2023

hanneybean Jan 2, 2023

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1. The Glory

Korean Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
- intrigued but not fully sold...yet.
- love lee do hyun to pieces but yeo jung's connection to the overall story is frail at best and i don't buy his chemistry with dong eun. his talent feels wasted, at least in this part of the story.
- happy to see song hye kyo lean into her natural talent of cold, emotionless acting and i'm rooting for dong eun to take everyone down.
- yeom hye ran continues lighting up every single drama i've seen her in!
- this feels like a drama fully committed to going dark dark and i'm here for the ride.
2. Juvenile Justice

Korean Drama - 2022, 10 episodes
- gut-wrenching in an honest and important way
- kim hye-soo is unreal and while i could've appreciated a little less prickliness from her character, i also found it refreshing
- the scene when tae-joo realized who judge kang was and bent down to fix his shoe laces...and the flashback...i was sobbing! kdramas and shoe scenes i tell ya
- 12 ep or less kdramas >>>> everything else
3. Unlock My Boss

Korean Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
- i mean...not very good but i enjoyed it enough to not take it too seriously!
- whoever paired up cutest man alive (chae jong hyeop) with cutest child alive (gi so yoo) created the single greatest casting decision in the past decade
- love kim sung oh so much! would love to see him survive a kdrama!
4. Island

Korean Drama - 2022, 6 episodes
- walmart bulgasal
- of all kdramas that air 16 uninterrupted episodes, THIS was one that didn't deserve to be broken into parts gdi
- van and gungtan is THEE most interesting relationship, grounded solely in the impecable broken brothers vibes i get from the 12 minutes of screentime they got
- cha eunwoo is not as bad an actor as people make him out to be
5. Miss Hammurabi

Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
- refreshing! i could definitely tell this was written by someone personally close to the justice system and i loved the insight it gave me into how korea handles cases
- slow burn couple was slow burn! i have to say i liked the stupidly cute second lead couple a tad more but i acknowledge this wasn't a romance show
- go ara fucking SHINES, i can't wait to see more of her work
6. Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency

Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
- textbook example that a great cast does not a great drama make
- watched the last 5 eps on 3.5 speed, i was STRUGGLINGGGGGG
- what's funny is that gong seungyeon has chemistry with every male lead in this drama EXCEPT for kim minjae (and second lead syndrome may have gotten me here because soo was such a good person/him and gaedong had so much potential)
- second female lead was a straight up sociopath, i couldnt stand her or the romance they forced us to watch w/ her and joon
7. High Society

Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
- PARK HYUNGSIK ROMANCE KING!!!
- idk what people are on about that the lead couple didn't have chemistry, they served me lovers-to-enemies and i ate it up
- watched this in 4 days! was it good? debatable! but boy did i watch it!
- could've trashed 75% of the storyline and focused solely on the messy love square
8. Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san

Japanese Drama - 2023, 9 episodes
- wholesome and boring as hell <3
- subjectively can appreciate the friendships and culture building but i had no emotional investment with these characters
- would commit war crimes to try that egg sandwich kiyo made in the last ep
9. Taxi Driver

Korean Drama - 2021, 16 episodes
- a rare kdrama thriller that had me fully engaged for its entire runtime!
- that said, the way those last 2 eps felt so disconnected from the rest of the show was unfortunate
- wish the story focused more on the core rainbow five/their friendship and not on the crime syndicate lady or the prosecutor lady - fingers crossed their absence will make s2 even better
- the hottest lee jehoon has EVERRRR looked omfg the fingerless gloves!!!!!!!
- fully aware this isn't a romance show but i am deeply pining for doki/goeun
10. The Interest of Love

Korean Drama - 2022, 16 episodes
- it was maddeningly, agonizingly frustrating to watch this group of people make themselves unhappy! AND YET! i enjoyed it immensely idk why!!!
- i watched the previews, which i never do, and genuinely looked forward to watching it every week
- yoo yeon seok and moon ga young have some of the most intense chemistry like they didn't do much and i was clutching my pillows
- i found the writing good but understand how polarizing it would be to others - it's one of many kdramas that would be improved by having less episodes
- the ending was lovely tbh and i enjoy how open-ended it was (but i think they finally got together)
11. Hospital Playlist

Korean Drama - 2020, 12 episodes
- ikjun my looooooooove! i loved all of the core 5 but he really struck a chord for me omg the scene in the finale when he learned sign language made me full body sob
- liked it more than reply 1997 but not as much as reply 1988 or prison playbook
- speaking of reply 1988, the subtle nods genuinely sent me over the edge (i cant even talk about the golden turtle cameo)
- as always, i am immensely impressed by a show that can make me laugh bc i find a lot of tv humor to not really affect me but this went from making me laugh to making me cry and that's damn good writing
12. Hospital Playlist Season 2

