10 overrated dramas that weren't worth the hype

Posted by jubilantj182 pts Wednesday, September 2, 2015

1. I Can Hear Your Voice

I could not finish this drama. Maybe it's because I watch a ton of American crime shows, but Korea still has a long way to go to create believable crimes and deliver them in a way that actually takes me by surprise. As much as people find the main antagonist creepy, I just found him 1-dimensional. Other dramas had much more interesting bad guys whom you didn't just outright hate but actually felt conflicted about - there's more depth to be found elsewhere like in 'Oh My Ghostess.' Also, I couldn't get into the chemistry between Lee Bo Young and Lee Jong Suk - sorry not sorry.

2. Boys Over Flowers

Unfortunately, Korea has the worst version of this drama (ignoring the American version). The Japanese one was amazing, the Taiwanese one was decent, etc. The charm that made this story so special was lost with the Korean one which seemed to almost be making a parody of it with its over-the-top acting, its cheesiness, and its turning everything into a trope. Yes, the original story can be quite cliche - that's why you need to bring out the subtle charms that make it the story that was remade over and over again to people's enjoyment each time. I particularly disliked how they took the story with Kim Bum and Kim So Eun and turned it into a very typical Cinderella trope.

3. You Who Came From the Stars

I tried� but I could barely get halfway through the drama. I love Jun Ji Hyun, but there were many things not going for me here - especially the chemistry between the two leads. As young and beautiful as Jun Ji Hyun is, Kim Soo Hyun has a baby face, and she looked very much like she could be his aunt to me. Like his young, stylish aunt - but still his aunt. And her character was too weird and would go back and forth too suddenly from her kooky to her more serious personality. It was too randomly done; there lacked a delicacy and subtlety, but it did have a beautiful OST.

4. Secret Garden

I tried watching this with a friend and we were groaning the entire time. This drama is the embodiment of cheesiness, and the acting is terrible, even though Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won, amongst others, are known to be amazing actors. They changed their style to suit the fantastical, almost childlike vibe of the story - and I hated it. We just stopped because we couldn't stand cringing any longer. The fantastical element was too random, albeit entertaining to watch. I really enjoyed Big Bang's version, though. Cause that was hilarious. Smell?

5. Baker King, Kim Tak Goo

I actually watched this one all the way and I understand why people were obsessed - it's addictive, for sure, but not because it was an actually good drama. It was a classic makjang drama, an over-the-top soap opera where ridiculous schemes and events happened in an overtly dramatized and exaggerated way that made you kind of wonder to yourself, "All this around a factory that makes bread?" The acting was top-notch by all of them, especially the main four, but guys, this story is too ridiculous, as much as it makes for a lot of the charm, I suppose.

6. Sungkyunkwan Scandal

Really? Another drama where it is so blatantly obvious that the woman pretending to be a man� is a woman?! There was one scene in particular that made me outright guffaw, where Yoochun is running around looking for her and she's at some river, rocky area and she falls in and he dives into what appears to be shallow water, then finds out she's a woman. It induced cringes for its cheesiness.

7. Iris

I don't know..many people raved over this drama, maybe due to the A-list cast, but I just couldn't get absorbed in the story or the romance. Yes, there is betrayal, double-crossing, action sequences and stuff that BLOWS UP a la Michael Bay but they weren't enough to get me completely head over heels hooked to the story. Maybe it's because my expectations for this drama were already so high from what people told me, so much so that I couldn't help but be a a tad disappointed when I actually sat down to watch the drama. Also, the candy kiss? I didn't find that romantic at all.

8. The Moon That Embraces the Sun

This is another drama that features A-list celebs, namely Kim Soo Hyun and Han Ga In as the main couple. From the very first episode, the drama dives headfirst into the romance between the characters of Kim Soo Hyun and Han Ga In; it was sweet to see the innocent love develop between Wol and Lee Hwon, but after a while, the sappy dose of romance got sickeningly too sweet. Usually with historical dramas such as 'The Moon That Embraces the Sun,' some political intrigue is thrown in for good measure. This way, the romance isn't overplayed and a nice dynamic between the love story and politics can be achieved. Unfortunately, that just wasn't the case for this drama.

9. The Sun of My Master

'The Sun of My Master' saw the joining of So Ji Sub and Gong Hyo Jin, who have undeniable onscreen chemistry. Though it was nice to see the two actors side by side, it felt like I was simply re-watching 'The Greatest Love.' The only difference was that a fantastical element was added: that Gong Hyo Jin had the ability to see specters from the other side. So Ji Sub's character, Joo Joong Won, was just a lazy reincarnation of Dok Goh Jin from 'The Greatest Love' and Gong Hyo Jin's character Tae Gong Shil was fun and cute to watch...but you kind of grow frustrated with her timidness, which got really old really fast.

10. Gu Family Book

This drama could have had it all, if not for all the predictable themes that are commonplace among Korean dramas. A woman playing man who is so clearly not a man, a love square, the whole beast loves beauty that isn't too original to being with...the list goes on and on. I actually enjoyed the bittersweet love story between Kang Chi's father and mother more than that of Kang Chi and Yeo Wool. The growth of Kang Chi as someone who came to love and accept his beast self was a satisfying progress to watch, as well. However, at the end of the drama, when Kang Chi meets the reincarnated version of Yeo Wool once more, I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the drama's cheap attempt at bathos.

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