Is it me or has this year been reeeeeeeeeally disappointing as far as writing in dramas goes.
It seems that more often than not, actors and viewers are complaining about confused and crazy storylines.
I miss coffee prince, gourmet, who are you, kim sam soon, last scandal, hong gil dong. And yes the story lines, if not always original, were atleast entertaining.

^I agree.
The writing has really gone downhill this year.
But I will still watch HTTG...just as soon as I get caught up in school.
Thanks for the posts JB!

yeah, the mental hospital twist threw me at first. but as improbable as it was, it did serve a purpose in the plot - it changes Bonggun to become the type of person that can actually achieve his dream of playing soccer professionally. and plus, the scenes were very "Cyborg" (Rain movie) and cute.

i did hear that the scriptwriter is a complete newb, and that probably explains the ups and downs. what i find strange is that Ara said in an interview that she read 10 episodes in one reading - which would include the mental hospital... and she didn't think it was strange? hmm...

on the other hand, yunho's acting has gotten much more stable.

glad that kim rae won chose to drop out...it would be a waste for him to act in this drama....i only watched episode 1 with sub, and then continue watching raws until yunho had amnesia then i decided to stop...glad i stopped

@1: you're right somehow there's been many confusing drama recently....somehow promising dramas (like my fair lady) ended up in disaster...it's a pity though..

Live shot FTW!!! :D

"Is it me or has this year been reeeeeeeeeally disappointing as far as writing in dramas goes."

2009 has definitely been better than 2008 for me. It's been difficult to find time for all the entertaining shows this year. Shining Inheritance, City Hall, Story of a Man, Return of Iljimae, Accidental Couple, Partner, Queen Seon Duk, etc.

I stopped watching after fast-forwarding eps 4.

I can see Yunno is trying hard. It's just that writer doesn't do any justice for his hard work. Ah Ra's character is annoying, she's neither smart or skilled and whine too much.

The chemistry is just off. This drama is a total disaster. Nothing works.

Now I now that I'm not alone. After last week's episodes I decided to stop watching cause the whole mental hospital story seemed so out of place, in a football/soccer themed show.

Umm am I the only one that feels that the mental hospital part is a good mix with the rest of the drama. Yes it's suppose to be a sports drama but it's also a drama about determination and fighting though obstacles which Yunho's character Bong-kun is doing. Also the mental hospital part has only been like 1 or 2 ep. I like that he wasn't able to get his memory back so fast and Yunho was able to show arrangement of ways of his acting abilities.

Okay, why is a patient with amnesia in a MENTAL HOSPITAL? Shouldn't he be in a regular nice-doctors-taking-care-of-hurt-people hospital, instead of locked up in a looney bin, cuz, ya know, he's not crazy, he just lost his memory????

Sorry, never watched HTTG, no idea who this Yun-ho is, but find this plot preposterous to say the least, but hey, if it's amusing, just run with it (hee, my soccer pun for this supposed soccer drama).

I agree with #1...i really miss those dramas =( recently all the dramas haven't been that great especially the writing/plot of the stories.

@10 ockoala - I was thinking the same thing. I don't think South-Korea treats people with amnesia the way Bong Goon's been treated - at least I hope they don't. The whole accident/hospital ordeal has been a pain to watch and I haven't been able to get through episode 6 yet.

OMG, what's WRONG with this year's writers?! Do they no longer have an ounce of common sense?! And dramas getting cut from their original number of episodes when they've already pretty much filmed the whole thing... it's a mess! >_<

"Story of A Man" is really the only diamond this year (so far anyway, and there's only 3 more months left...)

Gah, I hope "You're Beautiful" will hold its own despite the awful trend that has gripped most kdramas nowadays. NO MORE flawed storylines with big glaring logic holes! There should be at least ONE fall drama worth watching!

This is what I originally wrote: OMG, what's WRONG with this year's writers?! Do they no longer have an ounce of common sense?! And dramas getting cut from their original number of episodes when they've already pretty much filmed the whole thing... it's a mess! <_____<

"Story of A Man" is really the only diamond this year (so far anyway, and there's only 3 more months left...)

