[2022 Year in Review] Beanie Awards: Best of 2022
by DB Staff
It’s that part of the 2022 Year in Review where we dive into the Beanie Awards! Which dramas and drama elements were the best, most, and greatest? Enjoy the polls below, and stay tuned for Part 2!
Polls will be open until December 31, 11:59PM.
RELATED POSTS
- [2022 Year in Review] Bean of Greatness
- [2022 Year in Review] Ten bad dates: My year in K-drama romance
- [2022 Year in Review] The Bean Count
- [2022 Year in Review] Tell us about your year in dramas
- [2020 Year in Review] Beanie Polls 2020
- [2019 Year in Review] Beanie Royale 2019
- [2018 Year in Review] Beanie Awards: Vote for your favorite dramas of the year!
- [2017 Year in Review] Beanie Awards: Vote for your favorite dramas of the year!
Tags: Beanie Awards, Beanie Polls, featured2, year in review, year in review 2022
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1 mmmmm
December 13, 2022 at 10:49 AM
Thank you for creating this! It was so much fun voting. I had to log in to do the voting because of the color pink you used! Love it. I hope this color can be the theme for next year Kdrama crops.
And Samantha and Rachel in the most chaotic female character category! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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OldLawyer
December 15, 2022 at 6:45 AM
'Samantha and Rachel' was a fun option.
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mmmmm
December 15, 2022 at 7:25 AM
I can’t picture how these two can be chaotic but I chose them anyway.
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OldLawyer
December 15, 2022 at 8:40 AM
The chaos is caused by their effect on men.
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2 Kurama
December 13, 2022 at 10:56 AM
Chef John had some succes in DB staff :p
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DaebakGrits
December 13, 2022 at 11:46 AM
Can confirm. He won my heart over.
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debbie
December 13, 2022 at 11:57 AM
Same here. He won my heart.
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Kurama
December 13, 2022 at 11:59 AM
I only can agree with you :p
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vienibenmio
December 13, 2022 at 12:14 PM
It's just so unexpected and well done too. I mean, I NEVER saw myself liking him. If you would have told me in ep 1 that he'd end up being one of my favorite characters, I would have thought you were joking.
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SooHa
December 13, 2022 at 11:47 PM
Originally I hate him then love .. your redemption accepted Chef John!
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3 loveblossom🌸
December 13, 2022 at 11:01 AM
Kang Ki-young for the win!!!!
Hehe had a lot of fun voting! Some questions were a bit tough and some I couldn't vote on at all. x]
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4 vienibenmio
December 13, 2022 at 11:08 AM
I was SO READY to vote for Good Job for best chemistry but then they had Park Yeon-u and Son Hwa-ryeong on there so, sorry, my vote goes to them. I gave Good Job best OTP though just because their chemistry was amazing, and I figured Business Proposal didn't need my vote there.
I also literally LOLed at the choices for "I didn't mean to fall in love with you". Amazing.
Sad that Mandu hasn't gotten more votes though! My husband and I were legit concerned about him for a lot of episodes and would ask "where's Mandu?"
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5 Unaspirated
December 13, 2022 at 11:21 AM
Disappointed not that many people have chosen the third instance of Chef John so far. Clearly superior.
Some of these were difficult! I appreciate the Samantha and Rachel answer for most chaotic female character, but tbh did not find them overly chaotic. Ha-ri seems to have things under control. But what about Kang Chae-ri from Love is for Suckers?
Bummed that Never Give Up was not nominated for anything (yet?). How about a "Most Underrated Drama" category in part 2?
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vienibenmio
December 13, 2022 at 11:34 AM
I went with the first one because it's from the scene that turned it all around, the moment he started to win our hearts! But the third choice is an excellent pick as well.
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panshel
December 13, 2022 at 11:45 AM
Chef John #4 needs another photo to avoid twinning with Chef John #2. There were so many options.
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Unaspirated
December 13, 2022 at 12:14 PM
I did not even pick based on the photos! I just thought that everyone would go for the first one and wanted to give the others some love too. But now that I look again, I stand by my pink suit choice ;)
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Kurama
December 13, 2022 at 1:56 PM
Me too.
To be honest, I really liked the choice of meal he did. He didn't go for the meal to "impress the girl" (like homard or something like that) but the one that needed a lot of work to do. He took his time to cook a great meal he did all the way. I was happy that Ji-Wan was there to save it!
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tabong is ironing the crosswalk
December 13, 2022 at 4:50 PM
I think #3 is from when he still was a jerk.
