Annnnnnnd another year comes to a close.

Big thanks to our recap minions HeadsNo2, gummimochi, and kaedejun for sharing their reviews with us and joining the spirited discussion for the Editors’ Picks this year. There wasn’t even any hair-pulling, and only one person lost an eye! It’s been a great year for K-dramas and an even better one at Dramabeans because of all our readers, so thanks to you guys for making this community what it is. Okay, enough mushy stuff.

And the winners are…

SONG OF THE DAY

Queen In-hyun’s Man OST – “내 남자, 김붕도” (My Man, Kim Boong-do) [ Download ]

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Read the rest of 2012 Editors’ Picks [Year In Review, Part 6] (4,080 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2012. | Permalink | 315 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Answer Me 1997, Arang and the Magistrate, Big, Dr. Jin, Fashion King, featured, Gaksital, History of the Salaryman, Nice Guy, Padam Padam, Queen In-hyun's Man, Rooftop Prince, Shut Up: Flower Boy Band, The King 2 Hearts, The Moon That Embraces the Sun, year in review

If there’s anything that Santa has taught me over the years (other than a musical mnemonic about single-malt scotches), it’s that Christmas is a time of giving. Dramaland gives us so much throughout the year, that I thought it was finally time for me to stop being a grinch and give back, out of the goodness of my heart. *waits for credit*

So this year I’ve made a Christmas list, and every drama I’ve watched this year is on it. Because everyone deserves presents. Yes, even you, Show.

 
SONG OF THE DAY

The King 2 Hearts OST – “Hang-ah’s Dream” [ Download ]

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Read the rest of Dramaland: The gift that keeps on giving [Year In Review, Part 5] (8,856 words)

© girlfriday for Dramabeans, 2012. | Permalink | 138 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: A Gentleman's Dignity, Answer Me 1997, Arang and the Magistrate, Big, Faith, featured, Gaksital, I Do I Do, I Miss You, I Need Romance 2012, King of Dramas, Nice Guy, Queen In-hyun's Man, Rooftop Prince, Shut Up: Flower Boy Band, The Chaser, The King 2 Hearts, The Moon That Embraces the Sun, To the Beautiful You, Vampire Prosecutor 2, year in review

My first year-end review!

I was so excited for this opportunity that I decided to watch as many dramas as I could in preparation this year, and all but forced myself to doggedly stick with obvious train wrecks because I figured, “Hey, at least it’ll give me something to write about.”

If I learned anything, it was that I should never do that again. That’s a life lesson every drama viewer should learn early in their infancy, so I’ll just chalk it up to some late blooming on my part. Ergo, take some of these review choices with a grain of salt and (hopefully) not as a pure representation of taste.

This was the year for time traveling heroes, questionably nice guys, single-minded kings, guardian angels, reapers, rockers, brothers, heroes, and hanbok-wearing chickens. Not every year has a bandwagon, but 2012 sure did; there was more time traveling than you could shake a stick at. And for most of those offerings, you’d be shaking that stick pretty angrily.

Since hindsight is 20/20, I’m riding out this year’s trend by posing this question to each drama: If I could turn back time, what would I do differently?

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Read the rest of If I Could Turn Back Time [Year In Review, Part 4] (7,565 words)

© HeadsNo2 for Dramabeans, 2012. | Permalink | 154 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Arang and the Magistrate, Big, Dr. Jin, Equator Man, Fashion King, featured, Gaksital, History of the Salaryman, Love Rain, Nice Guy, Oohlala Spouses, Operation Proposal, Padam Padam, Queen In-hyun's Man, The King 2 Hearts, The Moon That Embraces the Sun, To the Beautiful You, year in review

Looking at the buffet table of 2012, I’m left in awe at the vast array of possible selections before me. The sheer number of choices is growing every year and I feel like I have to taste-test the premiere and make a quick decision of whether to keep digging in or move on. Sometimes you don’t just know for sure until you’re left with the aftertaste.

And because some dramas that fall within the same genre can have unique flavors, I’m using a Taste O’Meter to assess this year’s dramas. Was it sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or savory? Maybe more than one?

Like any “Thanks to…” in a good Kpop album: My unending thanks to javabeans and girlfriday for the opportunity to let me write about what I love; to HeadsNo2 for the squee-fests and love of makgulli; to kaedejun for the laughs, hugs, and love of Oppa; and last but not least, to YOU GUYS for being awesome readers. I put in a good word for y’all with Santa but he may have used my note as a coaster instead. Or a tissue.

The series below include the ones seen in its entirety, listed chronologically(ish):

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Read the rest of A Variety of Flavors in 2012 [Year In Review, Part 3] (4,403 words)

© gummimochi for Dramabeans, 2012. | Permalink | 130 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Answer Me 1997, Arang and the Magistrate, Big, featured, Full House Take 2, Gaksital, I Do I Do, Marriage Plot, Nice Guy, Operation Proposal, Queen In-hyun's Man, Shut Up: Flower Boy Band, The King 2 Hearts, To the Beautiful You, Vampire Prosecutor 2, year in review

Review extravaganza time!

