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…

Oh I didn’t realise there was censorship.
As you say it can be more potent when suggested rather than graphic.

@bettys ... i will await your verdict!!!!

But sometimes I also need a fan down after a particularly good hand hold 😂

Totally agree with this Polkettle 🤣🤣🤣

But sometimes I also need a fan down after a particularly good hand hold

Haha yes!!! Don’t get caught unawares & watch a Korean adult film with kids or PiL.....seriously steamy 🥵😳 and strangely discombobulating when all you’ve seen the actors in before is dramas where nothing happens & they wear full winter clothing to bed.

Ooh! I haven't done any movies (other than Parasite and Train to Busan) so hot -literally 🔥🔥 - tips welcome. I might have explored some movie Hyun Bin snogs with tongues and everything on YouTube 👀 Sometimes I worry that the young 'uns who've been working in modelling and acting and singing 20 hours a day for years never actually have had a proper sesh poor poppets and that's why they look so panicked on screen.

But I do rather like getting heart flutters over a hair stroke. That is part of the appeal isn't it?

Hair stroke's not so bad but I loathe the head pat, particularly in CDrama, it seems so patronising, treating the FL like a little girl

Off the top of my head, steamy films on Netflix are Red Carpet (funny too, about the sex film industry), The Handmaid (based on Sarah Waters' Fingersmith) , and High Society (thought this one was a bit repulsive tbh)
If you can track them down there's Whatcha Wearing (Ji Sung!!!! ) and Frozen Flower (What's 'er face from Was it Love )

Excellent - thank you and yes - WORLD of difference between a hair stroke (or hair touch perhaps really what I mean) and a hair pat. Although a comforting shoulder pat unexceptionable. It's all very complex 😁 I do love a wound blow too.

@bettys

FFS DDSSLLS is so frustrating!!! Only halfway through ep 15 but it is bloody annoying

I'm with you on this!! Stupid curveball came outta nowhere and makes NO sense...

I was really enjoying the show.

My top three oppas:

So Ji Sub
*
Lee Sun-gyun*

Lee Byung Hun

Gong Yoo

Cha Seung Won

Kim Min-joon

Oops... is that more than three?

In need of Romance 2012 (aka I need Romance) with Jung Yu-Mi is seriously fruity for a kdrama. She lives alone in her late mother's home and her male BFF lives next door, but the 2 houses are knocked through in the living room because their late mothers were such close friends. They have a very active FWB arrangement. ML is also easy on the eye. 👌 Overall it’s not wildly innovative or interesting but the sex bits are fun.

Uh oh, all this talk of kdrama intimacy means I’ve taken my eye off the ball. New thread needs primping and preening for launch.

Polkettle - I’ve heard only good things about Misaeng, so I don’t see why it shouldn’t go in the header. Which category? Slice of life, or something else?

What are we missing that needs to go in?

Can we add Lost Romance (Taiwan Viki) to Not Korean?

Hey boaty did you spot that Yoon Hyun Min’s new drama The Goddess of Revenge has started on Viki? Let’s hope it’s better than To All The Guys.. 🙄

Can we add Lost Romance (Taiwan Viki) to Not Korean?

Done.

Hey boaty did you spot that Yoon Hyun Min’s new drama The Goddess of Revenge has started on Viki? Let’s hope it’s better than To All The Guys..

Thanks Betty. Here’s hoping... 🤞

Romance 2012 now on my too watch list on that summary. Talking of steam just started Secret Love Affair and lawks amussy aigoo - think this one is going to need my internal extractor fan switching on very frequently. Piano duet was 🔥. Plus so very classily shot and lit.
Yes @boatyardblues 'slice of life' for Misaeng I really can't recommend it highly enough if you want something other than romance. Gripping as a thriller, funny, heartbreaking at times, highly satisfying finale and yet the subject matter so apparently dry. Unlike anything else I've watched.

Hmm might be time to give Misaeng a second go...

Just catching up on the thread and am very intrigued to hear about the movies with sex bits in! I'm so used to the drama's following the script I'm surprised to hear that!

I think part of the appeal of K drama's is the innocence and the romance and the tension that builds up over 15 episodes before a kiss finally happens! It's what makes them so enjoyable, watchable and addictive! That's not to say I won't be looking up the movies mentioned up thread

Am well into nine tailed now! I can't decide if I find Lee Dong Wook attractive or not..
He has the added bonus of being a similar age to me so I don't feel like such a perv lusting over him 😂

@bettys How far did you get with it? I think it helps if you think of it as a love story about Sales Team 3 - which is really the emotional journey it takes you on. Has similar initial misunderstandings and then slow burn connection and some brilliant episodes of high tension/cathartic pay off along the way. Plus a spot of naked sauna-ing if that's sounding highbrow 😂

@polkettle Just the first episode...I think it was maybe soon after I watched Live and I wasn’t in the mood for another slice of can’t get a job life. Plus I wasn’t a a fan of LDW either .I’ll give it another as it’s worked with Waikiki... alrhough I’m also planning a rewatch of CLOY so it might be a while!
With the recent ups and downs is DDSSLLS and Covid delays in 9 Tailed & others I’m wondering if I can hold out on watching airing series....but then I’d miss the fun of discussing it on the thread as it develops 🤔

@bettys All about the right drama for the right mood! Works well paced out alongside some compete fluff.

I tried Misaeng a while ago and couldn’t get going, but I’ve been meaning to try again.

I’ve been updating the draft OP with shows that have now come to Netflix (or Viki). I’ve probably missed a load so happy to have your reminders. So far I’ve added The Guest (next Tues - woohoo KJW in priest dressy up for Chrimbo! 🎉) and 100 Days My Prince.

The Uncanny Counter is on my Netflix reminder list. Starts Saturday I think.

I'm so late to the party and all the good ones are taken - I may have to sharpen my elbow and squish in between Ji Sung and Jo Jung Suk, whilst sitting across from Lee Sun Kyun, Park Seo Joon, and Hyun Bin.
Please keep me away from Kim Soo Hyun or I will be sobbing into my Soju all night just looking at him

I will add to the mix -
Choi Jin Hyuk - I think he would be a lot of fun, and he would be able to give me a piggyback 😂.
Sung Hoon - love his voice and want to talk to him about his career choices
Gong Hyo Jin - she has been in the industry for years, kissed many ML, I want all the dirt 😂.
I have a long weekend with nothing to do but watch drama - woe is me.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

The Uncanny Counter is on my Netflix reminder list. Starts Saturday I think.

I added that to my watchlist this morning. It looks nicely bonkers.

Choi Jin Hyuk - I think he would be a lot of fun, and he would be able to give me a piggyback

Good choice of strapping chap. I need one too.

Sung Hoon - love his voice and want to talk to him about his career choices

Oh God, me too. His agent should hang their head in shame. He deserves better.

Gong Hyo Jin - she has been in the industry for years, kissed many ML, I want all the dirt

Good call!