Note: These are only series I’ve seen in their entirety. (I’ve seen a lot more series that I haven’t come around to finishing, whether it’s because I got bored, forgot, or couldn’t find the time. I haven’t “graded” those here.)
Also, I’ve separated ratings into 
Because there’s nothing wrong with liking populist material. I just can’t quite bring myself to rate one, for instance, above something less “fun” but more substantial.
Javabeans‘s ratings in black.
| K-DRAMA SERIES | HOW MUCH I ENJOY IT vs. HOW I RATE IT (of 10) | |
| 49 Days (2011) 49일 |
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Didn’t hate the ending, but it did make me think I’d given the drama way too much credit along the way. Decent effort, mucky execution. (7 /7) |
| Air City (2007) 에어시티 |
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Hot guys. Cold plot. (5 / 5) |
| All In (2003) 올인 |
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| Answer Me, 1997 (2012) 응답하라 1997 |
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Nostalgic, witty, and sweet. Captures the pounding fervor and emotional extremes of youth with humor and heart. (9 / 9) |
| Arang and the Magistrate (2012) 아랑사또전 |
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Creative universe built with a tightly plotted internal logic and a stirring romantic core. Quirky at times, dark at others, and sweetly satisfying. (9 / 8 ) |
| Athena: Goddess of War (2011) 아테나: 전쟁의 여신 |
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| Attic Cat (2003) 옥탑방 고양이 |
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| Baby-Faced Beauty (2011) 동안미녀 |
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Plot and characters are familiar, and the heroine’s rather meek for my post-Sam-soon tastes, but it does the workplace setup and the cute noona-romance with a sweet, funny touch. (7 / 7) |
| Bad Couple (2007) 불량커플 |
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Bursts out of the gate with peppy chemistry, then slows with tears and angst and The Dreaded Illness. Lost interest after episode 6. (6 / 5) |
| Bad Family (2006) 불량가족 |
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Love it. Heart-warming and hilarious as this motley mock family becomes a real one, without dipping into cheesiness. Kim Myung-min is a hoot. (9 / 9) |
| Bad Guy (2010) 나쁜남자 |
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I can’t heap enough superlatives for the drama’s assured directing, gorgeous visual appeal, music, acting, overall ambiance. Story drove me nuts. (7 / 7) |
| Best Love (2011), aka Greatest Love 최고의 사랑 |
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Tight writing, hilarious scenarios, memorable acting, and a string of the wackiest, yet oddly appropriate metaphors I’ve ever seen in a drama. Feel-good and satisfying. (9 / 9) |
| Big (2012) 빅 |
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Like getting to the bottom of a tasty meal and finding a half-eaten worm. (6 / 4) |
| Biscuit Teacher Star Candy (2005) 건빵선생과 별사탕 |
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| Bottom of the 9th with 2 Outs (2007) aka 9 End, 2 Outs 9회말 2아웃 |
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| Boys Before Flowers (2009) aka Korean Hana Yori Dango 꽃보다 남자 |
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Such a hot mess, but a blast to watch. The fandom frenzy was sometimes more fun than the show itself. (8 / 5) |
| Brilliant Legacy (2009) aka Shining Inheritance 찬란한 유산 |
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| Can’t Lose (2011) 지고는 못살아 |
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Cute and funny, proving that conflict can exist without crazies or baddies. Simple but sweet. (7 / 7) |
| The Chaser (2012) 추적자 The Chaser |
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| Chuno (2010) 추노 |  |
Visually breathtaking and characterized by sweeping grandeur, though a bit lacking in soul. (7 / 8 ) |
| Cinderella’s Sister (2010) 신데렐라 언니 |  |
Marvelous start and stellar acting counter the heavy angst, but the frustrating plot slows to a near-crawl. (4 / 6) |
| City Hunter (2011) 시티헌터 |
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It isn’t flawless, but it did everything I wanted it to and then some. Action, intrigue, humor, heart. (10 / 9) |
| Coffee House (2010) 커피프 하우스 |
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Wacky, offbeat comedy with loose plotting and a light feel, though second half gets heavier. (7 / 7) |
| Coffee Prince Store #1 (2007) 커피프린스1호점 |  |
Proof that popular does not always equal mediocre. At times cheeky, at times poignant. Standout soundtrack. (9 / 9) |
| Dal Ja’s Spring (2007) 달자의봄 |
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Fresh and fun, with dashes of insight into modern (career-)womanhood, rife with Heroine’s romantic and professional foibles. Adorable main couple, great supporting cast, easy to zip through. (9 / 9) |
| Delightful Girl Chun Hyang (2005) 쾌걸춘향 |
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High comedy factor with strong chemistry between the leads. It’s Romeo & Juliet with a twist; Jae Hee is wonderful, and the directing is sharp. A sentimental favorite. (9 / 8 ) |
| Dr. Champ (2010) 닥터 챔프 |
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| Dr. Jin (2012) 닥터진 |
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This craptastic show is tons of fun to mock, with amazingly bad directing and laughable dissonance between intent and execution. And there’s no denying the idea itself was intriguing. But taken straight, as a drama? More pain than fun. (4 / 3) |
| Dream High (2011) 드림 하이 |
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Adorable friendships, great handling of youthful foibles and the shark-infested showbiz waters. A showcase for its idol cast; if only they were better actors, it could’ve been even better. (9 / 8 ) |
| Dream High 2 (2012) 드림 하이 2 |
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Was it lazy, trying to ride Season 1′s coattails, or was it overambitious, trying to be everything and ending up with idol/dance-off/rivalry/romance hodgepodge? It tries both too hard and not enough. (5 / 4) |
| East of Eden (2008-9) 에덴의 동쪽 |
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| Exhibition of Fireworks (2006) 불꽃놀이 |  |
Started great with lots of comedy, went downhill with convoluted evildoers gumming up the works. Kang Ji-hwan is the only good thing here. (5 / 4) |
| Faith (2012) 신의 |
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Absurd villains, repetitive conflicts, and a clumsy director bog down execution. At least the leads and their romantic connection hold up their end; the rest tends to plod along. (5 / 6) |
| Fantasy Couple (2006) aka Couple or Trouble 환상의커플 |
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Flawed but enjoyable opposites-attract comedy. Its humor overdoes the slapstick, but the Hong sisters writers keep the plot moving. (7 / 7) |
