Best and Worst of 2017: Korean Dramas and their Couples, Genres, and Endings

I thought I would join the bandwagon a bit, with this whole "best of" end of year posts, because I might not have anything better to do (maybe) or because I wanted to just take a look at what we had to watch this year.  I remember how there was a big dry spell for a while, so looking at my list, a good percentage of the dramas I watched this year were old, or Chinese/Taiwanese.  I'm not counting those in this list (obviously, since this is for the KDs), but it shows how up and down this year has been.  We've had some really good ones, and a long spell of meh.

So I went over all the dramas, and by my rating, and other things like genre and elements in the dramas, I did a sort of awards ceremony, purely subjected to my tastes and preferences in how I enjoyed the dramas I watched this year.  In reading everyone else's posts about this sort of thing.  I agreed with most people's opinions, so hopefully this isn't anger inducing at all, haha.  So here are the winners of my best, worst, and meh, etc. lists.

241. Defendant 피고인 (2017) Korean

Ji Sung, Uhm Ki Joon, Kwan Yuri, Oh Chang Suk, Uhm Hyun Kyung

Drama Rating: 9/10     Neck Score: A

Woah.  What can I say besides "this show was amazing?"  I loved it so much.  It's mosaic structure at the beginning was great, as we flashed between the past and present and Ji Sung not being able to remember anything.  He was amazing.  I also loved Grumpy Cat.  Well, I loved to hate Grumpy Cat in this, while also just loving him.  He is just so good at what he does.  He plays such well rounded villains.  Even when they really aren't well rounded individuals.  Seriously though, how did he make me feel for him and despise him at the same time.  He was a horrible, psychopathic evil dude, who also just wanted to be loved.  To be normal.  To have everything he was always denied (from his perspective).  How did he make me cry at one moment and then rage scream the next?  Darn it, Grumpy Cat!  I love you, man!  Then we have a huge cast of just the best and worst people ever.  It was always fun to see how the best people in this show were the people in prison.  I loved the cellmate bromance between all 6 of those men.  They were the best.  There were so many good twists and turns in this show.  It always kept me excited.  Then, when I thought I couldn't handle another episode with another truck of doom, or another perjury ruining everything, they twisted the normal tropes and made me laugh.  Optimus Cheol Sik for the win!  It had the right amount of drama, intensity, tears, and humor.  Just the way I like it.  I felt all the emotions.  It had a stellar cast, mostly.  Even the less good peeps were passable.  Loved that it was not about romance, although I would have been fine with the brother-in-law and lawyer hooking up.  I loved the one side couple that did happen, but that is a story for those that see it.  Once again, it was amazing, and I loved it.