MsLatté’s Daebak Cybercafé (Kdrama addicts #27): The one where global smash Squid Game launches kdrama into the stratosphere. C’mon in!

[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/Netflix)*
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)
Hometown Cha Cha Cha (Viki)
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)/Couple on the Backtrack (Netflix)
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” 💩

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

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!

I did 3 episodes of Search www last night. DH wants to go out for drinks tonight to local. Told him I am too busy with work watching more WWW. Loving the strong Alpha FL and colleagues characters. Male lead very easy on the eye also 😜

Did anyone notice in ep 2 in the cafe scene the background music was same as Hometown chachacha?

Rub-a-dub-dub, Sub-in-a-tub! HAHA, that is my next drama sorted then. SJS still my number 1 💕

I'm stuck watching Young Lady and Gentleman... The overacting from the secondary characters is infuriating! It feels incredibley dated... It's not great!..
But I can't stop watching! 😱😱😭😭🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️... Please send Help! (I'm waiting for both Dali eps to be subbed! 😍😍😍👍)

Fab jumper Bea!! 👍💜

Also waiting for Dali subs & not looking forward to suspected noble idiocy where she goes along with what her aaaawful family want her to do 🤦🏻‍♀️

I'm waiting for Dali subs too- watching triad princess on netflix whilst I wait which is short but fun!

search WWW questions:
Why are there's so many candles in an office, and who's job is it to light them all?
Why is everyone so very attractive?
Where can I get those fabulous earrings? (PPL-tastic)

I take it you are enjoying yourself FedUp? Have you seen Ta-Mi sort out her ex-bosses husband’s car yet? I still smile thinking about that scene.

@boatyardblues

I take it you are enjoying yourself FedUp? Have you seen Ta-Mi sort out her ex-bosses husband’s car yet? I still smile thinking about that scene.

Only on Ep 3 Boats. Looking forward to that tho 😁

Did anyone notice in ep 2 in the cafe scene the background music was same as Hometown chachacha?
Yes I did

I am finding ex-boss’s husband really interesting- better then Morgan.

Story is very good, I didn’t like the camera work. Blurring, close ups & tilting.

I wondered about candles too. I am ep14 now.

My Kdrama observation: lunch time seems long, do people in real life offices get that much time for lunch. I work in public sector so office buildings & pay can’t justify long lunches at cafes or proper restaurants. Plus never get spare time (half hour seems luxury).
Kdramas are lately making me question my lifestyle choices, specially after Oh My Venus. I am trying to eat 3 meals but seriously it’s not easy.

Thinking about watching Chinese historical The Story of Minglan but 73 episodes seems like a big commitment.

I am finding ex-boss’s husband really interesting- better then Morgan.

I was drawn to the ex-boss’s husband too. It’s a compelling strand to the story.

Spy version Sub is flavour of the day here today.

As a married 38 year old mother of one with a career, I thank you for Search: WWW...
^

^

I mean seriously. How would anyone not jump the bones of Park Morgan?

I'm finding the scenes with him and FL too drawn out, the work scenes I'm enjoying. I want an office like Brian's.

@AesopsMables

I'm finding the scenes with him and FL too drawn out, the work scenes I'm enjoying. I want an office like Brian's.

I totally agree. The emo scenes are too long. I'm loving the FL and supporting actresses together.

Oh God! Young Lady and Gentleman is a full on proper soap with hammy acting and very annoying villains... but the main story about aloof chaebol widower and perky fun live in tutor to the three children is sweet (shades of sound of music!!!) and i want to see the pay off... been skipptydoodahing through it.. the coincidences are hilarious and the hammy acting is full on over the top and irritating... but still.............

I'm only 5 episodes in to The King's Affection but I'm wondering if/when we're going to get a dealing with the Crown Prince having a period episode. I have to say I think the suspension of disbelief required is even greater than Coffee Prince. Enjoying it lots though!

We are half way through Hometown Cha Cha Cha - it’s perfect!
I’m glad the time seems to be turning for Kim Seon Ho.

I had my first Korean lesson on Wednesday. My teacher was amazing - kind, patient and very good at explaining.
I had learned the alphabet beforehand (well mostly, but I still get some letters confused) which got us off to a good start, but I don’t think I’m going to be watching K dramas without sub titles anytime soon!

Great news about your lesson Andante! Glad your tutor is nice

Just shown this to my 16 dd who is amazed that mums like k dramas too! It’s our secret thing to do when the menfolk are out. The plots are amazing, and a bit more interesting than marvel movies. Plus we get to try out the cooking kfc, yum! - there’s NO restaurants where we are. 🙁but even picky eater menfolk lap it up.
And dd is teaching herself Korean, go girl! And go adante57 ! That’s amazing.
Just saw train to busan with dd and am utterly exhausted! What a great film. Love the paralleled between zombies and humans. I know, but you know what I mean!

Hi @namebunny 👋👋👋

Your lesson sounds ace Andante 👍

Well lads. I've got the covid. DH tested positive yesterday, me today. DS is negative.

10 days of kdrama ahead. Silver linings, eh?

Sorry to hear you're unwell! Hope you're not feeling too bad and get to enjoy 10 days of K drama!

FedUp Sorry to hear about the positive COVID test. Are you both unwell with it, or are you asymptomatic? The silver lining is time off in front of the telly, but scant comfort if you both feel rotten.

Welcome @namebunny! Your daughter is wrong to assume kdrama is an any-age interest. I read the fan posts under Her Private Life on Viki when it was airing and there were fans from 20-80+ expressing their love for kdrama and Kim Jae Wook. One of us might be able to dig out the Crash Landing on You viewing figures which showed about half of middle aged women in South Korea were watching weekly, massive audience capture. It’s great that you are watching together. I hope you’ll stick around to share your finds and join the banter. 🙂

Oh no Briiiiick! I hope you and dh don't feel too bad with it, and fingers crossed DS manages to avoid it! 🤞 You've got to look at the positives in these situations, so enjoy your drama viewing!

Welcome to the thread @namebunny, it was my teenage DD that got me into K drama. Now she's moved onto to other things, and I'm addicted 😂 even some dads like K drama! I've caught DH sneakily watching Her Private Life whilst pretending to be on his phone. 😜

Welcome @namebunny... Lots and lots to enjoy here! 👍

@FedUpWithBriiiiick... Oh no! Hope you don't feel too bad! 😖... Hope its a good chance to batten down the hatches and kdrama! 👍👍👍👍😍