Wish Upon A Star

Wrap-Up
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Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. Topping the list are the MLs of Thai BL drama "Bad Buddy": Nanon Korapat Kirdpan (16% of all votes for this poll) and Ohm Pawat Chittsawangdee (10% votes).

2. The latter shared the 2nd spot with South Korean Lee Jun Ho and Shin Ha Kyun (10% votes each).

3. Unlike the "Favourite Actor/Actress Discovered In 2021" where the Actor poll received more than double the votes and almost double the nominations, this "Best Actor/Actress Of 2021" received almost the same number of votes and nominations, compared to the Actress poll.

4. Notwithstanding, 6th placed South Korean actor Lee Do Hyun comes in 3rd in "Favourite Actor Discovered In 2021" for his role in "Beyond Evil".

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126615&page=4#p2126615

Wrap-Up
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Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. The top 5 list for this poll constitutes almost 70% of all votes for this poll.

2. Topping this poll are South Korean actresses Shin Hye Sun and Han So Hee with more than 23% and 19% of all votes for this poll respectively.

3. Chinese actress Bai Lu is placed 3rd with more than 7% of all votes, and has a record of 4 dramas in 2021.

4. The top 4 actresses in this poll are also among the top 7 actresses in the "Favourite Actress Discovered In 2021", namely: Shin Hye Sun (1st, 2nd), Han So Hee (2nd, 4th), Bai Lu (3rd, 7th), Jeon Yeo Been (4th, 1st).

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126607&page=4#p2126607

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. The 2021 top 5 list for this poll constitutes more than 77% of all votes for this poll.

2. Korean drama "Start-up" that aired in Oct-Dec 2020 topped the list with more than 20% votes, propelling Kim Seon Ho who played the 2nd ML Good Boy Han Ji-Pyeong to stardom, fuelling his IG followers from 620K on 17 Oct 2020 (drama start date) to 3.2M on 8 Dec 2020 (drama ended on 6 Dec 2020).* As of today, Kim Seon Ho has 8.1M IG followers.

3. Ironically, in 5th placed Korean drama "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" where Kim Seon Ho played the protagonist Hong Doo Shik, we have viewers rooting for 2nd ML Ji Sung Hyun played by Lee Sang Yi to win over the FL.

4. 4th placed Korean drama "Vincenzo" is placed 1st in "Favourite Antagonist Of 2021" with a staggering 45% of all votes in that poll and "Favourite Character Of 2021" with almost 20% of all votes in that poll.

* https://www.kpopmap.com/kim-seonho-gained-around-2-6m-new-followers-on-instagram-with-start-up/

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126605&page=4#p2126605

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. The 2021 top 5 dramas in this poll are all highly rated dramas with rating of at least 8.4, and constitute more than 77% of all votes for this poll.

2. While Korean dramas dominate the 2021 top 5 list, Thai BL drama "Bad Buddy" topped the list with more than 30% of all votes. Are viewers these days more attracted to BL dramas?

3. Chinese dramas nominated for this poll are "Joy Of Life (2019)" and "Doulou Continent" with 3 and 2 votes respectively. Both dramas are adapted from novels.

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126603&page=4#p2126603

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. Of the 2021 aired dramas, 1st placed Korean drama "Doom At Your Service" is placed 4th in "A Drama You're Not Sure You'll Finish".

2. And ironically, next placed Korean dramas "Vincenzo" and "Squid Game" are placed 1st and 2nd in "2021 Drama That Kept You On The Edge Of Your Seat".

3. So these dramas are exciting for some and boring for others?

4. Hype (due to popularity and/or high rating) is often a double-edged sword; Hyped dramas often appear to top both 'positive' and 'negative' polls. Do you disagree?

5. Some dramas are late bloomer dramas, to build the characters and the world the drama is based on, thus the somewhat flat starting episodes. Are any of these dramas actually late bloomer dramas?

6. Have you nominated purely based on the episodes you have watched, instead of the entire drama series?

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126599&page=3#p2126599

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. This poll has the least number of votes with a total of 54 votes only.

2. The 2021 top 5 dramas in this polls are all fairly highly rated dramas with rating of at least 8.1, and constitute more than 72% of all votes for this poll.

3. Filmed in a charming coastal village in Pohang, South Korea, 1st placed Korean drama "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" wins hands down with a whopping 39% of all votes for this poll.

