? As it appears she spent some time in an orphanage.

One of the guides asked the broker where his body was - eh?

The mysterious rash - is that a disease from the future?

🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

It has the potential to go very timely-wimey and disappear up its own arse but for now I am enjoying hugely.

This is what JCW’s comeback disaster MMS should’ve been like.

And who knew Joo Won would have abs like that???
Agree with boaty, the scene where both girls are bickering over him & other detective wonders why he bothers exercising is funny.

Am going to take a look at Missing next

Or is it 2050 she’s pregnant with him, in which case, how? 🤯

I will start Alice tonight as I will need everyone's ideas, guesses, and general detective work on what is going on.
My head hurts just with the few threads above

First episode of Missing a bit all over the place, but intriguing. And OCN so not going to be fluffy!

ML, actor Goo Soo is definitely Oppa material - well still young for me (41 in RL)

Agree on both counts

I do think that in Alice she is rescuing herself at the beginning. Can't quite work out the other timings yet but expect it will make sense as we move along. Really hope they don't muck this one up.