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vienibenmio
December 13, 2022 at 5:26 PM
It is! It's from his Kingdom of Love entrance.
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tabong is ironing the crosswalk
December 13, 2022 at 5:31 PM
Ohh, no wonder the picture didn't give me a good vibe. 😅
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Unaspirated
December 14, 2022 at 5:52 AM
I like to think that he was actually a decent person all along, under his exterior jerk face. He was just extremely insecure in lots of ways, so he never got into a serious relationship or acted like he cared about anything. It wasn't until he met someone as genuine as Ji-won that he realized all of that stuff didn't matter as much. That his name and upbringing and his mom's food were all good enough. I'm not excusing his behavior, which was inescapably bad, but I think deep down he knew it was too, even at the time.
6 frabbycrabsis loves KBS Drama Specials
December 13, 2022 at 11:25 AM
My two takeaways from this are:
-Wow, none of the characters are loved this year dressed well! 😂
Scruffy t-shirts were abundant.
-The John Jang situation is going to become legend around these parts in a few years. "Hey, remember that time the asshole ex-boyfriend in the first episode of the romcom actually got an extended role, winning everyone's heart including the sweetest lady in the drama??"
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vienibenmio
December 13, 2022 at 11:35 AM
John and Ji-wan are getting so much buzz around them that a lot of people are just watching the scenes of them on YouTube, as opposed to the actual drama. Which I support but also I feel like nothing will replicate watching his storyline unfold in "real time"!
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geoul
December 14, 2022 at 3:42 AM
Ikrr! I'd absolutely loved the way park jae hoon actually showed up and looked soo cool when he rescued her in that situation! And the fact that chef john had absolutely THE BEST character growth and turn-around~~
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parkchuna 🍉
December 14, 2022 at 4:58 AM
Daymmm now i feel like i have to watch it..*picks LIFS from abandoned watch list*
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frabbycrabsis loves KBS Drama Specials
December 14, 2022 at 5:39 AM
I don't recommend 😂
The John Jang/Ji-wan loveline was, for me, a consolation prize for finishing the whole show without losing my mind 😂
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parkchuna 🍉
December 14, 2022 at 6:05 AM
😂
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vienibenmio
December 14, 2022 at 6:07 AM
Honestly, I do think sitting through the entire drama is worth it just for them. The first few eps are actually good on their own, the leads are still charming and have great chemistry, and you get to see quite a bit of John. I think Ji-wan shows up in ep 3. The only episodes I skipped a lot of was eps 14 and 15 (both do have John and Ji-wan development, but it's very minimal). Ep 10 dragged a lot for me during the first half, too, but the second half is pretty entertaining and has a really cute John/Ji-wan scene (in fact, that scene in ep 10 is when I knew they were going to end up together).
The one thing I will warn people who watch just for John and Ji-wan is that their relationship development is very subtle and built up for most of the drama. They don't meaningfully interact until ep 9, but all of the groundwork is laid up until that point.
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parkchuna 🍉
December 14, 2022 at 8:40 PM
I found a compilation on YT, i’ll checknit out soon
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vienibenmio
December 15, 2022 at 7:42 AM
If you haven't watched the actual drama, be sure to watch the one with context! It includes a lot of that groundwork that I mentioned.
parkchuna 🍉
December 15, 2022 at 5:12 PM
Yes i saved that one. Did you make that @vienibenmio?
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vienibenmio
December 16, 2022 at 6:16 AM
Yes, I made two versions: the longer one with context, and the shorter one with just their scenes.
7 Lelly19
December 13, 2022 at 11:39 AM
This was fun, but also I have not watched enough of these dramas to participate in most categories!! :(((
..for example I was today years old when I found out that the couple in Today's Webtoon is an "OTP that could not be"!?! sad -.-
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Kurama
December 13, 2022 at 12:06 PM
Today's Webtoon's FL wasn't focused to find love but a new path after she quit judo. She shared more "moments" with her sunbaenim than her colleague...
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vienibenmio
December 13, 2022 at 12:10 PM
I didn't watch it because I didn't think there'd be a romance (I only watch stuff with romance in it) and now I'm glad for that decision. I just started Little Women and that has been bad enough (you can guess who got my vote for that category)
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Lelly19
December 13, 2022 at 1:42 PM
Oh! Got it!! ^^
Obviously I don't know the story of the drama since I haven't watched it. I just thought the two leads were cute and assumed romance might be part of the plot too (because that's true for majority of kdramas)...clearly not, so if I'll ever watch it I'll be prepared! XD
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Kurama
December 13, 2022 at 1:48 PM
To be honest, I was thinking like you when I watched it. But the lack of romance didn't bother me because I understood that it wasn't the important part of her story :)
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hacja
December 13, 2022 at 8:33 PM
Yeah, sure it wasn't part of her story! But they made it way too much a part of the main story to have it just disappear! (Sorry, @kurama, you got me going again.)
