2012 Beanie Awards: Vote for your favorite dramas of the year
by girlfriday
Can you believe it’s December already? I know the awards shows have started to come ’round again, but it always feels like This Time Of Year always sneaks up on me — as in, the time when we take a look back at the best, the worst, the weirdest, and the most surprising dramas of the past year.
Our so-called Beanie Awards have been a tradition on this site pretty much since the beginning, and you can take a look into the wayback machine to see the state of years past. Here’s the 2007 Polls, 2009 Polls, 2010 Polls, and 2011 Polls.
You know what else this means: We’ll be rolling out our annual Year End Review Extravaganza in the coming days and weeks as well! Keep an eye out for our reviews, and if you’re curious at past installments, here’s a Year In Review tag for your convenient browsing purposes.
On to the voting!
FAVORITE DRAMA SERIES OF 2012
Limit your votes to your TOP 3 picks for the year.
FAVORITE COMEDIC DRAMA
FAVORITE HISTORICAL DRAMA
FAVORITE FAMILY DRAMA
FAVORITE ACTION OR THRILLER SERIES
FAVORITE MELODRAMA
FAVORITE LEAD ROMANTIC PAIRING
FAVORITE BROMANCE
BEST VILLAIN
BEST KISS
MOST WTF DRAMA
FAVORITE CHARACTER
FAVORITE ALTERNATE PAIRING
MOST DYSFUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIP
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE
MOST DISAPPOINTING DRAMA
BIGGEST WASTE OF TALENT
OVERRATED DRAMA
UNDERRATED DRAMA
MOST GLORIOUS MANE OF GLORY
MANE OF SHAME
BEST KING
BEST TIME TRAVEL MECHANISM
MOST PERSISTENT FIRST LOVE
BEST NONHUMAN CHARACTER
RELATED POSTS
- 2011 Year In Review, Part 5: Editors’ Picks
- 2011 Year In Review, Part 4: The DramaMeter: highly scientific and foolproof (girlfriday’s review)
- 2011 Year In Review, Part 3: Somewhere Over the K-Drama Rainbow (Dahee Fanel’s review)
- 2011 Year In Review, Part 2: The Good, The Bad, and The Hmmm… of 2011 (kaedejun’s review)
- 2011 Year In Review, Part 1: Measuring 2011 on the Sticky Scale (javabeans’ review)
- 2010 Beanie Awards: Vote for your favorite dramas of the year
- How was 2009 for you?
- How was 2007 for you?
Tags: Beanie Awards, featured, year in review, year in review 2012
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251 chulz08
December 7, 2012 at 7:47 AM
i dont care what everybody said, but my BEST 3 DRAMAS of the YEAR:
> NICE GUY: because I just love SJK :)
> ANSWER ME 1997: The rookies were all GOOD :)
> ROOFTOP PRINCE: I didn't know Yoochun is an idol and he actED well. I just love him :)
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chulz08
December 7, 2012 at 7:49 AM
LOL..I forgot to thank dramabeans for making the nominees hilariously funny :)
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Jumbalaya
December 8, 2012 at 9:39 PM
>1997: New idea, relatable, fun to watch, and there's a lot of earnestness and sentiment
>Gaksital: I liked the historical time set. I'm kind of new to dramaland (about 1 1/2 yrs) but I have never seen a historical drama later than the Joseon era.
>King of Dramas: Only because I'm watching it now, and all the other dramas on the list I haven't finished reading recaps. Although, I'd like to say I really like the concept of this drama, a drama about dramas. That's new...
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252 Miryoung Park
December 7, 2012 at 11:43 AM
1997
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Jumbalaya
December 8, 2012 at 9:19 PM
agreed
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253 hannah
December 7, 2012 at 3:36 PM
I wish Jae Shin and Shi Kyung from King 2 Hearts had been an option for favorite couple or there had been a second lead favorite couple. The reason I watched that it was for those characters not for the mains. This is my favorite homage to them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-cwNnv9ynw
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hannah
December 7, 2012 at 5:08 PM
Second favorite couple that isn't an option to choose from is the king and queen from Faith.
