A lovely, low-key remake. How refreshing to have a drama built entirely around the sweet, realistic development of a modern romance between two professional adults, while cutting out the aggravation, angst, and filler that often pad out a drama’s running time.

A really compelling performance from Kim Myung-min as a high-powered amnesiac lawyer, but the story ultimately limps to the finish line.

Pro: Choi Ji-woo and Yoo Ji-tae’s acting and great chemistry. Con: Everything else (slow, repetitive, predictable).

A sleeper hit. Low-key, slice-of-life, hint of dolor. The relationships that spring up between the five housemates are fresh, winsome, and complicated in a nicely satisfying way. I wish they’d given it more production value, because its visuals lagged behind the writing and acting.

Tonally off-kilter in an interesting way, and full of quirky characters who come together to form a really endearing friendship. A little too loosely plotted at times, but it left me wanting more.

Hot guys. Cold plot.

Gambling, intrigue, foreign locales—it was a blockbuster hit and people went crazy for Lee Byung-hyeon and Song Hye-kyo. It was almost swallowed by its own hype, but there’s a reason why every revenge/success/empire story tries to emulate this one.

Tonally all over the place (dark, realistic, touch of absurd) but pulls together into an underdog story to root for. Kim Hee-sun is awesome as a kickass fake high schooler, and Ji-soo steals the show as a tough guy with marshmallow center.

I’d go back to high school for Ji-soo. Wait, is that not the moral of the story?

The focus on family and friendships and the sense of community in a bygone era makes this the most emotional and bittersweet of the Answer Me franchise. The concept isn’t as fresh the third time around, but the relationships will stick with you for a long, long time.

Lovely small moments of friendship and family, buried under a mountain of sluggish, self-indulgent meandering. A ruthless editor would have done wonders.

Wonderful characters stretched thin in an endless tug-of-war that loses sight of the big picture. Heartwarming and nostalgic, but also makes you tear your hair out.

Nostalgic, witty, and sweet. Captures the pounding fervor and emotional extremes of youth with humor and heart.

This drama ran away with my heart and soul, probably because it felt like the story of my life, set to the soundtrack of my youth. Sharply written, with affection.

Creative universe built with a tightly plotted internal logic and a stirring romantic core. Quirky, dark, sweetly satisfying.

Love the supernatural ‘verse with its own elaborate mythology, engrossing mystery, and leads bursting with romantic chemistry. A faster plot would’ve done wonders.

You’d be surprised what two guys will do in the name of national security…over a girl. Starts out bloody and badass, but winds down into predictable and safe.

One of the earlier cohabitation dramas that fired off a trend. Cute chemistry from the leads and funny situations, although the workplace storylines drag the thing down.

They’re siblings! They’re not! It’s the classic twisty melodrama, and one of the earlier ones that came before Winter Sonata (same PD) and made stars out of Song Seung-heon and Song Hye-kyo.

I know a drama about labor union disputes doesn’t sound sexy, but Awl makes it downright riveting. Fantastically directed to infuse even the most mundane moments with energy, with a career-defining performance by Ji Hyun-woo.

It’s a familiar workplace Candy story and the heroine’s rather meek for my post-Sam-soon tastes, but it does well with her career growth story and cute noona-romance.

Bursts out of the gate with peppy chemistry, then slows with tears and angst and The Dreaded Illness. Lost interest after episode 6.

Love it. Heartwarming and hilarious as this motley mock family becomes a real one, without dipping into cheesiness. Kim Myung-min is a hoot.

I can’t heap enough superlatives for the drama’s assured directing, gorgeous visual appeal, music, acting, overall ambiance. Story drove me nuts.

The ending killed whatever love I felt for all of the above.

Underdog sports story set in the Occupation, set up to culminate in historic unified Olympic team. If only we got there! Should’ve been more moving, more powerful, more sensical. Draggy plot, painfully green acting.

When you call for an episode cut because you’ve just run out of ideas and can’t even finish your own drama (!!), you’ve failed.

Adorable, feel-good weekend drama with a hilariously quirky lead couple. Namgoong Min is delightfully weird, Minah’s cutely offbeat. The “mystery” is overplayed and the chaebols are fairly one-note, but turn your brain off in those scenes and the show is breezy fun.

Hilarious scenarios, memorable acting, and a string of the wackiest, yet oddly appropriate metaphors I’ve ever seen in a drama.

Pee-your-pants funny, killer cute, at times achingly romantic too. Hits that rom-com sweet spot.

Like getting to the bottom of a tasty meal and finding a half-eaten worm.

Promising setup with body swap hijinks and a great cast, but fails to deliver anything but plot hodgepodge. Akin to an emotional drive-by. Perhaps more violent.

Starts with a refreshingly screwball sense of humor, fully embracing its silly nature, but gets bogged down with needless complications. Still, the leads have adorable chemistry.

Gong Yoo as a bleeding heart high school cutie and Gong Hyo-jin as a badass teacher? Sold! This one has comedy, a nice episodic pace, and most importantly, a lot of heart. One of my all-time faves.

At the core there’s an interesting take on a science-fiction vampirism-as-virus metaphor, but it’s sunk by sloppy writing and weak acting. Meh.

Two lifelong best friends turn 30 and take steps toward becoming adults…by shacking up together and denying their growing attraction. Yeah, good luck with that. Cute, sexy, and fun.