2010 Beanie Awards: Vote for your favorite dramas of the year
by javabeans
It’s December, and you know what that means around these parts: Time to reflect on the past year and see how the dramas stacked up! And boy, were there a lot of them.
As in previous years, I am planning a multi-part series (with special guest bloggers, natch!) to wrap up the year, which we’re busily writing up now — keep your eyes peeled in the coming weeks! If you want a refresher on how previous years have gone, here’s this handy tag to take you right to them.
But before we tell you what we thought about the dramas of 2010, this is YOUR turn to weigh in and vote for your favorite shows, couples, bromances — and, yes, your big disappointments — in what we’re calling the Beanie Awards. They’re in your hands; give ’em out with care!
FAVORITE DRAMA SERIES OF 2010
Starting off with the big one, vote for your favorite drama of the year, whether that means your pick for an artistic “best” or simply an emotional favorite. The voting list is by no means a comprehensive collection of all the dramas that aired in 2010; it would be too overwhelming to include them all. So we narrowed the list to twenty of the likeliest candidates, and since we realize it may be tough to just pick one, you can select up to three dramas.
FAVORITE COMEDIC DRAMA
Which drama made you laugh, whether with insane antics, witty banter, or a heartwarming sense of humor?
FAVORITE HISTORICAL DRAMA
Some of these are more traditional in their format (such as Dong Yi), while others have fusion elements (like the trendy-romantic vibe in Sungkyunkwan Scandal), and others were downright genre pieces set in the past (sci-fi and paranormal-oriented Joseon X-Files). But they were all set anywhere from a hundred to a thousand years in the past and cloaked in colorful period costumes.
FAVORITE ACTION OR MELODRAMA SERIES
This is a bit of a mishmash of a category, I know. Still, I wanted to separate out these dramas from the rest of the trendy or sageuk crowd.
FAVORITE FAMILY DRAMA
Alas, I can’t offer you much insight on this category, being that I am not quite so avid a follower of this genre as I am the others. However, family series make up a huge part of the airtime on Korean television, so it deserves its voting category.
FAVORITE ROMANTIC PAIRING
Ah, romance. The lifeblood of the Korean drama, particularly the trendy variety. Which pairing tickled your fancy the most? Which couple got your inner fangirl squealing in delight? Which OTP did you root for through all the requisite angst that ran interference during those cursed episodes in the middle when you really just wanted them to kiss already?
BEST KISS
Speaking of kisses… We know that a kiss in K-dramaland isnt ever just a kiss. It’s often so much more — it’s a decision, an epiphany, a game-changer. Which kiss made you squee the loudest? (Or snort in laughter, as the case may be.)
FAVORITE PIGGYBACK RIDE
If kisses are declarations, surely the piggyback ride, seen in practically every kdrama since the beginning of kdrama time, also makes a statement. Such as, “I want to take care of you.” Or maybe it’s more like “I don’t want to take care of you but I care too much to NOT take care of you,” or even “I don’t WANT to care but I can’t help it so I’ll take care of you anyway.” Most loaded means of transportation EVER.
FAVORITE CHARACTER
The charisma and/or appeal of a character is an elusive quality that can make or break a drama: sometimes lovable characters can sustain entire dramas with their charm even when, let’s face it, the rest of the stuff ain’t so good. But when a character gets under your skin and makes you fall in love with them, there’s a certain magic that comes into play. Who did that for you this year?
BEST DRAMA POSSE
Friendship is rarely the focus of a drama, but the presence of a good friend — or several — can elevate a drama and warm your heart. They exult with our heroes when there’s cause for celebration, console them with liquor and sympathy when they’re down, and hold back their hair when they’re really down.
BEST VILLAIN
Villains can be bratty interlopers, crazed madmen (or women), or evil masterminds. All we know is: They spice up dramas and are lots of fun to hate. Who needs boring ol’ Fate to complicate your life when you’ve got enemies like these?
FAVORITE BROMANCE
Boys. Sometimes fighting. Sometimes frolicking. Need I say more?
FAVORITE ALTERNATE PAIRING
If you’re anything like me, you’ve spent many a drama feeling that dread in the pit of your stomach when you realize, Crap, I picked the wrong team. It becomes painfully obvious that the couple you’re rooting for is never gonna make it, often leaving one party out of the loop and broken-hearted. Who was your favorite couple who was Not Meant To Be?
