MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #26): With the dog days of summer behind us, it’s time to dust off your persimmon racks and dig out your down jackets for a cosy k-autumn

[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)
Monthly Magazine Home (Viki)
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)
Racket Boys (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/Netflix)


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)*

AVOID, AVOID, AVOID aka “the shit list” 💩

Well-Intentioned Love season 1 (S2 is fine)
The Birth of a Beauty

Thread Regulars’ Top Scoring Dramas of 2020
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). 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!

But as slow and ponderous as a quidditch match (the books, not the films). You know how you can watch YouTube x2. That’s what this episode needed. Give me more water demon pls!

Yeah it's pretty thin stuff.

Its such a waste of Ahn Hyo Seop. 😠

Sorry to hear it's not great! The visuals look beautiful.

Look, it could yet pull all the stops out and get back on track but its not looking promising.

LOTRS?

Lovers of the Red Sky Jin. Pretty but slow.

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Who was watching C-drama GO Into your heart?

I'm halfway through first episode, does the FL get any less annoying/bratty? Her lack of professionalism is making my teeth itch.

Me 👋🏻

The FL is annoying at the start to allow for the meet cutes but she gets better (or you start not to notice).

I find all the Chinese FLs too sweet and fluffy but I think that is just a cultural preference that I now tune out.

What is interesting is the FL is currently more interested in the 2ML and it looks like the writers are going to have to work hard to win the audience round from 2MLS!

I have, however, had a huge soft spot for the ML since the scene outside the hospital in Love O2O where he gave an amazing performance as a supporting cast member that made me proper ugly cry 😭

I've started to watch Witch AT Court on Netflix... the FL is the FL from Wok of Love and I find her rather irritating... she always plays a certain character... however... the story is good... ot's got evil deranged lawyer from Vincenzo and Lovely ML from My Holo Love (though thought Holo was very "meh!")... It's intriguiubg as it follows a Prsoecutirs office who specialise in crimes against Women and Children ... thus the topic is quite shocking! I mean... it's gets quite gritty! (for a kdrama!!!)... it's intriguiung and i'm quite enjoying it... even though I find FL character quite unlikeable... though she's getting more acceptable as the drama progresses!!!

Lovely Horse Pics Showstopper round! Actually quite enjoyed today's LOTRS. Lampshade hat bloke was robbed.

Oh Pol! Spoiler alert much? 😉 I thought they might have to do still life in the final round. SMH.

Finally got round to watching Ms. Hammurabi. Korean Keira Knightly's wibbly chin is working overtime. More tears per scene than any other star. She must be dehydrated.

@Bea

I've started to watch Witch AT Court on Netflix... the FL is the FL from Wok of Love and I find her rather irritating... she always plays a certain character... however... the story is good... ot's got evil deranged lawyer from Vincenzo and Lovely ML from My Holo Love (though thought Holo was very "meh!")... It's intriguiubg as it follows a Prsoecutirs office who specialise in crimes against Women and Children ... thus the topic is quite shocking! I mean... it's gets quite gritty! (for a kdrama!!!)... it's intriguiung and i'm quite enjoying it... even though I find FL character quite unlikeable... though she's getting more acceptable as the drama progresses!!!

Ooh I’m on episode 4 of Witch at Court and I feel the same about FL and ML! Glad I’m not the only one 😂

Soz for RUINING it Boaty 😁 I'm a sucker for a Lovely Horse.

ML from Holo Love is lovely but I worry he’ll ruin his lovely face with surgery.

@Bea

I've started to watch Witch AT Court on Netflix... the FL is the FL from Wok of Love and I find her rather irritating... she always plays a certain character... however... the story is good... ot's got evil deranged lawyer from Vincenzo and Lovely ML from My Holo Love (though thought Holo was very "meh!")... It's intriguiubg as it follows a Prsoecutirs office who specialise in crimes against Women and Children ... thus the topic is quite shocking! I mean... it's gets quite gritty! (for a kdrama!!!)... it's intriguiung and i'm quite enjoying it... even though I find FL character quite unlikeable... though she's getting more acceptable as the drama progresses!!!

I've started Witch at court too! Only on ep 2 though! I nearly switched off during the first ep when I realised what was happening to her mum! It's very gritty for a K drama, I'm gripped though. I can't wait to see all those creeps get their comeuppance 🤬

I've not been able to watch any dramas for the last 5 days 😲 and wanted to finish kill me heal me before starting anything else- however I'm getting major HTCCC FOMO so starting it tomorrow
But will make myself be sensible and not stay up stupidly late to try and catch up
Or at least I'll try?

My oh my, LOTRS is slow but somehow still engaging. I felt for that poor horse carrying two riders. It definitely had the bake-off vibe this week.

I also have FOMO from HTCCC Hydrogensonata! DH is going away this weekend so will hopefully have a binge on it then! How much if KMHM have you got left? Ji Sung as Se Gi with his guy liner 😍

I was trying to finished Shopping Prince Louis before I started anything else, but I failed 🙄

I don't know if anyone else does this, but I have a premium list of dramas that I want to be able to watch in full , without being disturbed (very rare occurance) then I have the dramas that I don't mind watching in fits and starts, which is why I end up with so many on the go as I don't get chance to get fully invested in them.

I have a small buffet of ongoing and already dropped dramas that I dip in and out of to suit my mood. It is the only way, surely?

Yep, a buffet! That's a good way to describe it. I get fed up after a while though, and feel the need to eat all the remaining items on the table, even if I don't like them 🤣

You have days when only Wotsit and pink wafer telly will hit the spot - and that’s OK too.

My non-kdrama friend is watching King:The Eternal Monarch. I think she’s rabbit hole adjacent and just needs something to nudge her in.

I can’t wait for Her Private Life to hit Netflix. I think we’ll see a few new faces as a result - it is very accessible and more mainstream. Plus KJW. 🤞

Just read this news story. BTS given special envoy status to accompany SK president to UN.

www.republicworld.com/entertainment-news/music/bts-given-diplomat-passports-by-south-korea-president-to-attend-unga-as-envoys.html

Still have to enlist? Probably.

Bit rich of the Blue House to exploit the members for political gains, and then send them off for enlistment.

😱😳😱😳.. Watching Witch At Court and looked up who bad guy but framed for crime was... And I've just twigged that lovely prosecuter/lawyer brother in He Is Psychometric is the bitter failed footballer in Navillera! 😱😳

@FedUpWithBriiiiick

Just read this news story. BTS given special envoy status to accompany SK president to UN.

www.republicworld.com/entertainment-news/music/bts-given-diplomat-passports-by-south-korea-president-to-attend-unga-as-envoys.html

Still have to enlist? Probably.

Bit rich of the Blue House to exploit the members for political gains, and then send them off for enlistment.

I think it's a matter of they'd "have" to go as there seems to be a huge amount of pride /duty tied up with enlistment... Though I suspect there'll be given shorter time and more special "area of expertise"... The "let's put on a show" unit! 😂🤣😂... But whatever they choose to do is 👍👍... Think it might be nice to be out of the limelight for a bit! They're going to the UN to speak again! And I'm sure they'll be doing something sneaky in new York... Jimmy fallon show I might guess! 😂😂