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…

@bettys!... The visit to the doctor is hilarious! And I love that I'm practically fluent enough (🤯🤯🙈🙈) to understand the joke... 🤣🤣🤣...
🤣🤣🤣
He is very good!! I like his kpop references too! 🤣🤣🤣🤣💜👍👍👍

Welcome madamecake!

I love that we’ve had 2 new posters in 2 days - 2021 is off to a flying start. I’m also having a Field of Dreams moment (if you build it, they will come). So, so lovely to have fellow addicts to chat with. 😀

Squee Bea JKs blonde hair is v nice. I have now got a twitter account just for BTS news, I haven't had one before so don't know what I'm doing 🤔. But I did see the mix tape buzz 👀😁.

I've followed the Korean Dic on IG now. He seems really funny. I'm so close to fluent it's untrue 😂

I accidentally followed the wrong Son Ho Jun on IG (not the kdrama one, but son7003 instead) but I’m so glad I did. He posts great travel photos of SK and scenery, but more importantly lots and lots of food photos.

Kdrama was mentioned on BBC news this morning! I didn't see it but DS came running to tell me 😁. It was a section on what's getting people through lock down.

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

Kdrama was mentioned on BBC news this morning! I didn't see it but DS came running to tell me 😁. It was a section on what's getting people through lock down.

That’s hilarious. I must tell DH.

@madamecake

Hey! I’ve been more of a lurker on MN for the past few years, but saw this thread and needed to join in!

Currently watching True Beauty (I love the WEBTOON and it’s interesting to see how they’re adapting it), Mr Queen and What’s wrong with Secretary Kim on Viki.

Was watching Strong Girl on Netflix but can of lost interest towards the end so didn’t finish.

Hi Madame! I've just started to read the Webtoon, I hadn't realised it was one, thanks for the tip and welcome to the thread! 👋

Sorry for another link to MyKoreanDic but this did make me laugh!

www.instagram.com/p/CHsKHcPj199/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

[quote bettys]Sorry for another link to MyKoreanDic but this did make me laugh!

www.instagram.com/p/CHsKHcPj199/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link[/quote]
I knew that was going to end up with the "cluck cluck" 😂😂😂

😂😂😂

Finished watching Mask- best bits were:
Evil brother in law who spent the entire time doing evil brooding looks but should have spent more time actually planning evil- his final scheme seemed to be a press conference
His evil henchman- he just needed a badge saying "evil henchman". Not sure if they were paying by the words he didn't say anything I think just looked evil and menacing
Most over the top use of music/hilarious opening credits
Kim Byeong-Ok who appears in loads of things as a loan shark - I don't know what he did to upset the costume department but his hair is amazing

Not sure why I even started watching it but it's held me over until new episodes of true beauty/run on/Mr Queen

@Hydrogensonata I’ve watched bits of Mask you’re right about the hair 😂

I’ve spent the evening watching Noble Boys Jdrama on Viki. Only 15 min episodes so have managed to do the whole lot. Total fluff although I’m a bit 🤔 about the ML relationship with eeeevil wench

I've lost finished Hospital Playlist what an emotional one! I need something soothing and fluffy now

I’m happy it is Wednesday: Run On tonight. 😄

🙌

@Rowdythree Find me in your dream is light & easy.

Hospital Playlist: in case you are having withdrawal symptoms, there are each episode’s BTS, auditions & concert on YouTube.

@boatyardblues

I’m happy it is Wednesday: Run On tonight. 😄

Yes! I'm loving this one. Hope it's not another Record of Youth or DDSSLLS situation 🥺

Also, being from NI, the title makes me laugh. It's a known saying for "get out of here!" Or "wise up!". What do you think, @Dontwanttobeyourmonkeywench?

Ach, run on, would you? 😂

Anyone else impatiently waiting for new episodes to drop?

I have my first Korean class tonight, with an actual Korean teacher, so I'm excited about that. I didn't go in at the beginner class so I hope I've absorbed enough knowledge over the past couple of years to get me through! 😬

Oh good luck @Rowdythree! Fighting!

Thanks briiiiick! 할수있어요!

@rowdythree yep impatiently waiting for true beauty to be subbed, more Mr Queen and looking forward to Run on later - enjoy your class!

@boatyardblues wonder if things will start to pick up a bit and move the story on? Not sure what to watch next in between new episodes or whether to re watch weight lifting fairy again or WWSK for some easy watching as works been mad all week.

Ooh I hope you enjoy your lesson @Rowdythree

I’m having a jdrama fling while waiting for True Beauty subs - have watched Run On already it comes out quite early

Watched Noble Boys last night which was ok but the girls were supposed to be 17 🤔 which seemed young.

Just started Choosing Spouse by Lottery

True Beauty for me tonight, can’t wait!

Not watched Run on so will have to have a look.

Also, does anyone have recommendations for any supernatural themed dramas?? Love Goblin, it was the first Kdrama I watched, and have just finished Tale of the Nine tailed (which I also loved)

@bettys just finished tonight's run on- I still feel like I'm missing something, I'm enjoying it but maybe I'm missing a load of subtext or something? It still seems to be floating along a bit