Overrated Dramas
First--before you come at me with your pitchforks, I just wanna say that this is a TOTALLY subjective list. I've tried watching every single one of these dramas multiple times--hell I'm still trying to get through BOF just out of dogged determination. I understand on a certain level why they made such a bit hit/sensation (at least I think I do) but when it comes down to looking at the dramas as a whole I had to admit that they came up lacking.
What I look at when I watch a drama:
1. believable acting
2. tight plot
3. emotional connection
There are times that #3 will have me completely ignoring #2 simply because I'm SO HOOKED. I believe this is what happened to pretty much anyone that love any of the dramas below. I don't think this is a BAD thing, if anything I wish I was bitten by the bug because we all know the best things about dramas is when you're so sucked into their world and invested emotionally in the lives and happiness of the characters. However, that didn't happen. Instead, I was left with a major case of WTF and I'm here to vent that shit out. Read at your own risk!
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1. Boys Over Flowers
Korean Drama - 2009, 25 episodes
Where do I BEGIN. I wanted to like this SO SO SO MUCH you guys. I'm such a fan of this story. The Japanese version is one of my favorite dramas ever--and before you say "oh you're one of THOSE people that keep comparing it to the Japanese version so OF COURSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE ALL JUDGEY MR. JUDGERSON!" -- no, no. I have watched HYD. I have watched Meteor Garden (just the first season). I've watched Meteor Rain. As some of you may know, some of these are MAD OLD. Like so outdated. Yet I could get behind them because they had good acting and good directing. Even if shit happened towards the end, I could actually feel connected to the characters, feel their pain and want to see them happy--even if the drama took them to a place where I was just like, wtf drama. WTF.
I expected the quality of this drama to be top notch--the acting, the directing, the tightness of the plot. But no. No. BOF was just a hot mess. People went crazy because OMG the guys are so hot. Okay. Great. Pretty boys does not a great drama make.
The only redeeming quality about this drama was Lee Min Ho's acting. It wasn't omg, crazy academy award winning good--but it was the best in this entire drama. The female lead was the hardest for me to watch. I have no idea HOW she was casted for this role or WHY and she has effectively made sure that I stay away from any other drama she's in regardless of who she's starring across. The chemistry between the two leads or believability in their deep deep love for each other was non-existent. And that's what this entire show is about--how tragic and heartbreaking but SO GOOD their love is--even when they're denying it, even when evil mothers get in the way, even when THEY get in the way. You ache and you cry for them or with them. Yea no. None of that shit happened here.
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2. The Heirs
Korean Drama - 2013, 20 episodes
Like BOF except not. It gets a 1.5 because of Kim Woo-bin, that's it.
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3. Descendants of the Sun
Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
Again, another drama that I wanted to love sooo much. I anticipated this. I like Song Joong-Ki from his Running Man days and I think he's a talented actor. For being a drama that I think sucks--I still gave this a relatively high rating because I can't deny there was some really really positive things about this drama:
1. Song Joong-Ki's acting and swoon worthy stare. Hello.
2. The bromance. I mean COME ON.
3. Kim Ji-Won's acting.
4. Second lead romance. I mean whatttt. Y'all had me INVESTED.
Now you might be thinking--well um, you seem to kinda really like the drama so what the heck gives? I'm so glad you asked.
1. Song Hye-Kyo. It seems like she's a well respected actress in Korea... I'm just not sure why. I only found her worth watching when she was in a scene with Song Joong-Ki or Kim Ji-Won and that was because they more than made up for what she was lacking in. Her facial muscles didn't move for 90% of her scenes but I could have overlooked #2 & #3 if I had an actress that had me rooting for her.
2. What war? I don't know if I was just supposed to have lower standards but I was just SO pissed off by the lack of research that went into the military aspect of the drama. It was just so fake it was embarrassing to watch.
3. Medical Stuff. Again, lack of knowledge about the medical field or just poor poor writing. How are you not going to wear eye googles/face shield when you're going into such an invasive surgery in an war torn part of the world? Health risks/infectious disease central. Basic common sense. It just ends up making your characters look incompetent when they're supposed to be respected in their field.
This drama cared more about making the scenes and people look pretty than it cared about being taken seriously.
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4. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
Korean Drama - 2016, 20 episodes