Kurama
December 13, 2022 at 11:14 PM
@hacja It was a part of Goo Jun-Yeong's evolution, she helped him to open to people around him. But it didn't mean she had to accept his feelings when she had more important things to do first for her devolpment.
hacja
December 14, 2022 at 7:01 AM
@kurama Sorry to bother you on this one more time (this will be the last, I swear!) but I would have been totally fine if she refused him. (He wasn't that dynamic a ML in any case.) She didn't though--the writers just didn't want to think out what a refusal would look like, and so didn't show her response at all. Then at the end it seemed to suggest that he thought he still had a chance, so that the show didn't end on a sour note, I guess. But it ended on a sour note for me, obviously!
Kurama
December 14, 2022 at 1:04 PM
@hacja I think the writer chose to let the door opened. The main point was her new career but in the future, she could consider it. But for me, the FL showed more interest for the other ML.
tabong is ironing the crosswalk
December 13, 2022 at 5:05 PM
Same. I haven't watched or finished most of the dramas mentioned here. I just keep thinking of the shows I watched. 😆
I guess I didn't pay attention to the big hits this year. I need to catch up.
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8 Kafiyah Bello
December 13, 2022 at 2:05 PM
Huzzah for Chef John!!
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9 bbstl 🧹
December 13, 2022 at 3:51 PM
“Best Reincarnated Hero”, best category 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
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10 jillian
December 13, 2022 at 3:55 PM
I love that Chef John was the only choice!!!
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FiyaShady
December 14, 2022 at 9:54 PM
At first, I thought it has some glitch in the vote system 😄
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11 tabong is ironing the crosswalk
December 13, 2022 at 5:02 PM
I'm sad my favorites OTPs aren't an option for favorite OTPs (Gaus).
My favorite chaebol isn't an option either (Gaus).
And the best overall cast chemistry (imho) isn't an option either (Gaus).
... Maybe I'm just obsessed.😆
"Best use of sweat" LOL 😂 I love Dramabeans staff.
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hacja
December 13, 2022 at 8:40 PM
I agree with you on OTP, but no doubt the missing of Gaus as an option for "favorite chaebol" was the biggest oversight of all. I have a feeling that with the exception of @quirkycase, with her wonderful recaps of the show, the rest of the DB staff was part of the 99.7% of the kdrama viewing population that didn't have time to watch this show.
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tabong is ironing the crosswalk
December 13, 2022 at 9:14 PM
IKR? He's the chaebol of the year.
Sometimes I feel like only 3 people watched Gaus and other times I feel like a lot of beanies mention it (more than I expected at least). 🤔
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hacja
December 13, 2022 at 9:24 PM
I prefer to think that only viewers of taste and discernment liked the show. (Joking, Dramabean commentators of taste and discernment who did not like the show. Also joking, because the writers of Gaus would make fun of the phrase "of taste and discernment."
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tabong is ironing the crosswalk
December 14, 2022 at 9:03 AM
😂😂😂😂
emsel
December 13, 2022 at 9:53 PM
@db-staff Y'all better (pretty please) include Gaus Electronics in some category!
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tabong is ironing the crosswalk
December 14, 2022 at 9:04 AM
Pretty Please!! 🥺
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12 bbstl 🧹
December 13, 2022 at 6:59 PM
A pretty big miss for the hanboks in Queen’s Umbrella, they deserve a nomination.
Oh, and also the hanbok-wearing boss man in Sh**ting Stars 😂
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blessingwind
December 14, 2022 at 12:12 AM
Queen's Umbrella's hanbok's were the best <3 Loved all them. One of the best costume for this year's saeguk dramas.
Kim Hye soo's elegance even added further beautiful touch to those.
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bbstl 🧹
December 14, 2022 at 7:45 AM
Plus all the concubines, the hanbok just kept getting better and better. Gorgeous. I think Kim Hye Soo May have had 25 or 30 different colors even though her Queen’s robes were basically the same design. What a challenge for the wardrobe Dept.
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13 FireStar
December 13, 2022 at 7:56 PM
Feel like not many people watched Glitch since it was an all at once drop on Netflix, but Bora (Nana) was robbed not even getting a nom for chaotic character, pure chaos demon
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Elinor, Team Glasses team co-captain
December 13, 2022 at 8:11 PM
She should be the only choice for that category, like Chef John.
