Soompi Forums Awards: Best K-Dramas (2023) - Poll #1

[MayanEcho]

14 hours ago, frozentundra said:

My third one was Twinkling Watermelon. Again, the trailer sounds like a really shallow, forgettable drama with a lot of exclamation marks. There's literally no hint of the warmth and difficulty of being the only hearing member in an otherwise deaf family. I almost didn't watch this because of the promo material. I'm glad I did, I would have missed out on a really fantastic drama!

 

I hope to give this a shot! Sometimes the promo trailers, or even the title of the drama/movie aren't so eye-catching, but it would turn out to be a magnum opus.

 

3 hours ago, partyon said:

Please come back to the forum tomorrow, as I will launch Poll #2 containing the best c-dramas of 2023.

 

3 hours ago, partyon said:

I would advise you to stay away from Thai lakorns, chingu

 

Have lakorns took over the throne from the totally insane Latin Telenovelas? 

[Ameera Ali]

after deep thinking my favourite kdrama in 2023 for me was Crash Course in Romance  

 

*mature romance/ comedy my cup of tea *

 

 

 

 

[partyon]

25 minutes ago, kokodus said:

Yeah I know. Thank you. I watched 95% of the drama through your gifs. 

 

Then feel free to vote for it!

 

5 minutes ago, Ameera Ali said:

*mature romance/ comedy my cup of tea *

 

I thought abs were your cup of tea

14 minutes ago, MayanEcho said:

Have lakorns took over the throne from the totally insane Latin Telenovelas? 

 

Not yet. I think nothing can top Latin telenovelas.

[Ameera Ali]

4 minutes ago, partyon said:

I thought abs were your cup of tea

 

what abs twin , let’s not rub salt in our wounds 

 

[partyon]

18 minutes ago, Ameera Ali said:

what abs twin , let’s not put salt in our wounds 

 

LOL - 2023 was THE WORST YEAR for abs and shower scenes.

 

I couldn't even put up a Best Abs poll this time around. There were barely any options to put in the poll

@Ameera Ali You know we have an issue, when there were more abs featured in the Eurovision Song Contest than in Kdramas.

[itsmeash]

My Lovely Boxer and King the Land were my favorites of 2023.

 

Heartbeat would've made my favorites list if not for the ending. 

[Pen G]

Castaway Diva hands down!

 

We dare you to practice singing like an IDOL/DIVA/GUITARIST for 6 months. Then learn more effectively to dance. Then, nail down a convincing dialect.  Then, master the guitar. Then, walk like an ape who has not walked on fixed, even cement flooring for 15 years. Act like you are rough-around-the edges and act like you are primitve. And pull that all together into great acting. That is too much of a diffucult, hard, simultaneous ASK of PEB. We dare you? hahahaha.

[lebeaucouple]

@partyon - I watched "The Worst of Evil" - I liked the beginning of the story, but it did not give me the kick. Overall, the plot was predicted and nothing fantastic. The undercover story was quite similar to many Hong Kong drama or movies. One of the classic Hong kong famous movie - Infernal Affairs (2002) that focus on a police officer , who goes undercover into a triad, while a triad member, who infiltrates the Hong Kong Police Force. - Internal affair storyline was so good that the US director Martin Scorsese even remade the film in 2006 as "The Departed", which won the Academy Award too. Therefore, I did not put "The Worst of Evil" in my favourite list.

 

I recommended you to watch : "The deal" and "Kidnapping Day" was because their storyline are very interesting and unique and the ending are quite good in general.

 

Thanks for inviting me to join the "EO watching event" but my work schedule is quite different as I need to meet customers very often. 

 

Yes, I am currently watching "Marry my husband", "My Happy ending" and "My Man is Cupid" - out of these three, My happy ending at the moment is very interesting to watch. "Marry my husband" - hmmm...too many plot holes...I only like the male lead who looks handsome, the female lead is getting too skinny lately (even her last drama also looked the same)...all these three are more for entertainment, nothing fantastic...

 

For ongoing airing drama, I like "death game" at the moment because of the storyline is interesting and the meaning is so powerful for a person who just gave up his life easily while many struggle to stay alive. What an ironic !!!

