2024 Kdramas

Something to pass the time. Was super cute, tad repetitive though.

I think there’s a level of charm lost with it being set in a modern era. Its uniqueness largely lies in the time period often neglected by writers, alongside the wit and cunning of the cast which was the backdrop for an endearing story.  However, the writing and delivery, not to be mistaken with the plot itself was strong. An acting masterclass as expected with perfectly choreographed fights. It had largely everything except the essence of season 1. For that I believe it lies just above a 7.5 but not quite an 8 and mostly definitely not a 9 in line with season 1. For what it’s worth, the best acting of the year.  Lastly, an open ending is not license to not tie up loose ends. There are many things that could’ve remained a mystery but following up with an additional season is a commitment  to a well rounded story. 

Dropped after episode 1. Glad I did as the reviews have not been positive.

Lost me halfway through.

This literally might be the worst drama of the year.

Overall a cute watch. I love me a whacky webtoon. A little too whacky at times but the nature of the show allows you to overlook such.

tvn chewed a lil. My rating isn't too important because I kinda saw it more as a little bit of quirky fun but I love this concept of a spin-off and the way it tied back into the original. 

Your typical cute romcom. I'm happy it was on 12 episodes because even with the plot, they didn't seem to do much, which was a shame. I must say, I did really like the younger couple. Is it too much to hope they get a future project together?

It gives budget, but I’ve quite enjoyed it. Do skip a bit as it can be cringe-worthy, but if budget is your taste, this will work—although the ending is abrupt.

Looking forward to season 2.  I think the prospects of that slightly hindered the pacing but enjoyed it nonetheless.

Another unsuspecting but delightful drama that stayed strong til the end. I didn't know I would find traffic crimes this engaging.

Sometimes you want something budget and lighthearted with a bit of drama.

Update: dropped. I might’ve enjoyed it if it was the 16-episode format but it’s dragging so bad and I have no clue where they’re going with it. Claiming back my time. 

The child actors were absolutely brilliant. Those first two episodes were gripping and made me expectant.  However, as the series progressed I found myself skipping through a lot. I may watch the original as the remake doesn’t seem to have much substance as the initial episodes led me to believe. For the type of themes they present it’s very flat in delivery. 

The most tragic part of this series is that it's limited to 6 episodes. However, I respect this because the story delivered is full of intention and purposeful writing. This takes psychological torture to a whole new level.  I genuinely never could've guessed where this series was going from episode 1. This drama has a lot of what I felt was lacking from certain series as of late. 

Stellar acting from the cast, they really sell the unique family dynamic and the modest changes their relationship takes through the series. The writing was concise and engaging, and I feel like the screenwriter's intentions reached us. I hope more people discover this series. It's been Family Matters and a few others (Mr. Plankton, Light Shop) towards the end of the year that restored my hope for this year of dramas.

I actually laughed quite a bit.

Watchable.

Bordering an 8. Really good watch. The first episode was a slight watcher's hump but worth it.

The acting in this was phenomenal. And I found myself pondering on the show days after. Chun WonHee was a clear standout among a strong league.

Having a woman centric show is a breath of fresh air. I’m not familiar with the source material but on all accounts this show is nothing short of amazing. This has been a true display of acting prowess. I’m sure there’s an accurate term but the acting within acting almost like an infinite loop; the skill it must take. I’m constantly in awe with every new episode. 

When I concluded episodes 5 and 6, my first comment was "I’m kinda broken at the fact that everything that scared us was actually shrouded in love." I really have to applaud the writers and directors on how they formatted and structured this series. It's such an amalgamation of genres, but done so beautifully. This seems to be typical of Kang Full, but it's still something that gives you pause.

This drama alone was able to get kdrama twt theorising again and actually dissecting a more-than-basic plotline. I don't know what more there is to say. It's cinematic and deserving of many awards as it's sister show, Moving (2023).

I'm super excited for Kang Full Universe and what it has in store. This is great ideas/writing meets precise execution.

Update: I'm not quite sure I have the words to capture how intricate and layered this drama was. The amalgamation of several genres, but not once does it feel wrong. And so many time-stopping scenes in the final episodes. An acting masterclass but I wouldn't expect anything less. I genuinely do not know what else there is to say. One of the best out this year, if not the best. The little Moving and Timing nuggets had me brimming with excitement. And considering I've never read the Timing webtoon, that's something.

This is such a kee, very reminiscent of older kdramas. Really not a fan of the sister's subplot though.

A bit lacklustre but can pass the time.

As a fan of the first adaptation, I was looking forward to this. There's a depth that Japanese works are able to capture so masterfully, and I was hoping this would translate into this remake. Visually, the best way to describe it would be therapeutic. I found that the art concept is more pronounced in this version compared to the original, which I like. It's the subtle details. I also think they were able to convey the philosophical ideas in a more sophisticated way. A pleasant surprise.

I loved the leads in the Korean version and thought the aloof demeanour suited Song Kang's abilities. Similarly, Han So Hee was pointed and intentional. However, I equally love this new pairing and the male lead breathes a new life of charisma into this role. Also, I need the soundtrack!

Idk, I like the realism of this drama and its counterparts. It's like a looking glass to life, nothing elaborate, but incredibly sincere and relatable. 

I think this show highlighted the perfect balance Vincenzo was able to strike with the chosen theme, that wasn’t found here. Wasn’t a bad drama and can pass the time but wasn’t particularly strong. I wasn’t fan of some of the dialogue around the “rehabilitated” characters.

