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…

Aesops it's actually called Korea Foods, I think Seoul Food is their brand. I'm sure they must cast their eyes up when I have a basket that's largely full of soju, kimchi & face masks! They have a storeroom to the side that is full of sacks of rice and bulk buy stuff, and if you get there early enough, fresh bread products.

You have reminded me there is a bottle of makkeoli chilling at the back of our fridge.

@AesopsMables and don't forget to buy this ( Army )

I've just watched 2 hospital dramas back to back, Dr Romantic 2 and Dr John, both have had me sobbing my eyes out! I never watch hospital dramas in English, not sure why I keep being drawn to K ones! Anyway, after finishing Dr John this morning and feeling thoroughly depressed I need something light and fluffy and full of romance (not something that keeps me hanging on until episode 15 or 16!) I think. What would you guys suggest?

Thank you for sharing the Korea Foods link too, I'm disappointed they don't deliver, but it looks like there is a store about an hour from me. So I might be able to get there after lockdown.

I think I might make bibimbap for dinner tonight

I'm very very lucky as I've got Seoul foods 10 mins away from me... Lazy dinner day includes popping down and getting take out Chicken! Mmmm! Great for frozen dumplings... Ramen and Chinese groceries! Plenty of soju (though not my cup of tea!) and kimichi! I love the snacks! And A HUGE Wing Yip 20 mins away.. Rice and ramen in bulk!! And great frozen section! (I think I might need a bigger freezer!!).. 😁🤭😱

ORIENTAL MART are good for delivery... Just sent dd (at uni) a food package! 😂😁👍

I agree those trainers in Nine Tailed were horrible.
My watching has been limited this week because of stupid work. I'm starting nights now so much more time for dramas 😁.
I have also fallen down a massive rabbit hole of BTS fanfiction 🙊🤯🤣

[quote bettys]@AesopsMables and don't forget to buy this ( Army )[/quote]
😍😁😂😂💜👍

thegirl..! 😱😱😱😱... No oooo! Not fanfic! 😭🤣🤣🤣🤯... I think some of that could be pretty scary!! 😱😱😱😱

thegirl.. Just wait for the bts drama coming out next year! 😅... Or watch all the Bangtan Universe mvs in order!!... The Japanese Blood Sweat and Tears mv is a masterpiece!!

@Bea

ORIENTAL MART are good for delivery... Just sent dd (at uni) a food package! 😂😁👍

Thank you! I will make an order today! I did quite like soju until I had a little too much and spent the night hugging the toilet 😂 I'd quite like to try some of the flavoured ones though!

That video is a thing of beauty Bea 😍

thegirl... That it is!! 😍😍😍... Their Japanese mvs are something else! 💕🥰

rowdy... It's a good job they don't deliver frozen or fresh... Otherwise that would be trouble! 😱😂

rowdy the plum soju is my favourite

I've just ordered strawberry, citron and grape to try 😁😬

I’ve just lost my morning to Single & Ready to Mingle which is like eating Pringles. They are really rocking the Spam PP. 😂

There’s even a special cheese Spam scene. 🤢

I started Melo, only watched one episode so far but I'm enjoying it! It's making me miss my friends though!

Is the Viki pass worth it? The ads are annoying

rowdy I don’t think I could give up my Viki pass now, I use it so much

@bettys

rowdy I don’t think I could give up my Viki pass now, I use it so much

Same. DH bought me a year’s subscription for Christmas last year.

I don’t get any ads though. Perhaps because I’ve got the one up from basic.

I have the standard pass (annual) which will be renewed in December at $49.99 which is roughly £37.89 or £3.16 a month which as I'm not going out spending money due to lockdown is a bloody bargain imo

@bettys

I have the standard pass (annual) which will be renewed in December at $49.99 which is roughly £37.89 or £3.16 a month which as I'm not going out spending money due to lockdown is a bloody bargain imo

It’s a bargain for something that keeps me so cheerful.

Right. Episode 12 of DDSSLLS. WTF?