| Flower Boy Next Door (2013) 이웃집 꽃미남 |
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Wistful, sweet, and thoughtful. The first half is pitch-perfect, balancing humor and insight; the second half drags. (7 / 8 ) |
| Flower Boy Ramyun Shop (2011) 꽃미남 라면가게 |
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Super cute camaraderie in the ramyun family. Jung Il-woo is a hoot. Plot spins its wheels a bit, but it’s sweet and funny. (8 / 8) |
| Flowers For My Life (2007) aka I Came In Search of Flowers 꽃찾으러 왔단다 |
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Criminally underrated. Witty with a touch of dark humor. Set in a funeral home, it gives lovely, quirky insights on life and death. (10 / 10) |
| Friends (2004) 프렌즈 / フレンズ |
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Joint collaboration between Korea and Japan. Pleasant, with gorgeous leads Won Bin and Fukada Kyoko, but unexceptional. (6 / 6) |
| Full House (2004) 풀하우스 |
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One of the most popular cohabitation dramas out there — lots of bickering-as-courtship and some cute couple moments. It’s overrated (plot becomes repetitive in the last quarter), but enjoyable. (7 / 6) |
| Gaksital (2012) aka Bridal Mask, 각시탈 |
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Epic in the best of ways. This show has major stones, venturing dark and grim to fearless degrees. It’s not perfect—though its grand, stirring culmination more than makes up for earlier missteps. (9 / 9) |
| A Gentleman’s Dignity (2012) 신사의 품격 |
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| Girl K (2011) 소녀K |
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At 3 episodes, this badass shoot-em-up revenge story tantalizes with hints of what a full drama could have done. Doesn’t have time to really get you in the heart, but sets up a great world. If this is the future of cable, I’m onboard. (8 / 8 ) |
| God of Study (2010) 공부의 신 |
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| Goong (2006) aka Palace or Princess Hours, 궁 |
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Beautifully executed but slow. Overrated but entertaining. Mediocre acting at best. (7 / 7) |
| Goong S (2007) aka Palace S or Prince Hours, 궁S |
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A reverse-Cinderella tale as an ordinary guy becomes a prince. Disappointing start and poor acting. Still, picked up toward end, inversely to its ratings. (5 / 5) |
| Gourmet (2008) 식객 |
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Solid execution perhaps obscures a banal story, but Kim Rae-won makes this work. Predictable but enjoyable, like comfort food. (8 / 7) |
| Green Rose (2005) 그린로즈 |
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Dramatic thriller veers into over-the-top territory, but this underdog revenge story can get addictive. Great romantic angst. (7 / 7) |
| Haeundae Lovers (2012) 해운대 연인들 |
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| Hello! Miss (2007) aka Hello Baby 헬로! 애기씨 |
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Light and jokey, but not much emotional depth. Lee Da-hae can do (and has done) better. (5 / 5) |
| High Kick 3: Counterattack of the Short Legs (2011) 하이킥 3: 짧은 다리의 역습 |
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Surprisingly well-drawn characters and relationships that mean something. Packs a lot of heart into those 20-minute episodes, and consistently, week after week. Slice of life and poignant. (8 / 8 ) |
| Hong Gil Dong (2008) 쾌도 홍길동 |
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This fusion historical drama has action, comic gags, romance, political intrigue, betrayal — but lacks subtlety. The tone is uneven, but Kang Ji-hwan is wonderful. (7 / 7) |
| Hyang Dan Jeon (2007) aka The Story of Hyang Dan, 향단전 |
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Fun blending of folktales and modern humor in a fusion romantic comedy. Only two episodes, it’s a silly, Shrek-like goof. (8 / 7) |
| I Am Legend (2010) 나는 전설이다 |
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Started off so well, but suffered an identity crisis halfway through. (6 / 5) |
| I Do, I Do (2012) 아이두 아이두 |
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Started with cuteness, chemistry, potential. Unfortunately, a slow place and business machinations nobody cares about drag it down. Nice overall character trajectories for our leads. (6 / 6) |
| I Miss You (2012-13) 보고싶다 |
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A screaming, wailing, fucking mess. (3 / 4) |
| I Need Romance (2011) 로맨스가 필요해 |
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| I Need Romance 2012 (2012) 로맨스가 필요해 2012 |
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| IRIS (2009) 아이리스 |
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Some smoldering performances decorate this explosion-packed action series but the writing gets spotty. More style than substance, a fun ride with eye candy. (7 / 7) |
| It’s Okay, Daddy’s Girl (2010) 괜찮아 아빠딸 |
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Okay, this show isn’t good. It’s got the potential to be, but is marred by poor acting and weird pacing — it’s like a highlight reel of a longer family drama. Yet, oddly, it draws you in with its good-naturedness and warmth. (7 / 4) |
| Jeon Woo-chi (2012-13) 전우치 |
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A solid B-list drama. Strengths are its light comedy and the hero’s cute backup team. The villains and romance are its weaknesses. (7 / 7) |
| Joseon X-Files (2010) aka Secret Investigation Record, 기찰비록 |
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FANTASTIC. Quite possibly genius melding of historical record and sci-fi mystery. (10 / 10) |
| The King 2 Hearts (2012) 더킹 투하츠 |
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| King of Dramas (2012-13) 드라마의 제왕 |
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The show itself may have been light, funny, and acted with commitment. But what makes it stand out is the fact that henceforth, I will always see dramaland through the lens of this show’s world. Not a little accomplishment. (8 / 8 ) |
| The Last Scandal of My Life (2008), 내 생애 마지막 스캔들 |
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What happens when first loves reconnect 20 years later… when one’s an ajumma and the other’s a movie star lying about his age? Hilarious, touching, and well-acted. Never a dull moment. (9 / 8 ) |
| Lie To Me (2011) 내게 거짓말을 해봐 |
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It’s like Drama blew its budgetary wad on the stars and forgot to provide a story. Some randomly cute couple scenes, but mostly so boring. (4 / 3) |
| Love & Marriage (2008) 연애결혼 |
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Cute story between an uptight divorce attorney and bubbly matchmaker. It’s like a meal of dessert. Sweet filler, but speedy, flirty fun. (7 / 7) |
