MsLattés Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #22): As pandemic restrictions ease the Ajummas of Darkness and ARMY recruits are on spring manoeuvres, camping under the cherry blossom

[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)*
Lovestruck in the City (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)
To My Star [BL] (Viki)
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)
You Make Me Dance [BL] (Viki)


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…

Must say the chemistry between ML and FL in Love Designer is sizzling! ML not my cup of tea, FL is gorgeous!

back to Vincenzo then until subs up!!!.....

Have you seen Full House it’s a contract marriage story.
From Wikipedia Considered a pioneer of the "romantic comedy" genre in Korean drama, the drama was a great success in Asia and helped propel the Korean Wave.

I am still ashamed at my lack of self control.
I have set a new record, started at lunch time Thursday & finished early hours of Saturday.

There’s no need for self-flagellation Jin. We’ve all been there. You are among shameless addicts friends here. (And good work! )

@JinBhoot I am still ashamed at my lack of self control. I have set a new record, started at lunch time Thursday & finished early hours of Saturday.

👏👏it’s like a rite of passage in the Daebak Cybercafé

Where are you up to on LD FedUp I’m on ep 22 & find the BFF a little tedious she is so anti ML (who isn’t normally my cup of tea but have warmed to hugely!)

@bettys only episode 7. I'm not keen on the 2FL, I liked her in the first episode being kick ass for her mate tho 😁

Shouting at the 🥔

Yep, BFF and drippy boyfriend annoyed me in Love Designer but she's a bit better later on. How badly are you being triggered by "We are the brave! We are the bold!"?

Haha, some ringtone.

The baddie has just appeared... now we're talking...

I hope Mr Queen doesn't get removed, over not watched it yet but it sounds good. Don't want to start if it might disappear mid watching. It feels unfair the ripples from JE are affecting others.

Jinbhoot I think binge watching only makes you a firm member of these threads. I've not yet managed the level of most on here, very dedicated. 😆

The sword and the brocade has strangely sucked me in but I can't binge as still releasing. It's certainly gentle but beautiful and interesting as not watched historical CDrama before apart from the Ghost Bride, which was more about afterlife.

ginger I have my eye on Sword & Brocade

Yes why do they all have that ringtone in LD?

Oh and I am contemplating making brown sugar cake after seeing it one episode 🤔

YAMH ep 24 subs at 98%👍

I’ve probably missed it somewhere but I’ve looked on Boaty’s list of dramas and I can’t find YAMH.
Please, what does it stand for?

You are my Hero @Andante57

Thank you Rowdy.

That Twitter thread was interesting @Bea. Thanks for sharing. Would anyone mind sharing further information on the problems with Joseon Exorcist?

I've nearly finished Reply 1988 and I think I will be bereft when it's over! DH has been Team Taek and I was Team Jung-Hwan so that has been interesting! Love the ensemble cast. Really heart warming series.

Intrigued by Cdrama having read all your posts but so much Kdrama to get through first!

Sub sweats it's definitely a good phrase! Glad to see Dr Sulky got caught out- she needs to give herself a shake! But now I need the next 4 episodes subbing ASAP!
Finished beating again this morning- I liked most of it but I couldn't warm to the FL- I know she's meant to be all efficiently but I just couldn't quite get any chemistry between them.
Not sure what to watch whilst waiting for YAMH subs

@sakura06 I think kdrama will always be my first love, but I have really grown to appreciate cdrama, jdrama and Tdrama for all their individual quirks and styles 😆

@Hydrogensonata you could give Love Designer a whirl!

@bettys 😊

Sakura there are some interesting posts about Joseon Exorcist on Reddit.

Drunk Shu Wenbo made me laugh in YAMH! What is wrong with him though, I want to give him a shake and tell him to pull himself together!

Dr sulky and her mum both seen to have made dramatic turnarounds in their attitudes, she was let off much too lightly over her bitchy behaviour towards Dr Mi! 🙄

Thanks @Andante57.

Hopeless trio of noble but non-communicative men Rowdy 🙄 PULL YOUR FINGER OUT SPUD-SHE-LIKES

Have just completed Scripting Your Destiny with handsome totty from Once Again in it. Anyone else watched? I need ending help...

Poor Dr Mi. First her BFF, now her boyfriend. Is she emitting radiation?

Also BACK UP IN THREES, MI KA!