[2024 Year in Review] Bean of Greatness » Dramabeans Kdrama

[2024 Year in Review] Bean of Greatness

by DB Employees

Hooray, it’s time for the Bean sequence to start! As a result of generally you simply must wax poetic about which dramas you’re giving your beans to, and why. In spite of everything, summing up, finding out, and making blanket pronouncements is what the 2024 Yr in Overview is all about.

To not be confused with the well-known Editors’ Picks, this bean sequence is very like our different DB group posts — every author sharing their feels. Add your personal private Bean of Greatness within the feedback and be a part of the enjoyable!

missvictrix: To not be too predictable or something, however Beautiful Runner takes my Bean of Greatness this yr. This drama was all the pieces I would like from my Okay-dramas and my storytelling — from the timeslip to the love story to the twists and turns and moments of heart-stopping squee. It was a kind of uncommon dramas the place every bit got here collectively (forged, script, idea, path, and many others.) and each minute delighted me. (Properly, minus a number of moments I select to disregard.) This has turn out to be certainly one of my “joyful place” consolation dramas.

lovepark: In a yr that was extra middling than nice, one drama stood above all of them: The Whirlwind. An intricate story with complicated characters buttressed by an exceptional forged alongside an assured director, my praises for the present are infinite. Whereas I’ve heard some name it too quick, too intense, and too ridiculous, I’d argue that it was a riveting, managed maelstrom of political chaos that leaves you breathless in one of the simplest ways doable. There are layers upon layers of subterfuge, twisted ideologies, and unintended penalties making no scene trivial, no dialogue neglected, no handshake meaningless. Although The Whirlwind won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, in case you’re searching for a political thriller — or just a present of sheer high quality — give this one a strive.

tccolb: I’m in all probability in a really small minority however as a fairly large fan of outdated Korean sitcoms, Canine Is aware of Every part was simply my most anticipated drama this yr. It didn’t fairly ship all the pieces I hoped, however a mixture of the present’s attraction in addition to a way of nostalgia had me seated each week and, in my coronary heart, it’s the winner of my Bean of Greatness for 2024. I cherished the foolish setup with speaking pets changing into the witnesses for every thriller case. However I additionally cherished the depth and care given to our unconventional leads, following the expansion of our senior heroes and permitting us to newly see the world via their skilled eyes.

quirkycase: Good Companion is on the prime of my checklist this yr partly as a result of it shocked me. I didn’t anticipate it to be dangerous, however there are a number of authorized dramas, so I believed it could simply be one of many pack. As an alternative, it was one of many extra thought-provoking and well-crafted authorized dramas I’ve seen. Not solely was it entertaining, however the drama took a tough take a look at the Korean authorized system and the folks affected by it. I cherished the vary of themes lined via the divorce circumstances that by no means overlooked the human ingredient. Add to that nice leads in Jang Nara and Nam Ji-hyun, and it simply makes my prime authorized dramas checklist.

mistyisles: My Bean of Greatness goes to Beautiful Runner, and truthfully it’s not even an in depth race! I’m just about at all times up for time journey shenanigans, however add to that the romance — lovely and sweeping and poignant in turns — and a compelling exploration of discovering happiness regardless of damaged goals, and let’s simply say this present snatched up my coronary heart and ran away with it. The way it managed to stability a lot weirdness and coronary heart, I don’t know, however I’m fairly positive it put me via each human emotion after which some. And the extra I give it some thought right here on the finish of the yr, the extra I need to simply drop all the pieces and watch it once more.