Korean Drama - 2021, 12 episodes
- a warm show, a kind show, a show i can 100% believe was brought to life by shin won ho and lee woo jung
- i wish the relationships were a little more developed (esp. jungwon and gyeowool) as i think a lot of characterization and dynamics were lost in the shuffle of this being a medical drama, heavy on the medical
- joonwan and jaehak were my favorite non-romantic relationship like they personified grumpy and sunshine in a friendship and all of their scenes made me smile
13. Crash Course in Romance

Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
- for a show with "romance" in the title, what actually shone brightest was the platonic relationships! notably haengsun/haeyi, sunjae and heejae, sunjae and geonho and even chiyeol and donghee (tho we all know how that turned out)
- it was overall a really well done ensemble of good actors and characters that, despite the myriad of storylines at play, all weaved together to somehow make it work
- i feel like there was a missed opportunity to really say something about the way the school system/grade pressure in SK is fucked up like it was so tame about how they ended up handling all of that. disappointing i think
- there's something about jang kyungho as a romantic lead that doesn't seem like it would work but that man has something idk idk idk but i'll watch anything he's in tbh
14. Traveler Season 1

Korean TV Show - 2019, 10 episodes
- this was great! i think the way it blended backpacking culture w/ narration about the history and culture of cuba made it a really elevated watch
- the duo dynamic worked well too especially bc of how different they were: junyeol as the seasoned, free spirit independent and jehoon as the wide-eyed, funny one. they balanced each other
- the cinematography was insaaaaaane and it overall gave such a good picture of the different cities in cuba
15. Island Part 2

Korean Drama - 2023, 6 episodes
- soooooooooooo plot heavy but weirdly had such a sloggy way of driving the plot? the characters were so poorly developed too ugh all-around this was really disappointing
- the visuals (including and most especially sung joon as gungtan.......i'm feral for him) were the best part and i just wish the rest of the drama lived up to them
- genuinely have never seen a couple with more hard to discern chemistry than van and miho like there was *nothing* there
- again, sung joon.....i am free on thursday
16. The Glory Part 2

Korean Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
- hmmm....i feel like they pulled their punches a bit with this one in regards to the darkness i felt that part 1 hinted at so strongly
- it was satisfying to see dongeun's revenge play out (especially bc she was so clean throughout it all) but a part of me just feels it was all too bland
- ESPECIALLY OUR PLOT DEVICE CHARACTER..............lee dohyun you deserved so much better than this! it was laughable how little dimension he had other than serving as a convenient bank/shoulder to cry on/bodyguard/assistant/love interest (debatable)
- the cringe-worthy attempt to soft-launch a season 2 ugh keep it lmao
- not the worst kdrama i've ever seen but part 1 was better and i overall don't think this needed to be 16 eps
17. The Heavenly Idol

Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- liked this one more than i thought i would!
- one of the rare kdramas that would be improved by having more episodes tho
- i still dont know wtf that ending was, i feel like i need to rewatch it to understand dal's memory loss but also rembrary's memory loss? i am confusion
- the talent company boss lady romance was such a waste of tiiiiiime
- would've loved to see more of the wild animal dynamic and backstories of all the boys! that friend ship was a highlight
18. Duty after School: Part 1

Korean Drama - 2023, 6 episodes
- NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M FUCKING TALKING ABOUTTTTTTT
- best kdrama of 2023 so far
- explosively watchable, editing was god tier, the direction was perfect
- ensemble of my dreams, i absolutely love how layered and nuanced all of the kids were, how they acted LIKE KIDS but ultimately came together to work as a strong unit
- also in love with how the insidious nature of adults manipulating students via their education was displayed here like they volunteered for something beyond their imaginations...for extra credit??? only in south korea
- captain lee my beloved :'( ludicrously hoping he's alive but not expecting him to be
19. Copycat Killer

Taiwanese Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
- god when tdramas are good...they are really fucking good!
- i'm still a little :/ about the pacing of this one and how the episodes centered around the first and then the second killer(s) but i also binged this in like 3 days so they did something right!
- didn't even know fandy fan was in this until i saw him appear and then to have him be a psycho??? a big win for me
- truly didn't need the tragic love story between xiao qi and yun hui though - they didn't have any chemistry and she was underutilized as a character
- the acting in this was unrealllllllllll and the cat-and-mouse gameplay between chris wu and jack yao was *chef's kiss*
20. Our Blooming Youth

