Okay, so there are a lot of complaints that the 2009 Drama Poll is too biased because You’re Beautiful is winning so heavily. I have my own reasons for thinking that’s not true — how can you get upset that people are voting for their favorite drama when that’s what the poll asks? — but I got to wondering how the results might look different if you could vote for THREE, rather than ONE, drama. (I’ll add this to the big poll post as well.)
So. Let’s test this out:
RECENTLY RECAPPED
For me, personally, the addendum doesn’t change anything and I couldn’t pick two additional choices because frankly, I can’t say I had any other favorite dramas this year. And I mean that in an objective way because I pretty much watched (or at least tried to couldn’t make myself finish) all the dramas on this list. YAB still wins out for me with no competition whatsoever.
I am on the same boat. I can pick two the most, but three – is stretching. BOF and BL are okay but not the best. YAB and City Hall all the way. Again, I wish these two dramas can win something big during the award ceremony.
i picked story of a man, and city hall. You’re beautiful is actually my last pick….lol. ^-^ i guess I just added my vote to that already high YB votes!
oh dear! our very own dramabeans drama. lol (^_~)
oh no, where is partner?? that was my favorite of the year!!
YeppYepp, I can’t say anything better than what are mentioned already. Even thought I liked BoysBeforeFlowers tons, YRB is my bestest favorite this year.
/Kei
Even though i really loved You’re beautiful and i too believe it was one of the best drama of this year but maybe it is getting so many votes because it just recently finished its run and the excitement has not completely died down yet, just like how BOF was a few months back. My three favorite drama are BOF, YAB and Brilliant legacy (in no particular order)..but i m loving Smile, you right now too
oh my goodness!
MEIKO****^_^ i made the exact same picks!!! and in almost the same order too-i only had story of a man and city hall switched!!
dramabeans you are awesome no matter what, and haters will always hate.
especially YAB haters. just kidding. ^_^
lol.
Being a math and science nerd by birth and training, and having two people in my extended family who work professionally as either statisticians or as analysis wonks, I find the hew and outcry over You’re Cutie’s ostensible popularity via online polling all very amusing.
Why do people feel threatened by other people’s opinions over things that are purely, purely, purely subjective? If SOAM or CH or Brilliant Legacy or Friend Our Legend doesn’t get enough love, will your lives be irrevocably damaged? Will SHG not shower love on Binnie because he hasn’t achieved 10% popularity on dramabeans for Friend, our Legend?
Personally, I think Temptation of Wife is bad for the viewer’s health, due to its propensity to cause addiction. I also think it’s brilliant, because it reduces melodrama watching to its core elements – (1) suspense and (2) humanity’s thirst for revenge, and literally nothing else matters – not the lack of cinematography, absurd dialogue, repetitive writing, waaaaaaaaaaay over the top acting, disinterested directing, lack of a soundtrack, complete disregard for logic, reality, reason, whatever. By the end, you are exhausted, but you will not stop watching until that woman gets her revenge. You can’t help it. I watched ToW by sneaking out of bed and standing in front of the bedroom TV with a blanket extended to shield the light, so I wouldn’t get into trouble. THAT is dedication. Doesn’t that deserve Best Drama of the Year status?
For those reasons, I wish to petition dramabeans to have all other dramas removed from consideration in polling, and have ONLY Temptation of Wife be listed in all categories.
….err, wait…. cancel that petition, it’s my brain damage coming from ToW that causes these momentary lapses in better (or any) judgment.
ToW ftw! hee.
Partner was one of my Fav drama, is not on the list. How come Partner is not on the list?
well… i think the reason why YAB is so popular here, is because many came here, to this site, for YAB recaps, just like others did for Coffee Prince (I actually “discovered” this site looking for CP recaps and have been addicted since!).
so it is no wonder that there are many YAB fans flooding the site and polls…look at all of the screen names (I myself rarely posted prior to YAB, was a silent reader like many who “came out” because of YAB).
even if some do not consider YAB the best or their favourite, one has to admit that it did create a huge phenomenon, cult following, call it what you will… maybe it shouldn’t be in the drama of the year category, but in the “phenomenon of the year” category. Yes, it definitely deserves a category of its own, it was such a “unique” experience, similar to CP, but different in many ways.
so however you try to change/edit the polls JB, I’m afraid YAB fans will still dominate in this site, at least for now…you were after all our favourite “crack” dealer!
This poll is really better than the other ones . I can finally pick You’re Beautiful too ^^ cause even though YAB is one of my faves , I like Brilliant Legacy a tiny bit more =)) And I also voted for BOF because it’s the first Kdrama I’ve ever watched (before , for 3 years I stubbornly avoided the Kdramas and watched only Jdramas , silly me >.< ) I know BOF is def. not perfect and I think Japanese version is much better but it has its charm ^^
Ha ha… You’re beautiful is still the highest… Maybe the drama has just finished up and the hype of this drama hasn’t got down yet… Based on the drama rating is actually contradicting the polls u got here…
Gee kdrama passions really run deep! (no suprise hehehe) Have not had time to comment on the OT etc for what seems like a lifetime…will fix that soon when I am on holidays.
I had extreme difficulty with chosing ONE drama – hence I had to abandon the main polls after I think the 3rd one, as I felt torn between my favs. If I voted for You’r Beautiful (really it was cute!) I felt disloyal to my beloved City Hall (it was AWESOME)! Totally blame that on 2009 having had too many good kdramas for this (wonderful) dilemma.
Trust our fearless leader Javabeans to try and calm the masses by amending HER poll. If only really life leaders were that awesome eh? How about we have a petition for Javabeans to rule to world?
Vote 1 Javabeans!
Won’t have any hesitation in that vote!
I ONLY picked “YAB”, no 2nd and 3rd choice!
Interesting experiment…
Can’t tell you how it’ll work out (math yuck!) but let us know!
I was so disappointed w/ 2009 K-dramas before I watched YAB.
YAB rocks!!
I get really offended when people say that I (and others) picked You’re Beautiful because I’m still suffering from YAB withdrawals and that since YAB just finished broadcasting, it’s the drama that’s on my mind. Please don’t insult my intelligence. Yes, I’ve just finished watching the series and miss it a lot but does that mean that I can’t be objective about the dramas that I’ve liked this year? Am I so simple a person that I can’t recall how I felt about dramas that aired earlier in 2009? People know what they like and they chose their favorites accordingly. You can’t pretend to know the person and assign reasons for why they chose a particular drama over another as their favorite. Perhaps it doesn’t make sense to you, but stop using your reasoning to explain why a drama that you don’t like is so well loved by many others.
Sorry, just had to get that out there.
P.S. I’m not talking about people from previous comments in this particular post, just comments I’ve seen floating around in previous polls in this blog and another one.
I’m disappointed that The Man Who Can’t Get Married is not on this list.
Your’e beautiful was the BEST DRAMA EVER
Sol Pharmacy’s Son was one of the best of the year.
#19
In regards to “the man who can’t get marry”. I dont think many people took notice to that drama. It’s a nice drama but it’s not that interesting so was very underrated.
Get over it people !!!!!!!!!! hating because you’re favorite drama is not winning…hmmm..tsk ..tsk
In the end….of course….YB is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love YAB and i gave it most of my votes!
btw JB,
are you aware of the YAB Director’s cut DVD thats been going around soompi?
I think a few people that read your site might be interested in purchasing it
Its for a limited time only i believe
here’s more info:
http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=308926
City Hall, QSD, You’re Beautiful. Not necessarily in that order at any given time.
You know, I think one reason YB has so many fans is that it pretty much cut across all fan bases. To state the pro-YB case – I know back in one of the threads, someone said “geez, what are you – all teenager girls – go-gaing over these guys?” And about 50 of us outed ourselves in our real life personas. And no, we weren’t even close to being all little fangirls. YB delurked me here, on Soompi, doing a few spot translations on Viikii, and had me up watching the live feeds from Korea at 8 am on Thanksgiving morning for the finale. Now THAT is some pull. That’s last episode of Battlestar Galactica pull. Plus it had a bit of a cachet of being under the radar and an underdog show.
Seriously, had anyone thought from reading the synopsis before it started, that it was going to be what it was? I didn’t – I was thinking – oh no, BOF plus CP ripoff with music, not going to be good. Nope. Turned out to be Twelfth Night meets the Monkees in the best way possible. And darned near unique in k-drama land as far as I can tell. Who needs doom and gloom all day? Give us some fluff and lighthearted!
Ok, so if you hate comedies or the idea of idol band music, you’ll hate YB, but seriously – well written, well acted, a few flaws, good music, made fun of itself, of dramas, of bands, of music, of fans, and was hella funny. The only other show all year to literally make me fall out of a chair laughing was GLEE. AND to top it off, it made me go from laughing hysterically (Lovers in Paris parody) to crying (Jeremy on the bus) in the space of 15 minutes. That, my friends, is good stuff.
City Hall – well written, well acted, fun, sweet, romantic, great casting, and grownup, from beginning to end it was well done. If your little heart didn’t go pitter pat during the dance with the jacket, I have a defibrillator here for you. You may have to watch until episode 3 to get sucked in, but you will.
Queen Seon Deuk – well, it has it’s flaws. But as sagueks go, this is a darned fun one. Battles, eye candy, glaring eyebrow lifting evil people, comic relief, more eye candy, politics, intrigue, betrayal, glorious cinematography, beautiful costumes, swordplay, more eye candy. What’s not to like? I’m a saguek fan, I’ll admit. But this is my big saguek for the year. In fact, I’m going to go watch today’s episode right about now while getting some tedious work done…..poor Bidam…..
Wow! Look at this……….I can’t believe that every people love voting for this BEST 2009 drama — “You Are Beautiful” — because this was such as AWESOME and crazzy popular drama, but I like that!
Ooooh! I agree with NT (#10) and Chocomilk (#5) — I don’t understand why no one put this BEST drama “Partner” (my favorite Korean actor Lee Dong Wonk) ON this LIST for TOP 3 drama, HUH? I am very concerned…….why? whhyyy? I think it’s very strange…….mmm.
Oooh, I agreed with Meiko (#3) — I really LOVE this BEST & hot drama “Story of A Man” — I had been watched this drama that before during last summer but I really miss this because it’s already finished……mm. ((sad puppy pouts))
ONE thing is — In my opinion, I like pick 3 TOP dramas —
1 — Story Of A Man
2 — You Are Beautiful
3 — Brilliant Legacy
Keep it up — *FIGHTING!* (winks)
Actually I just can think just two, If you add The sons of sol pharmacy that make three.
Story of A Man really beat out every drama I saw this year–few they may be. Aside from Devil, it’s one of the few thriller/action dramas I’ve watched to the end because I just couldn’t keep myself from getting swept up in the story. Wonderful casting aside, the directing kind of reminded me of Flowers for My Life (which I totally, like, liked). I’m kind of dense when it comes to visual allusions but when a certain scene is lit or framed or paced in such a way where even I can see the distance/emotion/what-have-you realized in the environment (even in small ways), my interest hitches up a notch. Story of A Man (& FfML) had more of those moments than I’ve noticed when watching other dramas this year.
BBF was a fun, kooky drama, though I didn’t vote for it. And while I hear a lot about how Lee Min-ho is overrated, I have to say he really made that drama worth watching to the end. His Gu Jun-pyo was terribly charismatic, and I mean that in a good way. I wasn’t ever really able to connect to Gu Hye-sun’s GJD but ah…while that drama lasted. (And oh! Kim Joon! I have such a crush!)
Thankfully, Brilliant Legacy and You Are Beautiful took care of my rom-com cravings, haha.
(edit: Sons of Sol Pharmacy would’ve had my vote too. Loved the family dynamics and Han Sang-jin was adorable.)
1 – Smile, You
2 – Your Beautiful
I really loved Your Beautiful but the more I think about it, the more I realize it started annoying me towards the end (it happens to me a lot in dramas, haha). I felt fine just reading recaps instead of watching the episodes immediately. I still loved it but I think it will never compare to the love I have for dramas like Coffee Prince and Capital Scandal.
My choices were also City Hall and YAB – and Tamra – I think City Hall may be my favorite, if I had to choose, only because of the waltz with the jacket scene. I loved them all !! Thoroughly enchanting.
Thanks for the poll. I haven’t watched Partner or Shining Inheritance, I think I will this winter, when it’s cold and dark and dreary.
but I’m going to pass on Temptation of Wife 
@ Samsookie “Will SHG not shower love on Binnie because he hasn’t achieved 10% popularity on dramabeans for Friend, our Legend?” – she might! Dramabeans is important!
I gave up voting somewhere along the line too because there are a ton of dramas I want to watch yet that I haven’t. All the more badass/serious ones like Iris once it finishes, Swallow The Sun (Lee Wan craving and JI SUNG<3), Cain and Abel (So Ji Sub is a mountain and Han Ji Min is tiny and I adore her and love him and thus I want it), Story of a Man (DYING to watch this), plus the other mania dramas here, City Hall and Tamra. So I can't vote on much, can I. YAB deserves a lot of love, though; it didn't get the ending it deserved but it just pushed too many of the right buttons to ignore.
Javabeans, thank you for taking in consideration the point of view of others. That is very gracious of you.
Personally, I think the people who say that the previous poll is biased JUST because YB is winning is preposterous. The category thus say “Vote for your Favorite drama”. Favoritism is a choice, a personal preference. It does not matter if the drama was recently aired or over a six months ago. There could be a lot of reasons why people think YB is their favorite this year. As many of you pointed out, it just recently ended, hence the withdrawals are at its peak and the memories are still fresh. But YB is indeed a GREAT drama. I think that alone is the major reason why YB is winning in the polls. I don’t understand why people has a strong backlash to the drama now that it has ended.
Javabeans, I am looking on your theories as why you think that YB winning the polls is not biased. ( as you have mentioned above) Thank you!
bahahahhahaha!!! i love how YAB is STILL winning the addendum poll!
it’s true – it’s not biased. no matter what your comments are next to the title, people are voting for THEIR favorite dramas. maybe people are voting multiple times!?!?! O_O can’t discount that possibility..
I think YB is overrated, right up there with Boys Before Flowers and Brilliant Legacy. I couldn’t even get through one episode. I can understand why others like it though, so I don’t think the poll is biased or anything, I just don’t think its the best drama of the year and feel bad that the other dramas–ones that probably are better (I didn’t even watch half of the ones on the list) aren’t getting good scores, but that’s my opinion and probably not others.
1)You’re Beautiful
2)City Hall
3)Brilliant Legacy
^_________________________^
“I don’t understand why people has a strong backlash to the drama now that it has ended.”
Backlash is part of the mania cycle. Coffee Prince went through it. Damo went through it. Even I started reacting to the horde of YAB fans complaining about their show not doing “well” in the ratings (and persistently whining about ratings is — you guessed it — part of the mania “us vs. world” mentality.)
If YAB is the favorite drama of 2010, well then there may be some bias going on.
see? YB is still ahead no matter what.
Adding 2 more choices does not make a difference. Those who picked YAB in the first place will continue to do so because simply, it’s their favorite drama of the year. And those who were borderline fans of YAB will finally get to select for it, so in the end YAB will continue to dominate the polls. Why? Simply because people like it the best this year. I don’t know why others are so bothered by it.
It’s a subjective poll hence its based on one’s preference. Why is there a need to rationalize why YAB is popular other than people just like it more. So what if it just ended? I can still remember what a mess BOF was even though it ended a while ago.
@ 32
Im curious as to why you would labelled YAB as overrated when you didn’t make it past the first episode?
I must admit the beginning made me cringe and some scenes were just silly but the show really does grow on you and the silliness was its’charm
Fav is City Hall. My 2nd choice is accidental couple and 3rd is he who can’t marry. Not on the list…but I loved the quirky lead actors.
YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL is the best drama to end up 2009…
but most the kdrama i watched this year is all nice than last year…
JB hopefully you will also have poll for the OST…
thank u!
What is with you’re beautiful? are you people serious?,,,,
The drama is just so silly and shallow…funny but stupid!..It’s like a boring merge of Boys Before Flowers and Coffee Prince…there’s no story in it, just a bunch of cute faces…you have this guy who does this-so-called-cute lips thing which I found cute once or twice but not every other scene!!!!!! Then you have an absolute character replica of Yoon Ji Hoo of Boys Before Flowers (meaning:no facial expressions+quiet+handsome=boring!!!!), and then there’s Mi Nam who I wouldn’t compare to Coffee Prince’s Go Eun Chan (played by the awesome Yoon Eun Hye) simply because the latter has MUCH more solid of a character…all what Mi Nam does is say sorry, cry, and run away to the church or wherever..
The only two characters that I thought were kinda refreshing were Lee HongKi’s Jeremy and Mi Nam’s manager…
If I would rank this drama all in all, I would give it a C+
It’s just ridiculously OVERRATED!!
aaah youre beautiful wasnt all that great…typical drama…and TK was pretty annoying with his arrogance…although there were cute and funny parts, i was disappointed in some things…smile, you is a great drama though. I think so atleast. The couple in there has great chemistry…better than youre beautiful. In smile you, you can see alot of trust and real love between the two.
Thats why i love it. its different from other dramas.
again i voted for Story of a man, Queen of Housewives and Brilliant Legacy.
*i’m amused by the fact that people are p*** over You’re Beautiful winning the votes, that’s what i call a successful drama<3, but still i didn't vote for them since it's not my fav drama of 2009*
I still voted for YAB because it is my absolute personal favourite amongst all 2009 k-dramas. So there!
I am with you, JB. What’s the heck. We are voting for the favourite drama, not the BEST drama, right? And I do not see the need to stay loyal to a particular drama. Not at all. (I have seen comments floating around saying that since YAB is so popular over the internet, they would not see it since it hurts the popularity of their favourites. Really, WTF?)
YAB is the drama crack of the year for me. Full stop. But it does not mean that I look down on other work.
Just because we watch Kdrama and love YAB, it does not mean that we are shallow. Of course it is not the most intelligent drama I’ve seen, it appeals to us in different emotional levels.
Haha, I don’t blame people. You’re Beautiful was a hugely fun drama. And there’s the recency effect as well here. It was the last most memorable drama, so yeah.
ETA: Oh yeah, wish Sons of Sol Pharmacy was in there too!
My choices are IRIS, City Hall and Friend. My two least favorite dramas on the poll (and some of least favorite of this year) – YAB and BOF are winning. Still, I fail to see how the poll is biased. I dislike YAB heartily but there is no question that it’s a very popular drama on this site so it’s not in the least surprising it’s winning.
I think the result may not be so accurate, because some the dramas have been recently ended or still airing, so they have still their own effect on the viewers & audiences .
anywat my favorite top 3 dramas are :
1- CITY HALL
2- IRIS
3- You’re Beautiful
haha ! the result is sooooo different !
Top 3 :
1) surprise ! You’re Beautiful !
2) Story of a Man …Oh Chae Do Woo *o*
3) Iris… i just watched episode 9.. and things are getting better (finally ! I should say !) Or Return of Iljimae… hard to decide which one…
Top dramas this 2009
1) you are beautiful.
2) iris
3) boys before flowers..
especially the male leads… and not to forget the storylines..
hopefully i get to watch part 2 of all of those