DaebakGrits: No Achieve No Love earned my Bean of Greatness as a result of I really feel it was probably the most well-rounded and groundbreaking of my favourite 2024 Okay-dramas. It gave just a little little bit of all the pieces I really like in a Okay-drama — romance, humor, and tropes — however this drama additionally packaged these components in a narrative that was distinctive and barely extra mature than the standard Okay-drama choices. (Taking a look at you, ethnically numerous field of dildos.) It additionally tackled edgier — once more, by Okay-drama requirements — topics, like foster care and polyamorous relationships, in a frank and optimistic method. Most of the time, I watch (romantic) Okay-dramas as a type of escapism, and the humor and contract marriage plotline of No Achieve No Love match the invoice in that regards, however this story had simply sufficient realism sprinkled into it that I’m capable of step again and admire this drama on a extra vital stage. In a number of methods, it appears like this rom-com tricked me into fascinated with extra severe topics, however it did it with out feeling pressured awkwardly into the plot, which makes me need to give No Achieve No Love a number of kudos.

solstices: At instances arresting, at instances absurd, and above all unabashedly genuine, the drama adaptation of Love within the Huge Metropolis left me winded with its stark portrayals. It’s electrifying and evocative, incisive and intimate, tumultuous and transient, deftly treading a tightrope between the glitzy impulsiveness of poor coping mechanisms and the aching loneliness of rising up totally different however not incorrect. Having learn the unique novel by Park Sang-young (which additionally has an exquisite translation by Anton Hur), I used to be impressed by how faithfully the drama rendered the wry snark of Younger’s perspective and the uncooked vulnerability of his inner narration. The inventive liberties taken — in transforming the finer particulars to pare down the narrative to its emotional core, rearranging chronology to ship intestine punches with each thread of unraveled context, and fleshing out glossed-over characters into full-fledged heartache — complemented the variation’s medium with out as soon as veering off-course from the unique story. Love within the Huge Metropolis is unapologetically queer, chronicling poignant vignettes within the lifetime of a homosexual man adrift within the metropolis’s huge expanse, and its bittersweet realism lingers lengthy after the ultimate minute.

Unit: I don’t care in regards to the present’s descent into full-blown makjang in direction of the tip, as a result of this bean was by no means going to belong to some other drama. There’s plenty of issues that made Queen of Tears nice for me: Kim Soo-hyun, the present’s glorious manufacturing values, the OSTs, the nostalgic sentiment it evoked in me, and the drama watching neighborhood throughout the globe, and above all, the stellar appearing — particularly that of the leads. I used to be deeply invested in BaekHong as people and of their relationship as a pair, they usually had me rooting for his or her happiness amidst all of the “drama” the plot threw at them. One of many themes on this present is recollections, and every time the drama involves thoughts now, I by no means take into consideration its flaws. Somewhat, I recall the fantastic eight weeks I spent with the present: my fangirling, the tears, the obsession, scouring the interwebs for present crumbs, the enjoyment of protecting it right here on Dramabeans, the various Eun-seong nicknames I got here up with, and the vacancy I felt when it was over. That is one drama that can linger in my coronary heart for a very long time, and I’m so grateful oppa stated sure to the present.

Dramaddictally: Nice dramas are those that persist with you — those that have you ever counting down the times till the subsequent episode — and those that make you are feeling shiny and glowy, even in moments once they don’t make full sense. Beautiful Runner will get my Bean of Greatness this yr for being the drama that had me squeeing, crying, laughing, holding my breath, and fighting Byun Woo-seok fever between episodes — even when I nonetheless don’t know how the time journey works or why the killer cab driver had no motive. The main pair blew me away with their potential to tackle three eras of those characters’ lives and make me purchase each second of their love at every stage. We bought an epic OTP, an unforgettable bromance, and a second male lead that gave our hero a (beautiful) run for his cash — it simply doesn’t get any larger than that.

starrygazer: For me Bittersweet Hell will get my vote for Bean of Greatness this yr, since I like being shocked and stored on my toes by a drama. And this drama delivered a number of variations from the “normal” revenge trope everyone knows and love. However the relationship between Kim Hee-sun and her mother-in-law Lee Hye-young was my favourite factor about this present. It’s good to see in-laws which might be working collectively in opposition to a typical enemy as an alternative of working in opposition to one another. Lee Hye-young completely killed her half right here, and I cherished her flamboyant portrayal because the mother-in-law. And for a villain, Yeonwoo portrayed her character despicably effectively. If you happen to like a revenge drama and haven’t seen this – I’d suggest it.

 
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