Korean Drama - 2023, 20 episodes
- the ending was still rushed despite TWENTY EPISODES! imagine how tired i am
- in approx. a week i won't remember the complexities of the plotlines in this show, the curse timeline, the scheming ministers, none of it! but i will remember yoon jong seok as lieutenant han so praise be
- back to 20 episodes i'm sorrrrrrrrrry but it's so rare that kdrama writing justifies that length! and this wasn't one of the exceptions!
- in this drama's defense, it had a great first episode and a few moments here and there that i loved but overall it was such a rollercoaster of consistency one week, inconsistency the next
- i thought about dropping it more than once and in retrospect i don't think that's a bad decision but i did stick it out bc i love park hyungsik sfm *sigh*
21. Call It Love

Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
- what a lovely, LOVELY ending omg
- a melodrama that didn't bore me ahhh i love to see it <3
- the sibling relationship was so well-done and i enjoyed both love stories at the center of this mature, subtle drama (maybe preferred joon & haesung a little bit tho)
- the cinematography was also stunning and i loved how the camera angled certain scenes/characters as if to imply the world they live in often overwhelms them
- the only part of this drama that didn't work for me was dongjin's ex gf...just didn't add anything worthwhile
22. Taxi Driver Season 2

Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
- better than s1 omggggg i love this show so much
- actively looked forward to every episode which i can't say for a big majority of the kdramas i consume!
- found family perfection - i'm so impressed by how developed that core 5 dynamic was and how well they work together
- the formula in the writing is incredibly repetitive and predictable but i find the way justice is served to be so satisfying so bring it on tbh
- enjoyed the larger arc in this season more than s1 as well! i wish there was a liiiiiiittle information given about the bishop etc but shin jae ha was a standout (similarly to how he was in crash course in romance)
- i am once again begging for any and every dogi/goeun crumb
23. Physical: 100

Korean TV Show - 2023, 9 episodes
- a great little binge!
- can't say i found myself super invested in any particular contestant because there were so many of them and the personal moments were intercut by the games
- finished before finding about the winner controversy which is certainly something! i wouldn't put it past them as reality gameshows aren't famous for fairness but i also can't fathom why they would rig the game in favor of the one guy who didn't get as much screentime as the other 4 in the final 5???
- the dancer with the arm sleeve who made it to top20 (cha hyunsung)....i am free on thursday
24. Duty after School: Part 2

Korean Drama - 2023, 4 episodes
- actually nauseated by how this show ended and THAT scene
- wish i had never watched it and in my head it ended after episode 6!
- it's depressing for a host of reasons but i'm devastated because it had such a strong start, a phenomenal ensemble of characters and their actors were killing it, the theme of childhood lost was told so well...and to have it be thrown away so violently, so mercilessly, so unnecessarily is a tragedy
- when kimchi said "why did the adults give us guns? they should've prevented us grabbing them" i SOBBED
- these kids deserved a better story and i personally didn't deserve to have my favorite kdrama of 2023 end so shittily, removing it from that now empty spot
25. Under the Queen's Umbrella

Korean Drama - 2022, 16 episodes
- a TOP historical kdrama for me, something i truly don't say lightly bc i largely think historical kdramas arent good
- just so well-written and paced, i watched it in 4 days and would watch more!
- the focus on motherhood, brotherhood, personal identity in the face of the legacy of the crown...stunnin
- the twist near the end tying the past to the present was PERFECT and i did not see it coming at all
26. Finland Papa

Korean Drama - 2023, 6 episodes
- short and sweet!
- i found this really pleasant, not very memorable but i was never bored
- the colors and vibe of the cinematography was really nice
- wish there was a liiiiitle more focus/closure on the romance at the end but it resolved very similarly to how it developed so no major qualms there
27. Joseon Attorney: A Morality

Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
- WHEN I SAY ANGST WITH A HAPPY ENDING THIS IS WHAT I MEAN!
- woo dohwan has never let me down and he got to exercise his full range of talent in this from silly, angry, grief-stricken, forlorn, mischievous, besotted, sneaky, he can sincerely do it all and then some
- as with almost every single sageuk i've ever seen, the overarching political intrigue went over my head but i loved the resolution deeply and how hansu's revenge was put aside for his character development to shine through
- the love story...the lies, the banter, the misunderstanding and sacrifices my GOD i was living and haven't felt that invested in a kdrama couple since 2023 started
- the love triangle was so well-done too, i really came to care for all 3 of them as characters, the different dynamics between them, the way they all came together at the end!
- this is a great drama in almost every respect but as someone who normally avoids sageuks bc they never live up to their full potential imo, this is a rare treasure
28. Black Knight