| Lovers (2006) 연인 |
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Brisk start descends into weepy melodrama with birth secrets, family strife, and a Love That Cannot Be that’s more like a Love That Should Not Be. By the end I couldn’t stand it. Oh! The! Tragedy! (3 / 6) |
| Ma Boy (2012) 마보이 |
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For being based on a big gimmick (pretty boy disguised as a girl star), this tween-targeted mini-drama displays surprising restraint with the gag—played more with sweetness than slapstick comedy. Doesn’t reinvent anything and the young cast is green, but there’s a nice simple story here. (7 / 7) |
| Man of Honor (2011) 영광의 재인 |
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| Manny (2011) 매니 |
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A cute premise and a light, episodic format keep this comedy watchable, but the romance angle is the least interesting. Why are the adults acting like kids? (6 / 6) |
| Mary Stayed Out All Night (2010) 매리는 외박중 |
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Uber-boring. Worst drama I saw in 2010. (3 / 4) |
| Me Too, Flower! (2011) 나도, 꽃! |
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What a way to tank a promising series; watching its steady decline was a sad thing as the show lost focus on the characters we cared about. At first, it was unfairly underrated. By its end, deservedly so. But Yoon Shi-yoon is wonderful, despite being terribly miscast. (6 / 6) |
| Miss Ripley (2011) 미스 리플리 |
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Interesting character study of some unlikable personalities who draw you in with charged acting. Story loses its bite in the end, though. (7 / 7) |
| Mixed-up Investigative Agency (2007) 얼렁뚱땅 흥신소 |
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Quirky, offbeat, extremely well-plotted. Strong acting, particularly by Yeh Ji-won. A comedy romp, treasure hunt, and mystery rolled into one. (9 / 9) |
| The Moon That Embraces the Sun (2012) 해를 품은 달 |
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A straight-up juvenile romance, dressed up as a grown-up sageuk. The drama’s one-track mind keeps it from having depth or substance, but it’s easy to watch. (7 / 7) |
| My Fair Lady (2009) aka Please Take Care of the Lady 아가씨를 부탁해 |
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Terribly written plot, even if the chemistry of the couple carries the drama. Skip. (4 / 4) |
| My Girl (2005-06) 마이걸 |
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Fantastic fun, speedy pace. Super chemistry between the endearing lead couple. (9 / 8 ) |
| My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho (2010) 내 여자친구는 구미호 |
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Super enjoyable, adorable chemistry, and great mix of the gumiho mythology with the rom-com bits. But somehow it’s only my No. 3 Hong sisters drama. (9 / 8 ) |
| My Love Patzzi (2002) 내 사랑 팥쥐 |
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Short, cute drama with two too-perfect guys and a spunky heroine as an anti-Cinderella. Not very deep, but easy to watch. (7 / 6) |
| My Name Is Kim Sam Soon (2005) 내 이름은 김삼순 |
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Poignant and funny, worth the hype. (9 / 9) |
| My Princess (2011) 마이 프린세스 |
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Who knew such a middling rom-com could be a turning point for Kim Tae-hee (and, to a lesser degree, Mr. Robot Hotness Song Seung-heon)? (7 / 6) |
| My Sweet Seoul (2008) 달콤한 나의 도시 |
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Halfway between indie and trendy. Plotting is loose, but has a refreshing atmospheric feel and good directing. Unfortunately, I hate the main character. (6 / 8 ) |
| Myung-wol the Spy (2011) 스파이 명월 |
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Could’ve been so wacky and hilarious, but changed its mind halfway through and tried for earnest angst. We got tedious moping instead. (5 / 5) |
| Nice Guy (2012) aka Innocent Man, 세상 어디에도 없는 착한남자 |
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Polished, suspenseful, addictively paced. Characters are whackadoo in the extreme, but intense and compelling. Not meant to be overthought; just go with the melo. (7 / 8 ) |
| Oh! My Lady (2010) 오! 마이 레이디 |
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Light and fluffy older-woman/younger-man, housekeeper-landlord romance. Choi Siwon’s charm carries the show. An easy, unchallenging watch. (6 / 6) |
| Ojakkyo Brothers (2011-2) 오작교 형제들 |
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Cute, poignant relationships make you care about the characters, while the romance keeps you addicted. An example of family drama done right. (8 / 8 ) |
| One Fine Day (2006) 어느 멋진 날 |
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| Only You (2005) 온리 유 |
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Bleh. I can’t remember why I bothered. Han Chae-young is pretty, but Jo Hyun-jae is wasted. (4 / 3) |
| Oohlala Spouses (2012) 울랄라 부부 |
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This marital body-swapper should have been uproariously funny. It had some amusing bits, but the couple was too aggravating to wish for reconciliation, thereby negating its entire point. (5 / 6) |
| Panda and Hedgehog (2012) 판다양과 고슴도치 |
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| Pasta (2010) 파스타 |
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The couple is SO cute together, and individually very appealing. Yet there’s so very little plot. (6 / 6) |
| Personal Taste (2010) 개인의취향 |
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The jerky directing is the biggest flaw; the writing is engaging at parts but random in others. Lead couple is well-acted and have charming chemistry. (7 / 6) |
| Playful Kiss (2010) 장난스런 키스 |
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Despite lack of conflict, the couple is sweet and Jung So-min lovable. But there’s so little story here. (6 / 6) |
| Poseidon (2011) 포세이돈 |
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Choi Siwon and Lee Shi-young are an adorable matchup. Too bad this coast guard action thriller wants to be cooler than it is. (4 / 4) |
| The Princess’s Man (2011) 공주의 남자 |
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Epic and stirring. Constant plot twists, tight political intrigue, and a strong Romeo and Juliet romance with stakes that actually feel life-and-death. (10 / 9) |
| Prosecutor Princess (2010) 검사 프린세스 |
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| Que Sera Sera (2007) 케세라세라 |
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Took a few episodes to fall in love, but boy did I. Intense and unapologetic. Not for the casual watcher. Flawed but complex people drive this character drama. (9 / 9) |
