Hallyu Surfer's Year End Awards - Drama Edition

Can you believe Christmas is just around the corner and 2014 is slowly creeping towards me with a promise of more dramas and k-pop comebacks and debuts? How dare you do this to me, Hallyu gods? As if it weren't enough that I have dramas piled up from years back, now time is also slowly being taken away from me.

Before I turn this mini rant into mindless ramblings, I've decided to sum up the past year into a series of awards that I'll be handing out to worthy k-drama and k-pop winners. And, indeed, what a year we've just had.

To deviate from the rest of the blogosphere's award-giving bodies who tediously put up polls and have their readers vote and then hand out legit sounding titles to their winners, I will simply be handing out high school yearbook award titles to my own winners. For one, it's fun that way. Secondly, I don't have enough readers willing to vote even if I do decide to put up the polls.

So, without further ado, I present to you the first of hopefully many more Hallyu Surfer's Year End Awards - the Drama Edition.

DRAMA AWARDS

Most Likely to Become Prime Minister - Cha Kwan-woo (I Hear Your Voice)

Ever the upstanding and idealistic man, Lawyer Cha is headed for greatness. He might not have gotten the girl, but he's going to be the hottest Prime Minister yet.

Runner-up: Uhm Dae-woong "Uhm Force" (School 2013)

Most Likely to Be Famous - Lee Soon-shin (You're The Best, Lee Soon-shin)

Well, that was the point of the drama, wasn't it? Birth secrets aside, it was a drama centered on the rise of Lee Soon-shin from mediocrity to celebrity. It doesn't hurt that the girl is adorable and is both a singer and an actress. Also, her boyfriend freaking owns an entertainment agency. Fame is in the bag.

Runner-up: Color Bar (Monstar)

Most Likely to Become A Millionaire - Cha Eun-sang (The Heirs)

The perks of being used as the rope in a game of tug-o-war between two chaebols is the fact that, no matter who wins, Cha Eun-sang will still end up with a millionaire. She may not like it, but she is your typical Candy.

Runner-up: Yoon Chan-young (The Heirs), Seo Yoo-kyung (Mi-rae's Choice)

Most Likely to Take Over The World - Park Su-ha (I Hear Your Voice)

With that kind of supernatural power, how is he not yet the king of the world? If I had the power to read minds, I wouldn't even be blogging right now. But, then again, I don't have half of Park Su-ha's moral fiber either.

Runner-up: Joo Joong-won (Master's Sun)

Most Likely to Marry For Money - Seo Yoo-kyung (Mi-rae's Choice)

Well, that was her goal from the beginning, wasn't it? She's exactly the type of girl who would go out of her way to get invited to all the chaebol parties. To marry a chaebol was her plan, even way before she met Park Se-joo.

Runner-up: Oh Soo (That Winter, The Wind Blows)

Most Likely to Get ID’d When They’re 30 - Min Se-yi (Monstar)

Min Se-yi is a high school student and looks like a high school student, but actress Ha Yeon-soo is well in her 20's. I'm pretty sure she's not going to physically age drastically enough for her to look 30 in just 6 more years.

Runner-up: Lee Soon-shin (You're The Best, Lee Soon-shin)

Best Hair - Haetae (Reply 1994)

I have to admit that half of Haetae's charm, for me, is in his hair. His updo is totally awesome and he looks like a totally different person with his hair down.

Runner-up: Choi Jin-hyuk (Gu Family Book)

Best Couple - Park Su-ha and Jang Hye-sung (I Hear Your Voice)

A noona romance done well is a story I can fully get behind. So even though Su-ha is in high school and Hye-sung is a public defendant, their's is a romance I support 100%.

Runners-up: Yoon Chan-young and Lee Bo-na (The Heirs)

Best Dressed Female - Tae Yi-ryung (Master's Sun)

Except for that one time she was possessed by the ghost of sheer gaudiness, Little Sun has always been an impeccable dresser. Just look at that boxy cropped top paired with high-waisted palazzo pants. Gorgeous.

Runner-up: Rachel Yoo (The Heirs), Song Mi-ryung (You're The Best, Lee Soon-shin)

Best Dressed Male - Joo Joong-won (Master's Sun)

Here is one man who is unafraid of colors. Whether bright and solid, or creamy and pastel, the man can wear it with flawless ease. And the details! Only Joo Joong-won would bother with a freaking ascot.

Runners-up: Kim Tan (The Heirs), Choi Young-do (The Heirs)

Best Newcomer - Yong Jun-hyung as Yoon Seol-chan (Monstar)

Despite being a newcomer to dramaland, Yong Jun-hyung moved me and had me fully in his camp in the high school drama Mnet tagged a music drama, Monstar. He is the sole reason I even bothered to listen to B2ST's new music.