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254 woelandyz
December 7, 2012 at 5:24 PM
For me NICE GUY all the way!best kdrama 2012!
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255 78910
December 7, 2012 at 9:29 PM
PADAM PADAM!!! <3
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256 Tani
December 8, 2012 at 12:28 PM
very funny and intresting Comments for each category! :-)
thanks.
A very good year in dramaland. funny, romantic and (very) sad dramas. I enjoyed them a lot.
and also thanks so much Dramabeans for the reviews and news. Nice Job!
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257 valerie
December 8, 2012 at 5:46 PM
first time voter and i haven't watched all the dramas on this list yet but i really do love reply me 1997 and QIHM - esp QIHM. i've never chased a drama so hard before and to hear that the couple are a couple IRL was x4982548598762 better ^^
am defo going to check out TK2H, Gaksital and Moon/Sun when i'm free-er cause a lot of people have been raving about it ;P
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258 ivy hara
December 8, 2012 at 8:11 PM
i love faith LMH
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259 Jumbalaya
December 8, 2012 at 9:19 PM
wow, Nice Guy is doing really well in the polls. I'm surprised, in a way, it's so melodramatic. I kind of expected something slightly on the comedy side to win. But then again, this year has been full of melo dramas...
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260 Jumbalaya
December 8, 2012 at 9:21 PM
actually, I expected Answer Me 1997 to take first....it was so funny and I feel that a lot of us can relate...(regardless of your age)
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261 ayreou
December 8, 2012 at 10:26 PM
I enjoy voting 'cause you are hilarious. The end.
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262 Dhila
December 9, 2012 at 7:30 AM
Where is Ojakgyo Brothers? I want to vote it:'(
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263 iberos
December 9, 2012 at 8:07 AM
I had so much fun reading the descriptions that in the end, it made it so hard for me to vote! Either way, thank you so much for all the time and effort you guys took to craft these wonderful responses!
Can't wait to see the results!
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264 twilove26
December 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM
My favorite drama is Shut Up Flower Boy Band #1 ^___^
everything about it...the story, the heart and soul, the theme and plot, the message, the acting, the characters, the relationships, the music, the ending, the eye candy =p...just do yourself a favor and watch it!
I love Answer me 1997, K2H and QIHM!!!
This characters were refreshing and adorable and will forever be in my heart T^T
also King of Dramas is growing on me! HILARIOUS!
I actually like I need Romance 2012 but the ending parts were frustrating =( same thing with MOON/SUN and Rooftop Prince, I was loyal till the last 4 episodes.
and Nice Guy...i love the acting, and the first episodes were amazing but the story was just so (no offense people) retarded.
Arang was really good but doesn't seem to stick as one of my favorites
Dr. Jin and Faith were my biggest disappointments, i wanted them to be good but i couldn't go past the first 2 weeks.
Big just didn't deliver.
Dream High 2...i had a feeling it wasn't going to be good so I didn't expected much.
To the beautiful You...sorry but i wouldn't call that acting and the characters were so robotic and flat and un-personal.
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265 FeKimi
December 9, 2012 at 5:47 PM
My favorite Korean Drama for this year is definitely Gaksital!! So intense, so dark, so many things that still stuck in my head rite now. And, of course, SUPERB acting performance by the lead and supporting actors!!
GAKSITAAAALLL FTW!!
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266 latrskss
December 9, 2012 at 7:42 PM
Is the poll closed now?
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267 vitaminde
December 9, 2012 at 9:32 PM
it's my second time, first was last year.. too many good drama this year, i couldn't choose top 3 becoz at least i have 4 fave drama of this year..
Answer Me 1997, Queen Inhyun's Man, Nice Guy, and The King 2 Hearts.. Also Shut Up Flower Boy Band and Gaksital...
