r/KDRAMA 2021 Drama Challenge

#1 LMH drama

Completed 2021.01.15

Not bad for a CF considering how much PPL was shoved into it.  Taecyeon's episode was the highlight for me personally since it contained the most meta/references.

#2 official recommendation list -- contract relationships https://mydramalist.com/list/z1dryGv3

Completed 2021.07.23

Solid melodrama with a lovely romance and the cutest step-father -- daughter bonding interactions. While the drama contains many tropes often seen in the melodrama/makjang genre (illnesses, chaebol family in-fighting, return of a first love), where it succeeds and shines is that the characters feel realistic and consistent, especially with the development (or lack of) over the course of the drama. The only pity is that the OST overall is lackluster and at times ill-fitting -- taking away some of the magic of the drama.

I do want to highlight that one of the drama's biggest strength is the child role of Eunseong -- it's rare that a child role has such prominence in the sense that the child is shown continually and consistently as having her own personality, thoughts, opinions, and character. 

Overall though, a lovely, heartfelt melodrama that abound with likable characters and some life wisdom that is worth remembering.  

#3 Kdrama Banner

Completed 2021.03.11

Cute story with a lovely OST.

#4 username starts with M

Completed 2021.01.26

Amazing drama full of love -- between family, friends, lovers, exes, coworkers, parents, and spouses. While this drama contains many tropes typical to makjang and family dramas -- the story never feels trite, instead it brings forth waves of emotion. 

Will be adding this to my list of dramas to rewatch to see if it can earn a 10 upon a rewatch.

#5 Historical event: Korean independence fighter and poet -- Yi Yuk Sa

Completed 2021.06.09

A short two episode drama that does a fantastic job of capturing the magic of Yi Yuk Sa's poems in the context of the Korean independence movement and his personal involvement in that movement. The story is heartbreaking yet filled with a sense of hope -- which I think is the magic of his poems.

I can't say that my Korean (language and culture) is good enough to really understand the poems, but this short definitely felt moving for me.

#6 Dialect

Completed 2021.06.10

A delightful drama with humor, suspense, twists, and a heaping serving of emotions. The world building is done masterfully with buildup that enriches the world and rules that make sense -- complemented by excellent special effects and a memorable soundtrack.

Anchored by amazing acting from the entire cast, including the endless stream of cameos and supporting roles for the individual plot arcs, this drama really allowed every actor and actress to shine, especially Jang Nara.

A rare gem of a drama that was satisfying from start to finish -- this is a drama definitely worth watching!

#7  Location other than Seoul -- Jeju Island

Completed 2021.04.29

This little drama is a mini-course on kdrama tropes, especially tropes in the makjang genre. We got birth secrets, traumatic childhood pasts, hospitalized parents, unrequited love, loan sharks, revenge, and much more.

Overall, not the strongest drama out there and my biggest personal disappointment is the underutilization of the Jeju setting. I feel like the drama did very little to highlight what Jeju has to offer and make me want to go there.

#8 Top 10 Koreandramaland Location 2020

Completed 2021.03.11

Ep. 6 Seongdong Detention Center 

https://koreandramaland.com/listings/seongdong-detention-center/

While the beginning episodes were high octane and action filled, the latter episodes felt rather hollow. I can sort of see a greater storyline about what it means to be human, including some jabs at exploring what are the borders of humanity and humane, but I don't think the message is immediately and easily accessible.

I commend the drama for the glimpses of the vision of greatness but it mostly felt hollow to me. But I do want to qualify the words above with the fact that they are written immediately post viewing, without time to ponder on it deeper. It may be that with more time and perspective, I would come to appreciate the drama more.

#9 Adaptation - Webtoon

Completed 2021.03.06

A surprise hit for me in the sense that it had all the tropes of the typical high school romcom, along with the physical gag humor that most webtoon adaptations have but executed in a heartwarming way that actually made me care.

I would this is the kind of drama I wished BOF and Playful Kiss series (Korean versions)  were -- super cliche *but* with heart.

But the real highlight of the show were the friendships -- messy at times like real friendships are *but* there for each other when things really mattered. 

#10 no romance

Completed 2021.07.14

Fun crime/thriller with a nice webtoon feel to the cinematography. Some parts were a bit of a head scratcher but most things, stories, and characters make sense. The acting is the highlight and the overall watching experience is enjoyable!

#11 Great Friendships

Completed 2021.05.24

A story about how life is best lived through the small everyday moments. 

#12 actor in a lead role (D.O.)

Completed 2021.01.30

The Good: Visuals, cinematography, acting

The Horrible: Everything else. Writing was full of plot holes with lots of nonsense that wasn't even funny as comic relief. 

Might be enjoyable if one is invested in the romance but for myself, the glaring plot holes made it impossible to enjoy the romance.

#13 renowned screenwriter Kim Soon Ok https://mydramalist.com/people/16185-kim-soon-ok

Completed 2021.04.03

Such a fantastic season -- so much happened! And who can ever forget that Dooly ditty!

