MsLattés Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #20): With Hyun Bin off the market, the ajummas off darkness begin researching his ‘oppa fabulous’ replacement in earnest

[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)
Some Day or On Day (Viki, Taiwanese)
The Romance of Tiger & Rose (Viki, Chinese)
Tientsin Mystic (Netflix, Chinese)

Thread Regulars’ Top Scoring Dramas of 2020
(courtesy of Hello’s kdrama spreadsheet, updated by/for thread regulars. Marks out of 10.)

1 - Parasite - 9.05 (10 Votes)
2 - It's Okay To Not Be Okay - 8.88 (9 Votes)
3 - The Uncanny Counter - 8.50 (4 Votes)
4 - Once Again - 8.40 (5 Votes)
5 - Hospital Playlist - 8.21 (7 Votes)

2019’s top scoring dramas:

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
🥾🍑 (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…

Lol Once Again is 30 min episodes so it’s only 40 hours 😂

Whoops -wine- 50 hours!!

My bad. 🤣

How many hours is it? 😂 Hands up for being in 🦁 Patrol! As long as I don't actually have to do art 🎨👍

Me! Me!

It is 50 (+ because they're a bit over 30 mins) hours and I would happily watch 59 more. It has wobbly sets and constant background music and gurning market place ahjummas and is entirely predictable in all ways and it just makes you smile and smile.
We could do a woodworking badge in 🦁 patrol too... Hostess badge featuring handmade noodles and drip coffee in Captain Ri patrol.

@bettys I did exactly the same with episode 13 of Run On! Bit of a slog this one.

I am fully enjoying Call My Agent!

[quote bettys]Me! Me!

Erghh this week has been an endless slog of very reluctant home schooling and horribly busy work and it's only Wednesday 😅
But this thread has just made me laugh! Thanks everyone 😚 😂.
I was in the Brownies but I couldn't remember which six, just that the badge had a white figure on it. Googling tells me I was a gnome 😂.

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap

Erghh this week has been an endless slog of very reluctant home schooling and horribly busy work and it's only Wednesday 😅 But this thread has just made me laugh! Thanks everyone 😚 😂. I was in the Brownies but I couldn't remember which six, just that the badge had a white figure on it. Googling tells me I was a gnome 😂.

Oh! Oh! I was a Sprite!

And yes these last two weeks have been a slog. I feel like I've had a permanent headache 🤕

@bettys

Snort!! Can you imagine???

Oh god that painting- it must have been love for her to have not burst out laughing and then promptly set fire to it!

I'd second the 2ml from run on please!

I think I was an imp and then a swallow in guides- ML from RIABB could do the book lovers badge 😁

Watched tonight run on and it was ok- nothing much happened (as always) and I'm not sure how they can fill 3 more episodes?! I just true beauty to be fully subbed. Not sure what to watch next - tried episode one of once again and it didn't really grab me yet?

[quote FedUpWithBriiiiick]@bettys I did exactly the same with episode 13 of Run On! Bit of a slog this one.

I am fully enjoying Call My Agent![/quote]
Did either you stick around for the giant party poppers and the party disaster? That made me laugh out loud. You need to go back to it and watch through to the preview for tomorrow’s episode. I think it was one of those transitional episodes where it looks like nothing’s happening, but they’ve actually laid the groundwork to take it up a level. I could not care less to be honest. I could cheerfully watch Im Siwan reading from the phone book in that gentle manner of his. I still think they are a very cute couple. My only grumble is the wardrobe aspect. Why do they keep swamping Im Siwan with such oversized clothing? I think it may be because he’s quite petite by oppa world standards - check out the 4 inch hems/taking up of the camel pinstripe trousers when he’s lurking outside FL’s home.

@TheGirlWithTheArabStrap I share the feeling, I had enough by Tuesday lunch time.
Last week was gone in a blink but this week is such a drag.

I am drama-less since finishing RIABB and don’t know what to start. Thinking about starting once again but it’s a 50 episode commitment
Chicage typewriter, Dr Romantic & Live up to your name is in the mix due to suggestions by Netflix.

We should have a list or document where people add the order of dramas they have watched.

Is there a Lee Jong Sunk badge? Not sure how you will earn it though 🤔
Saw his recent interview in which he has mentioned his favourite scene from RIABB i.e going to the FL’s house when drunk.

@bettys

Lunch is largely consisting of these yummy snacks that I picked up in HMArt last week! *@JinBhoot* do you have a Korean supermarket near you? You’ll find everything there including kimbap the Korean version of sushi roll

Your snack looks interesting. I have recently developed interest in Korean cuisine. I’ll ask on local FB group if there are any shops in my area. At one point I actually thought about making my own kimchi 😆 but I have learned from dramas that it’s a whole family affair.

I am searching various ingredients on Amazon - right now kimchi & ramen making pan is sitting in my basket.

But I am sure Korean grocery store must be a treasure trove.

@boatyardblues the party disaster was the highlight of the episode - that and the bit where dan-ah calls the secretary to get rid of mi juaoo and he asks her if she'd like tea or coffee - for some reason that really tickled me!
Decided to watch oh my ghost

@jinbhoot, I really enjoyed Dr Romantic (there are 2 series to enjoy!) I haven't seen the others out of your list.

I haven't watched tonight's True Beauty yet, not sure whether to watch it on bed or wake until tomorrow 🤔 I'll either fall asleep watching it, or I'll get all wired and won't be able to sleep after it

@JinBhoot you can order kimchi online from the shop I went to last week

@boatyardblues the party poppers was indeed the best bit.

@boatyardblues I noticed the huge turn ups on Siwans trousers and thought: "I must tell the Ajummas about this" 😂

Just watched tonights Run On. I agree the party disaster/party poppers bit was hilarious! I really like the mardy, trainee idol little brother, and 2FLs secretary. I also liked it when FL was going to throw a brick at the awful mothers car 😂😂😂

I saw the turnups too & thought I bet the others noticed 🤣🤣

The turnups make me think the fashion brands have supplied their new season collections straight from the runway shows. As model models are 6’+ and probably quite broad, the stuff swamps Siwan. The 4” turnups are do-able, but they probably can’t alter the jackets, coats etc to improve the fit because they have to be returned in good condition for other shoots etc.

Most models

All caught up with True Beauty I definitely needed my hanky! Not looking forward to tonight's episode... I can't cope 😂

Off to catch up on Run on now to see what these turn ups are like 🧐 the fashion in this series has been quite bizarre!

Siwan's turn ups joining the pantheon of men in oversized clothing greats.