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…

I agree re Itaewon Class I didn't love the FLs, but I did love PSJ and I overall really enjoyed it. I really want to see Ahn Bo Hyun in something else after it though. His character was so horrible in Itaewon Class but he was such a sweetheart in HPL.

I'm up to date with Vincenzo now. It is giving me whiplash between lighthearted comedy and then pretty grizzly slaughter.

Anyone making a start on Navillera?

Is it on Netflix now FedUp ? I definitely want to watch.

May I throw Legend of Fuyao in the Chinese drama mix? Strong FL character.
It was my 2nd drama (east Asia) and then I discovered Korean dramaland & never looked back.
First was General’s lady, bit drag but alright.

I sense we’re going to have to tweak our next header to be kdrama/cdrama addicts. Will there soon need to be a radical re-ordering of the OP?

I have to say, I thought Put Your Head on My Shoulder was painfully slow and very tame, even for a , even though it was very sweet. I don’t think it would hold a complete newcomer’s attention. YAMH is much, much better - the story nips along nicely.

Ooh yes (Navillera) Going in...

What’s the name of that new Chinese streaming service some of you have joined?

Definitely going to watch Navillera!

boaty it’s www.iq.com/

I got it on a special offer and definitely have had my money’s worth so far, plus it will be showing Lee Min Ki’s new one

Will be watching Navillera

It's very moving. I think it's going to be a classic!

@boatyardblues

What’s the name of that new Chinese streaming service some of you have joined?

IQIYI? Oh Master! is going to start on it tomorrow I think!

Found you all. I've caught up on the thread and now have FOMO for YAMH. I've got a long weekend coming up so will binge to catch up.
I will be joining those watching Navillera. Also Oh My Master.

@fifilacklustre

Found you all. I've caught up on the thread and now have FOMO for YAMH. I've got a long weekend coming up so will binge to catch up. I will be joining those watching Navillera. Also Oh My Master.

Hi Fifi! YAMY is easy binging, you'll catch up no time!

Rowdy, I think I am one of the biggest cdrama fans on this thread and the rabbit hole 🐰 🕳 is very deep....

Is Oh! My master going to be shown anywhere else? I really want to watch it, but don't want to sign up for another platform...I might be headed for divorce if I do 😂

Cassini that's what I'm scared if, I might never come out of the hole! 🐰🕳️

Lovely first episode. Think it's going to be a good un.

@polkettle

Lovely first episode. Think it's going to be a good un.

Me too Pol

@Rowdythree

Is Oh! My master going to be shown anywhere else? I really want to watch it, but don't want to sign up for another platform...I might be headed for divorce if I do 😂

Cassini that's what I'm scared if, I might never come out of the hole! 🐰🕳️

Not on Netflix or Viki 😔

Arse, I wonder if it will eventually, I don't know weather to hold out. If it sounds really good I might give in and sign up 😂 what's one more streaming platform!?

Has anyone watched Forest with Park Hae-jin? It's just caught my eye on Viki.

@Rowdythree

Arse, I wonder if it will eventually, I don't know weather to hold out. If it sounds really good I might give in and sign up 😂 what's one more streaming platform!?

There's a months free trial I think Rowdy!

You can get a month on iQIYI for free so can always wait and then binge whole series. I cancelled after free month as felt there wasn't enough on there for me to justify (as I'm not yet ready for Chinese fighty flowy robe fantasy 🐰🕳️) but now regretting!

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Has anyone watched Forest with Park Hae-jin? It's just caught my eye on Viki.

I'll wait for the series to finish then and use the free trial to watch it 👍

Re Forest I've watched the trailers and it's on my watch list, just not got round to it yet!

Has anyone watched Forest with Park Hae-jin? It's just caught my eye on Viki.

I thought it was an awful, couldn't watch it. Badly put together and just a mess really.