Korean Drama - 2023, 6 episodes
- decent and watchable but overall just very…shallow? like this didn’t feel like it had anything new to say or bring to the table as a dystopian sci-fi story
- the climax being all of 5 minutes..............
- i liked the middle with sawol being mentored and the deliveryman competition but there wasn't any significant follow through to interest me or emotionally invest myself in any of the character relationships
29. All That We Loved

Korean Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
- this didn't need the love triangle aspect AT ALL
- the friendship was sweet and those boys had great chemistry, the show as a whole just suffered because the girl was useless and the actress didn't have any spark
- glad neither of the boys died at the end like i feared but this will be forgotten pretty soon
30. The Good Bad Mother

Korean Drama - 2023, 14 episodes
- if lee dohyun is gonna do one thing he is going to fucking act
- i overall enjoyed this drama and thought the cast was really good! especially ahn eun jin as mijoo and the child actors who played the twins
- the often felt like there was a little too many side narratives going on (and some, like the gang dudes becoming farmers and that insufferable composer guy) just added nothing of value to my viewing experience
- also, i feel like kangho forgave his mom way too easily and mijoo in turn forgave him too easily - they dropped the ball on that one because i think the mom did indeed abuse him in her own way and that shouldn't be pushed aside. likewise, kangho not trusting mijoo with his secrets just doesn't sit right with me, even if he had a "noble" reason
- pleasant! not my fave lee dohyun show but not my least favorite either
31. Bloodhounds

Korean Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
- i'm sorry but woo dohwan is simply a better actor than 90% of the other currently acting korean actors i said what i fucking said!!!!!!
- this was AMAZING, truly kept me engaged its entire runtime
- lee sangyi was also perfect, woojin and geonwoo had the bromance of dreams, their chemistry was absolutely flawless and grounded the show in the most special way
- when did kim saeron start looking like song joongki.............
- i do see the disconnect between eps 1-6 and 7-8 but i honestly think they did the best they could with the unexpected scandal regarding KSR - the ending was still satisfying and felt true to the spirit of the show
32. My Perfect Stranger

Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
- honestly one of the best kdramas dealing with time-travel, a story device that i feel a good majority of media misses the mark on
- the murder mystery being at the forefront, truly the reason our mains are going back in time, the way it involves them and their immediate family was such a breath of fresh air when murders are too often thrown into kdramas for no clear reason
- the mystery itself was SO good, truly kept me guessing the entire time......which is why it sucks that the reveal felt so shocking idk like i think a good mystery should leave enough hints that you can go back and see like ahhh they told me then whereas this show leaned too hard into red herrings and withholding information to make the culprit reveal satisfying bc there was simply no way for us to deduce that unless you just guessed
- this, like a lot of kdramas, would have benefitted from being 10-12 episodes with a tighter story and less romance (i just didnt get the spark from the mains at all, it felt forced)
- LOVED our FL's parents tho omfggggggg, love lee wonjung as young baek heeseop so fucking much
33. One Day Off

Korean Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
- got me fucked up a few times and that's all i can really ask from anything i spend time watching tbh
- lee nayoung was the perfect person to cast to play this relatable, quiet, kinda kooky character and i enjoyed her immensely
- why did koo kyohwan's character not meet her in that one episode :'(
34. Dr. Romantic

Korean Drama - 2016, 20 episodes
- this had an immensely slow and unnecessarily confusing beginning but i'm so glad i persevered and finished it lmao
- love the doldam hospital gang so, so much (especially master kim ofc)
- the serialized, case of the week type episodes worked well in this show and i thought the way the main characters developed as a result of the challenges was natural and compelling
- didn't feel too much for the main couple either way but i wasn't irked by them!
- love finding a kdrama that i enjoy that not only has several seasons but actively deserves them
35. See You in My 19th Life

Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- listen.....................................i struggled
- there were a HOST of things i disliked about this drama, so much so that i contemplated dropping it every week (and would have if the mystery in the goryeo period wasn't so damn compelling)
- the main couple gave me the biggest ick of all time, i fast forwarded their scenes asffgjdfk something about seeing ABH and the young actress who played juwon...i'm ill
- the second couple redeemed it <3
- genuinely think lee chaemin is the sole reason i continued this show, he is so good and that whole reveal in the last 4 episodes was amazingly portrayed
- i think the show as a whole was...decent but it pulled its punches in the last episode imo like a more mature, poetic ending would be for all of them to forget jieum, jueum forget everything, they live their current life then in the NEXT life, meet up again and have the reunion they deserved
36. Dr. Romantic Season 2

Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
- INVESTED AS FUCKKKKKKKKKK
- love master kim so fucking much, would die for him but more importantly would let him yell at me because i understand he's trying to help me reach the full potential he sees in me
- the cases of the week were better than the s1 ones and like taxi driver, the main conflict being a new group of doctors challenging doldam's creed is predictable but i'm endeared enough by the show and characters to not be too critical
- woojin and eunjae i love as characters but this season didn't really do a job at making me ship them......idk there's no chemistry there
- HOWEVER!!!!!! euntak and ahreum?!?!?!?! CUTENESS OUT THE WAZOO
- mr. goo, best side character of all time i think
37. Revenant

Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- all three of the mains are baeksang winners and it massively shows
- this was truly scary at times and i mostly watched it at night so! please clap
- oh jung se.................i am free on thursday
- i think it struggled with being coherant at times, the writing didn't feel very clear like the characters would "hint" at something or the edit seemed to shift a different way but i couldn't catch on to save my life, genuinely felt lost sometimes until they explained it
- still loved it tbh, one of the best scary kdramas i've ever seen (definitely the best possession tv show i've seen in recent years too)
- not a romance show and that's ok but ofc they hinted at hongsae and sanyoung and that's cool BUT......hear me out! sanyoung and haesang ;) if you get it then you simply get it
38. King the Land

Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
- the poster child of "would be better if it was half its own length"
- like what even happened of substance after they got together sfjgfjgd
- it wasn't bad but i didn't care about ANY of the side narratives
- junho and yoona have great chemistry and are good actors but there's only so many times we can watch them just be pretty and in love with each other i'm sorry like this was so useless
39. Dr. Romantic Season 3

Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
- *through tears* TEAM DOLDAM!
- have never been so excited about the creation of a trauma center IN MY LIFE
- really felt like this season came through tremendously, obviously standing on the building blocks that 1 and 2 developed but damn like this was one of the best seasons of tv i've seen in recent years
- love this show, this ensemble, the general spirit of this drama so much
- in DESPERATE need of a season 4 with every one of master kim's kids back
40. D.P. Season 2

Korean Drama - 2023, 6 episodes
- i wasn't a big fan of the first season but respected its ending..........so i already didn't think this was necessary
- idk i guess on a subjective level i appreciate the more hopeful tone these episodes took but this season ultimately felt like it unraveled the best part of season 1, the unflinching reality of a broken system
- anyway, jung haein, best boy
41. Mitaraike, Enjou Suru

Japanese Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
- feel like the dad deserved way more if not all of anzu's vengeance tbh like what a coward
- this was sloppy and none of the characters really endeared themselves to me but it felt like a soap opera and those are nothing if not watchable
42. The Uncanny Counter Season 2: Counter Punch

Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- i have criticisms but tbh there are not a lot of kdramas that utterly captivate my attention like this one does, both seasons, and i would KILL for a 3rd season. not only did it make my weekends better but i thought about it during the week and anticipated it! ugh, gonna miss it sfm
- love this cast, this ensemble with every piece of me and their chemistry is one of the best i've seen in many tv shows (yoo insoo's character excluded tho like...stupid, cringey, etc)
- hana's love interest too....idk man, keep it? it felt like it came out of nowhere and while i do appreciate the attempts to give both her and mrs. chu more personal storylines, i felt like there just wasn't enough time to focus on hers in particular bc that dude was barely there. like at least mrs. chu's boy was part of the gang at the center of pilgwang's scheme
- SPEAKING OF PILGWANG!!!!! KANG KIYOUNG MY MANNNNNNN
- the range...the RANGE! love seeing him do a villain role and one with such meaty scenes - he absolutely devoured that role
- honestly wish there were more episodes since the main storyline rightfully took up every minute but it feels weird that the counters didn't battle any demons except for the main ones like i'm supposed to believe south korean demons just took a break for a month? ok.
- felt like the writers clowned us with mun and hana like do i see the potential? a million percent. do i feel like there were moments in this season where their feelings for each other existed outside of their counter relationship? how could i not. did we get any resolution to that? zilch. so that's a bummer. i'm here for it and their moment in ep11 when hana went into his comatose mind was stunning but i just knew the writers werent committed to doing that dynamic justice so i felt played
43. My Dearest

Korean Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
- so incredibly surprised by how hard this one hit me!
- i love how layered, flawed and complex our mains are and, therefore, the romance is - there's so much nuance in their feelings, they both made mistakes and are now suffering because of them and i!!!!!! am eating it tf up
- really enjoyed the commentary on war and how it affects people, their perspectives, what they value, etc. it's so mature and intelligently done, truly what i wish most historical kdramas leaned into more
- namkoong min tearing up godddddddd i would watch just 20 eps of that
- have a feeling we're getting a sad ending for this one and if it's done well this could be a god tier one. it's already on the way!
44. Moving

