Advanced Ranked Watchlist

Mostly for self so that I can map out my ratings and give them out fairly.  I have a particular range for each rating and will rate future shows based on where they land.

Starting to write my thoughts because I've forgotten a lot of the older dramas.  

7 has become a large dumping ground for standard rom-coms that are of average quality.  
*  It seems like a fair system considering if Coffee Prince, with its flaws, is a 9...
*  and A Business Proposal, which I thought was pretty good, is an 8...
*  then some of the more ordinary ones, with very little plot but good romance, would land around 7.

It is also the cutoff point for a show in any genre before it goes into dislike territory.  That said, I still enjoyed any 7, at the very least, 70% of it.

3 things I love in my dramas
1.  exploration of philosophy and abstract concepts.
2.  politics and lengthy scenes of characters trying to outwit each other.  clever dialogue/interactions.
3.  well-developed villains and anti-heroes.

Things I hate in my dramas
1.  lazy writing that spells everything out for you because it can't show through build-up, nuance, or implication.
2.  black and white thinking/characters, particularly in shows that purport to be realistic.
3.  using dramas to force an ideology, prioritizing it over natural storytelling.
4.  filler scenes that make my brain go numb from boredom.  

what is this Jul 29, 2023
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  • The Sound of Magic

    101. The Sound of Magic

    Korean Drama - 2022, 6 episodes

    7.0
  • Reborn Rich

    102. Reborn Rich

    Korean Drama - 2022, 16 episodes

    7.0

    (14/16)  Dropped it before the rating could get any lower.  Good to know I was right.  I'm rating only what I watched, which may actually be better for it.

  • Vampire Prosecutor

    103. Vampire Prosecutor

    Korean Drama - 2011, 12 episodes

    7.0

    The show being episodic makes it more difficult to rate as it depends on the episode.  Also, I think it's easier to write in 1 hour chunks.

  • Sweet Home

    104. Sweet Home

    Korean Drama - 2020, 10 episodes

    7.0

    Came across as trying to do a lot but not actually excelling at any of it.  I don't even think the show knew what it was supposed to be.

  • Kingdom

    105. Kingdom

    Korean Drama - 2019, 6 episodes

    7.0

    Temporary position while still deciding.

    1.  I dislike this new season format Korea is doing with these big shows.
    2.  So much could've been cut out.  Kills the suspense and puts me to sleep.
    3.  Again, I get it.  We've seen a similar shot already.  Again.  Why is this wasting time?
    4.  I don't dislike this enough to put it into 6 but I don't like it either?

  • God's Gift: 14 Days

    106. God's Gift: 14 Days

    Korean Drama - 2014, 16 episodes

    6.5
  • Memories of the Alhambra

    107. Memories of the Alhambra

    Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes

    6.5
  • Cheese in the Trap

    108. Cheese in the Trap

    Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes

    6.5
  • You're Beautiful

    109. You're Beautiful

    Korean Drama - 2009, 16 episodes

    6.5
  • King the Land

    110. King the Land

    Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes

    6.5
  • When the Phone Rings

    111. When the Phone Rings

    Korean Drama - 2024, 12 episodes

    6.5

    The beginning, the sign language, and some of the romance were the high points.  Great couple, if that is all you care about.  While romcoms' plots are often understandably weak, here, it seems the writer dropped in anything to continue a fake thrill, even if it made zero sense.  There has to be a .5 deduction, every time I had to think, "Seriously?".

  • Hi Bye, Mama!

    112. Hi Bye, Mama!

    Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes

    6.5

    It could've been structured differently so that the FL wasn't so frustrating.  The utter selfishness of most of her behaviors ran contrary to the core message.  The drama tried to force us to see her a certain way by glossing over giant plot holes using sloppy explanations, leading to even bigger frustrations.  One of the character's rants towards her sums up the experience perfectly.  Unfortunately, her response to that rant became a reminder of the show's tendency to give irrational excuses with the expectation that we accept it and move on.

    Not all is bad because at the surface, there is a very thin layer of that message, making the show at least somewhat likeable.  But man...  touch just one of those sticks supporting the story and all will come crashing down.

  • Backstreet Rookie

    113. Backstreet Rookie

    Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes

    6.5
  • Goong

    114. Goong

    Korean Drama - 2006, 24 episodes

    6.5
  • Golden Cross

    115. Golden Cross

    Korean Drama - 2014, 20 episodes

    6.0
  • Yong Pal

    116. Yong Pal

    Korean Drama - 2015, 18 episodes

    6.0
  • Arthdal Chronicles Part 2: The Sky Turning Inside Out, Rising Land

    As more pieces of the foundation fall apart, the only direction the rating can go is down.

  • Extraordinary You

    118. Extraordinary You

    Korean Drama - 2019, 32 episodes

    6.0

    It's cute and simple to watch.  It has a great concept but the writer doesn't trust the viewers enough to figure out what's going on.  Instead, everything is explained, sometimes even ahead of time, taking away any enjoyment.  It could've been a mini drama.

