Favourites of 2013

I’m sorry to inflict yet another best-of list on you but I figured it would be good for my swiss cheese memory to jot these down for posterity.

It’s been a year of many firsts: my first year of K-drama watching, of blogging, of tumblr-ing (is that a word?), and of meeting a lovely community of fellow drama obsessives (that means you!) which has been totally awesome.

I wish everyone lots of love, happiness and many more good dramas in 2014!

Favourites

These worked for me in all the ways that matter–heart, story, substance and execution–and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend every one of them. In no particular order:

Mirae’s Choice: It Wasn’t All Bad, I Swear

This may be an unpopular opinion but I don’t think Mirae’s Choice sucked as much everyone believes. (By everyone, I mean at least the majority of the English-speaking K-drama blogosphere.  And the general Korean public as well judging by the poor ratings.) Fine, that sounds like everyone but I’m pretty sure there’s got to be a least a handful who agree with me!  

Mirae’s Choice Episode 1 – 6 Check-in

Mirae’s Choice feels like a rather odd creature–it’s madcap yet whimsical, it’s very plot-driven but has taken immense care to flesh out it’s main characters, and it’s a conventional rom-com yet tackles some real world and serious issues. It’s taken awhile for me to appreciate the show, and I’m still at the stage of admiring this from a distance rather than falling hard for its numerous charms, but that’s no fault of the show. This show has so much to offer, that I’m wondering why I’m not cheerleading this more than I am. Have I lost my mind?

My Reason for Watching Mirae’s Choice

THIS: This seals the deal, guys.

When I saw this still today of Lee Dong Gun as Darth Vader wielding a lightsaber, I thought to myself, I surrender. Because it’s not like there’s a shortage of dramas this cycle, what with the Heirs juggernaut being only the tip of the drama iceberg. But Mirae’s Choice (or Marry Him If You Dare) has surely but steadily snuck up on me. First there was the news of Lee Dong Gun’s comeback, and the premise of a time-travelling rom-com on our hands. Well and good, but hardly must-watch material.

Then the promos starting trickling in earnest. And I saw this:

Credit: TV Daily

Oh the hair! That dress! Karaoke! THE HAIR!