2016 Jaybird Awards
Wow, another year has come and gone- welcome to 2017! While 2016 wasn’t exactly my favourite year in K-Dramaland, I can’t deny that there was loads to choose from and a heap of variety. There were some huge dramas that were released last year- some lived up to the hype while others drowned under it, and there were of course a few lesser known dramas that snuck in some great stories. Not a lot really jumped out at me as being some of the best dramas of all time, but they all seemed to be on the higher parts of middle ground (though admittedly there are a few total stinkers). All in all, I think 2016 was a fairly good year for K-Dramas- the variety meant that there was something for everyone and bound to be at least a couple of dramas that you fell in love with.
Best Drama:
‘Signal’ really was a cracker of a drama. It’s a quirky little piece that stays a fair bit off the beaten track, but for a drama that covers so much new territory, it makes perfect sense. Time travel shows are a hard nut to crack as there can be so much that can go wrong, and have a higher risk of forming plot holes than other types of shows. However, the writing for ‘Signal’ was so fluid and sure of itself that it was hard to critique the plot. It was easy to trust that the writers weren’t going to drop the ball halfway through, as the story started off with such conviction that it was clear the drama knew what it wanted to do with itself. The acting was all splendid and everyone involved did an excellent job at bringing the story and the characters to life, so that it was almost impossible to disengage from our three detectives and their struggles. The confident and brilliant directing was really just the icing on the cake.
Best Actor:
Despite what a complete and utter clusterf*ck ‘Moon Lovers’ ended up being, you can’t deny that Lee Joon Ki was totally killer. While the plot made little (to no) sense, Lee Joon Ki’s performance was always engaging, and he made So likeable in a way that might not have been possible had the role been taken on by a different actor. The odd directing hand that resulted in extreme close ups of our characters really gave us all a good look at how completely Lee Joon Ki threw himself into the role. His facial expressions were so incredible, right down to the smallest lip twitch.
Best Actress:
I find it quite hard to sort out the really great actress from the good ones, as sadly there’s not a huge variety of heroine roles- at least not as varying as the men get. However, every now and then there’s a drama with an actress who makes you really laugh, or really feel- or both. This year it was definitely Oh Yeon Seo. I don’t think she’s exactly a new face in K-Dramaland, but it was for sure the first time I was seeing her. She totally owned the role of an ajusshi trapped in a woman’s body, and was oddly believable as Kim Soo Ro. She has a flair for laugh-out-loud comedy, and paired with Rain it was just hilarious. Not only was Oh Yeon Seo able to bring the laughs, but she also hit the emotional beats perfectly. She conveyed perfectly the pain of a love that was never realised, and it truly ended up being a stand-out performance of hers.
Best Short Series:
This mini-series was so good I almost wished they’d made it into a full 16 episode series. The young cast dazzled and gave strong, compelling performances, which is something mini-series often tend to lack. The story was succinct and tight, and got right to the point. Despite the limited amount of time the series had to tell it’s story, it was able to throw in so much emotion- both happy and heartache.
Best Support:
Oh my goodness, what an amazing, pocket-sized actress. A lot of young actors and actresses are passable because they’re adorable, and don’t have to do very much. Shin Rin Ah had a huge role in ‘Marriage Contract’, and had the acting chops to back up her sweetly adorable face. She had dazzling chemistry with both UEE and Lee Seo Jin, and added a huge amount of enjoyment to the series.
Best Couple:
This totally didn’t seem like the drama that would have the best romance, but it definitely was. The two characters of Bok Joo and Joon Hyung were so sweet and innocent, and felt all their emotions so clearly. It was a beautiful coming-of-age series, and really highlighted the ways relationships shape you into the person you become. The two were not only insanely adorable, but a source of support and strength for each other. Their relationship highlighted so beautifully and so simply that there are some things that family and friends can’t do for you- and you just need that one special someone to not only tell you that you’re perfect the way you are, but believe it themselves. The progression of the relationship between Bok Joo and Joon Hyung was so sweet and so realistic, and the friends-to-lovers dynamic really came into its own- the two were practically dating before they even knew they liked each other. It was a cute romance that had a lot of heart, and two loveable leads.
Runner Up: Gong Hyo Jin and Jo Jung Suk (Jealousy Incarnate)
Best Villain:
It might be an understatement to say that historical dramas can verge on boring. But in ‘Mirror of the Witch’ Yum Jung Ah delivered a spine-chilling performance that added a huge amount of intensity to the series. Hong Joo wasn’t just a villain without rhyme or reason, and could at times be oddly pitiful- a huge credit to Yum Jung Ah who could make the same character so hatable and horrific, but also strangely sympathetic. While the writing often seemed a bit repetitive, Yum Jung Ah continued to deliver a strong performance as the villain, and was always a force to be reckoned with, while also gradually drawing back the layers of her character’s complexity.