4. 2nd placed Korean drama "True Beauty" with 9% votes, was filmed mostly in the heart of Seoul, South Korea, in the traditional Bukchon Hanok Village, around the historic Gyeongbokgung Palace, and also partly in scenic Namhae, South Korea.

5. Of note, two period/historical dramas filmed at studio sets made the 2021 top 5 list as well - Chinese drama "The Long Ballad" and Korean drama "Lovers Of The Red Sky" with 3 votes each.

6. "The Long Ballad" was filmed at Hengdian World Studios, at Hengdian, the largest film studio where more than 70% historical and costume Chinese dramas are shot. In addition to being a film studio, Hengdian World Studios has also become a tourist attraction, with many of its large sets opening to visitors.

7. "Lovers Of The Red Sky" was filmed at Mungyeongsaejae Open Set, at Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park, where many historical Korean dramas and dramas with historical scenes are filmed.

8. Will you be checking out these places when travel restrictions are relaxed?

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126591&page=3#p2126591

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. The 2021 top 5 dramas in this poll are all highly rated dramas with rating of at least 8.6, and constitute more than 76% of all votes for this poll.

2. The top 10 dramas in this poll (including pre-2021 dramas) are all Korean dramas with at least 5 votes each.

3. Topping this poll is "Flower of Evil" aired in 2020, followed by "Vincenzo" with 23% and 18% of all votes respectively. "Squid Game" follows with almost half the votes of "Vincenzo".

4. The top cdrama in this poll is "The Long Ballad" with 4 votes.

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126585&page=3#p2126585

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. 1st placed Korean drama "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" protagonist acted by Kim Seon Ho was embroiled in a public abortion scandal with his ex-girl friend during the airing of the last few episodes of this drama. Could this have inadvertently discouraged viewers from finishing the drama?

2. 2nd placed Korean drama "Now, We Are Breaking Up" is 1st placed in "A Drama You Dropped In 2021" and has the worst rating of 7.5 in the 2021 top 5 list in this poll.

3. What have you voted and what are the reasons for your uncertainty of not finishing the drama?

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126579&page=3#p2126579

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. According to Annie, creator of the challenge, older drama for the challenge just means pre-2021, as the point is to highlight the dramas that have been watched that didn't come out in 2021.

2. I am among the bunch who got on dramas during the pandemic, so actually watching many not that old dramas only recently.

3. The top 5 dramas in this polls are all highly rated dramas with rating of 8.7 and above.

4. The oldest drama nominated is Japanese drama "Long Vacation (1996)" (2 votes, MDL rating 8.1), followed by Korean drama "Autumn Tale" (2000) (1 vote, MDL rating 7.7). Have you watched these dramas before and do you like it?

5. Are the older dramas generally rated lower compared to newer dramas? More discussion at Forum "Are the ratings on MDL useful to you?"
https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-asia-forum/66227-are-the-ratings-on-mdl-useful-to-you

6. Are there hidden gems in these older dramas that one should watch?

7. What other older dramas (pre-2021) that you have watched in 2021?

8. Editorial "Drama Recommendations: 2004 to 2013" by Suckerforhappyending, 7 Jan 2022, recommends older dramas that you may want to check out as well.
https://kisskh.at/article/drama-recommendations-2004-to-2013

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126565&page=3#p2126565

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. The 2021 top 5 dramas in this poll are all highly popular and rated dramas with rating of 8.6 and above.

2. Does this mean Cinematography play an important part in the popularity and rating of dramas?

3. While Korean dramas take down the first 5 spots, Chinese shows dominate the next few spots with "Ancient Love Poetry" (5 votes), "Word Of Honor" and "Luoyang" (4 votes each), The "Yin Yang Master" (Film) and "The Long Ballad" (3 votes each), alongside korean dramas "Happiness" (4 votes), "Jirisan" and "Lost" (3 votes each).

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126559&page=3#p2126559

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. The 2021 top 5 dramas for this poll are all highly rated with a rating of 8.5 and above.

2. Some of these dramas could have more than just 1 favourite character. For example "Vincenzo" is among the top placed in "Any Second Lead Syndrome This Year?" and "Favourite Antagonist Of 2021".

3. Are your favourite characters in these dramas the protagonist only or another character in the dramas?

4. Korean dramas dominate not just top 5 but top 10 spots. The only non-Korean drama among the top 10 is Chinese BL drama Word Of Honor (2021) with 5 votes.