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE
Breakout doesn’t necessarily mean newcomer, although the two often go hand in hand. The actors in this category may have had other credits to their names, but it was in these selections that they shined, made their presence known, and springboarded to what will likely be greater fame. (Note: Some actors had big roles this year, but have been around or were previously well-known, and therefore were left off the list.)
OVERRATED DRAMA
“Overrated” applies to dramas that had mainstream popularity, but perhaps didn’t deserve the level of attention they got. By the same token, “underrated” applies to dramas that didn’t get as much love, but which you thought deserved more attention.
UNDERRATED DRAMA
DISAPPOINTING ENDING
Don’t you hate it when a drama is doing so well, and carries so much promise, only to fall flat in the final stretch? Even if 95% of a show is solid, a bad final 5% can really cause a drama to plummet in your affections. Sadly, this happens way too frequently.
BIGGEST WASTE OF TALENT
Likewise, it’s a bummer when a drama boasts a fantastic cast or your favorite star… and then fails to use his/her talents. Not only do you feel cheated, but you feel sorry for the actor who got suckered into a role that sorely underutilizes them.
BEST PERM
There was a fair number of male stars rockin’ the curly hair this year, for better or for worse. I KNOW WHO I’M VOTING FOR.
BEST ‘STACHE
With the rise of the “beast-men” trend, we saw a lot more abs, often glistening with sweat (thanks, Chuno), and a LOT more examples of facial hair, from minor scruff to the dreaded pornstache to full-on beards. Who rocked it best?
BEST AND WORST USE OF AN IDOL STAR
As we know, idols are advancing into television dramas with greater frequency these days, to a point where you can hardly throw a stone without hitting a chiseled idol ab. The phenomenon is usually met with some skepticism by viewers who are wary of untrained, inexperienced actors getting leading (or prominent supporting) roles, even as the idols are used to draw in more viewers. Some are bad, sure, but some are surprisingly solid. How did they do in your eyes?
RELATED POSTS
- 2009 Year in Reivew, Part 6: Editors’ Picks
- 2009 Year in Review, Part 5: Finding Hidden Gems and Lumps of Coal in 2009 (hjkomo’s review)
- 2009 Year in Review, Part 4: All Told, A Pretty Fun Year (javabeans’ review)
- 2009 Year in Review, Part 3: A Newbie Reviews 2009 (Samsooki’s review)
- 2009 Year in Review, Part 2: The Good, The Bad, The Middling (thunderbolt’s review)
- 2009 Year in Review, Part 1: Duds and Delights of 2009 (Dahee Fanel’s review)
- How was 2009 for you?
- How was 2007 for you?
Tags: 1 show to rule them all, Bad Guy, Baker King Kim Tak-gu, Beanie Awards, Chuno, Cinderella's Sister, Coffee House, Comrades, Daemul, Dong Yi, Dr. Champ, featured, Giant, God of Study, I Am Legend, Jejoongwon, Joseon X-Files, Mary Stayed Out All Night, My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho, Oh My Lady, Pasta, Personal Taste, Playful Kiss, Prosecutor Princess, Road No. 1, Runaway Plan B, Secret Garden, Sungkyunkwan Scandal, The Woman Who Still Wants to Marry, Wish Upon a Star, year in review, year in review 2010
Interview with Kim Yoo-jung
Hello Dramabeans series
![[2022 Year in Review] The Bean Count](https://www.dramabeans.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/beancount_2022.png)
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101 saranga
December 9, 2010 at 11:44 PM
wow i watched a lot of dramas... i don't think i've really missed much since 2008 lol rofl
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102 Chloe
December 9, 2010 at 11:45 PM
More than the actual voting, I loved the description and comments of JB. I laughed at the "pick an episode, any episode" and the curly hair.. "I know who i'm voting for" haha. Always a pleasure to read any and all blog entries here :)
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103 sos
December 9, 2010 at 11:47 PM
the biggest disappoinment is for MARY... they just waste talents!!!!!
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104 Luna
December 10, 2010 at 12:00 AM
i can't wait for the results and the end of the year posts..so much to read yay!!