Gah, I hope "You're Beautiful" will hold its own despite the awful trend that has gripped most kdramas nowadays. NO MORE flawed storylines with big glaring logic holes! There should be at least ONE fall drama worth watching!

The 2009 drama year wasn't that bad, IMHO. Maybe your choices were. ;)

I missed out on the sageuks though (too many episodes for downloading), but Hon or Partner or Shining Inheritance were really nice.

And even BOF could entertain in its own less-quality way. ;-)

Of course another Painter of the Wind (which was 2008's highlight) at the end of the year would have been nice; but one can't get everything. :-)

@1

2008 absolutely was so boring for dramas. The only ones that were decent: Last Scandal and Painter of the Wind.

2009 is definitely much better. Story of a Man (absolutely underrated and best writing IMO), Return of Illjimae, City Hall, Shining Inheritance, Queen Seon Deok, and Sons of Sol Pharmacy. The only disappointment I've seen this year is Triple. The ending was just ughh. And of course overhyped My Fair Lady (not a fan of YEH) and Boys Over Flowers.

Can't wait for Iris too :D

hahaha looks entertaining at least!

i was also completely lost when i watched the amnesia episode. my, what a turn of events! i was cringing while watching yunho portray an amnesia patient. he lost his memory but he was acting more like a mental patient so no wonder the hospital employees mistook him to be one. i was glad though that they didn't drag the amnesia story longer than other dramas.

I don't know why I stuck with this drama despite it's OTT acting from the main lead and the lack of chemistry between Yunho and Go Ara. i was also thinking, "oh no! lee sang yon is playing the same character he played in scale of providence". how unfortunate to be typecasted on the same role.

but this week's episodes made me hopeful so...i already invested 8 hours of my time, another 8 won't make a difference. besides, there's always fast forward :)

i watch this drama up till second episode half way.
cos i cannot stand second episode boring story.......
but now i will start watching it once i am free.
i like the twist.
Very UNIQUE.
Most dramas dosen't dare to have such twist......
Now i am interested to see how the story goes on. :D
Let's go crazy. ! :D

I'm a mix on this one, I watched until ep 5 and nothing pushed me to ep 6. But I was bored and took a look at ep 7 and I think I'll be giving this drama another stab.
if this drama stayed sport orientated, I would have switched of ages ago, the thrill of sport cannot be kept in so many hours. Glad they went out there.

@1 2009 had a lot of high points, look at queen seondook, shining inheritance, iljimae, maybe even BOF, partners, story of a man and so on, its only cos the dramas on the other end are so far behind keke.

I like Yunho, but I'm not going to defend his drama (and acting). Although the first 2 episodes were blehh, 3-4 were better and I really thought there was hope, but then 5-6 where he ended up in a mental hosp I was like, WTH???!! The story didn't make sense at all, and don't make me start on Go Ara. That girl cannot act to save her life. She's exactly the same big eyed idiot child in Who Are You.

The one good thing about HTTG is Lee Yoon Ji - she is too good an actress to waste in this crap drama, and I must say she has better chemistry with Yunho than Ara does.

I have to say that YH's acting has improved by alot compared to the first couple of episodes....but I have to agree that the writer sucks....probably cuz she's a total newbie, but still.....I wish that YH landed a better script, cuz he has great potential as an actor.

2009 is full of blah. I cant bring myself to continue watching this series. I dont know who's acting gives me more headache Yunho or Ara they are both sooo ridiculously bad at acting, but at least Yunho is still new, but Ara has been acting for awhile now yet I see no improvement. She is nothing but a pretty emotionless actress who cant act to save her life. The only good thing in HTTG is Lee Yoon Ji.

