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…

Love BTIMFL. One of my favourite kdrama snogs too 😁

Oh yes BTIMFL
That wasn't a kiss.....this is a kiss

(or words to that effect)

The scene in BTIMFL when FL goes to have dinner with writer, director and producer of the film she worked on has stayed in my mind as an incredibly well written and powerful scene. Terrific acting too.

Oh I hated that writer

And the guy obvs, they were just all despicable

The chemistry between the 2ML and 2FL in Run On is E-LEC-TRIC ⚡️

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

The chemistry between the 2ML and 2FL in Run On is E-LEC-TRIC ⚡️

Excellent. I will be decamping to the sofa shortly. 👍

www.iq.com
Yoiks! Another streaming service? And I think it's free! And it's got lovely Rowoon's new drama!
I think I might have to download!
Anyone else use it?...

Jackpot! And Lovely Hair myung soo new drama!! Have I found a little gold mine??...

It's like Viki!!...😁😁😁
Free... But there's ads
1 month premium free for new users (no ads)
£50 for 1 year membership
Oh dear oh dear.... I can't sign up for another?... Could I??.. 🤔🤔🤔

Oooooooooooo!

Ohhhh @Bea!!!

I have unleashed another rabbit hole! You are all very welcome! 🤯🤯🤯🤯😄

They are the folks who made Somewhere only we know!

A few of their shows are on Viki

🤔

That service has Tientsin Mystic 2. 👍 It seems to be mostly mainland China drama. How do you narrow down the kdrama?

🤯🤯🤯😂😂😂... Shall I get the 👢🍑 ready??

@Bea Yep I may be needing a jolly old 👢🍑!

I have identified the following as being of interest:
She Would Never Know
Royal Secret Agent
Backstreet Rookie
The Spies Who Loved Me
Hush
Dinner Mate
Tientsin Mystic 2 (although Mr Xian isn’t in it)

I should manage those in a month, right?

Subs are up for True Beauty - see ya!!

Tientsin Mystic 2 (although Mr Xian isn’t in it)

I’m out. Mr Xian is the draw for me. 🤷‍♀️

I have been mulling over today’s Run On and was about to post that it was strange to have such timid, unworldly lovers for ML/FL and then have a 2ML/2FL pairing where they at each other like rutting deer. Then I remembered BTIMFL. 😄 I’m certain there are other dramas with the same dynamic.

@boatyardblues

I have been mulling over today’s Run On and was about to post that it was strange to have such timid, unworldly lovers for ML/FL and then have a 2ML/2FL pairing where they at each other like rutting deer. Then I remembered BTIMFL. 😄 I’m certain there are other dramas with the same dynamic.

I quite like how the dynamics are going now. I luuurve the 2ML/FL chemistry (you are right, very like Esom and ❤️ Park Byeong-eun ❤️ in BTIMFL)

there was more playful sexiness between ML & FL in ep. 10 (the play fight in cafe, after the film). I think Siwan would be filthy in bed. Lovely.

They are my favourite in BTIMFL. CEO Ma a top Oppa.

What's everyone's thoughts on last night's True Beauty? I thought it was a really good episode. They all need to stop keeping secrets though!! Although it looks like secrets are about to be revealed in tonight's episode 😬

I enjoyed Run on too! Great chemistry between 2ML/FL. Now the ML/FL know where they are with each other, their relationship is really sweet.

Ré True Beauty I really like how sweet ML & FL are with each other but 2FL is turning into a right cah when it’s so obvious ML isn’t in the slightest bit interested.
Loving the budding bromance 😍
If I was 2MLs sister I wouldn’t be interest in that boy either he’s a bit of an eejit but maybe takes after his dad 🤔

In Run On I am still loving Im Siwan but wish they wouldn’t put him in such oversized jackets.
2ML & 2 FL are on fire 🔥, artist is super cool when he’s being tsundere ish 👍

Ha ha, yep Ju gyeongs brother is super annoying! I hope the 2ML sister doesn't fall for him! Both ML are so sweet, I think they'll both have the FL's back when 2FL behaves like a bitch, hopefully so will the rest of her friends 🤞

Yet another workplace volunteer day at an orphanage. Just how many orphans/orphanages are there in Korea? Is it genuinely a huge thing or just a drama huge thing?
I'm getting very FOMO about both Run On and True Beauty. So pleased they both sound like they're staying good uns.