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105 kit
December 10, 2010 at 12:01 AM
heh, agreeing with most of them.
i went back last week and watched Prosecutor Princess - the whole thing - in the space of three days and far out, it was so so so so underrated. Kind of like Partner. Which is ironic, because they both deal with the law. I hated the first episode and couldn't get over it for ages, but the recaps here on this site were so well done I had to go back and watch it and ohmygooooooood.
Just thought I'd write about PP, because I'm sure everyone's ranted enough about SKKS and Gumiho and the rest of them. <3
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106 Alixana
December 10, 2010 at 12:04 AM
For me, it was a tie between Gumiho, Bad Guy & Woman who still wants to marry (SO underrated!) .
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Anonymous
December 10, 2010 at 1:51 PM
Agreed x1000 about Woman Who Still Wants to Marry. I LOVED it, I'm so sad it didn't get the attention it deserved.
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107 Jenny
December 10, 2010 at 12:04 AM
Wish upon a star was so one of my faves! The kids were adorable and the story was fun.
It deserves more love
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108
December 10, 2010 at 12:06 AM
Baker King would be my pick, ever since watching it I have high expectations for future dramas haha.
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Erina
December 10, 2010 at 10:42 AM
I have to agree with you on Baker King. That drama and Giant really raised my expectations.
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109 Sumee
December 10, 2010 at 12:11 AM
See i had an issue..if there was YOO AH IN in a category i did not even bother looking at other options ! ;-)
OH smack ! Moon jae shin all the way !
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izzie
December 10, 2010 at 8:30 AM
oh you're such a fan... SUCH a fan! :D
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koreandramalover/kay
December 12, 2010 at 1:51 PM
oooohhh...my dear Sumee!!! ;)
how devoted you still are to the Moon? ;)
hehe....the Moony loony faction all the way!!! ;)
haha!!
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110 Leena
December 10, 2010 at 12:11 AM
this is fun....:) thanks...voted on all categories...hehehhe
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111 hsinya
December 10, 2010 at 12:15 AM
I would totally vote for Gu Yong-ha (Yeo-rim) had he been on the "Favorite character list"...!
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hsinya
December 10, 2010 at 12:20 AM
Woops!!! My bad, I see him now! (running back happily to vote for Yeo-rim) :P
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112 ririzzang
December 10, 2010 at 12:20 AM
@cc me too..Jo Pilyeon is one of the best villains ever.
Speaking of best villain, I didn't see Yoon Nayoung from Flames of Desire..and Majun's mom too!
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113 Lenita
December 10, 2010 at 12:32 AM
wow this is gonna be fun to do!
probably too late but at least i want to do, why did yo leave out chuno from the historical drama category?
and and and, gen choi, dae gil and wang-son surely deserves a stab at the best posse category?!
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114 Francesca
December 10, 2010 at 12:35 AM
LOL @ Disappointed ending:
BAD GUY: No, really. WHAT. THE. FUCK.
and Best perm categories! :D
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115 Soapie
December 10, 2010 at 12:37 AM
Prosecutor Princess is underrated in soo many ways.
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116 eclaire
December 10, 2010 at 12:46 AM
why is secret garden there? man i love that show, but it hasnt even ended. i dont think it should be there.
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eclaire
December 10, 2010 at 12:49 AM
MSOAN too and whatever that has not finished.
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117 roseltv
December 10, 2010 at 12:56 AM
SKK is the drama of the year for me. Even though recently I have been in love with Secret Garden but still, SKK captures me like no other. I love all the characters, which is the first in my history of watching dramas lol. Every character has a story behind them and it's such a pity that the rating is not high. I wish it could be extended like 4 eps.
And and and...I just have to mention the untying-hat scene again, just remembering that scene makes my heart jump. Ahhh....GARANG, I really fall in love with Lee Sun Joon <3
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118 DryedMangoez
December 10, 2010 at 1:05 AM
My top 3 faves of the year have to be Takgu, God of Study, and Comrades.
Cinderella's Sister can't be overrated when everyone pretty much agrees it dropped the ball big time. And I had to vote Eunjo and Jungwoo for alternate couple because they were the only pairing I cared about by the end.
And of course the ending. WTF? indeed.
Most underrated, Gumiho: Tale of Fox's Child. Thoroughly enjoyable and a pretty unexpected but satisfyingly bittersweet ending. Which is more than can be said about most dramas this year.
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119 Pully
December 10, 2010 at 1:17 AM
Is this me, or in middle of voting, my computer crashes, after it started up, I can't see the vote anymore ?