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268 paroles
December 9, 2012 at 11:26 PM
Wished that the ending kiss of Arang is in the running instead of the CPR one.
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269 katey
December 11, 2012 at 5:23 AM
why was there no poll for second pairing? i totally heart K2H's princess and bodyguard and Reply's Hak Chan and Yoo Jung!
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270 neaa
December 11, 2012 at 5:24 AM
it felt like eternity scrolling down.. for me the most successful and heartwarming drama of the year was "answer me 1997"..exceptional story and mindblowing acting..shiwon was so kickass..i so want to be so much like her!!
nice guy comes second for me..though i don't get why it's not in the melodrama category!
and yes..big was the biggest disappointment of the year..i was so enjoying it till ep 15 but the last episode it made big spiral down to negative infinity!!
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271 Carinne
December 11, 2012 at 6:28 AM
LMAO~~"Mane of Shame" category is the BEST!!
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Carinne
December 11, 2012 at 6:35 AM
What happened to Mickey's lil bro's show? The Strongest Kpop Survival. It at least deserves a nomination in Underrated Drama's.
Boo! XD
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272 pam
December 11, 2012 at 7:41 AM
well, for 2012, I really enjoyed:
King 2 Hearts
Nice Guy
Arang
QIH's Man
Gaksital
king of drama
but in the end, the one that really dear in my heart is K2H ^^
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273 ion
December 12, 2012 at 12:33 PM
why no nomination for can we get married???!! seriously the best rom-com, best couple, best ost too~ >w<
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Nikilann
December 25, 2012 at 6:44 PM
I'm not sure it counts for this year. It's not finished ? Or is it ? Anyway, the recap isn't so...
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274 ion
December 12, 2012 at 12:36 PM
oh btw, my top 3 favorite dramas~
- answer me 1997: because it's so DAMN cute. the last few episodes are super annoying, but it doesn't make this drama less cute.
- can we get married: best! romcom! top notch directing and music.
- the chaser: awesomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee <3 <3 <3
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275 Rachel
December 12, 2012 at 10:54 PM
No hardcore Reply 1997 fans? Or Chaser? Those are the ones that just scratched my heart and never cared to put neosporin on it.
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276 tazzy
December 13, 2012 at 12:48 PM
I am REALLY REALLY Surprised at how well Nice Guy is doing in the poll.
I watched the whole thing, and although I liked it, in the end I felt like I had just been cheated into thinking it was an amazing drama when really nothing much happened :s
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Nikilann
December 25, 2012 at 6:53 PM
Well said. In fact, the first half is wonderful. Then... well it's not WTF, but it's getting very near of it. Past the ep 13, you really start to get confused. Happily, there's (unexpectedly) Jae Hee which gets more interesting near the end, even if she is really seriously fucked up.
But even if I liked the end, I must recognized it's not exactly... a logical end either...
^^ But I seriously feel it's an overrated drama. Less than Moon/Sun, but overrated anyway. When What's Up is so much at the bottom of the ratings it didn't even get an actual official and complete OST... or even good promotonal pictures with the actual cast, and Jung Hye Jin who in the end didn't get to star in it... well. Makes me want to cry. Especially when Big, or Fashion King got more interest. Is there more nonsensical dramas than this two ????
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277 xkii
December 14, 2012 at 10:07 AM
love all the descriptions next to the options :D hehe really cracked me up ~
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278 momogi
December 14, 2012 at 8:19 PM
geez,,that gummy fetus picture, I can't bear to see it!
anyway this year I havent seen as much drama as last year, shame, but I've seen the best one: answer me, nice, shut up.
finger cross, hope dramas get better next year.
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279 nani
December 16, 2012 at 1:49 AM
when is it
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280 Windsun33
December 17, 2012 at 2:26 AM
I have not really seen any standout dramas this year - or perhaps I have just seen so many K-dramas that I am getting a bit more critical of bad writing, bad acting, and over-the-top makjang. None of the 2012 entries are in my top-10 list of all time, though Drama King is a contender, depending on the next few episodes.