Dont even get me started on the upcoming overhyped big budget series IRIS. I can understand the hype around LBH, but Kim Tae hee (?) you've got to be kidding me she's another pretty emotionless actress who cant act to save her life. She's pretty? Sowhat? Why does she get to act with all the good and famous actors and get a free ride in recognition when the drama fares well because of the other actors? Ugh!

Oh, I love this show. He is just so bouncy. Our hero has survived jail, car/bike wreck, drowning, death, brought back to life by a tear on his lips, amnesia, psychiatric hospital, psychiatric nurses, a crumbing building and a fire! He's superman/boy - plus the cast is really interesting. AND he saves people! potato, his sister, his agent, and the granny - Who knows what wonderful magical stuff he'll do next week ! I love it.

And he has beautiful eyes - AND I never heard of him before watching Episode 1

Thanks,

didn't watch BOF...i prefered reading it on this site, it's more exciting sorry
but of all the drama of this year THE MAN WHO CAN'T GET MARRIED" was the BEST to me. It was definitely different. Granted, it was about love but i think it was more realistic than the all Cinderella they do all the time.
to tell the truth, i like reading your summary then watchin it, it's more entertaining and makes me forget about the bad acting and all that goes with it.
thank you for your hard work!

Oh, and don't forget they run away on a bicycle that breaks !
This is all fantasy - so I like it.

Thanks Javab for even mentioning it :-)

2009 is full of blahhh. I cant bring myself to continue watching this series. I dont know who's acting gives me more headache Yunho or Ara they are both sooo ridiculously bad at acting, but at least Yunho is still new, but Ara has been acting for awhile now yet I see no improvement. She is nothing but a pretty emotionless actress who cant act to save her life. The only good thing in HTTG is Lee Yoon Ji.

Dont even get me started on the upcoming overhyped big budget series IRIS. I can understand the hype around LBH, but Kim Tae hee (?) you've got to be kidding me she's another pretty emotionless actress who cant act to save her life. She's pretty? Sowhat? Why does she get to act with all the good and famous actors and get a free ride in recognition when the drama fares well because of the other actors? Ugh!

@10 His character was initially in a regular hospital, but he was carted off on "accident"? by mental hospital workers when they were taking another patient. But even that was stretching it. You can't just take anybody you want to b/c they're there.

I still don't understand the whole hospital burning to the ground. This isn't Japan, Korea doesn't get earthquakes. I seriously have no idea where that came from.

I was just thinking this after finishing yesterday's episode. The mental hospital plotline dragged on way too long, and I wish they never had it in the first place. You can definitely see a change in character after Cha Bong Goon went through this, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's good.

Sigh....to be honest, I'm a huge DBSK fan, but I'm only watching this for the Oh Yeon Yi/Lee Dong Ho storyline.

I don't know but I am actually enjoying this drama way more than my fair lady (I actually stop watching my fair lady and i am a fan of YEH)...when i saw the preview about him going to mental hospital i thought i am going to stop watching this drama too but i'm glad i gave it a second chance because although the mental hospital scene was not really my favorite scene but they were actually able to put them together nicely...like the flow of the story was done as how it should be (i didnt think junpyo's amnesia scene was done nicely at all, i even think it was forced to be part of the drama... but we didn't complain because we knew it has to be there)... and i like how bong gon's character has changed from a hyper self centered i CAN do it all immature boy to a serious, calm, I WILL do it, hopefully more mature MAN..and KUDOS to yunho because i think he's acting has improve a lot... so give it another try..the first 6 episode you might even fall asleep but i think ep 7 & 8 deserves a second look...

"Of course another Painter of the Wind (which was 2008’s highlight) at the end of the year would have been nice; but one can’t get everything."

But, remember, both Chuno and Jejoongwon are coming up.

I really feel 2009 has been a very strong year for K-dramas. You had the following: Partners, Man Who Can't Get Married, Accidental Couple, Sons of Sol Pharmacy, Soul, City Hall, Story of a Man, Shining Inheritance, BBF, Return of Iljimae, Queen Seon Duk, Good Job Good Job, Friend, Tamra, Star's Lover, Temptation of Wife. You also of course had other star-driven fare like Dream, Style, MFL, Cain and Abel, East of Eden, Kingdom of the Winds, Triple, and Cinderella Man. Coming up, you have IRIS, Chuno, Jejoongwon, and Hero. Seriously folks. THIS was a good year for K-drama.