Korean Drama - 2023, 20 episodes
- a casestudy on the importance of how a story flows based on its use of backstory and exposition...and how, in this case, it's unsuccessful
- i'm like...the first 7 episodes gave us too little about the heredity of the kids' powers or their parents and then when we got those other 7 episodes, the kids that i'd gotten invested in were nowhere to be seen. the actual story was then rushed to death in those last 4 episodes where so much fighting and special effects covered up the lack of actual, you know, PLOT
- loved the relationships between the kids and their parent(s) tho, a lot of those scenes really hit home and hinted at a better show, somewhere underneath everything else
- idk about bongseok and heesoo too like i totally believed HIS feelings but i never got the feeling she felt anything romantic for him at all. and then the end had essentially no clusure for them like jdfgbjgdi anyway
- eh, it's fine, i've definitely seen better but there's many worse and none of its 20 episodes felt like 20 episodes if you know what i mean
- overhyped as fuck tho like this is your best drama of 2023?????? don't talk to me lol
45. Song of the Bandits

Korean Drama - 2023, 9 episodes
- on the rare occasions that kdramas need 16 episodes, this was one of them, AND IT DIDN'T HAVE THEM! tragique
- i don't want another season fjhgjsgh i simply want to see the other 11 episodes they supposedly shot for this show! that ending was so inelegant and incomplete
- anyway, i didn't love this (i barely paid attention) and most of the characters (excluding nyeonyi, my beloved) felt so poorly evolved but dammit i feel like the editing shit on this show! all of my criticisms center around the fact that i don't think i've gotten a complete story and it's been proven that i haven't
- the soundtrack my godddddddddd on repeat
- love love love this era of korean history and how much nuance and shame and heroism exists for stories to focus on - still haven't felt like i've gotten a *good* righteous army story but hopefully we're getting there
46. My Lovely Boxer

Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- oh i loved this, I LOVED THIS
- started totally on a whim but it ended up being one of my fave 2023 dramas and one i will sorely miss having a new episode to watch
- that romance my god they had me legit kicking my feet and giggling AHHHH
- i do wish he'd fallen harder in a more obvious way bc i am nothing if not a guy-falls-harder-than-girl truther but i think the age difference became apparent there since he was deeply while quietly convinced he wasn't good for her and she ofc couldnt care less and therein lies the way their experiences clash
- *clenches fist* i truly love when assholes fall in love against their will AND in the midst of a plan that involves them tricking and/or lying to the person the reluctantly fall in love with!!!! whewwwwww sign me up
- loved ah reum too and just so proud of the show for not pigeonholing her into a caricature of a shallow rival like she deserved to win and that scene of her and kwonsook accepting the end of the match....i cried
- can't believe we got a kiss!!! i'm in shock!!!
47. Destined with You

Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
- not good at all but their CHEMISTRY!?!!??!?! through the fucking roof
- rowoon's comedic timing is *chef's kiss* plssss let him do more of that @ drama writers
- if u put a gun to my head and asked me to explain the plot in any way i would simply die
- the past storyline was a mixed bag but boy do i love it when kdramas really commit to tragedy bc when they do!!!!! they fucking DO!
48. The Devil's Plan

Korean TV Show - 2023, 12 episodes
- HA SEOKJIN THE MAN THAT YOU ARE!!!!!!!!!!
- this was so insanely watchable, even with the games that i had such a difficult time following like wow mad respect for every one, these people are so smart
- when seokjin and seewon found the hidden room omfg THAT IS ENTERTAINMENT
- i wasnt a fan of orbit the entire game and found him dictatorial and manipulative but that final 3 and then final 2 was so solid, truly deserved to be there
- need a s2 so dongjae can come back and truly plan like he was denied here </3
49. Siren: Survive the Island

Korean TV Show - 2023, 10 episodes
- kinda bummed bc i was pulling for team firefighter but this was a decent binge!
- anticlimatic ending and the redemption twist felt really lame and unnecessary - i think another arena battle would've been better
- i know it was only 10 episodes but more personal angles would've helped the show's dimensionality like let these women be people within their teams instead of just "an athlete" or "a soldier" ykwim???
50. Doona!