| Queen In-hyun’s Man (2012) 인현왕후의 남자 |
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Thrilling, romantic, adorable, and engrossing. The best of the time-traveling bunch thus far. (9 / 9) |
| Queen of Reversals (2011) 역전의 여왕 |
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| The Return of Iljimae (2009) 돌아온 일지매 |
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Gorgeous. Poignant. Soundtrack and cinematography are exceptional. (10 / 10) |
| Rooftop Prince (2012) 옥탑방 왕세자 |
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First and last episodes contain an interesting story; 2 through 19 are entertaining though frustrating, and mostly filler. The chemistry and cute cast save it. (6 / 6) |
| Runaway Plan B (2010) aka Fugitive Plan B, 도망자 플랜비 |
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Wastes a lot of time in the beginning with flashy action and goofy comedy, but once it settles down, there’s a compelling conflict here. Rain does a fabulous job juggling emotions, action, and humor. (8 / 7) |
| Scent of a Woman (2011) 여인의 향기 |
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A drama about death that’s not really about death. The main trio’s stories edge out the aggravatingly meddly second leads. (8 / 8 ) |
| School 2013 (2013) 학교 2013 |
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The understated, slice-of-life storytelling packs a surprising emotional punch. Offers hope to the bleak at heart. (8 / 8 ) |
| Secret Garden (2010) 시크릿 가든 |
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Well-acted, sharp dialogue, great chemistry. Beautiful to look at, but it’s a lot of slick veneer. Alas, I found it hard to connect with emotionally. (7 / 8 ) |
| Shut Up: Flower Boy Band (2012) 닥치고 꽃미남밴드 |
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Pitch-perfect. It’s rockin’ with music and brotherhood, but most of all it’s about the heart-tugging process of finding yourself. (10 / 10) |
| The Sons of Sol Pharmacy House (2009) aka My Too Perfect Sons, 솔약국집아들들 |
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Hilarious, heartwarming family comedy about a family with four sons who each find love, with some help (and interference) from their boisterous family. (8 / 7) |
| Soulmate (2006) 소울메이트 |
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Witty, trendy, funny. Fabulous soundtrack and surprisingly tight plotting. Skillful use of chronology and narrative. (10 / 9) |
| Standby (2012) 스탠바이 |
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Oh, how I wished this were better. So many actors I love playing characters I didn’t care about. Ha Suk-jin carried this sitcom for me, and for that alone it was worth watching. But only just. (6 / 5) |
| A Star’s Lover (2008-09) 스타의 연인 |
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Pro: Choi Ji-woo and Yoo Ji-tae’s acting and great chemistry. Con: Everything else (slow, repetitive, predictable). (5 / 6) |
| Story of a Man (2009) aka The Slingshot 남자이야기 |
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Intense, thrilling, smartly woven together. Great balance of light and dark. Hits on all three points of acting, directing, writing — and it’s FUN. (10 / 10) |
| Strongest Chil Woo (2008) 최강칠우 |
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This is not a good drama, but thankfully its outrageousness (intentional and otherwise) keep it entertaining. Alas its hilarity doesn’t come as frequently as one would like. (6 / 6) |
| Summer Scent (2003) 여름향기 |
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| Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010) 성균관 스캔들 |
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So cute and well-done. But, ran out of steam toward the end, curtailing the earlier addiction high. (8 / 8 ) |
| Thousand Day Promise (2011) 천일의 약속 |
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Su Ae is commanding. Virtually no plot, just a grim progression of a disease with no hope at the end. Depressing and a little smug. (5 / 7) |
| To the Beautiful You (2012) 아름다운 그대에게 |
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| Tree With Deep Roots (2011) 뿌리깊은 나무 |
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Sharp writing, slick directing, stellar acting by Han Seok-kyu as Korea’s most famous king. Full of intrigue and thrills. (8 / 9) |
| Triple (2009) 트리플 |
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Breezy and refreshing, but also slow. Tone feels like Coffee Prince, but lacks focus and direction. (6 / 5) |
| Twelve Men in a Year (2012) 일년에 열두남자 |
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| Unstoppable High Kick (2006-07) 거침없이 하이킥 |
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Loosely plotted family sitcom featuring an adorable cast of future superstars. The problems are small, but the show’s heart is big. (8 / 7) |
| Vampire Idol (2012) 뱀파이어 아이돌 |
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You don’t make a show about alien vampire idol trainees, then half-ass the camp factor. Props for taking all the best parts of a ridiculous concept and adding adorable relationships on top. Sweetly dim. (7 / 6) |
| Vampire Prosecutor (2011) 뱀파이어 검사 |
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Sexy and smart, this action-crime drama is more procedural than paranormal, but damn if the paranormal (Mr. Vampire Hotness) isn’t sizzling. (8 / 8 ) |
| Vampire Prosecutor 2 (2012) 뱀파이어 검사 2 |
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The crew is back, the dynamic is funnier, and the addition to the team is a welcome and heartwarming one. And yet, it doesn’t quite have the bite (or the punch or kick) of the first season. (7 / 8 ) |
| The Vineyard Man (2006) 포도밭 그사나이 |
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Mildly amusing, but very ordinary. Oh Man-seok is great, Yoon Eun-hye is forgettable. If you’re a Yoon fan, skip it and see Coffee Prince instead. (5 / 6) |
| Warrior Baek Dong-soo (2011) 무사백동수 |
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| What’s Up, Fox (2006) 여우야 뭐하니 |
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Good follow-up by writer of Samsoon. Go Hyun-jung is always a treat to watch, as is Chun Jung-myung. Not necessarily exciting, but humorous and witty. (8 / 8 ) |
| White Christmas (2011) 화이트 크리스마스 |
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| Who Are You? (2008) 누구세요? |
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This drama is all heart. Surprisingly better than its silly start, it gets steadily better as you go along, and the body-swapping is both hilarious and meaningful. Yoon Kye Sang is a standout. (9 / 8 ) |
| Will It Snow For Christmas? (2009-10) 크리스마스에 눈이 올까요? |
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First half of this romance melodrama is poignant, emotionally wracking, layered; second half gets too convoluted for comfort. Go Soo is marvelous. (8 / 7) |