Best Ensemble:
There’s something so wonderful about a drama that has a beautiful ensemble. It’s so much easier to fall in love with a series that has a number of different characters, but so much harder to write a number of characters convincingly. ‘Age of Youth’ appeared to be a happy coming-of-age story, but surprisingly had some darker undertones. The five girls each had a different story to tell, and the writers managed to focus on each of the housemates without the drama feeling jumpy. Each of the girls was acted brilliantly, with the actress fitting the character perfectly. While the girls were delightful on their own, it was the scenes of them together and the budding friendship that arose despite their differences that really sold the show. No matter how much they bickered and criticised each other, the housemates were always there for support, advice or a drink. The girls created a true feeling of camaraderie that made the show so enjoyable to watch, and the girls so easy to love.
Best Bromance:
A great bromance is always a fun time, but it just becomes even funnier when one half of the bromance is trapped in the body of a stunningly beautiful woman. This was an adorable bromance that transcended lifetimes, with the two dead ajusshis returning to the world of the living together. The relationship between the two was so sweet, and often hilarious, and was the true heart of the show. All four of our ajusshis (their souls and their reincarnations) did a brilliant job, and Rain and Oh Yeon Seo had brilliant chemistry. The two did an excellent job in ensuring that the relationship between the characters remained purely platonic- especially when you consider how smokin’ hot they both are. The bro-love in ‘Come Back’ was definitely a winner, and rivalled both the love-lines.
Best Gal Pals:
The housemates in ‘Age of Youth’ were just so sweet and likeable. As each girl had a completely different personality it was inevitable that they clashed, but it was so enjoyable the way they all reconciled after. No matter how angry they got at each other or how many toes were trod on, at the end of the day the girls were all there for each other when it was most important. The relationships that sprung up between the friends were so real and relatable, and were just pure entertaining to watch.
Best Idol Gone Actor:
Three of the 5urprise boys were keeping themselves very busy this year with some notable acting roles, but Seo Kang Joon was a standout. Despite all the conundrums going on behind the cameras of the drama, no one can deny that Seo Kang Joon put in a strong performance. He was able to easily grab the necessary emotions in a character that could have easily come across as too closed off or too volatile. Seo Kang Joon hit a nice balance between the two and delivered an engaging, likeable second male lead, and definitely earned himself some attention in the world of acting.
Worst Idol Gone Actor:
It’s a sad truth that for every successful idol-turned-actor there’s going to be…well…a not so successful one. Son Naeun took on the second female lead in ‘Cinderella’, and the results weren’t that pretty. Her obvious green acting did little to help a character so poorly written that it was at best difficult to watch, and at worst downright annoying when Hye Ji was on screen.
Least Convincing Couple:
The drama had a lot of things going for it, but romance was not one of them. Which is a shame when love is kind of the driving force behind the characters’ motivations. Yoon Shi Yoon did a pretty good job carrying the romance all on his own, but where the series made its error is probably in casting a heroine half Yoon Shi Yoon’s age. Poor Kim Sae Ron just didn’t have the capacity for portraying a convincing love story. I think that really, due to her incredibly young age, she didn’t have enough experience as either an actress or in actually experiencing romantic love. Sure, the two had some pretty cute scenes- but did I ever believe they were so madly in love with each other that they’d die for the other? No. Not really.
Show Carrier:
‘Lucky Romacne’ was a pretty cute drama overall, but I think that most of the cute came from Ryu Joon Yeol. He absolutely carried this show, no questions asked. The plot was really pretty minimal and the love interest was bland if not annoying, yet the show remained engaging and enjoyable as our adorable robot hero learned to love. And he learned to love in the cutest way possible.
Biggest Disappointment:
There are several ways that a drama can be a huge disappointment- the most common being a drama getting so hyped up before its screening, only to then fall underneath all the crushing expectations. ‘Moorim School’ was not one of those. The drama didn’t really create much hype, but the writers, producers and director were all making some pretty loud noises about how ‘Moorim School’ was going to be a groundbreaking drama in terms of making K-Drama a more international place. Which excited me to no end being a Westerner with a huge love of K-Drama. And then it so did not do that. Sure, there were some international cast members, but none of them were important- none of them did anything, and the fact that they were non-Korean was pretty swept under the rug. Also it was just a bad drama. The story sucked, the acting wasn’t that great, and the romance was beyond disappointing.
Jaybird's Choice
This is not only my favourite drama of the year, but quite possibly my favourite drama of all time. It may not be a high-stakes drama, but the characters are the heart of the show- and they’re such great characters. Bok Joo and Joon Hyung are just a dream to watch develop, and their adorable friends-to-lovers romance is backed up by stellar acting from both our leads. A host of side characters gave the show an in-depth, fleshed out feeling, and the ties of friendship and family were just as prominent, important, and adorable as the romance. The drama never had any lags, or points were the conflict was dragged out for too long, and always kept a cracking pace that left you wanting more, more, more. I could talk for days about how much I love this show. This show is love. This show is life.
2016 Dramas Watched:
