[2017 Year in Review] Hitting the slump
by Guest Beanie
School 2017
By @alert
Maybe it was the vast number of oppas flocking to the military. Maybe it was this year’s trends that didn’t hook me much. Maybe it was because real life took over and I was left with only a few dramas I could watch. Maybe it was simply a lackluster year in dramaland and the slump bugs took over and infected everyone.
In real life, 2017 has been a struggling year for me—I moved to a new city, changed my environment, and daily life seems to be on repeat and overwhelmingly routined. Several times I doubt myself whether I’m doing the right thing, but regret was never an option. In other words, I just hit a general slump. In K-dramaland, I used to be able to watch a lot of shows, good or bad, sci-fi, melodramas, or romcoms. But if I were to weigh my 2017 in K-dramaland, I realized that the slump had followed me here too.
I only watched a few dramas, dropped a lot, and my to-watch list grows every month (I’m looking at you, Forest of Secrets, Tunnel, Rescue Me). I couldn’t get into any of those black-suited prosecutor dramas, no matter how fluffy or funny the premise sounded. I couldn’t get through all the mysteries and revenge dramas (apart from Buam-dong Revenge Club), as my head would hurt from all the thinking. I wanted to watch something light, something sweet. I wanted dramas that played with my emotions and tugged at my heartstrings. I wanted dramas that could make me cry without really trying, and make me skip without having to jump.
The Best Hit
When I look back at my list of dramas I watched this year, most of them were slice-of-life dramas which resonated with my life. I watched School 2017 reminiscing about those wonderful school days in my youth, and wondered whether I would make the same choices that they did. I watched Fight My Way and related to their struggles of finding their place in life, just like I’m doing right now—finding out where I am, and what I’m supposed to do.
Age of Youth 2 reminded me of the struggles to overcome self-esteem issues, and dealing with confusing attraction towards someone (Eun got my heart). And The Best Hit came around at a time when I had hit rock bottom at work, struggling to meet overwhelming demands, so it became a source of laughter right when I needed it. I really enjoyed all those funny moments that made me laugh out loud (remember the cardboard cutout of MJ’s head?), though that’s also why I got cranky when they played out the romance in the end, because I signed up only wanting the comedy.
Chicago Typewriter
And if I were to judge my drama year based on how many dramas really got my attention, where I spent hours rewatching them, analyzing them, and getting obsessed with them, only Chicago Typewriter and Because This First Life Is Our First fit the criteria. Chicago Typewriter started out pretty weirdly and confusingly for me, but grew stronger as it went on, and left me feeling satisfied with the ending. Because This First Life Is Our First started out strongly, gripped my heart along the way, and had a few hiccups towards the end, but it simply wouldn’t let me go.
What I love most about these two dramas is not only how they made me feel, but the indescribable excitement of discussing and analyzing them with fellow Beanies, laughing and giggling, learning new things and new perspectives along the way, and leaving the comment section with some really happy, satisfying smiles. K-dramas are not the only escapism that I look for, but being able to share what I love and turn it into dramas we love is what I treasure most, especially here in Beanieland.
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- [2017 Year in Review] Beanie Awards: Vote for your favorite dramas of the year!
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- [2017 Year in Review] My queue in 2017: Where dramas go to die
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- [Theme of the Month] Tell us about your year in dramas
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1 Rainbow Unicorn
December 13, 2017 at 4:19 AM
Aah! We really need to get that "Like/Love" button for articles !!
this basically summarizes my love for DB and the continuing addiction! =)
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alert
December 13, 2017 at 7:51 AM
Now it’s not just kdrama addiction, but everything dramabeans kinda addiction 😂
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Jenmole🍊
December 13, 2017 at 2:38 PM
I second the "Like/Love" button for articles!
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2 ⭐ Sera The Ms Temper ⭐
December 13, 2017 at 4:44 AM
I had to comment here because I saw that veins 🙈🙈😍
Chicago Typewriter is one of my
top favourite drama of the year too ❤
Hope 2018 will be a better for you!
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alert
December 13, 2017 at 7:24 AM
Thank you!
That veins photo is totally intentional 😉
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🍙 kimbap noona
December 13, 2017 at 9:52 AM
Would you perhaps call it “veinddiction?
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alert
December 13, 2017 at 9:56 PM
We should totally ©️ the word LOL
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⭐ Sera The Ms Temper ⭐
December 13, 2017 at 9:29 PM
It would be a complete package if it has abs as well 😏😂😂
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Kudo Ran
December 13, 2017 at 10:28 AM
aigoo Sunbae hahaha *not that I clicked after seeing Tae Swoon nope not at all 😆*
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⭐ Sera The Ms Temper ⭐
December 13, 2017 at 9:31 PM
Don't lie! You even came here in your busy days, after seeing that pic right?! 😏😏😜
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3 KSKalways
December 13, 2017 at 5:52 AM
I totally agree with you, @alert
Dramabeans is BAE !
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4 G
December 13, 2017 at 5:54 AM
Trust me,don’t start Rescue Me.
It could’ve been so much darker and crazier..but unfortunately it didn’t.
The main actress and the cult leader are soooo good though,too bad the plot overall was MEH.. *sigh*
Btw Thanks Buddha for Chicago Typewriter *_*
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5 ObsessedMuch
December 13, 2017 at 6:31 AM
Oh noes I have a half-written entry on drama slump myself! I could have totally sent it if I wasn't procrastinating so much!
So true! :)
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alert
December 13, 2017 at 7:29 AM
Beanies: surviving slumps together. ❤️
You can always submit it, it’s nice to read Beanies different take on 2017 slump. 😊
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ObsessedMuch
December 13, 2017 at 9:31 AM
*fist bump* *so many of us went through it this year*
Should I? Won't one slump entry be enough for beanies? :D
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alert
December 13, 2017 at 9:49 AM
You can write about how to survive a slump. Or how the slump happened. Or who to blame..
Just send it in! If it didn’t get published, we have the Beanie wall. We’ll want to read it regardless where it gets posted. 😊
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ObsessedMuch
December 13, 2017 at 9:54 AM
Hahha.. yeah, I will try and not procrastinate more, tweak it a lil and send something in..
6 sidnerella
December 13, 2017 at 11:45 AM
Yes to the year of the drama slumps and yes to the amazingness of Chicago Typewriter. Couldn't love and agree with this article more.
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7 javinne
December 13, 2017 at 12:39 PM
I also loved this two dramas like crazy.... They were almost perfect, although, let me rephrase it: Chicago Typewriter was perfect. (You are right, by the way, it started a little bit weird).
But BTLIOF let me down at the end, but I still loved it, because of the other 14 solid episodes, LOL 😂.
Anyway... I was with you somehow, not because of a slump, but because I am picky and never want to watch everything, and also I don't have time. But even so, I watched not so many dramas.
Even if the year is gone, I want to watch the revenge club.
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alert
December 13, 2017 at 7:43 PM
Buam-dong Revenge Club is so good for binge-watching I breezed through it at one sitting.
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8 WishfulToki
December 13, 2017 at 2:55 PM
@alert I didn't get to join in the comments sections for CT. It must have been amazing! I really enjoyed binge-watching it, but yes, I was kind of unsure what the drama was going for at first. Fortunately beanies like you had already seen it and told me to persevere.
I also thought this was overall a bad year due to the chronic slump. But your post reminded me of LOL moments I should really be grateful for:
- The cardboard cutout of MJ and the ensuing fight in the convenience store, in slow motion (The Best Hit)
- Tae Woon dancing to BTS Boy in Love (School 2017).
- Jeon Seol's friend who had a crush on a ghost. When The Platters 'Only Youuu' played the first time she saw Yoo Jin Oh I died laughing.
- Se Hee making kimchi (BTIOFL)
I also just wanted to laugh this year, and I also wanted some heart. This combination is what first brought me to kdramas, but I found it in few dramas this year. One more for your list: Chief Kim!
If I have time, I'd like to get to Radiant Office, which is also on my list.
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alert
December 13, 2017 at 9:57 PM
I’ve heard about so many good things about Chief Kim. I tend to avoid lots of office dramas this year but I’d love to try it one day. I have soft spots for Nam Goong Min & Junho.
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9 kaybee
December 13, 2017 at 3:25 PM
Yes to the drama slump year for me too. So few of the shows I watched this year seem like they're really gonna stick with me. Except, perhaps, TLAHL and that was, as you so well described regarding another show, mostly because I was there for all the Beanie fun (although not only because of that) :) Lookout also made a strong impact, even with its flaws, but the ending will be hard to gloss over in memory lol.
I definitely agree with The Best Hit, when they started on the rather weird romance I lost all faith in the show and it just went steadily downhill. It was great in the beginning though, so many moments that made me laugh out loud!
"Chicago Typewriter started out pretty weirdly and confusingly for me, but grew stronger as it went on,"
It's so interesting how that seems to be a pretty widespread feeling among Beanies, yet for me it was the complete opposite. I absolutely LOVED the beginning and was sure it would become my new favorite show, but the farther it went the less interested I got. I just wish we'd gotten more book and writer related content rather than the ghost and reincarnation plots, maybe?
I keep seeing Beanies mention being in a slump this year, so maybe it's not just me, or you, but rather the general binge-quality of dramas that just wasn't very high? Either way, let's hope for a 2018 with fewer dramaslumps! :)
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alert
December 13, 2017 at 7:22 PM
Aahh I remember when TLAHL was airing about the same time as CT and how crazy it became. I wasn’t part of TLAHL craze but with all the photo spam and squeels you just can’t help but be curious about it.
Chicago Typewriter is definitely not for everyone, that I agree with. Most of us wish they have more 30s scenes anyway instead of giving them a bit later in the drama. But I loved the literary/ historical discussions the most, and it’s always fun to get excited about an airing show together.
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10 Cocomo
December 13, 2017 at 3:38 PM
From your post I feel like you should definitely watch Go Back Couple. It was sweet funny touching. It's amazing and I am sure you will like it 💜
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RaOnAh loves Jay B 💚
December 13, 2017 at 4:54 PM
I second this! I just finished it and it's one of my favorites of the year. Very funny, heartwarming, and also sad (it has a happy ending though) 🙂
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alert
December 13, 2017 at 6:40 PM
Thank you. It’s already on my list, but I’ll probably move it to next-to-watch list as well.
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11 RaOnAh loves Jay B 💚
December 13, 2017 at 4:56 PM
I definitely NEED to watch Chicago Typewriter. So many beanies are saying it is one of their favorites of the year. I've had it on my list for a while but haven't gotten around to it yet. *moves to top of watch list*
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12 I Will Goryeo You
December 13, 2017 at 9:17 PM
I love Chicago Typewriter to bits. And I specially woke up from my account-grave to vote for that drama in Beannie Awards. Yay!
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alert
December 13, 2017 at 10:16 PM
I hope you had a good sleep! 🤣 CT woke me up from years of long sleep in DB so it resides in a very special corner of my heart. I really miss all the book-geeking in CT threads.
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13 blessingwind
December 14, 2017 at 4:10 AM
This year actually, there were more misses than hits. I have watched many dramas of this year, but disappointingly somehow very very few of them held my interest longer and could finish them.. I have dropped so many dramas after watching around 4-5 episodes and it was disheartening This year truly marks the year of k-drama slump.
Very few gems like Forest of Secrets, Tunnel, Go back spouses, Because this is my first life, Radiant Office, Chicago Typewriter . Argon, Save me and School 2017 shined more brightly than all those numerous dimly lighted dramas. I am glad, atleast we did get to see these real gems in the year of slump.
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alert
December 15, 2017 at 2:43 AM
Oh yes, I'm glad that at least we got a few gems from the slump and those are enough to push us through into the new year.
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14 MissRight91
December 14, 2017 at 5:51 PM
I blame it on Goblin. I just can't seem to find another drama that's as well put-together and high stakes as that one. It has definitely ruined me.
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15 Sweetsammy
December 15, 2017 at 12:50 AM
Wow!! @alert!! You have put my thoughts as words! I hope that the new year ahead will be the way you want it to be!
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