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126551&page=3#p2126551

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. There is a mix of 2021 dramas in the Top 5 with ratings ranging from 6.7 to 8.8 (it's 9.1 if counting in "Hospital Playlist 1" that aired entirely in 2020).
2. Do you agree with this list? Which drama in the list would you recommend to give a second chance and re-pick up from the dropped list?

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126201&page=3#p2126201

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. The top 5 2021 dramas are among the top rated and popular dramas. Does this mean OSTs play an important part in the popularity and rating of dramas?

2. Topping the list is Thai BL drama "Bad Buddy" with a whopping 21% of all votes, while 2nd placed Kdrama "Nevertheless" only garnered 10% votes.

3. "Bad Buddy" is also the only Thai drama that made the top 10 spots.

4. The only Chinese drama that made the top 10 spots is "The Long Ballad".

5. Read more in this editorial "OSTs That Impacted How I Watch Dramas" by TIP, 17 Dec 2021.
https://kisskh.at/article/osts-that-impacted-how-i-watch-dramas

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126193&page=3#p2126193

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. This Actor poll received more than double the votes (590 vs 204) and almost double the nominations (67 vs 38) compared to the earlier Actress poll.

2. All of the actors in top 5 spots helm roles in some of the top rated and popular dramas in 2021.

3. Of note, while the top 5 spots in the Actress poll are dominated by South Korean actresses, there are 2 Chinese actor in this Actor poll, with Xu Kai placed 1st and Xiao Zhan placed 4th together with South Korean Im Si Wan.

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126187&page=3#p2126187

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. Many of these actresses helm roles in some of the top rated and popular dramas in 2021.

2. Of note, 3rd placed Moon Chae Won does not have a drama that aired in 2021, but only a film that aired in 2021.

3. Chinese actresses Bai Lu and Zhao Lu Si (9 votes each) are placed 7th, after South Korean actress Jung Ho Yeon (11 votes) who sparkled and raised eyebrows for her outstanding performance in her first drama role in "Squid Game".

4. Bai Lu has 4 dramas aired in 2021: "Song Of Youth", "One And Only", "Forever And Ever", and "Ace Troops"; while Zhao Lu Si has 3 dramas: "The Long Ballad", "Please Feel At Ease Mr. Ling", and "A Female Student Arrives At The Imperial College".

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126179&page=3#p2126179

Wrap-Up
========
Thank you to all who have participated in this poll. Some observations and thoughts:

1. Dramas that started airing in late 2020 and ended airing in Dec 2020 - 2021 take up the first 4 top spots with Kdrama "Run On" topping with 23 votes (16% of all votes for this poll). Kdrama "True Beauty" that was aired around the same time as "Run On" is placed 2nd with 14 votes (10%).

2. Older dramas among the Top 5 spots are "Reply 1997 (2012)" and "The Untamed (2019)".

3. 8 dramas released in 2021 received 1 vote each, namely: "Duolou Continent" (5-21 Feb 2021), "Joseon Exorcist" (22-23 Mar 2021), "The Sword And The Brocade" (26 Feb - 29 Mar 2021), "Hello, Me!" (17 Feb - 8 Apr 2021), "The Long Ballad" (31 Mar - 3 May 2021), "Mouse" (3 Mar - 19 May 2021), "Squid Game" (17 Sep 2021) and "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" (28 Aug - 17 Oct 2021).

4. Of note, "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" and "Squid Game" released in Aug/Sep 2021 are also among the first dramas completed in 2021 for MDL users.

5. "Secret Garden (2010)" (1 vote) is the oldest drama nominated, followed by "Reply 1997 (2012)" (6 votes) and Moon Embracing The Sun (2012) (1 vote).

The above points are also posted here: https://kisskh.at/discussions/general-discussion/67811-end-of-the-year-drama-challenge-2021-edition?pid=2126135&page=3#p2126135

https://kisskh.at/coins

@MinaVIP Thanks. Doesn't sound quite the type of series that i will enjoy, but will try to check out a few episodes sometime this year. Do check out JOL if you have not watched :)

Thanks for responding. Is the pace for NIF2 faster than NIF1? Heard from friends and also read comments/reviews that NIF1 is on country, but NIF2 is on family. I'm watching Joy of Life now and enjoying it better than NIF1 - it is unexpectedly funny with a humorous, affable ML and a boisterous sidekick, alongside the NIF1 type of political scheming.

Happy to discuss the drama.. especially the plot, characters and their back stories