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…

@hawthornknitter

I've started My Love From the Star, very different from how I thought it would be, enjoying it though.

@hawthornknitter Ahhh! One of my absolute favourites! 🥰Enjoy!! Get your tissues ready for blubbing!! 😭

PYJOMS is well made but I can't say I loved it, or the ML, I much preferred the cad ez-boyfriend and can definitely see why he got ML in MLH!

@Hydrogensonata but the blood on her uniform 🦠🦠🦠 cross contamination 😲

@boatyardblues I think in light of the global pandemic and its impact on women we should definitely rate them by how much housework/childcare the ML does 😉

The jogging scene on YAMH is perfection, everything I watch dramas for, funny, sweet, romantic and trope filled! 10/10

I’m all caught up with YAMH now, so anxiously waiting on the subbers when the new episodes drop.

I unexpectedly have a lot of time on my hands today as I just had to go for a covid test after I started coughing in the night...I've got so much to watch whilst waiting for the results! 👀 Got to have some positives during these times!

They really are like crack the CDramas (not that I have extensive experience of crack but I imagine it's basically the same state of mind.) Trying Sunshine of my Life to fill the YAMH wait void but bonding over preservation of traditional Chinese embroidery techniques is no grenade, gas gangrene and collapsed pit peril.
Loved the purple heels and purple ankle socks combo Boaty A powerful Look 👀
Trying not to angst over true love expressed through excessive single use plastic.

@Bea I really hope it's good too!!!!
@Rowdythree 🤞 your test is negative, and enjoy your time off 😁

Trying not to angst over true love expressed through excessive single use plastic.

I hear you. I pointed out the colourful, strobing LED skyscrapers in an earlier episode of YAMH to DH and he tutted and said: “just think of the carbon footprint!” (You start to get a sense of why kdrama/cdrama is a necessary outlet for me. 😄)

Just started Joseon Exorcist
😱😱😱🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️😱😱😱

Great so far! 😂👍

What I can say about Sunshine of my Life is that ML has a terrific collection of silk pyjamas. 5 different pairs seen in 3 episodes so far.

I'm taking advantage of being on a late shift and watching the first episode of Joseon Exorcist before I have to go to work. I've just realised it's an 18. I can't think of any other kdramas I've seen on Netflix or Viki rated 18. I hope I'm not scared 😱

@bettys

Just started Joseon Exorcist 😱😱😱🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️🧟‍♂️😱😱😱

Great so far! 😂👍

@bettys!!!... i'm waiitng for at least two eps before starting!

@Rowdythree hope you feel better soon... x

I’m finding Joseon Exorcist quite tense, I’ve already been shouting RUN!!!RUN!!! in my head.

Naughty womanising Prince is lovely ML from Into The Ring 😆 and Nokdu sidekick is lovely teacher from True Beauty wheeeeee!

ahhhh lovely TB Teacher!!!!

OK that was pretty grizzly!!! And there were almost clothes off in bed 😱. So I can see why it's an 18. 😂
It does look like it will be good though!
The Nokdu sidekick/TB lovely teacher has been a 2ML/sidekick/minor bad guy in so many dramas

Womanising Prince looks like he might not be so rubbish as first painted. And poor young Prince in the ice cell!!
Shall we have a bet how long Italian Exorcist will last for? I'm saying 2 more episodes 😂

OK must go to work now... I definitely won't start an ep of YAMH....

Today I will be your ‘husband’ so enjoy it down below

😯🤭 Interesting subs, 😂 definitely an 18!!!

Shall we have a bet how long Italian Exorcist will last for? I'm saying 2 more episodes 😂

I’m hoping the translator gets it in the neck soon (ha! ha!) and what’s with the tattoo on the priests hand? 🤔

Also liking the bandits especially tousled long hair fella and hoping they come into play more

Mmm yes tousled bandit looks good too!
Honestly I'm going to work now 😂😂😂

Feel better soon @Rowdythree

@polkettle

What I can say about Sunshine of my Life is that ML has a terrific collection of silk pyjamas. 5 different pairs seen in 3 episodes so far.

I'm interested...

Thanks for the good wishes everyone, I've just enjoyed the first episode of Navillera I think it's going to be a good one.

Is anyone else watching Must you go? I'm not sure if episode 8 is the final one or not🤔

Currently waiting for HTB30 subs on episode 9, I have a few other things to catch up on before diving into YAMH 😬

Navillera 😍