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…

Or maybe the actress with the manager who’s amazing on the dance arcade machine...🤔

I’m currently in a Taiwan/ Marcus Chang spiral & am even watching Behind Your Smile which I dropped ages ago when I tried to watch it - I obvs hadn’t succumbed to the rather dodgy delights of Taiwan dramas fully enough at that point. Waiting for wednesdays double delights of DDLLSSL & 9 Tailed

I may be nearly ready to try watching Bromance 🤔🤣 I couldn’t even finish the first episode last time I tried

@bettys

Or maybe the actress with the manager who’s amazing on the dance arcade machine...🤔

Mmmhmm. He had all the moves that guy.

Damn that biscuit! I was aiming for a winky face.

Ive already binged 3 eps, not going to get much work done tomorrow 😳

bettys I must be in the same frame of mind as you as I started Behind Your Smile but don't think I'm going to finish it, not feeling the chemistry between the leads, not even the charms of Marcus Chang is helping I'm now watching T-drama Refresh Man which is ok-ish, halfway through with a little bit of skipping. I'm also waiting for tonight to double binge DDLLSSL and Tale hoping they take me out of the doldrums!

Keep rewatching sections of Melo Such sharp and funny writing. Wish there were more clips of it on YouTube to share with people. Anyone else done the first episodes of Birthcare Centre? While the midwifery care and breastfeeding advice on display makes me chew on a pillow - it is also very funny and astute about new motherhood. And the Birthcare Centre set up itself is hysterical.

@polkettle

Keep rewatching sections of Melo Such sharp and funny writing. Wish there were more clips of it on YouTube to share with people. Anyone else done the first episodes of Birthcare Centre? While the midwifery care and breastfeeding advice on display makes me chew on a pillow - it is also very funny and astute about new motherhood. And the Birthcare Centre set up itself is hysterical.

Not yet, but it's on my watch list!

A good one to just dip into for a section over a coffee... Dangerous distraction habit I have acquired.

Finished goblin and it was as emotional as expected- really enjoyed it though, started tales of nine tailed last night- love the cute vet and the scary brother

@polkettle

Keep rewatching sections of Melo Such sharp and funny writing. Wish there were more clips of it on YouTube to share with people. Anyone else done the first episodes of Birthcare Centre? While the midwifery care and breastfeeding advice on display makes me chew on a pillow - it is also very funny and astute about new motherhood. And the Birthcare Centre set up itself is hysterical.

I agree. It was brilliantly written by its director. There was a really humble/crestfallen interview with him reported on Soompi as it was considered a ratings flop or misfire. I seriously contemplated writing the director a letter or email via the network to tell him how good it was, as I hated the idea he might be discouraged and not write another one.

I just love the little touches of humour in DDSSLLS - the way the hairdresser turns the private eyes chair round so he can tell the story 🤣🤣🤣

The woman playing the hairdresser is excellent

@bettys

I just love the little touches of humour in DDSSLLS - the way the hairdresser turns the private eyes chair round so he can tell the story 🤣🤣🤣

The woman playing the hairdresser is excellent

She played Jennifer in Still Thirty, and was great in it. Completely different roles!

Ye Si Won is one of my favorite support actors, she plays so many different roles. I loved her as the kooky sister in Another Miss Oh, good as the supportive boss in Dinner Mate, and a very different role in Love Affairs in the Afternoon as the beautiful, lonely wife who has affairs. Also, in Intorverted Boss with the same husband from Another Miss Oh^. She pops up everywhere . She is also super fit.

@boatyardblues oh poor poppet! Hopefully it's performing well enough in international markets to help a bit. It's obviously a brutal industry from the forensic focus on audience share figures.

bettys I must be in the same frame of mind as you as I started Behind Your Smile but don't think I'm going to finish it, not feeling the chemistry between the leads, not even the charms of Marcus Chang is helping

I agree fifi, I know FL is meant to be drippy but I wasn’t sure about Eugenie Liu in Triad Princess either 🤷🏻‍♀️
Whereas Marcus Chang & Vivian Sung have bucketloads of chemistry (they have acted together 3 times now though 😂)

I’m still on my fluff marathon I think because when I have a tricky workload I can’t cope with angsty plots so am saving Flower of Evil up (plus I think I prefer Lee Joon-gi in conflicted Goryeo Prince mode)

Oho! 100 Days My Prince is coming to Netflix on 7th December 👍

@bettys

Oho! 100 Days My Prince is coming to Netflix on 7th December 👍

yes!!! I've wanted to see this!

@bettys

I just love the little touches of humour in DDSSLLS - the way the hairdresser turns the private eyes chair round so he can tell the story 🤣🤣🤣

The woman playing the hairdresser is excellent

She was also Eric Nam’s older sister housemate (the crazy drunk) in The Other Miss Oh and did a star turn in that. I really rate her performances - she always brings a show up a spreadsheet point if she’s in the supporting cast.

I watched an inexplicable amount of Behind Your Eyes and only ditched about 3 episodes before the end. It was one of those bodysnatcher shows where you know its crap but you just can’t stop watching. I do not rate Eugenie Liu’s performances either. She’s too wholesome and nice in everything. It would be great to find out she’s a complete party girl or bitch queen from hell IRL because her onscreen persona is touch too Pollyanna for me.

@boatyardblues

Anyone else watching The Good Detective on Netflix? I am very tired at mo and have fallen asleep twice trying to finish ep 1, but it looks really good. I have duly noted that there are ONLY TWO of the collectable watches in Korea. It’s not quite US-level, but the writer is most definitely setting a trail of breadcrumbs. Back in the day I would play guess the killer at the start of Morse or Taggart with my housemates. I had a decent hit rate. My money is currently on the captain of Violent Crimes Team 1. I would also like to have first dibs on the ML’s black leather/shearling lined jacket. It is lovely. I’m less fussed about the ML, who needs to lay off the botox IMO.

Oh I've just started it. It's drawn me in straight away. Yes I think the Violent Crimes Unit captain is the likely villain too.

Finished Flower... it was very excellent with plenty of angst...damaged characters... thriller... romance... horror...dastardliness...a sprinkle of comedy ... much cuteness...and a good 🐝ending....big thumbs up.. if you can cope with angst (in the vein of Come & Hug Me / Just Between Lovers) then get thee to viki!.... Marvellous marvellous... fab characters!

SMALL SPOILER SMALL SPOILER!!! AVOID.........

@AesopsMables..... yes! ep16 I know what you mean... dh was "what the flip is all this nonsense!?"... I told him they'd forgotten a few kdrama tropes (amnesia / courtroom) and have decided to chuck it ALL in in the last hour!!! but still very satisfying and great characters ALL round!

@bettys

Oho! 100 Days My Prince is coming to Netflix on 7th December 👍

Oho!!! I Love 100 Days My Prince... it's really lovely! A soothing sweet one! Oho! Indeed!!!!

Bea!!! 🤣🤣 OHO!!!
Such a nice little drama