Was it lazy, trying to ride Season 1’s coattails, or was it overambitious, trying to be everything and ending up with idol/dance-off/rivalry/romance hodgepodge? It tries both too hard and not enough.

A heartwarming depiction of a quirky microcosm populated by lovably eccentric characters, all going through stories of personal struggle and growth in the high-pressure, academy-filled environment of Noryangjin. Feel-good and funny.

A wonderful little surprise. Hilarious ensemble of colorful characters and relatable everyday stories told with comedic flair and heart.

Epic, sweeping backstory that broke my heart. The adult storylines had great potential, but landed in a spin cycle of the same conflict for dozens and dozens of episodes. I watched with fervor but am still waiting for my refund for the hours I spent.

Touted as a divorced-lovers-reunite romantic comedy, it’s awfully low on comedy. Slick and beautifully shot, but emotionally feels empty.

Not bad as a glossy medical drama; as a romance, the couple never convinced me they belonged together. Cute, but forgettable.

An ever-shifting game of one-upmanship with three whip-smart characters who bring the world of dirty backdoor business deals to life. A fascinating look at how money corrupts, with memorable performances.

Ji Sung is wasted in this. When it’s an earnest underdog story about a boy band and an agent just wanting to make music, it works. When it tries to wedge a romance in there between Ji Sung and Hyeri, it doesn’t.

There’s no reason a cheeky, showbiz-themed drama all about bromance and swagger should have been this dull or heavy-footed. Pacing was sluggish, the characters frustratingly dislikable. This is a remake that got it all wrong.

Low-key on conflict, but plenty of cute comic hijinks amongst an appealing mix of characters without any bad guys. Main couple is sweet, but it’s really the ex-girlfriends with strong personalities who add the pep and zing.

Started great with lots of comedy, went downhill with convoluted evildoers gumming up the works. Kang Ji-hwan is the only good thing here.

Absurd villains, repetitive conflicts, and a clumsy director bog down execution. At least the leads and their romantic connection hold up their end; the rest tends to plod along.

If there’s any show I wish could get a do-over, it’s this one. Only I wouldn’t sit through all the episodes again.

It’s refreshing for a drama about cancer to take the uplifting, cheerful approach. Lost steam toward the end and the romance took on an oddly juvenile bent, emotionally, but overall an enjoyable show.

I like the pieces more than the whole. Friendships and foot-actors? Fantastic. Romance and cancer? Totally not fantastic.

Flawed but enjoyable opposites-attract comedy. Its humor overdoes the slapstick, but the writers keep the plot moving.

I could never really get on this train, no matter how hard I tried. The humor lost me, and the chemistry never went past tepid. It didn’t help that I hated the main character.

Jang Hyuk and Jang Nara turn this familiar story into something better than itself, but can’t save it entirely from exasperating angst

A sweet throwback romance with a standout comedic outing from Jang Hyuk. Takes some frustrating plot turns that may have you reaching for something to break.

A funny sitcom-esque family weekend drama. As SBS’s banner show for its makjang-free policy, it tries a little too hard to be so free of conflict that it errs on the side of bland. Vanilla, but sweet.

One of the earliest trendy dramas boasting a hip, young, good-looking cast. Probably the first college campus drama.

The drama that spawned my love of all things Lee Jung-jae. I blame you, Feeling.

Breezy, slice-of-life story centered on normal people with lackluster lives trying to make their way in the world. The friends-to-lovers romance is cute, bolstered by its appealingly forthright heroine, and the lifelong friendships are refreshing to watch. The secondary couple was too frustrating for my taste, and the leads got beat down a little too much before they climbed their way back up, but overall the main romance made up for it.

The first half is pitch-perfect, balancing humor and insight with a wistful, sweet tone. The second half drags, which is a shame.

A fun cast of quirky characters and a refreshing contemplative tone. Wish the plot hadn’t lost steam in the end.

Super cute camaraderie in the ramyun family. Jung Il-woo is a hoot. Plot spins its wheels a bit, but it’s sweet and funny.

Adorable spazztastic tale of young love, full of wit and heart. Cheeky in the best way.

Criminally underrated. Witty with a touch of dark humor. Set in a funeral home, it gives lovely, quirky insights on life and death.

Watched this because it was the re-team of Kim Hee-sun and Ryu Shi-won, and was sorely disappointed by the overwrought melodramatic fare that never made use of their adorable chemistry (see: Propose).

Joint collaboration between Korea and Japan, about two people who come together despite barriers of culture, language, and distance. Pleasant, with gorgeous leads Won Bin and Fukada Kyoko, but unexceptional.

One of early Hallyu’s most popular hits, with blockbuster Rain-Song Hye-gyo pairing and loads of bickering and cute jealousy. Perhaps overrated (simplistic plot becomes repetitive), but easily entertaining.

Epic in the best of ways. This show has major stones, venturing dark and grim to fearless degrees. It’s not perfect—though its grand, stirring culmination more than makes up for earlier missteps.

It’s not often that dramas can be both wildly entertaining and deeply moving, but this is one fist-pumping gut-wrenching hero’s tale that does both and really well at that.

How I wish this serial-killer suspense mystery had more suspense and mystery. The slow pace and lack of surprise can be frustrating, but it offers an intensive psychological study of some damaged characters.

At 3 episodes, this badass shoot-em-up revenge story tantalizes with hints of what a full drama could have done. Doesn’t have time to really get you in the heart, but sets up a great world. If this is the future of cable, I’m onboard.

BADASS.

The police work can be laughably shoddy, but the drama is buoyed by adorable chemistry between the squeezably cute leads, plus a bold villain performance. The plot’s just there as a vehicle for the acting and the cute.

Cute stories for the kids, but I am no longer studying for my SATs, so the rest of it bored me to tears.