End of Year Review 2015…in April? Part 1 of 2
Anyone that knows me knows I prefer to do my End of Year reviews in January. I like to wrap up that lingering drama that I am inevitably watching. So, yeah, well it’s APRIL. Better late than never?
This has been a banner year, I think. An interesting year. I watched a lot of dramas. I dropped a lot of dramas.
I am changing my format this year. I will still have ratings, but I am drastically reducing my commentary and critical analysis. I’m at the end of a grad school semester, and that I’m actually doing this review is kind of insane timewise. Anything to avoid actually completing my coursework.
I’m going to start with the dropped drama, and just briefly acknowledge why. Then I will begin with viewed dramas, and in a second installment I will talk about best of and favorites and such.
DROP IT LIKE IT IS NOT HOT
Blood: It was awful. And not because of Ku Hye Sun. I cannot believe the same people that wrote The Good Doctor wrote this terrible drama.
Oh My Venus-They lost me when 2 grown men acted like a women weighing probably 150 lbs was heavy. They lost me when they excused her weight gain with a disease. I loved Sung Hoon and Henry’s characters. Henry’s code switching is something to behold.
Unkind Women-They were not just unkind. They were unlikable. The matriarch was unwatchable. Not even for Song Jae Rim.
Spy-This started out strong with Jaejoong masquerading in the lead role when it really was much about the mother. Then they turned her into an idiot that would have never survived as a spy.
Orange Marmalade-It was disjointed and boring.
Warm and Cozy-More like lukewarm and wimpy-I really disliked the male lead character. Diver Ahjumma, The Black Pearl, and The Mayor. That is all.
Imaginary Cat-I don’t know what happened but I just stopped watching it.
Mrs. Cop-Don’t tell me a character is strong and smart and show me an idiot.
Lets Eat 2-If you told me I’d drop this, I would have laughed at you. I didn’t like the characters, and I did not like the lead fem character. I didn’t like the actress, period. Give me Noona and Barasii, not fake asses.
Bubblegum-I loved the cast, I really just didn’t care about these characters.
Ex GF Club-Bored now, not even that lovely boy kept me.
Pinocchio- The drama peaked with Dal po and Grandpa in the bathtub.
Yong Pal-It was so bad.
Completed Dramas-WATCHED IT CAUSE IT MIGHT BE HOT?
My rating scale is seriously too complicated but here it is.
Coffee Prince Good 1-10
Boys over Flowers Crack 1-10
Flower Boy Ramyun Shop Fun 1-10
Kim Sam Soon Rocking Female Lead 1-10 (is she too damsel like? Ability to take care of herself financially and otherwise, and owning her sexuality)
Dramabeans Scale: How much I enjoyed it 1-10 vs How good (quality) it was 1-10
Healer
CP Good 5
FBRS Fun 6
Female Lead 8
6/6
The OTP and Hacker Ahjumma sell the show. The backstory was zzzzzz. The WTF is strong -The guy jumps through a glass w-window for NO reason. I’m not sure I will get over that. But Young Shin’s coats, I NEED.
School 2015
CP Good 5
FBRS Fun 3
Female Lead 3
The Puppies. The End.
The mean girl needs to burn in a pit with the sister from Rooftop Prince.
6/5
I Remember You
CP Good 6
FBRS Fun 7
Female Lead 4 That’s generous. She was just kinda there. But a stalker, so ha.
9/6.5
It hard not to love Socio-Min and Hyeon but the real star of the show was the costume person.
Sassy GoGo
CP Good 6
FBRS Fun 8
Female Lead 6
7/6
The cute overdose is awesome but the mean girl redemption put me off.
Producer
CP Good 8
FBRS Fun 7
Female Lead 6?
Ensembly Quirky awesome fun. IU really stole the show for me.
7/8
Late Night Diner
Rating: Warm and wonderful rating all it’s own.
This was a quiet little “Nighthawks” type drama about the locals and their resident sage in a diner cook form. Enter the story and guest star of the week. Wonderful. Watch it.
Pride and Prejudice
CP Good 5
FBRS Fun 4
Female Lead 1 Eww.
5/4
This show sucked but puppy power was STRONG. Also I think possible Attorney Moon’s bobby pin game outgunned Mike He in The Devil Beside You.
Kill me Heal me
CP Good 7
FBRS Fun 8
Female Lead 6 ?
10/7.5
I loved this. More.
Angry Mom
CP Good 8
FBRS Fun 8
Female Lead 7
10/8
This was a super quirky dark drama that was wonderful. It almost derailed the Angry Mom and sabotaged her char dev but it made up for it with greatness over all.
The Scholar That Walks At Night
CP Good 4
FBRS Fun 4
Female Lead 2
6/4
Kdrama struggles with the vampire drama.
Lee Jung Ki is pretty. Lee Soo Hyuk is hot as fuck.
This drama was bad.
She Was Pretty
CP Good 5
FBRS Fun 6
Female Lead 5?
6/5
This was a drama had a boring lead male character, and wtf char dev for him that went off on a bunny trail. The fem was okay, but all of the secondary and tertiary characters were extra super duper MOST like.
High Society
CP Good 6
FBRS Fun 5
Female Lead 5
8/6
This started strong, with a fem char with potential and lead subversion. Then about E8, the two leads went flat, and the second leads stole the show…and then the show gave everyone a personality transplant in the end. And no one knows what the hell Handsome Oppa was doing but apparently he was as crazy as the rest of the family.
Jekyll, Hyde, and Me
CP Good 4
FBRS Fun 4
Female Lead 3
5/4
Based on the camera work Hyun Bin’s hips rock.
The Girl Who Sees Smells
CP Good 5
FBRS Fun 6
Female Lead 5
For a drama with a ton of trauma backstory, the lead characters were high level adorable.
7/6
Mask
CP Good 7
FBRS Fun 7
Female Lead 6
9/8
I loved this wacky makjang show.
The Village
I’m not rating this
Sunjae. The end.
I Order You
CP Good 6
FBRS Fun 7
Female Lead 7
8/6
This little drama was so enjoyable and likely wins make out scenes of the year awards. Yunho totally upped his game.
HO Goo’s Love
CP Good 9
FBRS Fun 7
Female Lead 7
10/9
This drama is awesome. From lead subversion to heart, it’s a total gem.
Hidden Identity
Not rating this
This was bad. Kim Bum made me do it. I’d do it again for him.
Heart to Heart
CP Good 8
FBRS Fun 5
Female Lead 7
8/7
Lovely wacky heartbreaking drama that started off with me ready to kill the male lead, but did some wonderful things in its run.
Oh My Ghost
CP Good 6
FBRS Fun 7
Female Lead 6
7/7
Kim Seul gi is my home girl. She was great. Lots of heart.
Twenty Again
CP Good 7
FBRS Fun 5
Female Lead 6
7/8
This is just a solid, across the board, GOOD drama.
Reply 1988
CP Good 9
FBRS Fun 9
Female Lead All the women were leads so this gets 8
10/9
Wonderful, it has everything and your heart will explode.
Dr. Frost
Not rating this
WTF was this? Was I drunk?
Falling For Innocence
CP Good 5
FBRS Fun 6
Female Lead 4 Wow I disliked this character
7/5
Great Cast. This drama was not so good in whole. Kang Min ho, Secretary, and Wendy should run away and run Neverland together.
Stay tuned for Part 2 with Best of, favs, and trends.
