Epic and stirring. Constant plot twists, tight political intrigue, and a strong Romeo and Juliet romance with stakes that actually feel life-and-death.

Abandons experimental mockumentary style in favor of more conventional, more familiar workplace rom-com format. Lovable characters and wonderful actors carry it, despite overlong episodes and meandering side plots

I wanted it to be so much more, but had fun with the meta humor of variety PDs learning their craft and finding love along the way.

Hilarious, heartwarming family comedy about a family with four sons who each find love, with some help (and interference) from their boisterous family.

Took a potentially fantastic friends-to-lovers setup and turned it into a juvenile, head-scratching friendship where the heroine was stuck in a bad relationship with the wrong guy for most of the series, for reasons I will never understand.

Mildly amusing, but very ordinary. Oh Man-seok is great, Yoon Eun-hye is forgettable. If you’re a Yoon fan, skip it and see Coffee Prince instead.

Breezy, witty. Touching and fun depiction of modern friendships and romance.

If you’re ever having a bad day, watch this drama. Instant pick-me-up, and crackling chemistry to boot.

True to the title, the world is the most compelling thing about this drama. It’s an inside look at drama producers and directors, and while I never loved any of the characters, I did find them fascinating.

Wow, did I love this. How can a drama be simultaneously so neurotic, hilarious, caustic, and poignant? This show snuck up on me, but it won me over with its thoughtful writing, intelligent directing, and fleshed-out characterizations.

Su Ae is commanding. Virtually no plot, just a grim progression of a disease with no hope at the end. Depressing and a little smug.

Compelling performances, but in the end you’re left wondering about the point of it all. And life.

As an earnest story about a president and his bodyguard, it succeeds. As a taut condensed-time thriller, it pretty much fails. Points for multifaceted characters, but I really wish the plot had been executed differently.

Solid adaptation, taking a well-worn plot and turning it into something fresh. Winsome chemistry and clever plotting drive this action adventure.

I watched the whole thing and still don’t know why anyone did anything in this drama. It’s cute at times, but I’d trade that for story logic any day of the week.

Another Kim Hee-sun vehicle, with a man and a woman as (gasp!) roommates. Sadly, it veered away from the cute and went towards the melodramatic as the series went on.

An interesting conceit and an unusual romance between a time traveler and the woman he thinks he needs to marry to save his life. Charming at the start, but never quite does anything with its time travel premise that makes the angst feel earned.

Sharp writing, slick directing, stellar acting by Han Seok-kyu as Korea’s most famous king. Full of intrigue and thrills.

Breezy and refreshing, but also slow. While tone may feel like Coffee Prince, this lacks focus and direction.

What on earth was the point of this story? I still don’t know, and I watched every single episode. Seriously. Waste of a stellar adult cast.

A silly show with outlandish plot twists that overdoes what could (should) have been a sweet story of romance and growth in the lesser-known world of trot music. Points for Jung Eun-ji’s awesome a cappella singing, which was a highlight—perhaps the only one.

A fresh concept and a fun way to explore singledom. But the execution leaves a lot to be desired, and the heroine always felt miscast.

Partly delayed coming-of-age story and partly wish fulfillment, the show gives us heartwarming growth from a wallflower ajumma and adorable romance from her grumpypants friend-teacher-admirer.

Skillfully maintains compelling pace that tempers a breakneck fugitive plot with character development. Wonderful growth trajectory for the underdog hero.

A fugitive story with laser focus and a heartfelt redemption arc. It succeeds in making you feel like you’re along for the harrowing journey every step of the way.

Perhaps a drama like this could have succeeded twenty years ago, but it feels static and old now—so slow and stingy with happy moments for our leads that it becomes an exercise in masochism. Could have been a beautiful heartbreaker, but the unimaginative writing failed it.

Took what could have been an endearing story of a couple’s reunion and told it upside-down and backwards. I like that it’s about an underdog hero and heroine, but it’s paced all wrong.

Loosely plotted family sitcom featuring an adorable cast of future superstars. The problems are small, but the show’s heart is big.

You don’t make a show about alien vampire idol trainees, then half-ass the camp factor, and this show sure didn’t. Props for taking all the best parts of a ridiculous concept and adding adorable relationships on top. Sweetly dim.

Messy and low-rent, but all the more endearing because of it. The cutest dose of zany this side of Vampiritus.

Sexy and smart, this action-crime drama is more procedural than paranormal, but damn if the paranormal (Mr. Vampire Hotness) isn’t sizzling.

Slick procedural with a supernatural edge that leaves you chomping at the bit for more.

The crew is back, the dynamic is funnier, and the addition to the team is a welcome and heartwarming one. And yet, it doesn’t quite have the bite (or the punch or kick) of the first season.

Same vampire, less sizzle.

Not quite as thrilling or dark as it wants to be, but the mystery of who killed the long-dead corpse delivers a steady stream of twists. Strong acting and intense characterizations keep the tension alive.