Korean Drama - 2023, 9 episodes
- i was pretty bored, i'm sorry yang sejong!!!!
- it was pretty and aesthetic and all the leads were ofc gorgeous but i had a hard time investing a true emotional connection w/ any of them
- if anything i think wonjoon deserved better than doona like she never asked him about his life or thought about the struggles he would have and only bemoaned her own life idk it rubbed me the wrong way even though i do believe they loved each other
- the happy ending was nice like i think they could make it work once they grow up and i hope they do!
51. The Worst of Evil

Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- that last episode was fucking perfect, textbook example of how a solid ending can really turn a decent show into a good one
- i loved how tight this story was, how every episode had a purpose. i think sometimes it fell into repetition but i also wouldn't have believed gicheol to accept joonmo if he hadn't proved himself the 39582 times he did so i get it
- the tragedy at the core of this UGH just the general inevitable sad ending for the marriage was done so well. it was over the moment joonmo felt insecure about his job and everything else was just a domino effect
- wi hajoon created a deeply sympathetic drug lord and i found myself rooting for him time and time again despite everything
- he and ji changwook ofc just anchored this drama w/ their acting, they deserve all the awards
52. Daily Dose of Sunshine

Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- a masterpiece methinks!
- absolutely love how each episode focused on a different mental illness and how it didn't sugarcoat anything
- noh jaewon...baeksang where??? his storyline and the empathetic way his illness was dissected was stunning and his chemistry with park boyoung was the perfect mix of sweet and tragic
- LOVED CHANG RYUL OMFG????????? my man should do romances more often, he's so good at pining and being a simp???????????? AND THAT KISS?????? bro!!!!!!!!
- i ultimately didn't feel like yoochan was really...necessary? maybe it was the forced love triangle idk like his panic disorder storyline was good but just not truly...idk, it did nothing for me and i in general hate how often love triangles are shoehorned into kdramas when they simply don't need to be
- not when we have a perfect main couple anyway and this wasn't even a romance show ya know?????
53. Twinkling Watermelon

Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
- i cannot stress enough that this drama would've been PERFECT without sekyoung/eunyoo's characters
- like the collective chemistry and storytelling between eungyeol and his parents and then his friendship and bond with the younger versions of them was insanely well-done and beautiful to watch
- the romance between eungyeol and eunyoo just...didn't affect me at all and in fact felt like it detracted from what i did like and elongated the story unnecessarily
- a solid 12 episodes w/ out the side storyline of eunyoo looking for her mom's first love etc like......we could've had THE drama of 2023 but alas
- choi hyunwook has such a stupid amount of charisma it floors me
54. My Dearest Part 2

Korean Drama - 2023, 11 episodes
- i'm...torn. i did think this was ultimately a very good kdrama but i think the HEA was out of character for the story we were told thus far? don't get me wrong, i LOVE that GC and JH got to be together but i have to wonder if that was always the original intention or if maybe the writers changed their minds midway???
- anyway, still a solid, empathetic and stunning portrayal of a country at war, how that affects people and societies and the shame it brings them when they are not supported or believed by those in charge
- ahn eunjin and namkoong min deserve every award they should and will get nominated for
- the memory loss trope TWICE in the last episodes?!?!?!? i have to laugh
- truly have some valid criticisms left in me but i'm overall really impressed w/ this drama, its score, its acting and its commitment to telling a historical story inline with how that history actually happened so!!! i loved it
55. Strong Girl Namsoon

Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
- oh not good but i honestly didn't expect it to be or even have any expectations that i would truly enjoy it beyond the much anticipated minhyuk/bongsoon cameo (which was PERFECT)
- the romance in SGBS was easily, laughably its best aspect and while the murder plotline was ridiculous like...it was watchable? this drug narrative was sloppy and uninteresting
- and tragically the romance in this was meh which is sad bc i think they had chemistry but it was barely developed
- the mom and grandma omfg cut their scenes by like 80% and we may have a decent show on our hands
- the mom especially was horrific and fatphobic and she might as well have been the lead w/ all the screentime she got like goddamn
- listen, i love a good villain more than most and have shipped them with the main leads MANY times but, again, i couldnt scrounge up enough interest to care about sioh beyond thinking byeon wooseok is hot which (crazy tho it may be) is not a character trait
56. F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers

Thai Drama - 2021, 16 episodes
- shocked i started, much less finished this absolute dumpster fire of a show but all i can say is 14 year old me would've eaten this up and therefore it somehow compels me
- still i cringed for about 85% of this omfg the acting was nightmarish and the writing was essentially throwing every wattpad trope at the wall and seeing what stuck
- laughing my fucking ass off thinking about how gorya essentially controlled the thai economy on if she went back for thyme or not kfnghfjgb
- should've been ren! the hottest one by a landslide and the least problematic although if we're being honest every member of f4 should seek psychiatric help (and gorya and kaning by extension bc they're colorblind to the multiple red flags)
57. Sweet Home

Korean Drama - 2020, 10 episodes
- first kdrama watched, first kdrama rewatched <3
- i really love the style of this show and how it's filmed/the focus on characters' eyes, the cool transitions used between scenes idk it's creative and feels very webtoon-y
- there's a randomness element to the writing that i've never fully vibed with like things just happen and there doesn't seem to be any forethought into setting it up or providing closure? maybe the point is surviving this world is unnexpected...anyway, not my fave
- love lee dohyun, go minsi, song kang today, love lee dohyun, go minsi, song kang forever
58. Sweet Home Season 2

