MsLattés Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #21): With our ranks swelling due to pandemic ennui, the Ajummas of Darkness are building an ARMY 😉 of Addicts.

[boatyardblues]

A quiet corner of MN for serious addicts of Kdrama, or the K-curious. 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 Queen (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)*
Run On (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)
True Beauty (Viki)
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)/Hot Stove League (Netflix)

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)
Peninsula - film, Train to Busan sequel (Amazon Prime, iMovies)

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)
My Little Happiness (Viki, Chinese)
Put Your Head on My Shoulder (Netflix, Chinese)
Some Day or One Day (Viki, Taiwanese)
The Romance of Tiger & Rose (Viki, Chinese)
Tientsin Mystic (Netflix, Chinese)

Thread Regulars’ Top Scoring Dramas of 2020 (updated for thread #21)
Courtesy of Hello’s kdrama spreadsheet, updated by/for thread regulars. Marks out of 10.

1 - Mr Queen - 9.4 (5 votes)
2 - Parasite - 9.05 (10 Votes)
3 - It's Okay To Not Be Okay - 8.88 (9 Votes)
4 - The Uncanny Counter - 8.50 (4 Votes)
5 - Once Again - 8.42 (6 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 explained or 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…

Secret Garden was the second drama I watched (after CLOY) as I chased after further HB hit. It is clunky and slow and dated in many ways with hideous overacting chaebol mother turn but has some great bits once they start body swapping and classic education for me into many KDrama motifs that followed. Plus a very very cute bonkers final episode (where you really feel they need to rethink open plan modernist living space in light of child proofing needs...)

I enjoyed Peninsula. DS2 (13) joined me part way through and loved it. He’s not scared of zombies at all.

I've watched 15 of those dramas, or maybe 16 if you count the Japanese version of Signal (I watched a bit of the kdrama version too and the script was exactly the same)
I'm on a night shift on Tuesday so hopefully I can time my break to be at the same time as BTS on MTV Unplugged!!

"I'll meet you in the fragrance blending room"

As one does...

I've watched 19. I will never achieve 25 as I will never watch DOTS, Boys Over Flowers, and Dream High, but may give others ago.

Secret Garden will always have a special place in my heart. It really is my guilty pleasure

I watched secret garden 1st ep (due to this list!) ... Don't think I can watch anymore... It's just tooooo dated!... I can't cope!
Am now watching Hello Me Netflix with Race Horse Legs Kim Young kwan... And it's very funny and promising so far! 👍👍👍

I’m just about to start watching episode 10 of Chicago Typewriter. Absolutely loving it! It took several episodes to get into it and I nearly gave up watching, but I’m so pleased I continued. I think it was around episode 4 that it really grabbed me.
I’m also loving the music and I’ve discovered so many new artists watching these Kdramas.

Ahhh! I knew there was another reason why I have Sisyphus on my To Watch list... Am going to wait for a few more to rack up and I think this might be one I can watch with dh too! 😂👍👍👍😂💜💜

Hello Birdy how's your recovery going? I hope you're doing well. I haven't watched Chicago Typewriter It's on the list!

I've started My Love from a Star which is one I've almost watched multiple times but never have, 2 episodes in and enjoying it so far. It doesn't feel like it's from 2013, It's aged well I think!

@Rowdythree

Hello Birdy how's your recovery going? I hope you're doing well. I haven't watched Chicago Typewriter It's on the list!

I've started My Love from a Star which is one I've almost watched multiple times but never have, 2 episodes in and enjoying it so far. It doesn't feel like it's from 2013, It's aged well I think!

I think my recovery is taking awhile. I need an excuse to watch these dramas!

@Birdy65

I’m just about to start watching episode 10 of Chicago Typewriter. Absolutely loving it! It took several episodes to get into it and I nearly gave up watching, but I’m so pleased I continued. I think it was around episode 4 that it really grabbed me. I’m also loving the music and I’ve discovered so many new artists watching these Kdramas.

Chicago Typewriter has one of the most passionate kdrama snogs ever - the doorway scene. I totally bought it, so the actors did a fine job.

Anyone have the list for those of us who couldn't stand the voice are too lazy to look?

From memory

Strong Girl Bong Soon
Weight Lifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
Goblin
My Love from a Star
Descendents of the sun
Crash Landing on you
Kingdom
Boys over Flowers
Reply 1988
It's okay to not be okay
Coffee Prince
Signal
Kill me, heal me
W two worlds apart
Secret Garden
Fight for my way
100 days My Prince

I can't remember any others, hopefully someone else can fill in the gaps

Anyone else have an involuntary internal ‘o-ho!’ every time they see 100 Years My Prince written down?

@Birdy65 Chicago typewriter is among my top 5.
ML’s study is 😍... costume & styling of ML & 2ML is on point.
I felt very sad/something missing in life kinda feeling after the show. I was so engrossed in the show.

Here are all songs in one video

Oh @boatyardblues .... yes they have served the country well 😉
I think more then top/face contact it’s ML’s use of other body parts & gestures that has created impressionable scene. Doorway snog has to be one of the most memorable snog of Kdramas. Have they won any award?

@Rowdythree

Hello Birdy how's your recovery going? I hope you're doing well. I haven't watched Chicago Typewriter It's on the list!

I've started My Love from a Star which is one I've almost watched multiple times but never have, 2 episodes in and enjoying it so far. It doesn't feel like it's from 2013, It's aged well I think!

One of my top 5 I think! It is brilliantly funny and yet beautifully angsty! 🥰

@Rowdythree thanks! Yeah...I've watched them all 😂😂

@boatyardblues

Anyone else have an involuntary internal ‘o-ho!’ every time they see 100 Years My Prince written down?

Always! Oho!! 😂😂😂😂

I mean having Boys Over Flowers in that list but not My Mister...

Honestly.

Very much enjoyed a. Octopus mouth dance and b. Jellyfish fact off joust in Love is Sweet.

After seeing my Audible stats I'm glad Netflix/Viki/Olga don't have that function 🤣 I'm pretty certain that there are only 24hrs in a day...

Very much enjoyed a. Octopus mouth dance and b. Jellyfish fact off joust in Love is Sweet.

Let's face it, it's not often you can say that.

I'm on the last stretch of Love Is Sweet and wishing there was more even though the last few episodes are a bit of an add-on and I could do without the 2nd couple.

I’m not sure whether I can bear Hello Me because her 17 year old self is such an unremitting gobshite. I’m hoping that hearing some home truths in ep 3 will mellow her. Kim Young-Kwang’s character also needs to expand beyond one dimension pronto or I’m out.

2nd couple are peculiarly unengaging.
Can we all just take a moment this morning to appreciate Lovely Horse on wall of chief head honcho boss of major investment bank office. Plus is that a boxset of Rocky Blu-ray's?

@polkettle

2nd couple are peculiarly unengaging. Can we all just take a moment this morning to appreciate Lovely Horse on wall of chief head honcho boss of major investment bank office. Plus is that a boxset of Rocky Blu-ray's?

Any sign of Kelly Hoppen's Interiors book? It usually makes an appearance.