MsLattés Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #19): Our noona days may be behind us but the ajummas of darkness will unleash their inner Gangnam leopards as the festive season approaches

[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/Netflix)
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)
Misaeng (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)
Kiss Goblin (Viki, webdrama)
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)*
King: The Eternal Monarch (Netflix)
Kingdom (Netflix)*

Mystic Pop-up Bar (Netflix)
The Guest (Netflix)
Train to Busan - film (Amazon Prime)

W: Two Worlds (Viki & Netflix)*
Zombie Detective (Viki)


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)
Lost Romance (Viki - Taiwanese)
Love O2O (Viki - Chinese)
Morning Call (Netflix - Japanese)
Put Your Head on My Shoulder (Netflix - Chinese)
The Romance of Tiger & Rose (Viki, 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…

Watching start up and currently rooting for Do San but not convinced it'll work out that way
Tried Itaewon class but it didn't draw me in- think I need to be in the mood and get past th first episode

Currently watching Sweet Home and rather enjoying it although the gore & pouring blood is a bit however was at the blue mop monster

Just LOVING Mr Queen and impatiently awaiting next episode. Shin Hye Sun is so accurate at mimicking the mannerisms of CJH (spoiler not spoiler) and from the preview of today's episode it looks like we may get a role reversal glimpse.

Actually laughed out loud in Sweet Home when scarred gangster with heart of gold says ‘shut your eyes’ (ep 9)

Good take on what makes a monster

Hi @JinBhoot 👋
I've filled in my scores on the spreadsheet sheet, and I'm in awe of people's dramas watching skillz and amusing notes 😁.
I agree with boaty that there weren't as many stand out amazing dramas this year as last. Lots of good ones though.
I've now seen the first 2 eps of Run On and enjoying it so far. Hopefully the FL will remain sparky and career driven and not go all sappy as things progress.

What is this spreadsheet I keep reading about?

I would love spreadsheet link.

I think boaty has a linky thing

@bettys were having a good laugh at some of the sweet home monsters and characters 😂 we're on episode 9 tonight so will look forward to Mr 80's gangster saying shut your eyes. Episode 8 made me laugh when Mr Religion was talking about bass girl farting after her op 😁 I was quite sad after ep 8 though 😔

I'm still loving I'll go to you... and I broke my promise to only watch 1 episode a day over Christmas day and boxing day. Back on track now, I will really miss this one. It makes me definitely not want to visit Korea in the winter though, it looks stunning but absolutely freezing! 🥶

@Hydrogensonata try persevering with Itaewon Class. I think it's worth it, even though I did get a bit fed up in the middle the ending was good

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap I really enjoyed run on- there's a bit where he talks about when you run you just focus on what's just ahead (paraphrasing slightly!) - which is the bit I love about running. Really like her character and the balcony clothes bit was very funny!
@Rowdythree will try again with itaewon class. Now waiting for next episodes of run on and true beauty and filling time with start up- once again no one is wearing socks with their suits?! Freezing ankles all round

I liked Itaewon’s first few episodes but the finale was draggy in my view. I think I fast forwarded through most of the last 3 episodes. I wish I hadn’t started it, wasnt worth it imo.

I wonder why a lot of these dramas (including start-up) start so great but the writing goes downhill in the second half.. is this because they edit the second halves as they start filming? It seems to be such a recurring problem!

Run on, True Beauty and Uncanny Counter are all great so far but quite a wait for new episodes and also Korea’s rising cases could be a problem..

Sweet Home done & I actually really enjoyed it in spite of the gore and copious gushing blood, and the characters I liked whose fortunes I felt sad about.
A word to the wise though, although the ending has some conclusion it is left open to a second series.

@kseason is the second half of start up not as good?
I've just accidentally read a spoiler for the end in an interview and feeling a bit gutted i read it. Will probably keep watching just to see how it pans out though

@Hydrogensonata The problem with Start-up was it became a huge Dosan vs JiPyeong thing (that love triangle was completely unnecessary in my view) - so half the fans were bound to get disappointed. I also had issues with the way the FL behaved professionally, but it’s probably more of a cultural thing. Go for it! As long as you don’t expect too much, Start-up is entertaining.

@bettys

Sweet Home done & I actually really enjoyed it in spite of the gore and copious gushing blood, and the characters I liked whose fortunes I felt sad about. A word to the wise though, although the ending has some conclusion it is left open to a second series.

We just finished this and I'm totally confused by the ending! There had better be another series, I'm really annoyed!

Sweet Home!!.... Aaaaaarrrrggghhhh! Blardy Netflix!! Arrrrgghh!! This is NOT what I watch kdramas for!!... SIXTEEN eps! Finished! Properly!!... 10 eps?...??... No promise of second season?? Open ending!... Shakes fist and shouts!! Arrrghhh! Harrumph! 👊✊😡😡😡😡😡😡

I feel ya Bea! 10 episodes! What's that all about? 😡😡 If there's not another series, I will.... Write a strongly worded email to Netflix 😂

Also, without giving anything away. Who was driving the truck in the final scene with Hyun Su?

@Bea @Rowdythree agreed!!!

Love the kickass FL & thought there was a comely array of MLs too (when they weren’t gushing blood or sporting black pooled eyes)
Was a bit thrown by who drove off in the tank thing at the end but then realised it wasn’t the original one

Crosspost @Rowdythree! It was the 2nd monster who can copy human forms & spit bullets out, which is handy. You’ll notice that the person had no marks from fighting or otherwise 😉

Yes! The tank driver wasn't original one!!....

Aah, I see @bettys. He was like a terminator!

That’s the fella! 👍 was disappointed wasn’t the original one as he was one of my favourites 😡

Mine too, he was really lovely! So many lovely characters actually despite all the gore and chaos! I did enjoy the series, I just hate the ending!

I’ve just finished The Handmaiden. Where to begin? I don’t think any words could do that film justice. Suffice it to say that Kim Tae-Ri is a very versatile young actress and I won’t ever look at braised polpo in the same way.

I even got upset about the green hand waving monster (although it was slightly comical in a Ghostbusters way)

Yes it’s a very different role from Little Forest or Mr Sunshine isn’t it?