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…

@Bea I read about that lyric that you just posted the other day!! It's so clever!!
I've checked the meaning of Magic Shop already but not the others. I'll get on it 😁.

Oh yes Namjoon’s lyric is great, but I was curiously unmoved by the scene in Nine Tailed in which it appeared. ML & FL have zero chemistry and I really don’t rate FLs acting at all.

@jojomolo what did you think of the ending? I thought it was unnecessary but I didn’t mind it. I was much more affected by the scene in the fortune tellers tent, that very last bit had me welling up 😭

Things I liked:
Kim Bum, an unexpectedly good range of acting.
All the side characters
Romance between vet & psycho Russian fox
Puppy boy and his story arc
The family scenes in ep 16
LDW in swagger mode
Harry Potter ‘see your last life’ glasses

Things I didn’t like:
Main romance - didn’t believe in it
Repetitive use of ‘ha ha fooled you’ ploys
Last minute explanation for Imugi’s appearance

www.soompi.com/article/1089947wpp/10-k-dramas-binge-watch-holiday-season

Just found this article about festive/winter themed dramas to watch 👀🌲

Just loving Reply 1988. I don't know if the writer works on her own or in a team (as seen in Melo is my Nature!) but the strength of her work in plotting and character in this and Hospital Playlist (with Prison Playbook and the other Replys waiting for me to enjoy later 😊) is really something else. If anyone knows of any interviews with her or profiles on her I'd love to know more. I've only found ones with the producer.

bettys I havnt seen the last ep of 9 Tailed yet but totally agree with your review. Also that scene you mentioned was so meh I had forgotten it existed until you reminded me 😁.
Also just wanted to squee at the disco dance break in BTS MMA Dynamite performance. Amazing! 🕺🤯

Dynamite Dance Break! 😂😂😂... Yes!! 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯... And the Black Swan performance! 😱😱😱🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯💜💜💜👌👌👌👌👌

@polkettle

Just loving Reply 1988. I don't know if the writer works on her own or in a team (as seen in Melo is my Nature!) but the strength of her work in plotting and character in this and Hospital Playlist (with Prison Playbook and the other Replys waiting for me to enjoy later 😊) is really something else. If anyone knows of any interviews with her or profiles on her I'd love to know more. I've only found ones with the producer.

I agree Pot. I love the writing.

I'm about halfway through Hot Stove League... is it too late to add Namkoong Min to my list of oppas?

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

I'm about halfway through Hot Stove League... is it too late to add Namkoong Min to my list of oppas?

Never. He is always compelling to watch, a fine actor and very versatile - as well as dashing in a well cut suit. I seriously rate him. He’s great in Hot Stove League.

Thanks Boaty! He's just captured my heart in this 😍

Namgoon Min is excellent, his new series has just started on Viki.

For a complete change of style watch him in Chief Kim . There's a fair bit of gurning but sensitivity underneath....as well as Lovely Eyes Junho as a 'baddy'.

Right off to catch up with BTS.....

I like him in My Beautiful Gong Shim, a bit of gurning but also some really top notch comedy. His timing is great and he’s very energetic and upbeat in it.

FedUp and pol I’m also really enjoying Reply 1988
The ensemble cast is a delight - Park Bo Gum is very good it’s a real shame Record of Youth turned out to be a disappointment

@bettys

FedUp and pol I’m also really enjoying Reply 1988 The ensemble cast is a delight - Park Bo Gum is very good it’s a real shame Record of Youth turned out to be a disappointment

Yeah, I agree I think that's one of the reasons I was so disappointed with RoY.

at the manita secret santa set-up in ep 7 of Reply 1988

@bettys

at the manita secret santa set-up in ep 7 of Reply 1988

@bettys@FedUpWithBriiiiick😁😁 Loved that. And the snowman 🥰 I'm slowly coming to terms with Park ya bum (as he was christened by my disrespectful niece 😉) . He's very well cast here. Finished episode 9 yesterday and that had some lovely moments with him.

@polkettle If you haven't seem PBG in Love in the Moonlight check it out, he is delightful in that. In fact it is just a lovely sageuk, and a good one to start with if you're haven't got in to the genre yet

Excellent. Thank you. I have done no sageuk at all so must remedy that soon. Record of Youth (that I gave up on quickly) was no place to start for experiencing the best of the poor lad.

Park ya bum gets lots of screen time in Encounter, but I found it rather slight plotwise and a bit dull.

I just couldn't be doing with Encounter . Another one where the chemistry between FL & ML wasn't working. Love in the Moonlight has a great cast & FL is Kim Yoo Jung who was so good in the young role in Moon Embracing The Sun with Yeo Jin Goo

Still enjoying Uncanny Counter by the way, ep 3 kept up the pace. I am wishing I could binge though!

And for those of us who like Taiwan drama, Futmalls.com is coming to Netflix on 17th December. Upside is that it has dimply adorbs Bruce He in and the plot sounds interesting (strange things happen to people when they buy from a futuristic website). Downside is it is Netflix so won't have the wobbly sets, and may well be open ended (and it has Eugenie Liu in who is not v inspiring)

Oh, I am interested bettys, shame about dodgy sets . I searched for it and it looks interesting, and Bruce He's dimples is always worth watching

I've been watching some Tdrama - a very mixed bag. Happy to have some recommendations.
I'm trudging through a Cdrama CoutnYour Lucky Stars and will skip to the end.
Absolutely invite Namgoon Min - I really loved him in Hot Stove League, he made me cry. He seems to get better looking the older he gets [smilie]

fifi have you worked your way through all the ones on the spreadsheet? I am currently watching Falling Into You which is on air but I keep forgetting to catch up with it.
On my list to watch though is:
Fall In Love With Me
Bromance (I should give it another go)
Wacko At Law
The Wonder Woman
Some Day or One Day
V-Focus

Let me know if you start one & it's good!

Nothing but lurv for Namgoon Min here, loved him in Manager Kim, especially the bromine. He has really good comedic timing and I prefer his brand of gunning to Siwon (ducks as my sister smacks me). Now that Park ya bum is firmly in my head I'll never be able to unstick it 🤣

Had a very productive week off where I watched Dating in the Kitchen and started Signal 2. I may have become one with my bed, it's bloody freezing 🥶