#14 renowned director: Kwon Seok Jang https://mydramalist.com/people/16984-kwon-seok-jang

Completed 2021.07.04

This sageuk at its core is a very interesting study on humanity -- human desires, greed, love, sacrifice, friendship, etc.. Its deft blend of character driven politics and romance left me enthralled with the characters and their relationships with each other. Anchored by an amazing ensemble cast, the performances are absolutely stunning.

And the epic romance between our leads! The romance arc, which is very directly tied to the character and plot development, is captivating but the drama itself isn't romantic in the way that more typical romances or rom-coms are -- like the way the cinematography is executed, viewers are invited to sympathize and observe the lovers but are not made to experience the romance vicariously. Yet despite being made to always feel as a mere observer of the romance as a viewer rather than a participant, it is impossible to not feel invested in their relationship and wish for their happy ending.

This drama has reshuffled my sageuk ranking, shooting to second place, right behind Six Flying Dragons. As for the couple, they are now without doubt my favorite sageuk couple and easily top 5 of all OTPs.

#15 New director: Im Tae Woo https://mydramalist.com/people/18740-im-tae-woo

Completed 2021.02.20

Started with an interesting premise but faltered towards the end when the story sort of collapsed on itself with some plot developments that, frankly, seemed forced rather than logical.  Would have liked some explanation for the premise but it wasn't really addressed at all.

In terms of directing, it felt too draggy and hammy when trying convey specific clues or in very emotional scenes. But the director seems to have a flair for utilizing locational background to compose very interesting/captivating shots (especially long range/wide shots) -- a few scenes definitely made me pause the video to just enjoy the composition of the shot.

#16 Long form drama (at least 50 hrs)

Completed 2021.03.07

Such a sweet tribute to what it means to be family when everyone works hard to be supportive of each other. Some of the cutest parent-adult child interactions I have ever seen.

Overall just a story that made me feel warm and fuzzy, with lots of laughter.

#17 short drama under 10hrs

Completed 2021.01.26

Short revenge story that's fairly straightforward in terms of plot development but excels in execution. I really really love this director's use of space and architecture to frame the shots in ways to highlight the story and emotions. Also, stellar acting by the FL. The OST/BGM is fantastic too. 

#18 Outside of Comfort Zone -- Horror

Completed 2021.06.15

An interesting take on human survival when things go horribly wrong in a suburban city filled with human mutants, the highlights of the drama were the moody atmosphere and action.

Story-wise, some aspects were left wanting and there was a bit of a drag in the middle episodes where things felt repetitive. Overall an interesting drama that lacked a bit in its origin story, which may have made it great. 

#19  <5000 watchers (2,142 watchers as of 2021.04.09)

Completed 2021.04.07

Mostly cute and sweet rom-com that went by quickly. The first episode is actually the weakest since the set up was slightly awkward but once the story gets going in earnest, the characters are easy to root for and the romance inevitable.

#20 A drama featuring a profession or lifestyle different from your own

Completed 2021.04.03

A lovely short drama. The ending is a bit rushed but considering it length and the strength of the previous buildup, the foundation was strong enough for viewers to infer the plot developments that happened off screen. 

#21 Baeksang winner

Completed 2021.07.03

Very solid showing in its genre with great acting and moody cinematography.

#22 pre-2010

Completed 2021.03.09

Given the ending, it felt like I spent 16hrs spinning around in a circle.

While the drama had conflict, the conflict felt overly artificial and much of it could have been resolved if only the characters had actual conversations with each other. Much of the character motivation was not convincing or believable for me, especially the ending.

#23 Drama I've Put Off Watching

Completed 2021.09.16

Watching this old school makjang melodrama has been an experience -- I don't think any other drama has managed to make my jaws drop so hard so many times. In some ways, even Penthouse pales in comparison in terms of absolute batshit crazy actions undertaken by the characters.

I feel like my kdrama watching career will now be separated as B.P. (before Phoenix) and A.P. (after Phoenix) -- since through the drama my view of "crazy" and "obsession" have been redefined.

In a twisted way, I have the utmost respect for the SFL -- for a character to be that crazy and obsessed is honestly an achievement of its own.

Anyways, aside from the crazy, I actually thought this drama was an insightful take on the complexity of love -- especially on how timing and trust affects a romantic relationship.

In some ways, this drama is really all about the right person at the right time and if either of these were not "right" -- then the love/relationship will not work out.

I have enjoyed this drama a lot, putting aside the visuals and old style cinematography, and while I would not recommend this for everyone, I think those that love makjang or are interested in dramas exploring love and timing might enjoy this one.

#24 Rewatch

Completed 2021.03.30

#25 Bonus challenge: Thai drama!

Completed 2021.02.23

My first Thai drama!

The story was mostly cute, especially for the main pair. The tropes though! Tonally, the drama tended to give me whiplash as the story switched between emotional to gags to romcom to melodrama.

I did absolutely love the OST though, they were just really nice songs.

Overall a fun experience in exploring a new genre but probably something I won't explore further.

Round 2 #7 Location Other Than Seoul -- Fictional Bimo Island (filmed on Jeju?)

Completed 2021.11.15 

Interesting idea with the village and all but executed in the most boring way possible. Characters are too simplistic at times and events don't always make sense. Some nice action scenes though.