2007 might have been the best year for MBC this decade. They started with Jumong; they ended with Legend AND Yi San. In between, they ran a crazy number of good-to-great shows like Coffee Prince, Que Sera Sera, Time of Dog and Wolf, THE WHITE TOWER, Thank You, HIT, and .. wait for it, wait for it, . . . That Show With Se7en That Will Never Be Spoken Of Again.

I think 2009's pretty good for dramas. It wasn't as bad... 2008 was way worse.

At least this year there's "queen seondeuk" and "slingshot". "Queen of housewives" and "accidental couple" were really fun to watch as well. "The man who can't get married" wasn't that bad either.

And there's still IRIS too look forward to. (and Chuno... but that's next year.)

@queenofthegame
Thank you, thank you

I actually think the mental hospital is much more interesting plot. Then him kicking around soccer then falling in love LOL

Meh! I initially watched My Fair Lady then switched to Heading to the Ground but after watching the 3rd epi of HTG I couldn't take it anymore so I switched back to MFL cause I had a lot of free time on Wednesday and Thursdays.

Deciding factor: Heading to the Ground bad acting & bad script versus My Fair Lady good acting, bad script.
I chose MFL for the simple reason that they can act inspite of the bad script handed to them. I love Yunho but there's only so much I can take and Ara *no comment* ;(

I tried watching Swallow the Sun in viikii but it's not my kind of genre, so didn't bother continuing on, too bad cause I love Ji Sung.

I'm so glad I dropped HTTG. I love DBSK, and I love soccer. One would've thought I would enjoy HTTG, but all I could think while I was watchig it was "what on earth is going on?" I agree with that netizen who pointed out they needed to make up their mind on what kind of drama they're trying to produce, LOL.

I wouldn't say 2009 had a lot of strong points, but I think there were some pretty entertaining dramas to counter the bad ones. I haven't watched Story of a Man, but I think quite a few will agree with me when I say The Return of Iljimae was wonderful. I really enjoyed Tamra, the Island as well; it was like a breath of fresh air. Now 2008... that was a boring year. I had a few dramas I liked, but most of the year was just boooooring.

@ belleza
LOL @ the Se7en Drama Which Must Not Be Named.

Yesss, 2007 was amazing! I loved H.I.T; the korean drama industry should think about producing more of these mystery/detective shows, because they do it darker and grittier than jdramas, and I love it. Really enjoyed Yi San as well, and Chosun Police (though I seem to be the only one who's watched it). 2007 also had gems like 9E2O, Dal Ja's Spring, Surgeon Bong Dal Hee and so on.

the hospital fell off and burnt down is really WTF but aside from that i enjoy the progress of the story. javab you should stop watching My Fair Lady and give this drama a try because believe me this story is way more interesting despite the ratings.
yay Elena... finally i find someone who's not a fan of yunho enjoying this drama. i think your view is more honest since you're not either bias or overly critical compared to those who already knows yunho as the leader of DBSK.

^Sorry but I cant help but laugh at this comment:

"javab you should stop watching My Fair Lady and give this drama a try because believe me this story is way more interesting despite the ratings."

It' s like telling javabeans to drop MFL cause it's a shitty drama, then move to HTG which is an even more shittier drama. I can understand if u suggest her to drop MFL for like say...Queen Seon Deok or other good dramas out there, but to drop it for HTG is just outright hilarious!!! No offense but heading to the ground really deserves the low ratings that it's getting because it's that bad. Andthinking that it is getting higher ratings than "Dream" who had better actors makes me sick.

PAST..... I JUST DONT LIKE THE MALE LEAD A LIKE ARA BUT THE STORY IS NOT FUN AT ALL ....