| Wish Upon a Star (2010) 별을 따다줘 |
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Pro: It’s unexpectedly charming. Con: Messy plot and weak secondary characters. Adorable kids and an appealing heroine keep it watchable. (8 / 6) |
| Witch Amusement (2007) aka Witch Yoo Hee, 마녀유희 |
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Endlessly mockable, but in the fun way. Pure eye candy, no nutrition. (6 / 3) |
| The Woman Who Still Wants To Marry (2010) 아직도 결혼하고 싶은 여자 |
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Breezy, witty. Touching and fun depiction of modern friendships and romance. (9 / 8 ) |
| The World They Live In (2008) aka Worlds Within 그들이 사는 세상 |
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| You’re Beautiful (2009) 미남이시네요 |
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Hilarious situations, fast-moving plot, memorable characters. Park Shin-hye is adorable (if dim), but it’s Jang Geun-seok who kills it. (9 / 8 ) |
| You’re Here, You’re Here, You’re Really Here (2012) 왔어 왔어 제대로 왔어 |
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As insipid as shows get. I cut it some slack for being on a fledgling cable station with a minuscule budget, but ultimately it flops. Winning leads in a dull world. (4 / 4) |
| You’ve Fallen For Me (2011) aka Heartstrings, 넌 내게 반했어 |
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And for the old stuff…
| Autumn Story (2000) aka Autumn Fairy Tale 가을동화 |
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Feelings (1994) 느낌 |
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One of the earliest trendy dramas boasting a hip, young, good-looking cast. Probably the first college campus drama. |
| First Love (1996-7) 첫사랑 |
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| Forever Yours (1998) 세상끝까지 |
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| Hotelier (2001) 호텔리어 |
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| Icing (1996) 아이싱 |
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A direct rip-off of The Last Match (see below), it tried to re-create its success with recycled cast and story. See Jang Dong-gun with Lee Seung-yeon back when they were trendy young things. |
| Jealousy (1992) 질투 |
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THE original trendy drama starring still-famous Choi Jin Shil and Choi Su Jong. Funny and cute, see the drama that started the trend. |
| Last Match (1994) 마지막 승부 |
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Superstar Jang Dong Gun in one of his earliest roles, featuring an extremely young and new Shim Eun Ha! Spawned the sports-drama trend. |
| Popcorn (2000) 팝콘 |
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Oh, this was a bad drama. Mediocre acting and all the typical cliches — she’s dying, he cries a lot — but it’s old-school Song Seung-heon, before he hit his big break. |
| Propose (1997) 프로포즈 |
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| Sandglass (1995) 모래시계 |
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One of the highest-rated dramas ever, and one of the most highly regarded. Stellar cast, stellar writing, this swept the nation and deals with some intense historical events, such as the Gwangju Massacre of 1980. |
| Star in My Heart (1997) 별은 내가슴에 |
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Early Hallyu hit and one of the first Cinderella-story dramas. Over-the-top by today’s standards, but who doesn’t love a rags-to-riches romance? |
| Tomato (1999) 토마토 |
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| Wedding Dress (1997-8) 웨딩드레스 |
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| Winter Sonata (2002) 겨울연가 |
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can you pleeeaaasssseeee also categorize the romantic comedyies of korean drama in asceding order. since, you have watched so many, it should not be much of a problem i guess…. i badlyy want it!
can you pleeeaaasssseeee also categorize the romantic comedies of korean drama in ascending order. since, you have watched so many, it should not be much of a problem i guess…. i badlyy want it!
My favorit drama all time are :
baker king kim tak goo, bridal mask, my girl, princess hour, sad love song, bad love, bad guy, green rose,queen seundeok, chun hyang
what it’s mean the rating for gaksital is ?/?, just curious
It means that there are no ratings yet I think they will write it soon
ratings for Answer Me 1997 anytime soon?
Where’s the rating for my beloved Gaksital?
I love this! From what I’ve read, we’re really similar in tastes. Especially about lacking/crawling story lines or unappealing characters. Whenever I pick one of your (both of your) favorites, I’m never disappointed and can come back to this page and do nothing but nod and agree.
I’m from France, but damn Kdramas are my guilty pleasure. I hope you’ll never stop posting! I love your point of view.
First drama I ever watched was BOF, and I still laugh when I think of that hot mess. I followed it up with following Lee Min-Ho to City Hunter though – and I absolutely went bananas over that drama. It made me almost forget the horrible perm Lee Min-Ho had in BOF and even though ‘Almost Paradise’ will make me cringe forever, CH made up for a lot of bad moments in the past. Like dragging myself through the emptiness that is Playful kiss for the sake of cuteness.. Or Secret Garden.. where SO much potential was wasted. (But man did Ha Ji-Won look badass. Could I pull the leather shorts + sword fighting off? Probably best we never find out.)
Wow rant alert. Didn’t mean to make this so long. Just wanted to ramble about your ratings but I think I lost myself somewhere in the middle. -insert witty drama reference here-
Take care!
Belle
lol. I so agree with you. I have a unhealthy obsession with Lee Min Ho…… mmmmm…… Min Ho……… huh…
I’ve been reloading and rechecking this page for days now. I simply adore these short poignant comments you add behind the ratings of shows and just can’t wait them for Gaksital, A Gentleman’s Dignity, Ma Boy and, most of all, Answer Me 1997.
I love your reviews and recaps and I have (productively!) decided to limit my choices to your top ratings. You guys haven’t updated this list in a while though, even though you’ve finished quite a bit of dramas already. Can you please update this soon? Heh, I’ve watched all the ones rated 8-9-10 and can’t wait for more
I agree on your “Lie To Me” comment/ratings.. I’m not surprised why I didn’t like it, but some people I know do loove it..Oh well~ And the old stuff reviews.. wow, I consider “Autumn In my Heart” and “Winter Sonata” as my ‘oldest,’ since former was the very first kdrama (I think) shown in my country..
Thanks for this site =)
I’ve been refreshing this page like crazy!
I have a burning curiosity that needs to be sated, I absolutely must know your ratings for the round of dramas that just finished up, especially Answer Me 1997.