A drama that showed promise and delivered on all fronts. We managed to scrape a few gems this year and this came up high on the list. Truly a dark horse because it came out of nowhere and managed to capture my attention from start to finish. First of all, the cast was stellar and that was really half the job in itself. This show balances wit & humour with some heavier themes without crumbling under the weight of its commitments. It’s been a while since a script has felt complete, whole and not lacking in any respect. The care with which the actors deliver this wholesome body of work reveals their labour of love. This is the type of kdrama you watch over and over because it’s written to hold up.  A highlight of 2024 for sure and a great watch for those looking for a cathartic release and hearty laughter. And the first time in history I ever not hated a love triangle!!

Lies between a 7 and 7.5. A pleasant surprise.

Enjoying but the pacing among with a plethora of other things are off. Not enough to take you out of swoon territory though. And I love the leads.

Update: What I’ve found with kdramas in the last year or so is that they’ll have the most poignant writing with a few gem-like scenes, and then you’re pulled out of that into something substandard. The Good Bad Mother was a victim of this. It had moments of great emotional depth then immediately stopped engaging you. Still a super cute drama though and several worthy acting performances.

Finally, a story for daughters who hate their dads. 

This plot has been done countless times, so you really need to differentiate yourself. They did manage to do that somewhat, but halfway through, I found the story became too convoluted. Everything about the perpetrators and the revenge exacted upon them felt so sterile. I understand there’s a process or protocol for demons, but you could’ve copy-pasted the acts of revenge without any noticeable difference, that's how deeply impersonal they felt. Also, I don't think they did a particularly good job with the romantic progression between the FL and ML, not that I even started the drama for that. Then everything seemed to resolve itself too easily and neatly by the end. 

Not terrible... just not particularly amazing. There were one or two stand-out scenes; they were just muffled out by everything else. Loved Ji Chang Wook & Bibi's chemistry as always. I just found that the story lacked coherence and was choppy.

It's an interesting storyline in the sense that it’s so outlandish so I had to carry on. The leads need to refine their acting though, the veterans carried the plot for them.

This made for a good passing watch, but I really wanted to like it more. Maybe it needed to be delivered in a more concise manner. I found it dragged. 

I am lowkey embarrassed I even started this. 

I’m watching this drama live and I don’t foresee it going past a 7.5 which is a shame. Really interesting plots to follow along with the Auditing team but the younger ml is naive to the point it’s unbelievable. I wish they could’ve handled that with more intention. Just a lot of niggling plot issues but overall quite interesting.

I had some hopes for this one but it really missed the mark. Even with just eight episodes they manage to skirt around what should be a concise story. I  see what they wanted to achieve but the set-up isn't fleshed out enough for it to mean anything for their present-day romance. Yet to finish but these are my thoughts.

I had really high hopes for this. It was good, but it had a lot more promise. It didn't need 16 episodes, once they concluded the divorce it dragged. I couldn't give it higher in good faith, but had the makings of a good drama.

This is a rare case where the consistency of previous work was maintained—impeccable fight scenes and an engaging plot that made for a great continuation. It did spark additional questions, but it didn't feel jarring. 

Really strong acting across the board and kept me on the edge of my seat with every episode.

I think if this was classed under some genre that allows for an over-the-top display of drama, I'd give it a bit more leeway, but even knowing its webtoon roots, it still feels wildly ridiculous. There were a lot of complaints that were lodged at projects this year regarding their blatant detachment from reality and writers' lack of restraint, all of which are valid. However, I've found this criticism has broadly bypassed When The Phone Rings, despite the twists and turns being the most outrageous and infuriating.

However, I do think it's partly a taste thing. If you're heavily drawn to heavy-handed use of tropes in an unironic manner, such as Business Proposal, this will be your bag.

They didn't control it the latter half.  It was entering makjang territory with the lack of commitment to reality however they brought it back by the end. Have many views that were addressed in a review on here. That being said still enjoyed it and one of the better projects of the year. Acting was stellar as expected. It's closer to an 8 than 7.5

Strong acting from the leads. Beautiful musical score. Wish it was on streaming platforms.

When people don't know when to leave a good thing.

A reminder as to why OCN led thrillers back in the day. A drama that’ll keep you at the edge of your seat. Once you think you know what’s going on they turn it on its head. I hope they’ll be able to tie everything in perfectly when the series ends. So far a really strong show.

Update: it’s drawing to a close and I can’t help but feel everything is overkill right now. We already get the premise, they’re both filled with immeasurable doubt. The build up will suffice. Uncovering the murder at this point is enough and I feel like there are more subtle ways to communicate their suspicions. I had to bring my rating down *heartbroken* also, just send the daughter to jail atp idc 

Genuinely could not tell you what happened. I really wish they would've left the series at season 1

Somehow more disappointing than the glory. I must admit, the trailer did give try hard and that's exactly what it was. Literally lost the will to continue but needed closure so skipped through. Incredibly beautiful to watch, but a sorely lacking storyline. This would've worked better as a movie.

A really fun and lighthearted drama with great acting to accompany it. It wasn’t on my radar but it’s now become my weekly burst of comedy and sisterhood.

Took me forever to make my way through this. 

The use of a fatsuit detracts for me but such an interesting and engaging plot. Very unassuming. I only realised I enjoyed it after the fact.

punchy and to the point. Best of the year so far.

Started off quite strong but not a fan of where it’s going but it does make sense, I guess