 

 

 

 

 

[willenette]

*** The year 2023, I watched plenty of K-dramas and there will be plenty more I pick up for 2024. K-dramas have the very best. It's a good time to look back and take stock of all the dramas we have watched this past year! 2023 has dropped many worthwhile shows. Hence, here is my pick of the best Korean dramas of 2023, and I ranked them from great to being good. 

Spoiler

Moving – In the midst of hundreds of Korean dramas released in 2023, this drama in my opinion proved to be the best of the best – In other words, it is one of the most distinctive K-Dramas in history, outperforming every drama released in 2023. At first, I wasn’t going to watch this because I knew all along that Jo In Sung won’t be in the whole EPs but I jumped on the hype train. It was far too bloody for me at times but the kids’ storyline was delightful. I did not expect this to become such a favorite of mine.

Bloodhounds – Love it because it’s just an 8- episodes drama. It has no dull moments from start to finish. The fight sequences are so well-choreographed, making it obvious that the actors and the brilliant minds behind the scenes put a lot of work into making it feels real and gritty.

Arthdal Chronicles 2 - When I learned that Song Joong Ki was leaving the series, I’ve no concerned about whether Lee Jun Ki could fill his role because I’m very sure that he could established a strong presence on screen, which aided the screenwriters had meticulously constructed.

The Worst of Evil – This drama is both brutal and heartfelt, with outstanding performances from both the main protagonists (Ji Chang Wook) and the antagonist (Wi Ha Joon). They are carrying the show. There is no room for light-hearted moments in this K-drama. I’m willing to sell my soul for Wookie, just kidding.   Loved it. It is done well. Performance is flawless.

Tale of the Nine-tailed 1938 - It was different from the first season, particularly with the addition of a bromance rather than a romantic interest. Ultimately, both seasons tell different stories in their own distinct ways, but the sequel is superior in terms of quality in my opinion.

Gyeongseong Creature 1 – Although, there were some bad reviews, Gyeongseong Creature for me is a fantastic end to 2023... Part 1 had seven episodes, and Part 2 will feature the remaining three episodes TODAY. I wonder why they break up the series, though. Current trend? Well, I’m not into this because I feel that the momentum of the show is ruined. It's slow-paced because they don’t even face the creature until the fourth episode. In general, nothing is surprising here, mostly because we’re given the revelations too early. That said, the drama is by no means a bad drama; it’s just not as gripping as it should be. It's not as great as it could've been. I don’t really like the romance aspect and find it unconvincing. It happened SO quickly for no reason at all. But, on the whole, the drama is well-made and has a cinematic flair. I watched this drama for Park Seo Joon. His character has been written as a highly confident character and he brings the swagger with ease.

The First Responders 2 - The plot is a bit weaker than in the first season because a lot of it is focused on grief and revenge but it’s solid and interesting. S2 might have a different approach than the first season but honestly, it was good. Here, it’s only the second episode and two of the main characters are almost dead. Wahhh…….. It’s rare for a scriptwriter to kill off one of the main characters, and I can even say that I’ve never seen a main character die in the middle of a Korean drama before. And even the National Forensic Service is under bomb attack; ohhh….it’s tough being a police officer, firefighter or forensic scientist in Korea - hahaha. However, the drama managed to end smoothly. If I compare the seasons, the second season is slightly better than the first in my opinion.

Numbers - It was good, but it had the potential to be even better.  The drama is about auditors, balance sheets and accountants. It's obviously all about numbers. It's also about what lies behind those numbers. Personally, I found it challenging to understand many of its terminologies especially if you're not familiar with accounting field because there really isn't much explanation. It seems like it takes some time to get into the situation. The saying “different professions, as different as mountains” probably applies here. However, those with knowledge in these areas might enjoy it more. What I like about this show is that they showed us a glimpse of the financial world and how the 1% controls the system.

Heartbeat – I was amused watching this drama. It makes me laugh. I enjoyed it. It's mostly light and silly and yes a bit cheesy but I think it's funny and has a lot of charm. Biased aside, Taecyeon’s comedic timing is gold. Nothing too big here, it’s just simple and fun to watch!

