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…

Omo indeed Boaty!! That is one gorgeous couple!!

They make perfect sense. I know it’s acting but they give off a similar (haughty) vibe.

I think it's so nice to hear of them having a long term relationship! It must be difficult having a private life, if it's even allowed with crazy fans or contracts saying no! Good for them! 👏

They co-parent two dogs. I recommend the Jung Kyung Ho video on YouTube where he takes his dogs for a walk and talks about the responsibility of dog care with the weary air of a father of newborn twins. It's chief charm is the fact that at no point do the dogs ever actually walk on their "walk".

argh! finished Navillera ep 7 yesterday... it's just going to be sad isn't it? but uplifting!????
My kdrama watching has been vastly curtailed as dd likes me to watch anime with her in the evenings and by the tim ewe've finished 9.30 or so... i just want to go to bed and catch up on bangtan world!... we're watching Neon Genesis Evangaline (or whwatever it's called) and it's ful of angst and thrills!!!!

Bea my daughter used to like watching anime and K drama with us, but now she doesn't come out of her room in the evenings! Make the most of it while you can!

Where can I watch this movie?

Confidential assignment

This one is coming in May, I am guessing in cinemas not steaming platforms.

You are so precious to me

Okay we're going to need some kind of Sobometer for Navillera. Today's episode was 4 well ups, 2 audible sniffs and a hard swallow for me 💧💧💧

Where can I watch this movie? Confidential assignment

@JinBhoot if you can put up with Olga & her friends flashing their boobs at you then drama cough cool is where it’s at.

HB is smokin’ 🔥

[quote JinBhoot]This one is coming in May, I am guessing in cinemas not steaming platforms.

You are so precious to me

[/quote] I want to watch this. It looks lovely.

I was dry-eyed in tonight’s Navillera, but tomorrow’s looks like a proper blubfest. Tonight’s felt like a groundwork episode before a major plot advance or pivot.

I followed Yoo Ah In (hongsick) on IG. A couple of his posts are, erm, a bit full on. It’s quite unusual to see anything controversial or edgy posted on IG by a celeb, but I read on his wiki he’s some kind of opinion setter, outspoken on social issues etc. His wiki talks about how he’s vocal on feminist issues/an ally. A couple of his IG posts made me , reminding me of the MN FWR caution that self-proclaimed male feminists are often not any kind of feminist at all when you scratch the surface.

@boatyardblues

I followed Yoo Ah In (hongsick) on IG. A couple of his posts are, erm, a bit full on. It’s quite unusual to see anything controversial or edgy posted on IG by a celeb, but I read on his wiki he’s some kind of opinion setter, outspoken on social issues etc. His wiki talks about how he’s vocal on feminist issues/an ally. A couple of his IG posts made me , reminding me of the MN FWR caution that self-proclaimed male feminists are often not any kind of feminist at all when you scratch the surface.

Just had a look. He seems like a right bellend, and you're right about the FWR adage...

Just taken in that Navillera is only 12 episodes and finishing next week which is also making me cry.

@polkettle

Just taken in that Navillera is only 12 episodes and finishing next week which is also making me cry.

Really? Oh no! I know in reality the storyline is finite, but I could quite happily dip in for a top up every week. My life would be improved by it.

Doesn't feel long enough for all the arcs I want unpacked and packed up again to happen 😢

Half way through navillera ep 9... It's beautiful! Blubbed at the radio station message! 😭😭😭
It's going to end with a performance and shots from the documentary isn't it!! And I'll just... 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
I'll be sooo sad to see it ending... But 12 eps seem good to not let it eeek and drag out! 👍👌😍

I agree, it's such a lovely show, to drag it out to 16 episodes would not be good.

A perfect bundle of 12.

Ohh the radio phone-in 🥲

Anyone watching sell your haunted house? Started it today and enjoyed it loads so far- Jang Na-Ra is very kick ass in it, I like the office manager and the ML is good too so far- I hope it stays fun. I liked Ahn Gil Kang as the evil chairman as I've only seen him as Dad style charactera in weight lifting fairy, once again and tales of 9 tailed. It reminds of the bits of Korean odyssey I liked the best when she's exorcising ghosts for a living but with more action!

I'm behind on everything so no idea about Navillera but it's going on the list! I just finished Goblin which I LOVED! And I'm now on episode 4 of My love from the star. But I have so many questions already . Why does he shower in a towel, it makes no sense? And when did she get the little mole on her nose that wasn't there when she was a teenager? And he can't mix saliva with humans- so does that mean there are no snogs? Or just dead fish kissing?

Mr Sim sharing his lunch with Ho-Beom has made my eyes leaky.

^