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…

boatyard... Agust D - D2 is fab! It's sooo good... Enjoy! My Fave from that Mixtape.. Moonlight

thegirl... 😂😂😂😂😂😂👍

@bea 😂 That is the best playlist ever. Okay sold. I suppose I don't have to fancy them. God knows there are enough unexpected new Oppas in my life.
@Dontwanttobeyourmonkeywench @bettys 😂😂 Wasn't sure that a MMA storyline was going to be my cup of tea and that I wanted to watch a lot of bare chested fighting but BOY DID I CALL THAT ONE WRONG. Between menopause and KDrama I'm not going to need the central heating on for weeks.
Although also loved the aesthetic of Namil apartment block. Not just the abs I appreciated... honest...😏

polkettle... 👍👍👍😍😍😍😍😍

I love Fight For My Way Polkettle. I think it was the kdrama that tipped me from lurking to posting because I needed to talk about it 😂😂😂

I LOVED Fight For My Way, still one of my favourites

Yes, I really enjoyed it. Appreciated the ease, warmth and believability of the central relationship. Also had some of my favourite subtitles to date with "irritable bowl syndrome" and a "that rat" (Minnie mouse) hair tie.

Between menopause and KDrama I'm not going to need the central heating on for weeks.

I’m so glad you delurked polkettle. ^ This made me laugh.

As you can see from the timestamp, I have found something decent. I’ve got into More than Friends. It gets going in ep 2. The ML is a cocky, emotionally stunted fool, so I’m rooting for 2ML big time, even though I know it is a fool’s errand. I liked the reveal about the drunk phone calls - very good.

Morning postscript: ep 2 made me want to take a holiday on Jeju Island.

FedUp - I have sent you the spreadsheet link via PM.

@boatyardblues

FedUp - I have sent you the spreadsheet link via PM.

Received with thanks. Filling it in is going to be my Friday night activity, with a glass (bottle) of wine!

I had a panic I’d sent you the html link to my logged in page, but it doesn’t seem so.

Netflix FB promo of K-week is giving out recommendations. Today it's Reply 1988 and they have added Hospital Playlist in the comments. The temptation to replicate the spreadsheet was strong 🤣🤣

@boatyardblues

I had a panic I’d sent you the html link to my logged in page, but it doesn’t seem so.

Oh I'll double check that tonight 👍

Sniggering at Parasite poster in DoDOSol Sol with LJW on the floor 🤣

I’m really enjoying DoDo. Korea Knightly is perfect for the FL role.

More Than Friends is good too.

Do Do is really rather sweet, I like all the characters in it (so far.....)

Hello! Can I join, I haven't read any of the previous threads, but I am a K drama addict 🤣

Currently watching tales of Nokdu and Warm and Cosy on Netflix. My all time favourite is Strong Girl Bong Soon, I've watched it numerous times. I also love the gorgeous Chang Ji Wook

Looking forward to some chat and discovering new favourites!

Howdy Rowdy! By all means, pull up a chair, the more the merrier. Your first post shows you are amply qualified to join us. Bea is a huge fan of Strong Girl Bong Soon, so I am sure she will welcome you with open arms.

Thanks Boatyard, glad to hear there are more Bong Soon fans! I also really enjoyed Suspicious Partners, Fight for my way, weightlifting fairy Kim Bok Ju (despite the extreme embarrassment at times ) Doctors, Memories of Alhambra and Healer... And so many more!

What is this spreadsheet that I see mentioned?

It is a googledocs link where we score shows individually to get an overall score. Useful for working out what to watch next, but we also used it to generate our top scoring of 2019 list in the OP.

Hi Rowdry! Fellow Bong Bong Min Min lover here. You do know this is like Hotel California, right?

Excellent Monkey am now than happy with a hotel California situation! I'm a lone K drama fan amongst friends and family. Although DH will watch some with me. He enjoyed Kingdom, Bong Soon and memories of Alhambra plus the train to Busan and Alive

What does the spreadsheet of power/anyone say to Oh my Ghost? Having a little Jo Jong-Suk withdrawal post Don't Dare to Dream so contemplating...

Polkettle I liked Oh My Ghost.