Also a couple of what I would have voted as worst were not on the list, such as Feast of the Gods & Panda & Hedgehog.
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281 Lizzie_wwjd
December 17, 2012 at 2:40 AM
GOSH Operation Proposal needs "most persistent first love" He bloody went back in time 15 times just so that he could get his first love .... one man who needed to give up and move on she was obviously not meant to be with him but ended up anyway.
Some of these votes are a little biased ... please Nice Guy isn't that good!
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Windsun33
December 17, 2012 at 8:23 AM
I did not think Nice Guy was all that great either, but I have not seen all of the others, so did not consider voting them either way.
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Anastassia
December 25, 2012 at 3:34 AM
Me think too
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Coo19
December 25, 2012 at 5:30 AM
Yeah! I just can't understand why Nice Guy so well received? I stopped watching after the 3nd or 4rd episode! I seriously could not even finish it ... I tried, I really did, but I just couldn't take anymore~
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282 R_he
December 17, 2012 at 10:04 AM
Okay, so seriously.... SERIOUSLY! How come no one is spazzing over Queen In-Hyun's Man? It was truly quite a gem of a drama, right up along the ranks of Coffee Prince for me; it's enormously intelligent, so beautifully acted, and it flows so remarkably... I mean FINALLY, a drama that doesn't have that stereotypical and overkill demarcation of good and evil... Finally, a drama with a storyline that actually makes sense.
And the chemistry of the lead couple? Solid. They ended up dating in real life after this, and boy does it ever show on-screen.
A gem.
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283 0000000
December 17, 2012 at 4:38 PM
Nice Guy
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284 mee
December 17, 2012 at 8:57 PM
فقط ایرینگ و دادرس و لی جونکی عزیز
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285 Gasenadi
December 18, 2012 at 6:23 AM
Thanks for all your work and the witty categories. This is my first year voting at the end of my first year of kdrama. I've clocked an obscene amount of marathons since Nov. 2011 and don't regret it one bit. It's like discovering a fascinating parallel universe. I'm just glad there's a Dramabeans page to help me navigate it and avoid the duds. Gracias!
I watched all my dramas after being completely aired, except for RTP, Ohlala and my guilty pleasure, medical drama Golden Time. For me, GT was a gem and the issues it brought up were timely, profound and thought-provoking. It also has the most Awesome Whiplash Moment, going from uproariously funny one second to surprisingly poignant the next. I loved that cast soo much, I began a medical drama marathon (there are some very good ones in kdramaland) and it eventually wore down my defenses against Grey's Anatomy. Love you, Golden Time! Here's hoping for a season 2!
Although I enjoyed the first half of History of a Salaryman (LSB and JRW in some tautly written roles!) it went sadly down-hill when it started focusing on the demented villain. It left so many strings hanging (what happened to the foreman whose idea saved the factory? why was the foreman jailed? what happened to those factory workers? was the whole point to become just another CEO? Grrr)
The most underrated drama for me has to be Padam, Padam. Just a beautiful piece of art all around: good story, some magical realism, poignant bromance, good romance with an adoring male lead (always good), ravishing cinematography, inspirational ending. Went immediately to my Top Ten list!
After the infuriating finale of Ohlala (gut-busting comedy, some awesome acting), I will go back to waiting until the drama has aired before watching. That way, my marathons will be much more satisfying, thanks to all the recappers' and commentators' input.
Peace in the coming year!
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286 matz
December 18, 2012 at 8:25 AM
no best posse for this year? although i guess answer me 1997 would win that one :)
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287 MMMkitty
December 18, 2012 at 7:21 PM
What's wrong with k drama? ???? All about FIRST LOVE. In almost all drama. Rare in other culture dramas.