It was certainly a 10/10 for me, and shot straight to first place on my list of favorite Kdramas.
Thanks to tvN, 2012 has been an amazing year for Kdramas. Shut Up: Flower Boy Band & Queen In-hyun’s Man were standouts for me, with Answer Me 1997 reigning above all else. If it weren’t for dramabeans, I would have never picked up these 3 wonderful gems, as there wasn’t much hype or anticipation for their debut.
I honestly don’t know what I would do without these reviews/recaps/ratings, as they’ve become the sole reason in helping me discover dramas I may not have considered before. I’ve also dropped many dramas that receive less than glowing reviews, so I can avoid unnecessary drama torture!
My kdrama watching experience wouldn’t be as rich and satisfying as it is today, so I’d just like to say THANK YOU! C:
Guys, I’m dying here. When are you gonna put up the rating for Answer Me 1997, Gaksital and others? Don’t wanna push you or anything, but the curitosity is killing me. Hope you haven’t forgotten…
Love this
Like many others, I have been waiting for your rating for Answer Me 1997 and Gaksital. I am really looking forward to it =) Many many thanks!
so…….. who has been watching Faith???
I am really enjoying it and it has me quite interested in the history behind the drama regarding the King, Queen and General Choi Young.
Therefore, as I am quite obsessive, I just did some wikipedia searching to find out more!!!
Wikipedia says that King Gongmin was really upset when his wife died from childbirth and never recovered (so sad!), getting badly depressed etc .
And then it said the following………..
“Gongmin spent his remaining time pursuing boys and religious affairs”
um…what????
Also I found out that the very very porny movie ‘Frozen Flower’ is in part based on King Gongmins life!!!!
so…..I guess he was gay then…
Anyway…General Choi sounds pretty awesome in real life too according to Wikipedia!!! I just hope we get a happier ending for him and Eun Soo in the drama then the horrible real-life beheading!!!!
Come on Faith!!! I really need a happy ending or I may actually die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hello pops
i just wanted to know as i have seen “frozen flower” too , and i m watching faith , does the gay relationship between the king and the general represents the friendship between the king and choi young in the drama???because i find it a bit too much so i was confused !!!
me too i’m praying for a happy ending , make it a science fiction ending !!!!!!! but happy please !!!
I know, ness36!!
I also don’t really mind if the ending of Faith is totally Sci-Fi crazy the long as the General and Eun Soo end up happy and together!!! I am quite scared that they may not do this though!!! I don’t think I can handle a sad ending as I am loving the characters so much!!
I am not sure if the King was really gay or not…. so I am also quite confused because all the history goes on about how much he loved Queen Nogook and how sad he was when she died….
hello POPS ,
did you enjoy the ending of faith?????all the fans were waiting for a hug or a kiss but even without them , i found it very adorable this gaze full of emotions , i feel somehow empty that this drama finished !!!i think i will miss LMH!!!! a lot !!!lol but moreover i will miss this kind of drama , hope will find a new drama soon
Hello again ness36!!
I totally LOVED the ending of ‘Faith’!!!! I was so worried it would have a sad ending but I thought it was lovely! though I am also very sad and empty now it is over!
I thought the end with them just staring at eachother was really lovely and yes, full of emotions and love! It was very affecting and I think a really perfect end as it showed how deep their love for eachother was, something much more then just a physical bond.
I will miss Lee Min Ho sooooo much!!! I wish he would be in a new drama straight away!!!!
Faith is definitely one of my favourite dramas ever I think, so my new list is as below:
(not in any order as that would just be too hard!!)
Princess Man
Faith
Tamra the Island
Dream High
I have absolutely loved way more dramas then just the above but I think they are my top picks!! Dream High being there is probably just because it was the first one I ever watched so it holds a special spot in my heart!!
what about your favourite’s ness36?
I have just started watching Queen Inhyun’s Man now (only up to episode 2) and I am really enjoying it!!! Have you seen it?
Have a nice day if you ever see this comment!!
Thanks for this post. I’m on the lookout for something to watch. Now I don’t know what to start with, given your recommendations. Really helpful.
hi..
watch innocent man i give 9.5/10 for epi 1 -10 (airing)really good drama i just start epi 1 last nite and watch til epi 10 nonstop.
other drama . reply – 9.9/10 (great drama beginning til end i love this drama i watch 3 times already )
faith – 9/10 (airing)
arang & mjtrd – 8.5/10 (airing)
five finger -9/10 (airing)
may queen – 9/10 (airing)
vampire prosecutor – 8.5/10 (airing)
panda and hnd – 8/10
Haeundae Lovers – 9/10
watch real school also good drama i give 9/10 (i watch 2 times )
a gentlement dignity – 8.5/10
can love become money – 8.5/10
big – 8.9/10
glowing she 8/10
I Do, I Do – 8/10
I Love Lee Tae Ri -8.5/10
you’re so generous
I love your site. I just started watching Korean dramas a few months ago. I’m totally addicted.
My first show was Shiny Inheritance, which lead me to My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, then King 2 Hearts. LOVED them. Watched Gumiho a couple times and I though Lee Seung Gi was awesome in King 2 Hearts. That show deserved so much more credit. So happy you agree.
Then I discovered Le Min Ho. I’ve watched everything he’s been in just to look at his face. god. I want to kill myself.
BUT, my favorite so far is Arang and the Magistrate. So perfect (except that crazy heaven’s garden with that weird lady tending to it). Great story and music too.
Hah!! Pillowhead! I liked your comment!!
especially ‘I want to kill myself’ because Lee Min Ho constantly also makes me feel this way!! which can be quite distracting when I am trying to watch a drama and concentrate …
I got into Korean Dramas last year and everyone I knew said it would just be a phase but here I am a year and a half later still completely obsessively obsessed!! they are the best thing ever!!
I am halfway through Arang and I am really enjoying it, it is quite different to other dramas I have seen and I find it quite refreshing. the bit where Arang follows the Reaper over the River Styx and down into the Cave was really visually beautiful! I still have lots to watch yet but I am really into it!