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parkchuna 🍉
December 14, 2022 at 4:51 AM
I’m only at the beginning of ep 2, but i’m pretty sure you’re right.
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14 ys
December 13, 2022 at 8:33 PM
The Good Detective 2 not under Best overall cast chemistry? :(
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15 Midnight
December 13, 2022 at 8:45 PM
I have watched too few shows from 2022, and half of them weren't in any category. Sad.
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16 hacja
December 13, 2022 at 8:53 PM
These are great! I am pretty disappointed, though, that there is no category for "best kiss that came out of nowhere" category, so I'm creating one myself. Even though I know Good Job got nominated for best romantic chemistry, that kiss was incredible and given the jokey quality of the show it was incredible tender and passionate. I'd also have to nominate Extraordinary Attorney Woo, again, just for the surprise element after she'd run away a couple of times, and then finally Sh**ting Stars, because even though I really liked that rom-com overall, the chemistry between the OTP was a bit lacking-except for that first kiss!
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vienibenmio
December 14, 2022 at 6:10 AM
If it weren't for Love is for Suckers I would totally have given best chemistry to Good Job. That kiss and everything leading up to it was incredible. My next choice would have been Extraordinary Attorney Woo because that scene where Joon-ho walks right up to her (I am describing it poorly but hopefully you know which one I mean) lives rent-free in my head. Business Proposal they had great chemistry but I also think the writing and direction helped them out more than these other dramas.
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17 parkchuna 🍉
December 14, 2022 at 4:50 AM
Best Overall Cast Chemistry ⭐️ Twenty Five, Twenty One ⭐️
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18 Kairoskat 💐
December 14, 2022 at 5:58 AM
I'm only here to cast a vote for Shin Sung Rok who didn't make it into any category 🤣. Not surprising considering Doctor Lawyer was so-so hahaha. May SSR have a better drama in 2023 and make it into beanland year end vote 😆.
I can only cast a vote for best dressed character. Other than that, I have no votes 😅
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19 redfox
December 14, 2022 at 6:06 AM
most dramas nominated I either didnt watch or dropped or didnt like. so I voted for probavble underdogs.
I do agree on the refigerator, I remembered the korean word thanks to the drama which I kept having trouble with before
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20 nuWOy🍄🍄
December 14, 2022 at 10:38 AM
I just finished watching The Good Detective 2 and Shadow Detective, not to mentioned Through the Darkness. I really need to toss a coin for my favourite detectives question 😔.
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21 dogemama
December 14, 2022 at 12:34 PM
shame twenty-five, twenty-one didn't qualify for a lot of these bc despite the ending, it was the most romantic and squee-inducing drama for me this year.
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22 Sakura Hasegawa
December 14, 2022 at 12:40 PM
Lee dong wook ssi
BAD AND CRAZY is The best .
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23 Viki
December 14, 2022 at 3:07 PM
Weird, can't view the polls on Firefox.
Anyway, best boss Kang Ki Young for sureeeee. Majority of the people agreed
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24 OldLawyer
December 15, 2022 at 6:48 AM
Fun Poll.
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25 owl 🦉 🫰
December 15, 2022 at 7:20 AM
So fun, perfectly able to picture each and every possibility for the best answer imo!
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26 sirena
December 16, 2022 at 7:56 AM
I know that I've been in a major slump when I can't vote for most of these categories!
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27 TheOutsideJoke (@kmromrell)
December 21, 2022 at 6:39 PM
YAY, love that you brought this back!! Man, those were fun! I'd have loved a "best overall," but I guess we kind of got that with the Bean Count. My biggest takeaways: Samantha and Rachel were utterly hilarious, and I really need to watch Alchemy of Souls!!
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28 Bubbles
December 21, 2022 at 8:54 PM
This is so much fun! I say you missed a category - best kiss that should have happened but was somehow zoomed away from and left us scratching our heads…that’s right, the long awaited smooch of our reincarnated Bossam Couple, Jung Il-Woo and Kwon Yuri. Their kiss was lovely but when the camera panned away, there was a much more intense sort of kiss happening in that chair, only seen in a blurred, retreating camera shot.
After all the missed kiss opportunities earlier, including during Bossam, I had hoped for a few follow up kisses, or hoped we would get back to see that swirly chair smooch…ahhh, will the reincarnation couple leave us always wanting more romance? Love their chemistry ❤️.
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29 Rose
December 22, 2022 at 12:46 AM
No b-romance? And why the choices are so limited?
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