2024 - Tier List

Sunjae-aaaaaaah! This is basically a wattpad self-insert fanfic filmed as a drama with a great soundtrack and beautiful people. Sure the mystery killer plot makes little sense (but at least kind of suits the overall plot and theme - LOOKING AT YOU OTHER DRAMAS who insert random killer plots for *reasons*) I loved the Grandma's words about how your mind may forget but your soul remembers and that applies to many small things in this drama.

Very much a binge watch. I do love me a REVENGE plot, and this delivered in spades. The ML is also very pretty to watch as he and the FL do the dance of "I'm attracted to you, but I have all these plans for death and distruction that don't include romance..." Extra style points are added for the fan that he is fond of flourishing.

Contract Marriage - I am SEATED. A fun romp from start to finish with a great second lead and ensemble cast.

Cute and lighthearted ensemble BL drama. This has lots of fun scenes and is a quick watch.

As this aired this drama had its heel to my throat as I begged it for more. Makjang up the wazoo and pretty faithful to the webtoon. Loses some steam in the final quarter though - but my pure hatred for SuMin (what a great actress! The villain energy is sublime) sustained me. ML is totally milquetoast greenflag material, but I was more invested in the REVENGE.

Excellent soundtrack. Short and with no filler episodes. A somewhat frustrating female lead who sends very mixed signals as she tries to break it off with her newly-outed-as-a-chaebol younger boyfriend. The angst was a bit overdone - in that it's not exactly high stakes as you know the HEA is pretty much a foregone conclusion. 

Really loved this one. The FL ties herself in knots trying to win the oblivious boy over, only for it to backfire spectacularly as he takes an insta-dislike to her. But little does he know that she's the fantastic online gaming friend he's in love with. Cue misunderstandings and highjinks. The pacing falls off a little about 3/4 of the way through, but overall it stays cute and fun.

A quick binge watch. Obviously takes its cues from Squid Games / The Selection mashing them together as a 'televised games to win the heart of the male lead'. This speeds through many familiar tropes and has a fun candy visual style.

Super fun drama with dual FL roles. Loved both sides to the character - and especially the many times her 'old' self was just a badass. Romance was a touch light on -  but ultimately a great watch.

Overall I enjoyed this - as it played out many tropes that I enjoy - but it tries VERY hard to be a meta commentary on romance dramas and overplays its hand. Quirky and irreverant with some funny set-ups that have a good payoff.

Spin off to No Gain No Love. Short and super tropey where our FL is isekaied into her own spicy novel - but to her horror the perfect ML of her dreams is now the man she is feuding with in real life. A fun companion series.

The first 6 episodes were FIRE. Well paced with the tropes giving some oldschool romcom vibes. However the back half was a bit of a letdown, probably due to the source material being a manhwa where that kind of plot can hold up, but it doesn't really translate well to the screen. Still worth a watch though.

Great fun in the first half where the FL gets isekai'd into a drama where she has to work with the 'system' to stay alive (and win the ML). The ending is a bit unsatisfying though, so may be frustrating seeing as you do need to sink a fair few hours in to this one.

On hold at ep 12. Cute but dragging in the middle. Will likely complete when other dramas aren't eating my brain

DNF - dropped when it became clear that this was not going to be the drama that was promised in the promos. Just not invested enough in the characters or plot to keep going.

I greatly enjoyed the first 6 episodes. Tropes were troping, fun was had - but then the last 3 eps were just STUPID with so many ridiculous decisions by the leads and their noble idiocy that made 0 sense. I binged this on a plane flight, so was a captive audience but was greatly annoyed at the wasted potential.