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!

Are we doing this, chingu?

2_

@boatyardblues

Anyone else quite relieved that Ahn Bo Hyun does not look like Ahn Bo Hyun in Yumi’s Cells? I think it’s the dodgy wig that’s saved it for me.

Nope. The wig effect is wearing off. Can I ask those of you who are reading the webtoon who you think should have been cast in the role, based on the character (not your shallow preferences).

Here is lunch time entertainment

Just watched live!! Feel like a proud mum! 💜😁👍

I know Bea! I just squealed when I realised they were dancing inside the UN 😍.

Just came across it, was coming on here to post same. Love it! Such a happy song and a great performance.

Still working my way through Romance is a bonus book, on episode 10 I think now. Really love it, love the characters and the setting in the publishing business. I'm generally a half an episode a day gal so it's slow going but not in any huge rush for it to end.

Am getting a touch of FOMO for HTCCC though so might have to start that soon.

Can I ask those of you who are reading the webtoon who you think should have been cast in the role, based on the character (not your shallow preferences)

I would’ve said GOT 7s Jinyoung but he is appearing later as Babi so my preference would have been Jung Hae In - which would have got him away from all those dreary roles plus he has proven chemistry with Kim Go Eun just needs longer hair

That BTS clip is phenomenal, I’m not sure which is better though, dancing in the UN building or being used as the opening track for Strictly?? 🤔😂

I've just watched Yumi, I'm not hating Ahn Bo Hyun as Woong, but we haven't seen much of him yet. Jung Hae In Is not a bad shout Bettys, I'd quite like to have seen Park Hyung Sik as Woong. I think Ahn Bo Hyun is not the right build, it need someone skinnier. Also the hair is shocking, Woong's hair is never that bad in the Webtoon 😂

So far, I've enjoyed the 2 episodes , although, I thought my days of watching Cbeebies was over. The cells have a definite children's TV show look to them.

Also the hair is shocking, Woong's hair is never that bad in the Webtoon

It is what we call a “dodgy syrup” in this household (syrup > syrup of figs > wig, Cockney rhyming slang courtesy of DH’s late nan 😂).

It certainly is a dodgy syrup 🤣

On HCCC, I feel like it must be ML who won the lottery (hence minimum wage work). I like the Hwa-Jung (fish restaurant lady) theory too. I do think Du-Shik must have inherited the house from his grandfather though.

I REALLY hope Hye-Jin wasn't involved in a car crash that killed his (potential) wife and child! 🥺 That would be really dark...

I've started My Holo Love after enjoying Yoon Hyun Min in Witch at court

I do think Du-Shik must have inherited the house from his grandfather though.

Good call.

I do have to keep banging the drum that Du-Shik’s dead wife and child are entirely hypothetical, unverified creations of this thread. The speculation is hugely entertaining but it’s still possible that we are way off base. 😄

The camera work in that BTS video is amazing.

Squid Game was fantastic. DS and I finished it earlier. DH was casually watching with us last night from the alley game and got sucked in. He’s going to watch it from the start with DS1. I am giving myself a pat on the back for correctly predicting the twist near the end. I’ll be interested to see if they make a second series. Great cameos too. 👏

Looks like Lovers of the Red Sky has had a break for Chuseok. 😕 Ah well, it’s only partly hitting the mark.

HTCCC... Ex husband the only character that gets on my nerves! Ugh!

Ugh! HTCCC! Ex husband is thoroughly thoroughly annoying now! 😡

All caught up with HTCCC- next week's episode looks so good!
I agree ML has a sad backstory - either wife and child or maybe Mum and sibling in the photo? Lottery win I think either ML or fish restaurant lady?
I did wonder if the teacher was going to reveal she was in love with the wife not the ex husband. But it seems unlikely in a K-drama! Love the 2ml and he was good in once again as well- I hope him and the ml stay as friends despite the love triangle. I hope cop/dental nurse either move it along or as someone earlier suggests she gives up and has a wild fling whilst he's still busy removing posters from lampposts

I did wonder if the teacher was going to reveal she was in love with the wife not the ex husband. But it seems unlikely in a K-drama!

Agree that an eonni-loves-eonni story is unlikely but I would not be at all surprised if teacher tells exH to buzz off because she always valued the friendship with his ex-wife more and only tolerated him, spiking his rosy memories once and for all.

Loving our alternative HCCC writers room here.

I can’t stand the ExH either, I actually skipped the whole slipping scene.

Ex husbands hair gives me the actual dry bokes.

Me, reading my latest Yumis Cells eps this morning. Me immediately after, googling 'shop fried egg umbrella'.