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Pully
December 10, 2010 at 1:18 AM
Never mind, after commenting, it's back
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120 Katey B
December 10, 2010 at 1:20 AM
This was a fun way to rethink about the dramas of the year. Found it a bit hard to remember a lot of the earlier dramas specifics ie. kisses-wouldn't it be great if we could have a video of these:) Amazing how you can be so into a drama until the next good one comes along and then the previous ones become but a happy fuzzy memory.
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121 libes
December 10, 2010 at 1:39 AM
dramabeans.... you are my new idol...
I can't stop read your comments in all categories.
Keep up the good work !!!!
Love you....
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122 CIntanegrikekasih
December 10, 2010 at 1:41 AM
Oh man.. No HARVEST VILLA??? in favourite drama of the year? I'm so dissapointed (just kiding JB ;) )
My fav char: seo In WOo (prosecutor Princess) , Ji Heon (Dr.Champ) , Ma Hye Ri (prosecutor princess), Seo RIn (harvest Villa), Jo Pilyeon (Giant)
Best kiss SCENE: Prosecutor princess, Coffee House, Personal Taste
Fav drama: Prosecutor Princess, Harvest Villa, Giant, Comrades
favourite pairing: Prosecutor princess, Coffee House, MGIG
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CIntanegrikekasih
December 10, 2010 at 1:52 AM
PS: favourite char is not all about the acting.... It's all about a character who make me keep watching. Some char make me Intriguing, WOndering and guessing what would he/she doing next?
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123 bashful
December 10, 2010 at 1:43 AM
JB,
Thanks much for this fun voting exercise!
Look forward to your and GF's year-end reviews of the dramas.
Cheers!
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124 danarod
December 10, 2010 at 1:56 AM
I guess I'm in minority, but I really liked Road no. 1. So Ji sub was great, and the last episodes were really emotional and touching for me. I also thought the endning of Bad Guy was sad but it did fit the narrative. And the acting and cinematography were very impressive.
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125 Christy
December 10, 2010 at 2:29 AM
hehe that was fun!
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126 124y
December 10, 2010 at 2:37 AM
SKK and Secret Garden really owned everything. they're just very refreshing!! hope there will be more dramas like these in the future.
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127 Lulla
December 10, 2010 at 2:45 AM
Hi, all ..
I just love gumiho and prosecutor princess. PP is a good drama, but very underrated.
And.. I actually love Baker King, but not many people voted for it. Am I the only one who thought that the drama is really good? :P ...
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128 sc
December 10, 2010 at 2:48 AM
Aww. I really loved Prosecutor Princess and think it should have been listed for Best Romantic Pairing and Best Kiss. However, I had a blast voting! It's always a pleasure visiting your site. Thanks for letting us take part in the Beanie Awards!
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129 niKai
December 10, 2010 at 2:49 AM
where's Dr. Champ in the Favorite Drama????? gah!
hehe. peace~
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130
December 10, 2010 at 2:56 AM
SKKS, baby!
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131 im_eve
December 10, 2010 at 2:57 AM
THANKS JAVABEANS AND GF!
that was soo much fun!
and your comments are....wahaaaaaaaaaahahha HIGH-larious!!! and spot on too!
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132 lenrasoon
December 10, 2010 at 3:00 AM
i voted for "Chuno", "Prosecutor Princess" and "My Girlfriend is a Gumiho", and i honestly think Chuno should be higher and "Secret Garden" is not even finished yet to be considerated the best drama this year yet...
also Chuno getting so low votes it makes me sad, since it was a really good drama. /butthurt
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lenrasoon
December 10, 2010 at 3:07 AM
reading the past "drama of the year awards" i came to conclusion that i never agree with the results xD
and i see a tendency for people who vote for the most recent drama, in this case "Secret Garden".
anyway 2010 was one of the best year for dramas imo in a long time (2007 was better though).
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133 Two Cents
December 10, 2010 at 3:08 AM
Yoo Ah-In, Yoo Ah-In, Yoo Ah-In!!!
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134 Carinne
December 10, 2010 at 3:10 AM
I'm sad that WISFC didn't make it onto any list 'cos it stretched production betwn end of '09 to end of Jan. '10. This show got cheated out of any glory. How can anyone forget Go Soo's comeback performance? As well an intro rising star Kim Soo-hyun played magnificently as teen Cha Kang-jin.