Korean Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
- a hard watch and not in a good way
- the difficult part of writing good dysopian material is that the world itself has to be so bad to be apocalyptic but still have some reason, some hopeful angle that still makes it worth surviving? sweet home 2 dropped the ball on that this time around and it's kinda devastating
- from the wacky monster kid to the lack of characters we loved in s1 this just felt all over the place and it really sets my expectations for s3 reaalllly low (yes, even with the lee dohyun reveal at the end like now i'm...baby get away from this trash fire)
- there were some truly unsettling scenes in this too ugh i can't envision myself rewatching this and in general feel like i want to forget it entirely
59. Castaway Diva

Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- would watch chae jong hyeop sit in an empty room reading the korean dictionary if it meant i could see him. period.
- really, really loved the family angle in this drama, i felt kiho's backstory and his connection with mokha was done so well and ofc the found-become-true family he created UGH 12 episodes of just that would've made my year
- i'm starting to get really fatigued with some common kdrama conventions tho because too often they really turn a good show into an ok show like the random stabbing in the penultimate episode (that was resolved without 15 minutes of the finale), the love triangle that isnt needed and does nothing to further the development of any of the 3 characters, the side storylines that simply arent emotionally dynamic enough for me to invest myself in like i could be talking about 393 kdramas where these issues muddle the waters for me but it sucks in particular with this one because there's the bones of a great show underneath them all in this one's case
- anyway, life goes on and i doubt kdramas will deviate from these stereotypes. just makes me appreciate those that don't have them so much more!
60. The Killing Vote

Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- it's a lie to say i wasnt somewhat emotionally invested because i cried when jihoon died :'( he didn't deserve that
- however i really have nothing else to say about it, positive or negative tbh, because it felt like i watched it for 74 years yet it was only 12 episodes
- good concept and the first few eps drew me in but it just felt sloppy the more it went on and i would've quit it around ep8 but i felt like i only had 4 episodes left fngskfbhe but then it felt like it just wouldnt end
61. At the Moment

Taiwanese Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
- a mixed bag but from an anthology idk i think that's to be expected! there's something for everyone here but some of them just did nothing for me
- LOVED the first one w/ queen gingle wang and my favorite was the one about the married couple who switched society roles w/ him staying at home and her having a career - both of those had really endearing moments and a couple that felt at home w/ each other
- also really enjoyed how interconnected the world of the characters was in this and how we had little cameos from other stories in the main one! it was a sweet touch
- the one w/ the girl who pretended to be blind was...something!!! austin lin though, i am free on thursday ;)
62. Moon in the Day

Korean Drama - 2023, 14 episodes
- this show currently having a 7.8 rating on MDL despite being better than over half of the 2023 kdramas really cements the fact that i have never and likely will never align my tastes w/ the people online lmaoooo
- genuinely have no major complaints about this show, i really really really really loved it and absolutely ADORED the ending and how committed it was to the tragic and the bittersweet
- i've always though kim youngdae looked a little creepy and this role not only leaned into that but also showed me he has range beyond that so let's celebrate that!
- pyo yejin has been the best thing about everything i've seen her in and her scenes in the historical part of this drama solidified that she deserves to finally be a leading lady
- their chemistry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this and bulgasal are about as close to classic enemies to lovers as i think i've seen in kdramas and they did it so well (i do not count bickering couples as enemies like be so fucking for real right now)
- back to the ending like damn, so incredible, so perfect for the darker tone and just a really solid ending that gives these characters the closure they deserve
63. Night Has Come

Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
- great premise, poor execution
- like...not one single kid had enough of a personality to pull me to care. two of them i didn't even know their name by the second to last episode!
- the way the one fat character got killed (gorging himself to death) was so fucking reprehensible
- the black mirror-esque "reveal" was just stupid and i refuse the believe the parents would subject EVERY single person in their daughter's class to this nightmare when only 3-4 seemed worth punishing like just lazy and unbelievable writing
64. The Victims' Game

Taiwanese Drama - 2020, 8 episodes
- i think this might be better on rewatch, once the pattern is known bc i'm not too convinced the show did a good enough job focusing on the bigger picture and for the first 3 episodes felt too focused on the individual cases to hint that there was a larger conspiracy
- the penultimate episode tho like the cliff scene??? the music and acting was so incredible, building off of the development we've seen between yi-gen and his daughter
- that said, the fact that they survived that fall is INSANE ngjsghesigj
- does this need a 2nd season? no. will i watch it? oh yeah.