Joseon Attorney - I absolutely adore Woo Do Hwan here and he does a great job portraying this character, he nails every single emotion Han Su goes through. I had low expectations on this drama and I have been surprised by how good this is! It's obviously funny and a sad story at the same time. I can’t say that this is a brilliant work (after all, this type of drama does not imply something outstanding), but there were some episodes where Woo Do Hwan was just brilliant. He managed both funny moments and tragic ones; I got exactly what I expected from him. He doesn't go too deep in the drama, and in the funny moments he didn't act like completely crazy, which some actors do. And Woo Do Hwan's voice deserves a special mention – his voice is pleasing to the ears. It was a pleasure to watch the drama. Unfortunately, the drama is not gaining much attention and is consistent in receiving low ratings since its premiere. Sigh…..

One Blooming Youth – The drama has a catching story. This is an easy to watch well- balanced historical drama. I did enjoy the level of suspense as well as how the story tied together. The romance was beautiful. Their chemistry was on point. They spar, they flirt, they deny their feelings, and they blend into one heart and mind.

Missing the Other Side 2 – The drama turned out just as good as season 1.

 

[Tango27]

just 

agency

and

paper moon ( pale moon ) which wasnt listed ?

 

the rest is as embrassing as it has been 

[rocher22]

 

Arthdal Chronicles2...My fav character, the Neanthal girl Nunbyeol

 

 

 

 

The Glory 2.... the chemistry... 

 

 

 

 

 

[partyon]

21 hours ago, itsmeash said:

Heartbeat would've made my favorites list if not for the ending. 

 

It started out so strongly, but changed totally in style and genre as the drama progressed. The ending was a disaster

 

You may want to drop by on Sunday, as Heartbeat will be featured in Poll #3....

20 hours ago, Pen G said:

Act like you are rough-around-the edges and act like you are primitve.

 

You know what, I watched the first episodes of this drama. But like @agenth chingu I got stuck on a small detail that annoyed me.

If she was 15 years on that island, how could her teeth look so perfect after all that time? Without tooth brushes, tooth paste, dentists, deep cleaning, etc.?

 

Yea, that was too unrealistic for me. So I dropped the drama.

17 hours ago, lebeaucouple said:

I watched "The Worst of Evil" - I liked the beginning of the story, but it did not give me the kick. Overall, the plot was predicted and nothing fantastic.

 

Predictable?

 

Ya, chingu! You must be a master in telling the future! Impressive!

 

I started on Kidnapping Day and finished 3 episodes today. Am liking it so far.

Am now watching the last episode of Death's Game 2.

 

17 hours ago, lebeaucouple said:

out of these three, My happy ending at the moment is very interesting to watch. "Marry my husband" - hmmm...too many plot holes...I only like the male lead who looks handsome, the female lead is getting too skinny lately (even her last drama also looked the same)...all these three are more for entertainment, nothing fantastic...

 

You have the same feelings as the EOs. We are liking My Happy Ending too, but the plot is giving us a headache. Too many options of what is going on.

Marry My Husband is too predictable and agree about the FL....

 

13 hours ago, willenette said:

Hence, here is my pick of the best Korean dramas of 2023, and I ranked them from great to being good.

 

How many dramas did you watch in total?

 

6 hours ago, Tango27 said:

the rest is as embrassing as it has been 

 

LOL - bad kdrama year for you too? I think we can finally safely say that kdramas have lost their mojo and that we are not getting back the amazing dramas we got 10-15 years ago.

 

3 hours ago, rocher22 said:

The Glory 2.... the chemistry... 

 

Was this your favorite couple in the drama? I liked them better than the ML and FL together.

[Tango27]

1 hour ago, partyon said:

 

 

 

 

LOL - bad kdrama year for you too? I think we can finally safely say that kdramas have lost their mojo and that we are not getting back the amazing dramas we got 10-15 years ago.

 

 

no there aint no going back unless kdramas lose all popularity worldwide and then they might go back to being a korean drama rather than how the generic audiance sees a kdrama ..netflix only made it much worse..cause what goes up there is what they are going to make over and over again..

just see how ratings are suffering in korea..not only cause of streaming

cause they are not interested ..