Round #2 #8 A drama that features one of the top 10 locations in 2020 on KDL

Sungshin Women’s University — Woonjung Green Campus in Mia [성신여자대학교 미아운정그린캠퍼스]

Asosan [아소산 본점]

Conrad Hotel Seoul [콘래드호텔]

Completed 2021.09.04

Amazing to good acting. Fascinating premise. Fantastic cinematography and OST. Problematic characterizations and story.

Round 2 #9 Adaptation/Remake

Completed 2021.06

A familiar story filled with tropes and yet somehow the sum of its parts was greater than the whole creating a relaxing low-key drama that was an enjoyable leisurely watch. 

Round 2 #12 Actress in a Leading Role -- Jeong Ji So (https://mydramalist.com/people/5756-hyun-seung-min)

Completed 2021.07

I'm unfamiliar with the source material so going by the drama alone, this drama felt like whiplash between idealistic fanfiction of the kpop idol world and cliche criticism of the real world. Individual scenes and a few supporting roles were a joy to watch but the sum of the parts feel too sophomoric. 

As for Jeong Ji So -- I don't think she's a bad actress necessarily but I do think she was miscast for this role. Her portrayal of a kpop girl group trainee/member did not feel believable but it's hard to say whether the awkwardness is mostly due to her acting or how the character was written.  She was good when she was acting the part of the actress so I think it is clear that her acting chops are there but for the portions where she's an idol, it just didn't work for me.

Round 2 #13 Renowned Writers: Baek Sun Woo (https://mydramalist.com/people/18328-baek-sun-woo) and Choi Bo Rim (https://mydramalist.com/people/18338-choi-bo-rim)

Completed 2021.07.30

For 15 of its 16 episodes, this was a lovely romcom and drama about friendship that captured youth beautifully. The FL character shined, due both to Hyeri's endearing acting and how the character was written. Especially enjoyable was this drama's take on all the different female characters and their interactions and relationships with other people, spotlighting common experiences that many girls/young women experience, both good and bad.

And then the ending -- I'm not completely enamored with the ending and the final required condition of the gumiho turning human -- it's a bit too cliche for my liking and I think the plot point executed weakest. It robbed the ML of agency in a way that makes everything else that has happened seem futile, which is such a pity. At the same time, I think the ending also robbed the FL of her agency, which is a contrast to how amazing her character had been all throughout the drama right up until the end.

The ending is not so bad to kill all of my love for the drama but it certainly feels disappointing -- since the writers went with a very cliche style of resolution. I wished they would have crafted a different ending that better fit the overall message of the drama and the character arcs. Oh well, win some, lose some.

So aside from the sometimes distracting cinematography (focus/blur) and the mostly lackluster OST, this was mostly an enjoyable drama.  Still would recommend it as a fluffy, low-key, romcom with some great friendships.

Round 2 #14 Renowned Director

Rewatch Completed: 2021.08.07

Maybe because I'm much older now than when I first watched this drama back when it aired, this drama has hit me even harder emotionally on this rewatch. I previously remembered it as a thrilling noir about the dark side of drug cartels and crime and the darkness in people's hearts. This rewatch, the drama strikes me as an ode of love to 情 and the goodness in people's hearts. 

Another notable difference is that with my improvement in Korean over the years, the dialogue of this drama is much more striking when I can understand the emotions being cued. Notable the use of names between the ML and FL -- it has helped me understand their relationship and love so much better.

To me, this drama is not a drama about the fight between the good guys and the bad guys but between those that retain their humanity versus those that have lost their humanity.

Round 2 #15 Drama By New Writer

Completed ~2021.07

Short and sweet story that captures both pain and love. The FL could have used some extra time to be more fleshed out, especially her background story but given the limitations of the short episode count, this drama was done very well.

Round 2 #16 Long Form Drama

Completed 2021.12.22

I really enjoyed this daily drama remake of the original. It's length and genre allowed this version to have a fuller cast and far more character development and makjang twists.

Like all dailies and family weekend dramas, at times the drama leans heavily into being educational with messages such as communication is essential to relationships (of all kinds) and to getting treated for mental health problems is admirable rather than embarrassing. 

Anyways, one of the better dailies I've seen and enjoyed.

Round 2 #19 Drama Rated Less Than 7.5 on MDL (Rated 6.8 as of 2021.08.03)

Completed 2021.06

A premise that had potential and a script that could not execute the premise in any meaningful way.

Round 2 #17 Short Form Drama

Completed 2021.06

My favorite part: the makjang drama within the drama.

Everything else is just a bit shy of really good, except for the ML who is really "meh" in terms of acting. If the writer could be more coherent/consistent in their world building/rules, this could be a really interesting story for a longer length drama.

Round 2 #20 Different Lifestyle/Profession -- Witch/Cook!

Completed 2021.08.16

Interesting premise and execution with a set up that could easily be stretched into a longer drama. In fact, a slightly longer length may have been more helpful in fleshing out both the individual story arcs and the main overarching arc. Still, overall a solid, enjoyable drama.

Round 2 #23 Put Off Watching

Completed 2021.09.08

Interesting concept and fun story arcs. Not very scary.