Are you watching ‘Faith’? Because, just in case you didn’t know, it does have Lee Min Ho’s face in it!! also, its a really really good drama I think and, if it has an ending that is relatively happy and doesn’t kill me with torn apart love and sadness, I really think it will be one of my absolute favorite dramas ever!!!
Anyway… I was babbling!!
where gaksital?my bridal mask.
Okay, I’m now worried that you’re not going to update this page at all. But PLEASE DO, I’m dying to know your opinions on the latest dramas.
SO, IF POSSIBLE; UPDATE THIS PAGE SOON. PRETTY PLEASE..:) I know I’m not the only one in this.
Hey guys, is there a reason why you haven’t put up the ratings for the recently finished dramas? Or did you just forget?
Like many others here, I’m really looking forward to the ratings and I’d really appreciate if you did this soon. We Dramabeans’ fans are getting a little impatient here
Dear Girlfriday and Javabeans,
I think if you haven’t been able to rate Gaksital yet, after 2 months, it’s because the drama was so good and affected you so much that your feelings towards it just will not go away. I know they didn’t for me. Of course, the drama had its longueurs – just like you said, the scenes with the elders and old people – but it really is just because of how grand the rest of the drama was, both in terms of visuals and absolutely everything else, that this just couldn’t compare. In another drama these kinds of scenes (evil elders talking) would have passed incognito to your eyes, because they are just as boring as the rest of the drama and thus would have blended with the rest – I’m talking about Secret Garden, Ojakkyo Brothers, Biscuit Teacher Star Candy, Dream High…. and a whole lot more you gave 9 on 10 to.
Granted, if we want to get technical there were, at first glance, some very annoying things about Gaksital – in terms of pace, for example, or how very little time did Kangto have to mourn his lover. But that’s just if we look at this drama at the first layer. Indeed, after all, Gaksital is not a drama that seeks to make you feel good, make you satisfied or give you what you want. Instead, it seeks to make you open your eyes and feel something, a something that was felt in the past, about Korea’s past, and a feeling that could be forgotten by younger generations who are increasingly disconnected from Korea’s past and stuck in short term Korea’s hyperconsumption trends.. In fact, just like Korea’s 20th century’s story, Gaksital is long, challenging mentally and emotionally, difficult, sometimes painful, sometimes not, and just like daily life it’s got its ups (friendship, love) and downs (treason, loss, death) which, if set on the tragic canvas of Japanese occupation, cannot help but make even the starkest of the daily joys painful, even the grandest of love and hope altogether incredibly heavy, painful and bittersweet….
This drama does a good job at depicting the excruciatingly long and painful time we have to, as viewers, watch with helpless eyes and over and over for a long period of time, the sadistic and dark nature of the Japanese showa and those Koreans who decided to sell out to the Japanese empire, the death of heroes we have no time to mourn in a wartime setting, which is…. sorta kinda exactly like how Koreans during this period of History were feeling as the were LIVING it, don’t you think?
In a nutshell: if Gaksital isn’t a 10/10, then none of the ones you have graded so far can be…. (and believe me, I have seen 98% of them already… sigh. I am a dramaddict
). A drama that makes you FEEL what people really FELT in one of the darkest period of modern Korean History is something that has never been achieved in a 21st century Korean drama. I hadn’t been this seriously moved and affected that much by anything since Lee Chang-Dong’s 박하사탕, which I saw over ten years ago.
no review for Sung Yu-Ri’s films?? i think she’s one to look out for…
Hey,
I was just wondering when you guys were going to update this page with new ratings? Cuz I’m really curious as to what rating you guys will give for “Answer Me 1997.” Please update!!!!
D
Thank you!^^
Waiting waiting waiting for your ratings for the latest recap’d dramas, especially Answer Me 1997! Hope you haven’t forgotten~!
when are you guys going to update your ratings for dramas?
i follow your ratings for nearly 2 years but one drama rating bothers me.. i know it is my own opinion but i want u to comment on that….
In shut up flower boy band i loved the plot and the story but there is always a but in this drama.. whenever an emotional scene came it paced and i could not involve properly(though i am very emotional) not one time many times u can again see on emotional parts.. and get ended quickly….
Hola everybody!!!
Calling all Australian drama fans, please please help me out with some information!!
I am trying to find ‘Queen Inhyun’s Man’ to watch online with english subs and I can watch it on youtube but the quality is pretty bad…where does everyone else watch drama online? Or where do you download it?
Help help!!!!
thanks so much!!
dramacrazy.net
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!
i download my dramas at daddicts.com, you find nearly all of them there,
you can stream from dramacrazy.com or gooddrama.com besides there are many other sites.
if you get dramafever or viki in your region then they have a wide variety too, all with eng subs
thank you Rule!!
Thank you guys for the ratings
I waited so long and so eagerly for these. I didn’t realize you watched so many dramas during this short period. I was worried that you forgot to update this at all. But my worries were unwarranted. Thanks again.
Also, now I feel relieved that I chose Arang And The Magistrate over Faith. Lee Min Ho is cute, but I’m not gonna sit through a drama with 24 episodes just to watch him.
Thanks for the new ratings, l love your comments on gaksital !!!
oh I know lots of people didn’t enjoy ‘Faith’ all that much but I totally LOVED it!!!
So it makes me a little sad to see such a low rating for this drama but obviously everyone has their own opinions and I am the first one to admit I know absolutely nothing about good or bad directing so that side of things didn’t really mar my enjoyment of this drama, like I know it did for Javabeans and Girlfriday.
I thought it was a really sweet romantic love story and the characters were really fleshed out (well the main ones anyway) and for me, I would have given it an 8 or 9 out of 10 considering how much I enjoyed watching it!!
and yes…it is true I love Lee Min Ho and he is my favorite actor but I swear that’s not why I love this drama (although it certainly helped).
Anyway…. thanks for your fantastic site which I couldn’t live without and for recapping Faith!!!!!!
You guys are the best!!!
Booh Gaksital got a worse rating than City hunter. They wre at least equally epic
Yeah, but no HEA for Gaksital! I know that was what made me love it a little bit less. But I doubt that was the same reason for GF and JB. LOL
YAY! New drama ratings. I always love to see how my own personal ratings compare. Thanks JB & GF!