  • Encounter

    119. Encounter

    Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes

    6.0
  • Mirror of the Witch

    120. Mirror of the Witch

    Korean Drama - 2016, 20 episodes

    6.0
  • Call It Love

    121. Call It Love

    Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes

    6.0
  • Where Stars Land

    122. Where Stars Land

    Korean Drama - 2018, 32 episodes

    6.0

    Loved the soundtrack though.

  • Thirty but Seventeen

    123. Thirty but Seventeen

    Korean Drama - 2018, 32 episodes

    6.0
  • The Girl Who Sees Scents

    124. The Girl Who Sees Scents

    Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes

    6.0
  • See You in My 19th Life

    125. See You in My 19th Life

    Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes

    6.0

    You know when you hypothetically order something from Wish dot com and you're super excited because of the pretty pictures?  You get it in the mail, you open the pretty box,  press the power button on the machine and it coughs and sputters.  But you're still hyped with anticipation because surely, maybe it was user error.   ...so you keep trying until the item's structure falls apart in your hands and all you're left with is the pretty box.  Take that expectation and lower it.

    The wacky tone here is on purpose because that's how seriously the show took its audience.

  • Miraculous Brothers

    126. Miraculous Brothers

    Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes

    6.0

    Started at 9⭐with hopes of receiving something fantastic.  Now I wonder if someone plagiarized the original writer for the first part and then finished the part themselves.

    Oh crap.  But it IS listed under Kim Ji-woo's name.

    I'm offended that I'm expected to be an idiot in order to be entertained.

  • Death's Game Part 2

    127. Death's Game Part 2

    Korean Drama - 2024, 4 episodes

    6.0

    Became an uninspired, campy mess.

  • Gap Dong

    128. Gap Dong

    Korean Drama - 2014, 20 episodes

    5.5
  • Lie to Me

    129. Lie to Me

    Korean Drama - 2011, 16 episodes

    5.5
  • Moon Embracing the Sun

    130. Moon Embracing the Sun

    Korean Drama - 2012, 20 episodes

    5.5
  • Introverted Boss

    131. Introverted Boss

    Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes

    5.0
  • Super Rookie

    132. Super Rookie

    Korean Drama - 2005, 20 episodes

    5.0
  • Tale of the Nine-Tailed

    133. Tale of the Nine-Tailed

    Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes

    5.0

    It was so campy, I could not go on.

  • Squid Game Season 2

    134. Squid Game Season 2

    Korean Drama - 2024, 7 episodes

    5.0

    Temporary position while still watching.

  • Arthdal Chronicles Part 3: The Prelude to All Legends

    135. Arthdal Chronicles Part 3: The Prelude to All Legends

    Korean Drama - 2019, 6 episodes

    5.0

    One of the most frustrating shows I've watched, possibly ever.  Coming from the duo that brought us Six Flying Dragons and Tree With Deep Roots, I had very high expectations, particularly when it came to character development.  Yet it appeared as if the characters would change as the story saw fit, rather than them changing because of the story.  Is it the fault of the actors' portrayal?  Not enough episodes?  The director lacking clear vision?  Being too focused on selling an ideological product (more on that later) that it became blatantly obvious when they were attempting to create an illusion of depth?  To say that certain characters grappled with morality is laughable, particularly if "evidence" of that is the show dropping the line "Actually, I hate killing people" or any of the other equivalent examples, which run contradictory to everything we had seen prior.  You can't get me to believe it without showing me.  

    If it wants to sell an ideology, fine.  But the best way to do that is to steelman the opposing ideology at the same time AND THEN convince the viewers why the one you're selling is better because that is how you portray the very real tug of war that exists in the realm of politics.  Anything short of that belongs in the teen fantasy genre.  I very much doubt these writers intended to put out something so elementary because they have proven themselves to be more than capable.  Which goes back to my original point.  I think they were so focused on selling an ideology that they wrote their entire script around that, forcing the world and its characters to bend when needed.  On the bright side, that world and those characters were so one-dimensional that I'm sure it'll be easy enough to contort them just in time for the sequel.

  • Missing You

    136. Missing You

    Korean Drama - 2012, 21 episodes

    4.5
  • Witch Yoo Hee

    137. Witch Yoo Hee

    Korean Drama - 2007, 16 episodes

    4.5
  • The Beauty Inside

    138. The Beauty Inside

    Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes

    4.0
  • Doom at Your Service

    139. Doom at Your Service

    Korean Drama - 2021, 16 episodes

    4.0
  • Marry My Husband

    140. Marry My Husband

    Korean Drama - 2024, 16 episodes

    7.0

    It went from WTH to WTF to WTFH to me wanting to write an article about the decline of kdramas to me realizing this trash isn't worth any more of my time.

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