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288 LangitBiru
December 19, 2012 at 6:51 AM
I voted only for dramas that I watched so far. So probably most of it from KBS and SBS. Anyway love the short description followed it. I don't think I can think about it. I practically ROFL every time I read it.
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289 Ciara
December 21, 2012 at 3:41 PM
There are so many k-dramas that I haven't watched this year. It seems like I will forever be behind, aha! There are 11 dramas (not to mention the old ones that I want to watch) on my list now! Le flippin sigh! :P
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290 Amy Bruce
December 22, 2012 at 11:18 AM
2012 was the year I discovered KOREA!!! LOL!!! For the last 11 months I have been craving all things Korean. Txvq JYJ was my gateway into K pop. So, naturally Rooftop Prince was my gateway into k drama . This drama held my non attention span through all 16 episodes.
On the flip side Dr Jin was a disappointment. Worst drama ever. My Kim Jae Joong bias is strong but alas not strong enough!!!!
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291 Anastassia
December 25, 2012 at 3:33 AM
Arang is just my everything. And havent felt this for a longgg time.
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292 Nikilann
December 25, 2012 at 6:42 PM
It's SOOOO HAAARRD ! ^^ How A I to chose between the best performance between Yoo Seung Ho's Jade Emperor et Jo Jung Suk's version of the King's buddy ? Seriously ? And How is it possible to determine what drama is more fucked up between Dr Jin, Big, And Fashion King ? (no seriously XD) Maybe Big, because it gave something to hope for in the beginiing. The other two did not even bother.
I just want to say Gaksital, Answer Me, Shut Up, Queen In Hyun's Man and Jade Emperor everywhere ;) And King 2 Hearts deserves the palm of the best OVNI ever ^^
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293 hanibato
December 25, 2012 at 6:43 PM
okay first. LOL at this >< TRUE!!
"GAKSITAL & Shunji: You don't know that I know that you know that I don't know you know... OR DO YOU?"
i dont know i dont know i dont know..
second, i just wanna say the poll is awesome..
because unlike real drama awards which so obviously biased on ratings and attendance.. we get to decide which drama that everyone like the most :DD *thumbsup* to dramabeaniess~
and sadly it does seem a bit bias.. or maybe it's just that most people just vote for the drama they've watched..
i can't blame them..
of course even i won't vote on drama i haven't watch just because of my bias because that would be not voting what's your favorite drama but instead who's your bias?
but one thing we could get from this poll is suggestion for what great drama to watch from 2012.. in case we haven't watch some.. and we get to satisfy our urge to scream 'damnthisdramaisgoodyouguysshouldknowthisandwatchit' to everyone here because real drama awards are so not helping.. for me..
lastly, thank you dramabeanies for the awesome recaps throughout the year and this competitive poll with lots of funny caps within~ LOL
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294 Jfs
December 26, 2012 at 5:26 AM
Gaksital and no one else is the best drama
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295 aaron
December 27, 2012 at 8:27 PM
first time voting in a beanie awards xP ijust want to say that the little captions next to the choices are hilarious. "Dr. Jin: we transcended sense" LOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
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296 Jfs
December 28, 2012 at 10:37 AM
I didnt finish watching king 2 hearts but when i watch their ost i think that gaksital is more intersting than k2h..no offense but to those who did not watch gaksital promise its worthy in every single seconds you dont regret to watch it..its very interesting and lessonable.
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297 Dancypants
December 28, 2012 at 12:36 PM
Please, I am begging you, add Rooftop Prince's SeNa to the best villain list! She was a horrible, horrible person. We're talking hate levels of 11 for that character.
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298 James
December 29, 2012 at 4:15 PM
Sad, no love for 적도의 남자
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299 SkinyWinky
December 30, 2012 at 7:53 PM
Can I get a redo because I wated before I watched Answer me 1997 and QIHM.
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300 SkinyWinky
December 30, 2012 at 7:55 PM
I meant voted -__-
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