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…

Happy for you Fedup !! (not sure what a Roku is but Yay!!!)

I caught up with Zombie Detective and ROY last night.
ROY ending was a little bit tense, what are they going to do????
ZD his shirt stayed on but his suit was very fitted, and he was cute with the kids 😁

Just popping in to say that my BTS playlist is my favourite brisk walk playlist. It’s so bright and energetic. I’m not very familiar with the BTS canon. Can our ARMY members suggest more bright dancey or up hiphop tracks like DNA and Best of Me? I don’t like Fire or ON, for reference. I include BTS collaborations on my playlist.

I think that bea's monologue re BTS is the stuff of Allan Bennet''s Talking Heads - now who would play your part?
It's the poor parents of the teenage girls having to cough up for the merch! I can kinda understand wanting to have all the merch, but I've never understood why fans spend so much money on their idol, who is already rich! I think I need enlightenment

In between keeping up with weekly shows I've been watching more C-drama lately - Put your Head on my Shoulder, which I enjoyed, it was sweet and charming. Gank Your Heart-okay, better than Go Go Squid for me as I liked FL much more.
I've just started Go Ahead, which looks promising but can I tell it will be sad, the main characters so far are likable. Also, Way Back into Love, which is office romance fluff, but watchable.

Is anyone keeping up with Alice still? Is it going to be ML from another parallel world who is masterminding everything?

I quite enjoyed the first couple of Dol Dol La La Sol, I'm just hoping that the FL character will develop and not be stuck in 'ditzy, rich girl stupidity syndrome'. Willing to keep going with it for now.

beas monologues make zoom and teams training bearable

Can our ARMY members suggest more bright dancey or up hiphop tracks like DNA and Best of Me? I don’t like Fire or ON, for reference. I include BTS collaborations on my playlist

Off the top of my head:
Ego
Respect
Filter
Home
Airplane pt 2
Simple
Dynamite (obvs)
Make it right
Chicken Noodle Aoup
People
Old Town Road
134340
Waste it on me
So What

DIMPLE not simple 🤦🏻‍♀️

Oh and also ‘Her’ and ‘Ma City’ though these make me want to dance she. I’m walking the dog

WHEN I’m walking the dog. I’ve had too much coffee this morning

BTS is next level for me. Think I may be Too Old for their prettiness but I am going to properly listen to some of the above to educate myself and as a change from my KDrama playlist faves.
Currently watching Fight for My Way from your list and thoroughly enjoying PSJ preparing for a night of passion with a squirt of Febreze

Boatyard!... you don't know what you are asking!... Right here we go...

Going through my BOP BTS playlist

Home (a masterpiece!)
GoGo (such a bop!)
Idol (best ever loud and live!)
Blood Sweat Tears (Sexy!)
Trivia Seesaw (Chilled out swaaag!)
Anpanman (the most funnest ever!)
Euphoria (I Love You Jungkook!!!)
Save Me (sublime!)
Mic Drop (the swaaagiest dissing ever!)
Run (Run!!!!)
Dimple (cheeky!)
Dope (listen to that sax!)
21st Century Girl (You Worth It! You Perfect! You tell them RM!)
Boy In Luv (Early Bangtan acting tough!.. )
Boy with Luv (I can dance some of this routine!... badly! But in my head! I'm Halsey!)
Not Today (Turn it up Loud and be DEFIANT!!!!)
Danger (cool choreo!)
Silver Spoon (Filthy Choreo!)
134340 (soooooo chilled! more swag!)
No More Dream (where it all started!)
Attack On Bangtan (fun Bangtan!)
We Are Bulletproof Pt2 (Early tuff Bangtan!)
2!3! (makes me cry!)
N.O. (stick it the the man!)
Spine Breaker (best ever vid! 😂)
Whalien 52 (gorgeous and gorgeous!)
Change (RM,Wale.. cool as F!... and as pertinent today as it was when released in 2017!))
Airplane Pt2 (you'll be slinky walking when you listen to this!!)
I'm Fine (jaunty)
Best Of Me (jump up and down like mad this one!!!)
So What (even more jumping up and down!)
Pied Piper (Be careful...more slinky walking)
Dream Glow (Jimin in this!!!!! 😍)
Daydream (Cheery!)
Lost (Lovely!)
Persona (President Kim Namjoon!)
InnerChild (a song to jump up and down to in a stadium is ever there was one!)
You Never Walk ALone (lovely!)

their back catalogue is just humongous!!!! there's soooo much...
I heartily recommend looking up their lyrics as I've found sometimes when i've read the lyrics it makes me love the song even more! their lyrics are amazing! and sooo insightful and heartfelt!

There you go... quite a short BTS post from me!!!!!

these are great Spotify playlists
Rap Trap

Hip Hop/ Rock

RnB Chill & Soul - my fave!

Pop Summe Vibes

Soft Ballads

EDM

These playlists relate to this... (i've posted this before but i think it's genius!)
BTS Discography

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

😂😍 I'll stop now!!!!

😂😂😂😂😂 I'm having a pants day and Bea's lists have made me actually lol!!! I will check some of these out too

Gotta say Lee Jae-Wook is so fricking cute in DoDoSolSol!!!

Oh TheGirl... hope the last bits of the day improve... meanwhile watch this...(If you haven't already!) It never fails to make me laugh.. they're too funny!!!!

@polkettle

BTS is next level for me. Think I may be Too Old for their prettiness but I am going to properly listen to some of the above to educate myself and as a change from my KDrama playlist faves. Currently watching Fight for My Way from your list and thoroughly enjoying PSJ preparing for a night of passion with a squirt of Febreze

Polkettle Too old? Too old?... (depends how old you are! 😂😱)... Maybe to fancy them! 😂😂...

But... you're never never ever too old for the pure unadulterated joy that they bring!! And to listen to their heartfelt messages!... And then buy a hoodie... An army bomb!... An RJ mug...? And maybe a HYUNDAI car??....

Somebody take the coffee off Bea 🤣🤣🤣
polkettle My sister calls PSJs chest in Fight my way pillow chest and says that if she's anywhere near him the temptation to cop a feel might be too much 😱😁🤣

😱😱😱
You'll have to pry my BTS cold brew Coffee from my cold dead ARMY fingers!!

polkettle My sister calls PSJs chest in Fight my way pillow chest and says that if she's anywhere near him the temptation to cop a feel might be too much

If I got anywhere near PSJ I have a horrid feeling I'd turn into Kathy Burke from Harry Enfield and be all 'Oooooh young man!! Young man!)

Disclaimer: Obvs I would be v dignified and just smile distantly in real life

Bea I love Coffee by BTS, one of my favourites gosh I have many favourites.

I need to catch up on a lot of the airing dramas but have got sucked in Prince of Wolf (Taiwan Viki) which is bonkers and not that good but for some reason I keep watching it (even though I can't work out what it is about FL's face that seems unnatural)

bettys we all love a little coffee!...

Now! All I can hear is Kathy Burke! 😱😂😭

Thanks for all the BTS recommendations. I’m working through them. 👍 I’m liking Suga’s Agust D stuff.

😂 That video Bea, so funny 🤣🤣🤣.