I know: Already? It feels like just the other day I was killing myself to corral all my thoughts in coherent fashion in a monster review of 2011′s dramas, and already it’s time to lose sleep wrangling my thoughts together for 2012. Time sure flies when you’re having fun, or old. Guess which one I am?

These days I shy away from blanket statements like “This was an awesome year” or “This was a terrible year.” Dramaland has been putting out so much material that all the nuance gets sucked out of a flattening statement like that. If anything, 2012 was the year it overflowed with variety—so yes, there were terrible shows, and there were awesome shows, and there were shows every step in between. But thanks to the explosion of cable programming—aided by the launching of not one, not two, but four new cable stations boasting big drama lineups—there was just about something for everyone.

 
SONG OF THE DAY

Shut Up Flower Boy Band OST – “Jaywalking” [ Download ]

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Read the rest of 2012: Something for everyone? [Year In Review, Part 1] (9,584 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2012. | Permalink | 260 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Answer Me 1997, Arang and the Magistrate, Big, Color of Woman, Dr. Jin, Dream High 2, Faith, featured, Gaksital, History of the Salaryman, I Do I Do, Ma Boy, Nice Guy, Oohlala Spouses, Queen In-hyun's Man, Rooftop Prince, Shut Up: Flower Boy Band, Standby, The Moon That Embraces the Sun, Vampire Idol, Vampire Prosecutor 2, year in review, You're Here You're Here You're Really Here

Podcast #12, Part 1

Running time: 58:53

In which we:

• Catch up on which new shows have premiered in the new year;
• discuss Rooftop Prince (3:05);
• Queen In-hyun’s Man and its ending (10:50);
• The King 2 Hearts with a tangent on Sohn Ji-chang and the origins of girlfriday’s Seung-gi love (19:39);
• Jang Dong-gun’s popularity and A Gentleman’s Dignity (38:45);
• and the craziness that is Dr. Jin (47:35).

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Read the rest of Dramabeans Podcast #12, Part 1 (162 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2012. | Permalink | 178 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: featured, Queen In-hyun's Man, Rooftop Prince, The King 2 Hearts

This is a show unafraid to explore the darkest parts of itself, taking us down to the depths of separation and emotionally gutting us in the best and most frightening of ways, so that the payoff has never felt more earned or deserved. In short, this episode is like running through an emotional obstacle course backward and blind, and it’s AWESOME. But also terrifying. Yet poignant. But mostly terrifying. Queen In-hyun’s Man, what have you done to me?

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Read the rest of Queen In-hyun’s Man: Episode 16 (Final) (4,365 words)

© HeadsNo2 for Dramabeans, 2012. | Permalink | 530 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: featured, Ji Hyun-woo, Queen In-hyun's Man, Yoo Inna

Awesome. Such a kickass exploration of the consequences of messing with time and fate. So you defeat the baddies and win your freedom and your love. What else is there to fear? As it turns out, a pissed-off mystical talisman is a helluva lot more scary than mere mortals, and more dangerous, especially when it wants its pound of flesh. It’s enough to make you go fetal, biting your nails helplessly. Gulp. Hold me.

I know the finale has aired, but be warned: If you spoil the ending for me, I will hex you.

SONG OF THE DAY

Yozoh – “동경소녀” (Longing girl) [ Download ]

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Read the rest of Queen In-hyun’s Man: Episode 15 (3,874 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2012. | Permalink | 178 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: featured, Ji Hyun-woo, Queen In-hyun's Man, Yoo Inna

This show is going to be the death of me. Our hero is faced with the choice of saving his own life or bringing the baddies to justice, and we’re left wondering: Can he do both? Seemingly insurmountable odds and sky-high stakes make this show a cut above the rest, and this episode combines all the best things about this series into one. Not like that’s a new thing where Queen In-hyun’s Man is concerned.

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Read the rest of Queen In-hyun’s Man: Episode 14 (3,345 words)

© HeadsNo2 for Dramabeans, 2012. | Permalink | 193 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: featured, Ji Hyun-woo, Queen In-hyun's Man, Yoo Inna

You just can’t mess with time: This gives our hero a new hurdle to overcome, and me a few more gray hairs. (The nerves that come with earnestly wishing your characters well when you actually care about them can age you prematurely, I swear.) Another twist sends our scales of fortune tipping one way, then the other, and my heart seesaws right along with them.

SONG OF THE DAY

Boong-do Er, I mean Ji Hyun-woo – “아이야” [ Download ]

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Read the rest of Queen In-hyun’s Man: Episode 13 (3,258 words)

© javabeans for Dramabeans, 2012. | Permalink | 180 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: featured, Ji Hyun-woo, Queen In-hyun's Man, Yoo Inna