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've particularly enjoyed the housework scene in YAMH - he's welcome to come and hoover here any time 😁 although I'm questioning some of his interior decor ideas
I'll look out for purple ankle socks/heels combo- perfect for post lockdown fashion?

YAMH ep 11, watched little bit during lunch time (as soon episode was available). So did he stayed the night at his sisters?
Scene was abruptly cut to the next as soon as he turned the light switch off after almost pinning her to the wall (typical cdrama move). I have so many random questions.
I should leave the logic behind but I need answers.

@jinbhoot I think so? Although as the "pristine nurses hats in an earthquake disaster zone" have shown there's clearly no place for logic

Yes, sister lives opposite Jin. ML and FL in facing apartments seems to be an absolute standard in CDrama and I am A Fan of the japes it brings.
Who else is trying the ballet move in Navillera and timing themselves? 😁

Haraboji is so cute in Navillera I just want to hug him!

[quote Hydrogensonata]@jinbhoot I think so? Although as the "pristine nurses hats in an earthquake disaster zone" have shown there's clearly no place for logic[/quote]
You have a qualified medic giving a spontaneously breathing patient CPR in the first 5 mins of ep 1. Let logic go and park your critical thinking Jin. To do otherwise will only cause you pain.

Anyone seen How to be 30 ep 9 yet? I can't work out if he knows the other woman has been to see FL

Is anyone else watching Must you go? I'm not sure if episode 8 is the final one or not🤔
I am watching this in a half-arsed way but I’m not caught up. The info bit on the Viki app usually gives the broadcast date ranges.

This thread moves fast these days. I had to go back a page to find Rowdy’s post about Must You Go?

I'm well and truly into YAMH now, I'm just about to start ep5! Loving it so far, handsome drillmasters, emergencies a plenty and blossoming romances. What's not to like! Enjoying my first dip into a Cdrama!

It’s a very good one Rowdy. They aren’t at this standard often.

@boatyardblues

Is anyone else watching Must you go? I'm not sure if episode 8 is the final one or not🤔 I am watching this in a half-arsed way but I’m not caught up. The info bit on the Viki app usually gives the broadcast date ranges.

I'm a bit half arsed about it to, it seemed like the end but it didn't state final episode. There was no preview though, so I'm guessing it's finished... Strange ending if so 🤷‍♀️

Bettys I'm about to watch ep9 of HTB30, need a break from YAMH for 20 minutes 😂

boaty I shall lower my expectations accordingly for future then 😁👍

@bettys

Anyone seen How to be 30 ep 9 yet? I can't work out if he knows the other woman has been to see FL

No idea! He spoke as if he knew they'd met, but why didn't he say? Why didn't she say?! Aagh frustrating!

Back to YAMH I go 😎

✋Also frustrated by HTB30 It's being too oblique which doesn't allow emotional connection as too uneasy about motivation. But sure it will all come out in the wash (possibly at that launderette). Glad YAMH providing good medicine Rowdy. So healing...

@polkettle & @Rowdythree just watched episode 9 of htb30 and I think it's even more oblique than the start of run on (although not in the same way!) I'm not sure if the episodes are just too short but nothing seems to happen? And I can't see that it's going anywhere yet
Back to YAMH again for the most up to date episode

No oblique nonsense from the straight talking sharp shooters of YAMH ☺️

Anyone else fretting about the blue Toilet Duck undead blood staining all the lovely silk hanboks in Joseon Exorcist? I am.

Dammit I'm not going to get blue Toilet Duck out of my head now ....especially with all the arterial spray......ewwwww

Sorry (not sorry)

I like thon boyo's silky pjs and flowery tuxedo jacket in Sunshine of my Life.

@polkettle

No oblique nonsense from the straight talking sharp shooters of YAMH ☺️

No shit, only shoot.

I had to give the Joseon undead a rest to ensure a good night’s sleep and accidentally started Navillera. The dialogue at the funeral is great. The ballet is beautiful and very relaxing to watch. I’m only 10 mins in and I’m already getting a good vibe. This could be up there with My Mister as a classic, beautifully observed slice of life kdrama.

Brain sashimi, spam in the fridge, Westlifr album on the wall and Adele suddenly blasting out in a quiet bar, all expected but so delightful to spot! What a treat YAMH is...The neurosurgery friend is getting on my nerves though!

I might need a 👢 tonight

Im up to ep 4 of YAMH and its just as enjoyable as you all said. Just what we need to get us through a pandemic.
boaty I won't be able to watch Joseon Exorcist without thinking of Toilet Duck now 😂