MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #25): We may not always agree (on shows, oppa preference, wonky fashion) but we are never disagreeable…

[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)
Doom At Your Service (Viki)
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)*
Mad For Each Other (Netflix)
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)*
Move to Heaven (Netflix)
My Mister (Viki/Netflix)*
My Unfamiliar Family (Viki)*
Navillera (Netflix)*
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
#Alive (Netflix)
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)
Sisyphus (Netflix)
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 ‘You May Also Like’
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)
You Are My Hero (Viki, 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. 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 bum 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!

@Rowdythree

😂😂 Briiiiick! Love it! I don't this he's unattractive, but he's not my type. He looks a bit too up himself and a bit smarmy for my liking! I've never considered he's not the age he says he is🤔

Agreed!

My DH loves The Heirs, but I haven't watched it yet. He can be a tad unreliable when it comes to dramas with Park Shin-Hye though! I did love LMH in The King: Eternal Monarch. I can see why people think he's a bit smarmy though. Perfect for playing a King. Legend of the Blue Sea is on my watchlist once I finally get Viki!

I couldn't finish I May Destroy You @Rowdythree It was so bleak! Michaela Cole is amazing, but I couldn't handle the heavy storyline at all.

We're on the finale of Run On. Really enjoyed the dialogue. Loved both couples. The movie tropes are great for film fans too.

Anyone watching Nevertheless ?
I'm skirting around that or Love ft.Marriage & Divorce currently.

We are ALL watching Nevertheless, sometimes more than once. For the usual shallow reasons, of course, and because it is very good. I even said I’d go camping if I could share a small tent with Song Kang, which is big news for me.

I last camped in 1992 and I would bot go camping with DH.

Not.

Yep AesopsMabels! Loving Nethertheless, mainly for Song Kang but the storyline and side characters are pretty good too 👌🔥

I've just taken a closer look at Song Kang, he is a beautiful looking man isn't he?! I would probably be more attracted to him when he passes 40 yrs. However, let me get a few episodes in and I will confirm 🤓😂.

He’s lovely to watch doing ballet in Navillera too.

Agreed Boaty! Song Kang in tights!

I had to chuckle in the episode of Racket Boys o just watched, where they put Train to Busan on for the halmoni's birthday movie 😂

@boatyardblues

It just made me realise that I really just like watching K dramas, they make me happy.

Same here.

Me too- they just make me smile (mostly, and I've got better at abandoning the ones that don't!) Loved MMH- the last episode wasnt my favourite and I did do a slight eye roll at the tropey ending, I wish they'd just had an hour of them being cute Caught up on YAMS- didn't realise it's 2 episodes a week and nearly finished still 17 which is lovely 💕💕

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Alternatively you will be followed everywhere by the SK Blood Transfusion Service, wanting a donation of your precious, precious life fluid.

Would it be similar to the Spanish inquisition from Monty python?

Not sure "no-one expects the south Korean blood transfusion service" has quite the same ring....

Speaking of camping, I'm just watching the camping in HP and laughing at them just hopping into bed without trekking off in the night to the toilet block. Mighty strong bladders they have there

I'm interested in the little platforms Korean campsites seem to have! Not sure about pegging out the tent, but I would imagine it would be warmer to lie on!

I want to try it!

Boaty - DH convinced me to go camping for just a weekend in Devon about 15yrs ago. I lasted one night then left him and DD's to it after checking myself into a hotel for the 2nd night-alone . NEVER again 🥶😆.

Loved MMH- the last episode wasnt my favourite and I did do a slight eye roll at the tropey ending, I wish they'd just had an hour of them being cute

I agree 💯 with above Hydro

Totally agree with the comments about loving kdrama because there isn't depressing levels of rape/abuse etc. Lots of "good" UK dramas with female leads are so distressing because of the subject matter.

Yes Rowdy the little platforms look cool. Very neat and tidy. Agree they'd probably be warmer, like a built in camp bed vs air bed on the ground.

Football is back this weekend 😄 I can now watch my dramas guilt free.
I am saving latest episode of Hospital Playlist for community shield tomorrow. Will enjoy my uninterrupted viewing.

I have only seen 2 episodes of Nevertheless & finding FL little annoying.

You are my spring is also on pause at ep2

Currently watching (with forward button) Miss Criw with Mr Lizard.

Racket Boys last episode is on Monday.

DP (Netflix) looks interesting but might need some tissues.

PPL in Miss Crow with Mr Lizard is just too much.

I have already bought a packet of dried mango from Sainsbury’s.
Just now found this self heating hot pot 😂😂😂

www.simplyorientalfoods.co.uk/index.php/order-online/hot-pot/xf-self-heating-hotpot-tomato-beef-480g.html

All I need to find is 3% alcoholic canned drink and juice in purple cups 😂😂

Important Science Alert!
www.soompi.com/article/1482215wpp/quiz-how-compatible-with-song-kang-are-you

Oh dear, it turns out I'm only 50% compatible with Song Kang 🤷‍♀️

[quote polkettle]Important Science Alert!
www.soompi.com/article/1482215wpp/quiz-how-compatible-with-song-kang-are-you[/quote]
Here is the result of my hypothesis 😆

Oh no. You and Song Kang just don’t make the perfect pair. The good news is that there is probably still room left to be really good friends!

Poor us Pol! 😢

This is what mine says:

So you might or might not be the best match with Song Kang. Always remember that even if it doesn’t work out with him, there are plenty of other fish in the sea!

😂 I'll just admire him from afar instead 👍

Poor us Jin I mean!