Dec 31, 2012

Twelve K-Dramas of 2012

Another year has gone by. Another year spent in the beautiful world of Korean dramas. This is an addiction that I'm not asking for a rehab or therapy soon. The King of Dramas said that Hallyu is all about the money, I say it's all about the fan girl heaven that I feel each time I watch an episode. Edward Cullen said that Bella is his own brand of heroine, I say this is my heroine. I'll ride the Hallyu wave for as long as I can!

I wrote a post like this last year and I decided to write another one for 2012.


2012 is a year of non-conformity. I started the year fangirling a nation drama but along the way I ditched my penchant for following high-rated dramas and watched those that made me happy and content. What's the point of watching dramas that I can't enjoy, gave me too much of a headache and just plain unrelatable? I started the year with the intent of watching every drama out there. I even watch most of the first episodes, braved a few more to see what the fuss is all about and then realized that I can't continue watching anymore and ditched it completely even when I was half-way through it.

I think I am just too cranky this year or something. My attention span needs a serious tweaking or I might need a long break from Kdramaland. I don't want to do that for the love of aegyo and kimchi.

Anyhow, these are the dramas that I watched this year in its entirety (from the first drama I watched to the last):





1. The Moon That Embraces The Sun

It was fun aboard the buzz train for the entire run of this drama. This is proof that fans can really make a difference in ratings. Story-wise, Moon/Sun was only gripping in the teenage years and was not that compelling in later years. Although the story didn't give me the story that I want and has the lamest king I have ever seen in a sageuk, Kim Soo Hyun and Jung Il Woo's acting saved it for me. They did their best in this drama and for that I would watch this drama over and over again.




2. Shut Up! Flower Boy Band

This drama rocked my world! The first among the awesome dramas that tvN offered this year. I saw the first installment of the Oh Boy Series, Flower Boy Ramyun Shop and although it wasn't a bad drama I didn't give it a whooping 100 points. So when Shut Up came out I wasn't expecting anything. In fact I was aboard the Dream High 2 fandom ship that time. Two episodes later (for both drama) and I completely ditch Dream High 2 and already memorized "I'm not in love" by Lee Min Ki! Shut Up is awesome from start to finish! It centered on dreams, friendship and what it's like to be a teenager. All of that amplified with an awesome soundtrack! I love you, Sung Joon!!!




3. Rooftop Prince

Never fear, The Joseon Power Rangers are here! I watch this drama to witness Park Yoochun's comeback to the Joseon era and well... it's Park Yoochun!!! Need I say more? Sadly, this is one of the fushion-sageuk that was a disappointment in terms of plot twists and turns. I didn't actually care about the family drama in this one and just tuned in to the scenes with the Power Rangers and Park Ha. If you focus on that, you'll enjoy Rooftop Prince. It was fun to watch Yoochun act all ignorant to the modern way of living. Priceless!



4. Love Rain

I love rain, I love you... Jang Geuk Suk! Too much that I tolerated the boooooooring first four episode and the WTF ending. I enjoyed the chemistry between the present time Jang Geun Suk and Yoona and was smiling like crazy at some romantic scenes but my brain really couldn't wrap around the logic of its ending. If it is logical at all. Seriously, going to USA does not solve everything!




5. Queen In Hyun's Man

Sizzling hot chemistry between Yoo Inna and Ji Hyun Woo that they have to continue the romance in real life. I've got no problem with that! I still feel warm and fuzzy inside when I remember how much I giggle watching this drama. I can recall chanting "they should date already!" while watching an episode or two. Knowing that they did, I'm a happy fan! Adding to the epic romance that this drama gave me is a smart and kick-ass leading man who happens to be a noble man in that time in Korean history that always fascinated me. What's to complain about, right? Another of tvN's finest.




6. Ma Boy

The drama that showed the bubbly side of Kim So Hyun after her bad girl roles in Moon/Sun and Rooftop Prince and before her cry-fest in I Miss You. I think she needed this role to balance the darker ones. This drama has only three episodes but it gave me a sense of satisfaction that some of the 24-episode dramas didn't. It's cute, fluffy and I love it!





7. To The Beautiful You

Beauty isn't everything. This drama is all about the pretty and lacked big time on substance. I knew the plot of this drama was bad news before it even begun. I've watched the Taiwan and Japan versions of Hana Kimi years ago for crying out loud! It was all for the love of SHINee and Minho! End of Story. The things you do for your pedo noona stint. LOL



8. Answer Me 1997

THE BEST DRAMA OF 2012! Four thumbs up! It was made for ultimate fan girl satisfaction. I speak for the entire KDramaland when I say that you missed half of your KPOP fangirl life if you haven't watched this drama. You still have time, mate. Go watch it! Again, I love you, tvN!




9. Arang and the Magistrate

Thank you so much Arang for saving me from the weekly dose of high blood pressure that I got from Nice Guy and the number of times I rolled my eyes at To The Beautiful You! Arang and The Magistrate made me love mythology more and rekindled my love for sageuk. It has a compelling story from start to finish and a mystery that kept viewers on the edge of their seat. It was creepy, witty, funny and otherworldly. A deadly combination for an arcane world savvy like me.



10. Nice Guy

I can't relate to any of the characters in this drama because I'm not a masochist nor a sadist and as much as I have attitude problem of my own, mine is not that psychotic. LOL. Nice Guy played with my psyche like it's nobody's business. I hang on to make sense of it all but just ditch the thinking part halfway through and enjoyed watching everyone tear each other apart. It was fun watching Song Joong Ki and Moon Chae Won take on the roles of Maru and Eun Gi. It was different from their previous roles so far and what made me stuck with this drama until the end.




11. Full House Take 2

Eight years after the original made the story better. Full House Take 2 was not a big hit of a drama like the first one but it hit me in the heart nonetheless. What I learned in this drama and would impart to my real life KPOP idols is that; in a confusing world such as  KPOP, true friends are hard to find, and if you ever find one or two, keep them!




12. Operation Proposal

YOO. SEUNG. HO! Need I say more? Gosh! Yoo Seung Ho and Park Eun Bin is my OTP of the year. The story is not the best out there but I can forgive everything the drama has pulled for giving me my OTP. I have too many feels and I can't think straight. Just let me sing the OST, okay?.. "If you love me say lalalalala~~~"


Those were the twelve dramas that I watched this year. My choices ranges from WTF drama to FTW drama. What can I do? I'm just a K-Drama addict who has an attention span issue this year. I said in the intro that I was too picky this year and ditched way too many dramas without giving it a second glance. That is so wrong of me and I'm making amends. So here are the dramas that I started watching when it aired, ditched it halfway but now, I'm making an effort of finishing it:

Gaksital... because it's the best historical drama of 2012, they say.
The King 2 Hearts... because Lee Seung Gi and Ha Ji Won are the kick-ass couple of 2012, they say.
Padam Padam... because it's good too, they say.

As of the moment I'm knee-deep into catching up with the awesome dramas I missed in 2012 and following shitload of other interesting dramas that are currently airing. My love for Kdrama has been restored but I don't know who or what fixed it. One thing's for sure, I'm excited for 2013!


 Bring it on Kdramaland!



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