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…

@boatyardblues I did snort (but also look -cough- quite a lot) at the winsome Hyun Bin fan calendar content posted by his agency in snippets end of last year. Hot Bin in open necked black shirt! Sensitive Bin arranging flowers! Intellectual Bin with book! etc...
I can't BELIEVE you're suggesting musical theatre star JJS EVER over-eggs it/ shows off in an irritating manner...

He can't help that his talents and charisma dominate the screen Boaty!

@JinBhoot finishe BTIMFL this morning- I think the car is just incredibly well behaved?! I liked the way that despite neither of them being great at communicating directly you could still see what they were trying to say even if the other didn't understand if that makes sense?
Which contrasted with run on which I keep feeling like I'm missing something - liked the most recent episodes the best so far, 2ml & 2fl are great together- the bit where he just starts crying and she looks so shocked! And the gangster looking secretary with his cat looking forward to seeing how the Dad's plans turn out and actually for once I could understand why the FL did what she did - I think she's very aware of how vulnerable she is.

Not sure why she was so mean about his glasses though- he looked very fetching in all of them!

@Hydrogensonata agree with everything you just said ré BTIMFL and Run On ! Although still wish FL was more ballsy & less concerned about Siwan's glasses!

@polkettle ahahahahahahaha! I want to see Intellectual Bin with a book now! (and obvs Hot Bin with a black open neck shirt).

Wrt JJS he was an early favourite of mine when I started kdrama (DDTD), then I went off him cos he was in something where he smirked, then back on again with HP as he was nice in that

Off to catch up with Mr Queen sans sub or part sub whatever I can't wait

Here's Intellectual and Nature Loving Bin @bettys although I think Hot Jazzy Bin is the best www.instagram.com/p/CGvw6txnTEz/?igshid=qmhfphph5qk7
Slightly moot point as to whether there's anything written in that book.
My first intro to JJS was DDTD and I just loved everything about that show. Having now seen him in Oh My Ghost and Hospital Playlist I can see that he does basically do the same thing in everything. But I remain loyal to my Oppas. I also really like that he's married with a baby in a pathetically sooky way. He functions as a human being in real life!

The thought I took away from that link was mainly SOCKS AND SNEAKERS!!😱😱

but I do like Omega Bin 😀👍

The socks are a mistake. Between those and the short legged suits worn with no socks it's a world of ankle style confusion in Korea.

Ankles in Korea are either Baltic or roasting.

Romance is a bonus book interesting story & ML is cute. I now want to work in cool office with big windows & spacious work place & my own desk (I hate hot desking).

Dog is also very adorable.

@JinBhoot totally! To get a desk of my own is a dream. To get that sort of office space in my job you have to be super, super high up. I'm v jealous

@JinBhoot I'm watching romance is a bonus book at the moment- I do have my own desk in the office (in normal times, currently I have my own desk in the spare room) it's not as fancy an office though and I could only dream about is having a work library

My homeworking space is close to our utility. I have to ensure my webcam is angled just right so the Ikea blue bags of ironing and boxes for the charity shop around me are out of view. Think of the no trousers on under the desk homeworking scenario and the care needed when shifting angle in meetings. That’s me. Above waist level everything is just peachy.

So 11 eps into My Little Happiness, and it's a good watch. Lots of lovely skinship, very little threat, plenty of eye-candy. I predict a 🐝-friendly ending. Much better than the tedious ^You Complete Me.
^
Anyone else watching?

Only criticism I have is a fair amount of wrist grabbing and wall pinning. I think if the FL has to bend backwards anymore she's going to start a gymnastics troupe.

I haven't been FedUp but sounds like it'll be perfect to fill in the early week gap of on-airs.

I have watched ep 14 of Mr Queen sans subs and can't WAIT for the subs later to rewatch! There are all sorts of mixed messages going on with the relationship as to who they thought they were 'with' but goodness ML & FL have stonking chemistry!
So far the story seems to be following the Chinese version ....hmmmmm...

Intervention needed! I started up until 4am watching BTIMFL last night 😴😴

RIABB Just finished episode 8 and I can’t see ML suffer anymore. Yes book designer is caring & nice guy but I want Eun-ho to confess his feelings. We must have some cute romantic scenes. I was elated (and almost fist pumping) to see the other two guests at the dinner with the author. Those two should hot it off.
It’s Sunday evening (my Monday blues kick in early), I want some happiness in my fictional drama land. I might google the ending.

On other note, stuffed toys in Kdramas are cute. green onions in this one & snail in BTIMFL. I wonder if writers find toy before writing the scene or it’s other way around (in that case some poor intern/junior must be tasked to find suitable toy).

On other note, stuffed toys in Kdramas are cute. green onions in this one & snail in BTIMFL

Yes and the hardworking cow in what’s wrong with secretary kim.

Ohh you are all putting me in the mood to watch Romance is a Bonus Book again!

@Rowdythree

Intervention needed! I started up until 4am watching BTIMFL last night 😴😴

😆😂🤣😂 Good on yer! I’m not sure we’re the right people to ask, because I read your post and thought: “of course that’s what you’d do if you were watching for the first time. It’s brilliant!”

Its so good! I didn't know what to expect from it, but seeing all the love for it had me checking it out.... Then I just couldn't stop 😂😂

I'm on episode 10 already!

@Rowdythree I know the feeling & that’s why couple of days ago I asked others about those watching pace & was hoping to get some tips about slowing the pace.

Narrator: JinBhoot is crazy, such thing doesn’t exist

After BTIMFL I am now binging on Romance is a Bonus Book.

@jinbhoot I think it's impossible to pace them, there's something about the mixture of drama, comedy and romance that just keeps you wanting more! I don't know how they do it, but they've got it right on many occasions! They just offer something you don't get from other genre's.

I've seen Romance is a Bonus Book, I didn't enjoy it as much as many others. Possibly as I'm not a big fan of Lee Jong Suk as the ML (I did enjoy W-Two Worlds though) . I thought Mr Green Onions was much nicer 😉

Just starting the last ep of Uncanny Counter 🤞 it lives up to expectations.

They just offer something you don't get from other genre's
This.

SPOILER ALERT

Do you remember in the last episode of CLOY there was a short but adorable scene after Se Ri had told the stupid brother that he was to be in charge of the music scholarships.
His goofy wife told him how cool he was and he gave her a hug.
This brother and his wife were stupid and greedy and I think in a Western film, because they were both those things and therefore baddies, they wouldn’t be in a scene like that showing them in such a sweet light