Runner-up: Lee Jong-suk (School 2013)

Best Double Act - Go Nam-soon and Park Heung-soo (School 2013)

Well, it really doesn't get any better than this bromance right here. Whether at each other's neck or fighting together to beat the big bad bullies, Go Nam-soon and Park Heung-soo keep proving that they're a match made in hell heaven. Just keep in mind that "dumb bastard" is code for "I love you, man."

Runners-up: Haetae and Samcheonpo (Reply 1994), Jin-rak and Dong-hoon (Flower Boy Next Door)

Best Teacher - Teacher Jo (School 2013)

This man not just schools his young students, but also the wayward teachers at Seungri High School. And he does it all in the most humble and grounding way possible. It's always nice to know that there are teachers who care.

Runners-up: Kang Se-chan (School 2013), Jung In-jae (School 2013)

Best Singer - Park Kyu-dong (Monstar)

The moment Kyu-dong started singing Lee So-ra’s "The Wind Blow" in episode 1, we all fell in love with him. We just wanted to stand up for him and punch them bullies in the face.

Runners-up: Kim Nana (Monstar)

Best Party - Yoon Chan-young and Lee Bo-na's Reunion Party (The Heirs)

If not for anything else, that party gave us this scene. Chan-young and Bo-na are the best secondary (tertiary?) couple in, like, ever. I luff them.

Most Annoying But Loved - Kang Se-chan (School 2013)

Teach is hot. But he's also the biggest know-it-all ever. That's why it's even more annoying when he's right - which is most of the time. If it weren't for his smug ass, I'm pretty sure everyone would've loved him more.

Runners-up: Kim Shin (Mi-rae's Choice), Tae Yi-ryung (Master's Sun)

Biggest Drama Queen - Ahjumma Mi-rae (Mi-rae's Choice)

Le sigh. The only reason I have yet to finish watching Mi-rae's Choice, despite it's run ending earlier this week, is that I'm getting sick and tired of future Mi-rae's histrionics. Gurl, get over yourself.

Runners up: Kim Jung-ae (You're The Best, Lee Soon-shin)

Biggest Flirt - Haetae (Reply 1994)

Haetae wishes he had game. Sadly, he really doesn't. But that still doesn't stop him from chasing after the girls in hopes of finally putting to good use that condom in his wallet.

Runners up: Enrique Geum (Flower Boy Next Door)

Biggest Party Animal - Jo Myung-soo (The Heirs)

Though never blatantly shown, I'm pretty sure Jo Myung-soo parties hard. There have been mentions of his clubbing habits and him spiking the punch at Bo-na's party, but his partying ways has never been an actual story point. Which is sad because Myung-soo is one of the more likable characters in this drama and I'd like to know what's behind that class clown facade, but he's more often than not relegated to comic relief.

Biggest Dork - Shin Jun-ho (You're The Best, Lee Soon-shin)

Sometimes, the most socially awkward spaz can be the most charming. Especially if the dork looks like our gorgeous Shin Jun-ho. Too bad the drama sucked, because they initially had me at "Jo Jung-suk."

Runners-up: Seo Jin-wook (You're The Best, Lee Soon-shin)

Biggest Ego - Kim Nam-yoon (The Heirs)

Do I even have to explain myself? The puppet master, also know as Kim Tan and Kim Won's father, is the sole reason shit has been hitting the fan on a semiweekly basis. If no one cared about Jeguk Group and this man's wealth, would there be anyone there for him to manipulate?

Runner-up: Song Mi-ryung (You're The Best, Lee Soon-shin)

Hottest Freshman - Hong Hye-sung (Potato Star 2013QR3)

Every now and then, I pinch myself as a reminder that this boy is only 16. He may be playing a 24-year-old man in the sitcom Potato Star 2013QR3, but Yeo Jin-goo isn't even allowed to watch his own 19+ movie for which he won Best New Actor at the recent Blue Dragon Film Awards.

Prom Queen - Seo Do-yeon (I Hear Your Voice)

Because, let's face it, the lead actresses in our dramas would not have become Prom Queens. Prom Queens are usually the Queen Bees. The mean girls. The most popular girl in school. Do-yeon would have won over Hye-sung. Bo-na would win over Eun-sang. Yoo-kyung over Mi-rae.

Runner-up: Lee Yoo-shin (You're The Best, Lee Soon-shin)

Prom King - Choi Young-do (The Heirs)

Clearly, my bias is showing. I don't even think the students at Jeguk High School would choose Young-do as their Prom King. But my love for Kim Woo-bin knows no bounds. I mean, he's this 6'2" model-turned-actor who can actually act his butt off. He's not the most handsome of the bunch but, goddamn, is he charming. So yeah, my Alien Prince for Prom King!