 

[partyon]

48 minutes ago, Tango27 said:

no there aint no going back unless kdramas lose all popularity worldwide and then they might go back to being a korean drama rather than how the generic audiance sees a kdrama ..netflix only made it much worse..cause what goes up there is what they are going to make over and over again..

 

They became too similar to US shows didn't they?

 

Am seeing a lot of people picking up Japanese dramas again, maybe I should give it a try? I used to watch doramas before I discovered kdramas. @rocher22 @MayanEcho @joccu @CarolynH

 

@lebeaucouple Am on ep 5 of the Kidnapping Day. Am pretty sure I have solved at least a part of the case already.

 

This drama is leaving clues left and right.

 

With My Happy Ending, though, this is me:

 

and the EOs @confusedheart @agenth

 

@Sleepy Owl looks mainly like this when watching My Happy Ending

 

[itsmeash]

13 hours ago, partyon said:

 

It started out so strongly, but changed totally in style and genre as the drama progressed. The ending was a disaster

You may want to drop by on Sunday, as Heartbeat will be featured in Poll #3....

It's the worst when shows do that. Switching genres midway always feels like such an FU from the writers and whoever else okays it. Everything about Heartbeat's promotion was that it was supposed to be silly and romantic and by the end... it wasn't any of those things. 

 

Thanks for the heads up!!  

Edited January 6 by partyon
Please do not quote gifs, thanks :)

[MayanEcho]

5 hours ago, partyon said:

Am seeing a lot of people picking up Japanese dramas again, maybe I should give it a try? I used to watch doramas before I discovered kdramas

 

ctto

 

Ren Meguro and his dramas are waving! 

[rocher22]

17 hours ago, partyon said:

 

Was this your favorite couple in the drama? I liked them better than the ML and FL together.

 

The Glory and The K2 are the only two dramas where the script should have been changed. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[willenette]

21 hours ago, partyon said:

 

How many dramas did you watch in total?

 

LOL - bad kdrama year for you too? I think we can finally safely say that kdramas have lost their mojo and that we are not getting back the amazing dramas we got 10-15 years ago.

 

 

@partyon  I guess a total of 14-15, only K-dramas for me. Sorry, but I feel different for 2023. 2023 proved that the Hallyu wave is strong, if not stronger, with K-dramas finding a place in the lists of most-watched TV shows around the world. K-dramas explored a wide range of genres and featured some of the finest onscreen performances of the year and this I seem to think so.  

[jongski]

Most definitely My Lovely Boxer!!!  Not part of the poll.. but Why???

 

But anyway..one of.. if not the best drama of 2023. If you haven't seen it... what are you watching then?

 

Lee Sang Yeob and  Kon So Hye  - not familiar with her and first time watching her.. but  def. one to watch good acting! LSY .shows us good actors are always not not hallyu stars

 

Also The Killing Vote!  but like MLB not part of the pol.. though I kinda slack watching.. but.. this needs a season 2

 

I haven't watch TGBM....yet.

 

Mods: maybe in future poll.. best kdrama of all time? I'm just curious to see if classic kdrama will reign.. or it will be the new ones

[partyon]

1 hour ago, jongski said:

Most definitely My Lovely Boxer!!!  Not part of the poll.. but Why???

 

Am sorry, we could only fit in 57 dramas in the poll due to technical limitations on the forum... And there were 131 kdramas in 2023....

The Killing Vote is featured in poll #2 though, so please head to that thread and vote for it there!

 

1 hour ago, jongski said:

Mods: maybe in future poll.. best kdrama of all time? I'm just curious to see if classic kdrama will reign.. or it will be the new ones

 

This is a great idea! Wonder how we will manage to choose which ones to include in it? Again, we can only fit 57 options in our polls, but we could of course do it as a multi-poll battle?

 

How about we have polls for:

1) best dramas 2000-2012

3) best dramas 2013-2024

 

Then the winners of both polls go up against each other in a third poll?

 

re: @confusedheart @agenth @Sleepy Owl