I personally prefer PK's piggyback ride drunk heart pounding Oh Ha-ni got Baek Seung-jo wondering why there's a roll of socks on the floor. Timeless. Haha!
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Carinne
December 10, 2010 at 3:31 AM
Oh well, WISFC was squeezed into 2009 Beanie Awards.
Also, I was eager to find more on Dr Champ's Park Ji-heon for me to select however this character got knocked down from a good hand full.
Where's the choco abs category? So many of 'em running laps on Dr Champ and some. What a shame! Although, I might just pop a nosebleed if I see a row of choco abs to choose from. You can't rush a gal when she's at baskin-robbins picking out her favorite of 31 flavors. Pahehe!
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135 sandy80
December 10, 2010 at 3:14 AM
where is harvest villa the best drama of the year ?????
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136 djeedjes
December 10, 2010 at 3:18 AM
I thought we can vote up to 3 choices on every category! :D
But, it's fun as always...and have a difficult time to decide. And your comments never fail to amuse me..thank you, thank you for a good laugh after a tiring day at work.
Definitely looking forward for the year end's reviews!!!!
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137 aoun
December 10, 2010 at 3:40 AM
Thanks! Having fun voting and remembering all those good dramas i've watched, as well as getting some good ideas what to watch next! Thank you for all your hard work.
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138 primadrama
December 10, 2010 at 3:41 AM
Wow! How i love voting. I really enjoyed it. But sometimes
its hard to decide. It's because I have so many favorite drama for this year. I also agree that the best kiss is from Prosecutor Princess.
SKK for me is the best.
Thank you so much Javabeans and Girlfriday!
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139 biniBningPunkista
December 10, 2010 at 3:44 AM
i can't believe people think Cinderella's sister is an overrated drama! NO ITS NOT!!! it really has great story line. it sucks that people think its too much just because it is dramatic and heart stuttering between young people. yes the ending would have sucked a bit but still... the drama is pretty great.
i also think Taecyeon has the worst role in it all. he should win "Worst use of an idol star" category. poor him.
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140 Lady Seoul
December 10, 2010 at 3:57 AM
Awesome! I voted on everything.
Totally fun. <3
I mostly voted on what was voted most haha, even without looking! ; P
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141 PeeWee
December 10, 2010 at 4:13 AM
No Cho Pil-Yeon? Seriously?
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142 sylde
December 10, 2010 at 4:27 AM
seriously... I only voted for most things because of the hilarious explanations :D
"This was hand-stitched in Italy!"
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143 Jane
December 10, 2010 at 4:33 AM
Aww... Lee Jin Soo is definitely my favorite character of the year.
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pohonphee
December 10, 2010 at 4:58 AM
I thought he would be one of the nominee of the favorite character of the year. It would be hard for me to vote, if he were there. Though I would still vote for The GU Yong Ha at the end :)
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144 alex
December 10, 2010 at 4:39 AM
Thank you for your job : it was really fun .
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145 hare
December 10, 2010 at 4:52 AM
For me 2010 best drama is SUNGKYUNKWAN SCANDAL, I really love to watch this drama
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146 j2
December 10, 2010 at 4:55 AM
haha! had a fun time voting! voted in all categories except maybe a couple. it's so fun guessing for the results and seeing it later.
enjoyed the favorite bromance category!! hehe...
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147 Atsirk
December 10, 2010 at 4:56 AM
2010 is the best year yet for dramas :D Almost all are awesome :D
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148 izzie
December 10, 2010 at 5:09 AM
fun! :D
LOL @ Best Kiss nominee Secret Garden
good times!
btw, where's the Joo-Wonda/Ra-Him kiss? :)
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149 pohonphee
December 10, 2010 at 5:09 AM
2010 is the best year of K drama for me and the year of sageuk crack. I watched 5 sageuk drama in one year, wow that's record for me, and one of them turn out to be my best drama of the year (SKKS FTW!!). Never thought man in hanbok can be so hot before this year :)
Enjoy this voting...Dramabeans rock!!
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150 Tini
December 10, 2010 at 5:13 AM
THE BEST IS Sungkyunkwan Scandal! XD
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koreandramalover/kay
December 12, 2010 at 1:53 PM
i second u on that, Tini!!! ;)
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