I really like dbsk, which is why I feel so bad for Yunho being in this role.
Especially since he got cast into a lead role when he has no experience in acting!
The drama itself is so badly written, and the other actors are also meh

I'd rather he train first, get a minor role through auditioning on his own, and learned to become a legit actor rather than letting sm hand him these roles :(

In his defense though, he said that he didn't even know he was part of this drama until he read the news. I guess this is part of why dbsk is suing SM--they have so little control over what they do, they're like puppets being controlled by SM.

i just want to say, haters to the left. yes that's right it's you shauna.....
the thing is i happen to find HTTG more interesting than MFL. have you ever watch HTTG past the pilot episode which is understandably sucks btw due to yunho's overacting to simply throw in your judgment about the drama shittiness? queen seon deok is incomparable because it is not a trendy drama. Dream maybe had better actors but the drama was unappealing to me.

^FYI i have watched past the pilot episode and it's still remains shitty to me. I wanted to seriously give it a chance cause i happen to like Yunho, but I am not a blind fan who insist that this drama and the acting is good just because i like the leads even when they are clearly not. The big problem with fans nowadays is that they re easily butthurt by any criticisms about their idols.

WHEN THE DRAMA AND THE ACTING SUCKS IT SUCKS AND IT NEEDS TO BE POINTED OUT INSTEAD OF PATRONIZING THE CELEBRITIES JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE A FAN. I am sure it stings to hear it but the truth needs to be told.

I think 2009 was a good year for K-drama as well. I mean...last year I only bothered to watch Beethoven Virus.

But this year, I've watched and am watching many many dramas. And looking forward to 2010. :)

given the warm response people are giving to dramas regardless...this year was also the highlight for mania dramas (tamra, slingshot, ROI...) it's not the best year i would say, but it sure had a lot of dramas hyped and to hype about, imo.

and you have IRIS, You're A Greasy Fairy (credit: ockoala) coming up. I hope 2010 will bring even better dramas. chuno...jejoongwon, can't lose (hopefully moon geun young sign to this!)...

Never was a fan of DBSK and soccer, so didn't bother to watch this. But hehe. I think scriptwriters need to up their game really. I wonder why they don't look to netizens and fanfics? I would totally glean ideas from them man. I mean, isn't it one of the reasons why live shoots are done?????

i am a fan of both sports and tvxq, so i was glad that yunho chose a soccer drama to start his acting career with, but meh, the scriptwriter sucks real bad. i mean, somebody with yunho's popularity can't possibly debut with a minor role for being the leadersshi of korea's top boy group.

it started out interesting. yunho's acting was over the top, yes, but the story had potential, and i really enjoyed it until episode 4 (where he finally debuts, i love scenes that show off the characters awesomeness in sports), and yunho get better and better at acting after each episode.

but then there was suddenly kidnapping, amnesia and mental hospitals. i mean srsly, wtf? i know it's short term amnesia but still, they could've used something more original. and it being short term didn't make you feel sorry at all for cha bong goon losing all his memories (since it'll come back within a week anyway), no, it only served as a means for him to go to the mental hospital and meet Ae Ja. i swear, there are probably loads of other scenarios in which you can introduce Ae Ja & make Cha Bong Goon undergo character development without putting in loads of ridiculousness to the storyline.

EVERYTHING hao-sama said.

I think many are taking this story too seriously - so not even able to enjoy it for what it is. I also think the character of Bong Goon gets more interesting with each episode.

But, that is why we have such a variety of shows available to us... different strokes for different folks

i wonder if everything's gonna be different if it was the original cast of Kim Rae Won and Han Ga In on this drama...

but i personally think that it's mainly on the script as well...i read it somewhere that the scriptwriter was a newbie..not sure how accurate that was but yeah..im starting to get bored with this drama *yawn*!

Lee Yoon Ji is the only reason why im still watching this...and her chemistry with YunHo is far tooooooo convincing than YunHo and Ara's will ever be...