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…

@bettys

Ooh forgot about Run On I am so immersed in The Love by Hypnotic. Feeling quite concerned about True Beauty.....please please don't balls it up!

boaty we have a Miele Cat & Dog which is excellent at getting labrador hair off rugs, but not so good at enticing others to use it

@bettys in also concerned about True Beauty I'm going to watch the last 2 episodes on Friday I don't want to be left on a cliffhanger waiting to find out 😂

Although, both fellas are bloody lovely! Fancy having the choice of them both, I can only dream

fifi I am probably enjoying The Love By Hypnotic more than I should, but it is ticking all the boxes of mindless fun fluff that I require at the moment. The ML is very endearing with his sleepwalking antics though I did hoot when I finally got to the bed scene where FL spies his 'body double' pecs and suggestion of manly hair & sweat. I am sure they spliced 2ML's in to the edit.
Plus perfect for making marmalade to as it doesn't really matter if you miss some subs. On episode 20 and about to take a break for Run On

I’m loving May and Secretary Jeong getting busted in the playground in Run On.

@boatyardblues yes! That bit was fab when she suddenly appears down the slide!
Can't wait for tomorrows episode now

I still can't predict how True Beauty might end tomorrow. Suho is coming across a little stalkerish in Ep15, but both Suho and Seojun are equally good (to her).

Hope the Kim Seonho cameo goes well on Run on!

Omo! That yellow tracksuit!

@boatyardblues he might be the only person on earth who can pull it off!

I’m so glad she went up the ladder in her bedroom tonight. I’ve been dying to know what was up there. The answer was underwhelming, but now I can enjoy the finale with my mind put at rest.

I'm going to watch all last 4 eps of true beauty all together... Or try to! Family permitting! 😂😁

You'll be on an emotional roller coaster Bea

I'm getting into Tempted now, although it's making me feel sad already! Looking forward to watching Run On today, I find that quite relaxing to watch

Just a man, his watch and... a glass of water. Science Bin growing sea monkeys?

Omo, thank the lord for the existence of Hyun Bin! 🙌

Omo, thank the lord for the existence of Hyun Bin! 🙌

I agree though I don’t think I can watch him in any other series as he will always be Capt Ri to me.
Having said that, Capt Ri did have an annoying habit of not answering questions, eg when he and Se Ri took shelter in the school house and she asked him who his first love was and he didn’t answer. Also when the step mother asked him how long they’d been dating he just stared at her (I would’ve been interested to hear his answer) and other occasions.

This might become irritating in a long term relationship.

Those cheekbones! 😍😍

Just spent a happy few minutes avoiding work & scrolling through IG and came across International Man of Mystery Bin

Now finished rewatching Lost Romance and I still think it's good fun and enjoyed it a lot. And I eventually watched Before We Get Married and it was a lot better than I thought it would, It wasn't as steamy as I had imagined, and I liked the messiness of people caught up in disintegrating relationships. The chemistry with leads was good, and I loved FL flatmate/friend character.

Thinking of starting True Beuty, but I confess what's putting me off is the age group, I can't be bothered with angsty teens who need to get over themselves, - too much like home life .

You can slice bread on those cheekbones 😍

Also thought FL best friend was great in BWGM. And had possibly my favourite bit of random ppl when ML's existing gf brings a box of collagen as dinner party gift.

It's never too early for a girl to use collagen
The best product placement is the reed diffuser in Lost Roamce. I even found myself looking it up

I find myself coveting Dyson hair straighteners after this weeks Run on, I didn't even know they made them! Dyson products must have a good deal going on in SK, they're everywhere!

The best product placement is the reed diffuser in Lost Roamce. I even found myself looking it up grin

Ha! Ha! So did I!!!

Snuggle cedar... Yes! So crucial to plot development. Along with the B vitamins.

Final 5 minutes of last episode of Run On....was that Eun-Bi in the garage with the two men? I couldn't work that scene out.

Must admit I was a bit meh about it, I know I am in the minority

Although quite impressed with the Dyson that goes round corners

I'm avoiding true beauty until tomorrow - hoping the subs will all be done and I can watch the last two episodes at once!
Last run on tonight- I'd agree @Rowdythree I wasn't sure about run on to begin with but it's very restful watching