Alaskan

I enjoyed this intense, moving drama that deals with friendship, rivalry, and love. The main character, Ryu Eun-jang, may be one of my favorite characters in dramaland and the actor Kim Go-eun does an amazing job bringing to life all of her character's charm, ambivalence, and insecurities. Park Ji-hyun, who plays her prickly frenemy, by and large succeeds in portraying a complex, selfish, and aggravating, but understandable, character. And the love interest acted by Kim Gun-woo is immensely likeable.

(Mild Spoiler: Some people may be disappointed with the redemption arc of the rival but I have no problems with it because this story is ultimately about Ryu Eun-jang, not Cheon Sang-yeon, and Ryu Eun-jang’s compassion and love are what make this drama special.)