MsLattés Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #18): Our piggyback taxi service has been suspended whilst we are socially distancing

[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)*
Stranger - 2 seasons (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)
It’s OK Not To Be OK (Netflix)

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 Handmaid (film, Netflix - content warning: explicit sexual content)
The Package (Viki)



Straighter ‘Slice of Life’ dramas on universal themes
Hospital Playlist (Netflix)
Into The Ring (Viki)
Itaewon Class (Netflix)
Live (Netflix)
My Mister (Viki/Netflix)*
My Unfamiliar Family (Viki)*
Prison Playbook (Netflix)*

Once Again (Viki)
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)
My Secret Romance (Viki)
The Last Empress (Viki/Netflix)
Sassy Go Go (Netflix)



Mad as a box of frogs/uncategorisable

Strong Girl Bong Soon (Netflix)
School Nurse Files (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)
Find Yourself (Netflix - Chinese)
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…

Sorry missed the question about Flower of Evil. Thriller? Suspense?

boaty... I am sure the HUMONGOUS poster has already been claimed! And
.... I don't have a wall big enough to display it!... And I think the family would object! ...but... If I bought my own house....?? 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

Find Yourself! Ep1 done! Just right for a wet sat afternoon!.. I think someone described it as the most kdrama c drama which it totally is! 😁😁Apologies... Can't remember who said that! But you were spot on! ML reminds me a little of Cha Eun Woo...

Special Bangtan shed in the garden, Bea?

Bea Maybe you could roll it up like a window blind and then just let it down when everyone is out of the house?

Lost Romance is a bonkers hotch-potch of tropes and styles. There's makjang (unbelievably eeeevil sister), Extraordinary You (FL ends up in the story & wants to be the FL not a bystander so tries to change the story) rom-com romance (has already fallen for CEO in peril) and amazing toned abs on display (hoping that they weren't a one-off as haven't been seen since the first 2 mins of episode 1)

Can't decide yet if it's Good, Guilty Pleasure, or Bad

I'm relying on you guys to break up my spate of Teams meetings. (Sticks Lost Romance on list with time marker)
I sent my sister a link to a snippet of Zombie Detective with instructions about Episode 4, you know, for dementia prevention. She says that if she puts up a drip she can avoid being a dehydrated genius, so the oppa watching seems to be improving her brain.😂😂

Marking place on new thread, same time I've completed RIABB! It was a good drama with heartwarming ending 💕, I want to update spreadsheet with all my scores but via my phone the link doesn't work, will try via laptop on Monday.

I've recently caught the kdrama bug and just finished Crash Landing on You, which I loved. I'm quite late to the party and trying to play catch up on the previous 17 threads.
Can I get access to the spreadsheet please? I've been going by the recommended list on the post but it appears there are loads more on the spreadsheet.

Welcome Agile!

The spreadsheet is highly informative - some highly rated shows did not set us all alight. The collated scores are helpful for picking other good uns.

Ahhh! A Bangtan Shed! It would be amazing! And my own little bolthole!! 👌☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️
Welcome Agile! Oooo! You don't know what goodies await you! CLOY was a super goodie! Plenty more where that came from enjoy!... I'm sure someone will point you towards the spreadsheet! 👍👍

Off topic, but I’ve found a gem of an indie opposites attract romance on Netflix: Destination Wedding (2018) with Keanu Reeves & Winona Ryder. They’re so sarcastic and snarky with each other, it’s glorious.

Ooh boatyard that sounds quite good for when I am multi-tasking & can't watch subtitles. I have a sneaking fondness for Canoe Reeves (I'm quoting Waynetta there )

Hi Agile , do join in with the chat, all the more the merrier!. hello is the spreadsheet manager par excellence and usually sends the links through....she may be a bit busy as I haven't seen her on the thread for a while (hope you are ok hello )

It’s worth it for the hilariously bad sex in the field.

Random late night thoughts.... if the piggyback taxi service has been suspended as per the thread title what does that mean for our Oppa Pub Night Out??? Can we only choose 6?? 5 including ourselves? 🤔

Hmm what are the social distancing rules in Seoul? Maybe it's OK there?

I quite like the ‘rule of 6’ as a prioritisation exercise. We could treat the cast of a given drama as a ‘household’ for the purpose of choosing. I’m off to check the rules for England, Scotland, Wales and NI to see which home nation gives me more choice.

Welcome Agile. I am an occasional poster but caught bug about 18m ago and pretty much only watch kdrama now . Have you seen Its okay to not be ok or strong woman or healer yet? I think they are all worth watching while you wait for the spreadsheet. Also get yourself the Viki app if you don't have it as loooaaadd of kdrama and cdrama on there.

Rather enjoying Lost Romance as the FL is feisty and having a great time in the other world of CEO You're So Naughty messing about with the tropes.

In ep 4 she is caught peeking at the ML in the shower and completely flummoxes him by arguing back at him so he doesn't know what to say

We could treat the cast of a given drama as a ‘household’ for the purpose of choosing

This requires serious thought......

Bah! I want to stay in & watch kdrama in my pjs but I need to go and collect a prescription.

I'd also like to be on the couch! I'm working this weekend but I've got ep 5 of Find Yourself downloaded on my phone to watch in my breaks 😁

Haven't been around much. Recently watched My Mister which I loved. Have also seen Sweet Munchies on Viki - to give me a Jung Il Woo hit

Currently watching and loving Black on Netflix.

JiSung - it’s probably worth mentioning that Black was extended by two episodes mid-run and this was a really poor decision by the production team. Be prepared to feel very angry. However, in every discussion we’ve had on here we’ve always come down in favour of it and scored it highly because it is 90%+ fantastic up til that point.

Just got back in and ready to start ep 5 of Find Yourself . The Girl, we are at the same point! Starting to really get into it now, FL not all simpering and full of angst at being single. She is independently minded and won't settle until she's certain . I hope 🤞

The final episode of Stranger S2 is hard viewing. Poor Inspector Han! 😞 Those two smug shits at HQ need taking down a peg or two. I’ve still got 30 mins to go, so with any luck they’ll get their just desserts. I do like how solid her home squad are and how much they think of her. It’s wall to wall hard choices.