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…

I take it You Are Not Amused Bea 😂😂🤣

Some fair points there 👍

Anyone else think “hubba hubba” when the next stage imugi stepped out of his bedroom in ep 7 of Nine Tailed?

That'd be me

Followed by 'oh but that's creepy' when he was on the other side of the door

I've watched 2 episodes of Dr Romantic now, and so far it's a bit deja vu with the story line! The waistcoated one causing trouble at Deoldam Hospital! I'm glad most of the cast from series 1 are still in it though.

It makes me want to be Dr there 😂

Finally finished Misaeng which I've been watching an episode at a time between binges and I'm bereft. All the love story feels despite no snogging at all. So good! Really going to miss Sales Team 3. Good one for the non romance focused KDrama sniffy (ie DHs)

I’ve read that Misaeng is more true to the average Korean worker’s lifestyle and mire realistic. Was it noticeably different in approach/tone?

Yes. It's like nothing I've ever seen on either 'western' or Korean telly. It's about quite dry office politics and the minutiae of unfathomable trade deals and yet it's utterly hide-behind-a-cushion gripping. So much heart to it. Actually it is a different sort of love story. And definitely a real insight into Korean working life.

Thanks polkettle. How was Train to Busan, by the way? Did the rain hold off long enough to enjoy the show?

I've watched ep 7 of Nine Tailed and agree re grown up Imugi 😁.

I've also watched Zombie Detective and I'm annoyed it was only 12 episodes long! I was enjoying it!!

After Bea's description of the end of Find Yourself I don't think I'm going back to it 😂😂😂.

@boatyardblues Train to Busan was a hoot! We both really enjoyed it and who was going to make it to Busan kept us guessing. Misting up windscreen more problematic than rain in the end but could still read subtitles 😁 Will definitely try and brave sequel.

Grown up Imugi was chef in Extraordinary You & Secretary in The Beauty Inside - thought I recognised him 😉

I'm really enjoying DDSSLLS at the moment, it's making me . I liked the scene with the Ajumma's making gimbap while FL was playing the piano, and them questioning SML on his divorce There is enough intrigue at the moment, and the villain is developing nicely. Hopefully, the ML + FL storyline will play out well!

Started Tale of Nine-Tailed as I was having FOMO I like the relationship between ML+ FL and their abrasiveness towards each other. Planning to catch up with it today.

I’m really enjoying DDSSLLS too! Loved the gimbap scene, the cookie making, FL feeling uneasy around the villain, flat out saying no to 2ML, the way 2ML is such a show off, that the hairdresser is such a bad hairdresser 😂. I thought the scene in the cable car was sweetly done but what’s she going to feel like when she finds out the truth????!

Oh bettys it's so good to hear that you are having all of these thoughts too . I agree with everything you said, I was very impressed that she rejected SML right away. I can't share all my ruminations with anyone in RL as they will think I'm barking - which I am about K-drama .
I too wonder what will happen when she finds out! Although, it's only a few years age difference, and he's very mature - tying to justify I'm sure the story will go down the 'few years later' route with them re-connecting.

I am with you both, Betty and Fifi, on all points. I’m loving DDSSLLS. It’s like a warm hug and a chat with your best friend on these dreary autumn nights, thoroughly comforting and cheering.

Yes fifi & boaty ! This may be the one occasion I think that the ‘a few years later’ thing may work.

I like all the characters (except for baddie & Jun’s parents) and think 2MLs ex is still in love with him. Even hoping the private eye will turn out nice (and learn to play piano)
Jun’s piano playing was so sweet she fell like a ton of bricks😊

Also enjoying Nine-Tailed and I want a pair of the Harry Potter specs. Loved that the little boy is the puppy and am hoping the bad gumihos are heading for reform. The sub-romance between vet & she-gumiho is adorable.
And am converted now to LDW but that may only be in gumiho mode 🤔

DDSSLLS is the joy I need in my life right now.

The sub-romance between vet & she-gumiho is adorable.

Agreed. I think the vet is lovely and hope the she-gumiho gives in to his gentle overtures.

I've just finished---- last day in my job.
Taken voluntary redundancy and been there 10 yrs. Going to decompress (stressful role) until the new year and enjoy

Having some time to help out with local Women's Aid watch K Dramas

Help my DD with her online business watch K Dramas

Get a ton of jobs around the house completed watch K Dramas

Started VIP which is ok, loving DDSSLL

Add learning how to use strike through correctly on To Do whilst posting 🤣

I like your watch K Dramas plans Aesops !!

Enjoy your new watch K Dramas activities

Excellent plans Aesops!

such worthy plans Aesops enjoy your kdramas!

Since I got my new iphone the autocorrect turns all my MN strikethrough formatting to a single long dash. It annoys me greatly but I can’t work out how to get rid of it.

Sorry to hear about your redundancy Aesops, but your plans for the next few months sound amazing.

Omo,omo, omo, when did LDW get that body, and those lips