Runners-up: Park Su-ha (I Hear Your Voice), Kim Tan (The Heirs), Chilbongie (Reply 1994)

~*~

There were too many dramas this year that I didn't even bother watching and I'm quite sure a number of them should be on my to-watch list. So my year end awards had to make do with characters from the dramas I actually had time for this year. If some of your favorite characters are not on my list, and should be, I probably wasn't able to catch that drama. But what can a girl do? Time is, after all, limited.

My k-pop awards will be up soon!

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Halfway Report: You're The Best Lee Soon Shin

We're nearing the halfway mark of You're The Best Lee Soon Shin and I'm happy to report that I'm still stuck to it like superglue and I'm still pretty much invested in all the lead characters and their respective narrative arcs.

To be honest, because of my excitement over this show, I've found myself watching its episodes twice. First time will be in its raw form, without English subtitles - with me trying to keep up with what little knowledge I have of the Korean language. And a second time once the episodes have been properly subbed.

The relationships between the Lee sisters and their respective love interests have taken curious turns. Eldest sister Hye-shin, while still completely oblivious to Bread Man Jin-wook's interest, has at least come clean to the whole family about her divorce. That's a step forward. Now it's all up to the baker to get a hold of himself and man up to his attraction. That man needs to learn how to tamp down his nerves around her though. While his awkwardness makes for comedy gold, and we all love him for it, it will take more than that to win the lady over. And maybe buttering up to Woo-joo is not a bad idea.

Second sister Yoo-shin, who has been steadfast in her principles and beliefs since the beginning of the drama, has tried her hand at slight reinvention to gain the favor of Chan-woo's mom (chicken ahjumma) to no avail. While it's funny seeing the two stubborn ladies butt heads, I just really want more cute banter from the lovebirds. And maybe we can cut Yi-jung out of this particular arc altogether, no?

And, of course, with maknae Soon-shin finding out about the bet between Jun-ho and Yeon-ah, she's back in the good graces of her mom but Jun-ho is now being ignored. Which, on one hand, is sad after the adorable development of their relationship in episode 19. But if this pushes Jun-ho to realizing his attraction to Soon-shin, all the better. I mean, the boy is imagining her in places where she is not. He's flipping through his phone, staring at selcas she's previously sent him. He even goes as far as being a mildly creepy stalker peeping over walls and following her around that Young-hoon has him banned from the restaurant. Yet he denies his crush. 

Also, at this point in the drama, we're pretty much just waiting for shit to hit the fan regarding the birth secret. More people are finding out the truth, including grandma and Hye-shin. And it seems like bio-mom Song Mi-ryung is starting to come to terms with the fact that Soon-shin is her daughter, and this drives her to the brink of sanity extreme drunkenness a date with the emergency room. 

All this set-up makes me look forward to next week's episodes because, hot damn, they showed in the preview Mi-ryung asking for Soon-shin back. Like, woah. Out come mom's claws. After having to go through hell in order to accept the fact that her husband lied to her about Soon-shin's parentage, and letting go of her anger in order to properly love her daughter as she ought to, she sure as hell ain't letting her go. At least not without a fight.

Most of all, though, the main thing about the preview was this:

I am beyond happy that they’re back to putting in sneak peeks for episodes to come because Jun-ho’s newfound hotness excites me. Look at that hair! Bangs not flat against his forehead?! I love it. Is the new do a result of him realizing he's in luuurve? 

Looks like I will, indeed, be sticking around to watch this show till the end. A couple times over, too.

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Current Addiction: You're The Best Lee Soon Shin

I've never stayed committed to a long-running family drama ever in my life, no matter my conviction in the early stages. Awhile back, I had sworn to watch Ojagkyo Brothers to the end but halfway through I ended up dropping the series in exchange for reading its recaps online, my love for Joo Won be damned.

About a month ago though, I had made a similar promise to stick to the new KBS family drama You're The Best Lee Soon Shin, which stars Jo Jung-suk (The King 2 Hearts, What's Up) and idol singer IU (Dream High) as the main couple. I'm a huge fan of Jo (who coincidentally starred alongside Joowon in the Korean production of Spring Awakening) and, to a lesser degree, IU. While IU's character in Dream High was one of my favorites, this is the first time I'm seeing her in a legit acting vehicle. Jo, on the other hand, had me floored in his portrayal of steadfast soldier and loyal best friend to Lee Seung-gi in The King 2 Hearts.

So far, we're only 10 episodes in (this drama is slated to have 50 episodes) and of which I've only seen the first 8, but I'm loving it. It's got genuine heart, cute budding romances, and awesome acting all around - what's not to like? IU is definitely exceeding expectations and has pulled many a tears from me and Jo is so perfect in his role of the arrogant but spazztastically dorky male lead.

I've actually never been this excited over a drama since School 2013, and just the feeling of being able to look forward to a couple of episodes every week is making me a happy camper. I hope this one sticks to me like glue, and here's to hoping I get to finish my first ever family drama. Hwaiting!

You're The Best Lee Soon Shin airs every Saturday and Sunday on KBS.

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