I’m a bit surprised seeing the overall rating for Faith…
I agree there were major flaws with that one – the flow and build-up of the storyline, the editing and directing and especially the cinematography.
Yet on the upside it did follow a rather inherent logic and had a solid love story. The main characters were nicely drawn and mostly followed their characterisations. The acting from the leads was good (Ryu Duk Hwan!) and the overall wit throughout the show enjoyable.
The personal rating is nothing to argue about, however you also rate how good you think something actually is – and a 5 and a 6 respectively seem a bit harsh. For the sake of it I’ll compare it to other LMH dramas: This rating makes Faith worse than Personal Taste and puts it on the same level as Boys Over Flowers – which I can see would be more enjoyable to watch but would hardly be an objectively better drama imho.
Anyway, that’s just my opinion… Faith wasn’t as great as it could have been, better directing and a better build up of conflicts including a satisfying solution would have done wonders. But I do feel that a 5 is a bit harsh considering what else got 5 points ^^
PS: I love this ratings-page and your recaps, I always come here choosing dramas to watch, so thanks so much for this wonderful site and all your effort!
Thank you so much for updating the ratings! You guys are the best.
I just wanted to say Thank you. I work over night and i spend a lot of time watching K-dramas. My list is close to 75 now and I was running out of series that were holding my intrest. I now have new adventures to watch! Thank you for your time in watching, writing and updating. Fighting Javabeans!
Wow javabeans is really awesome !
I enjoyed various comments from different kinds of people from all walks of life!
In my family , Im the lone kdrama patron and they dnt appreciate my great liking towards these all too mushy cutee cutee immature chinks that’ll never do me any good . that’s my according to my mom . Arrghhh ! All I could do is to pout ,!
Mom will never understand the inspiration and happiness that kdramas’ giving me eversince I discovered them way back in 2000ish .. Im not sure exactly when but the very first kdrama Ive watched was Bright Girl and since then I was perfectly drawn at them lovelies !
Looking back at these Dramas, would you guys want to change how you rated some of the older ones? Like say City Hunter, which was given a higher score than Gaksital, was it really better than Gaksital? And if not, would you guys change the score?
I burst into laughter when I saw your rating for ‘To The Beautiful You’
To be frank, I found it quite hard to follow the storyline. Only thing that kept me sane half the time was Lee Hyun Woo, God bless his soul <3
Anyway, loved reading the ratings. As always, keep up the good work ^.^
Hi dears
I cant understand (10/9) … is this rating?
what’s the meaning of it?
when you said the ratings are OF TEN, Why the second digits are different … such as (3/3) or (7/7) (8/7) (10/9) ???
please explain … Thanks Alot
First number is how much they enjoy to watch it, second number is how good they think it is.
Just curious as I was looking at your ratings and noticed that the lowest ratings you gave were 3′s. Made me curious as to what 1 would be on the scale of 1 to 10… what was the WORST drama you two have ever seen up to date?
2 thumbs up to both of you. I’ve just finished Five Fingers. Adult act by Ji Hoon, fans of mine since Goong. Although I found it a bit boring at first but managed to finish it at the end. I would still consider this drama has its own value of life learning eventhough no sweet ending for JJH with JSY. Chae Si Ra showed tremendous acting skill, she put me in mixed feeling, hating her at first and very touchy at the end. Other actresses and actors are amazing too. I would say this is more to life drama rather than love drama in general. Now I’m looking forward to patiently wait for I Miss You. One of the kind I like as I adore the actors and actress as well. Thanks for all your sharing as well. Be well!
I chose and watched the Soulmate based on your ratings and viewer’s comments…. just waste of time… I disagree with your ideas about this drama… Perhaps it has been favorite by native ones … I watched it with english subs… anyway My rating: 2 of 10 points…
So I just finished ‘White Christmas’ which was totally awesome! Really creepy and every time you think the plot is going to start being a bit too obvious they switch everything around and it stays fresh the whole way through!!
I think my favourite character was probably the deaf boy (whose name I have totally managed to forget) and I thought the actor was great at portraying a slightly creepy guy (stalker photos…what??!) and making me sympathise with him and care about him. He really had it very rough I feel and although I couldn’t always agree with everything he did I ended up really wanting him to survive and do well…… not really sure that anybody did very well by the end though….
The other thing I have taken away from this drama is that Kim woo Bin is the coolest dude ever!!!
Because of him I checked out some Vampire Idol and he was hilarious in that, and I have now started ‘School 2013′ as he is in that too (even if he is a big Douche Canoe bully in it..sigh) I luuurve him!!!! Yay for Kim Woo Bin!! I really hope I can see him in a lead role one day soon!!
Hi, Dramabeans. Thanks so much for your ratings. Like many of us, I come here to check out the ratings list to see what to watch next. My favorites on your list are Sam Soon, Queen Inhyeon’s Man and Princess’s Man. Surprised not to see Jang Geum, Yi San, Dong Yi or Queen Seon Duk, which were the ones I watched after Sam Soon. Are they shows that you started and couldn’t get through?
Thanks again,
Fleur
I love boys over flowers, i am really crazy about this drama. I love GJP and GJD. I hope they bring season 2. Its the best of all kdrama i have watched.
I love kdrama, and my best is boys over flowers. I really love GJP and GJD. I hope they bring season 2 asap.
I really appreciate JB’s and GF’s comments and ratings. But the 10/10 for ‘Story of a Man’ is rediculous. Even though I like most of the actors, the story was weak, and the second half of the drama a pain in the xxx. Hate me for having endured such a bore. – So please JB, reconsider the rating.
hello, nice rate and I think the best drama is reply 1997.. it’s the first drama that I can’t find/guest the ending..
I will come to this page for K-Drama recommendations in the future. Your ratings mirror mine on the shows I’ve watched so far so I figured I could trust your judgment. Just finished watching “Answer Me, 1997.” Very cute, I think my favorite line was when Yoon Jae told the puppy guy “I’m wearing a collar, you just can’t see it.” Something like that. A good kiss in a K-Drama is less about technique and more about how good the build-up was to that moment. This kiss was great, my new favorite. Thanks for the “recommendation”!