It’s time for the Kdrama Kisses 2024 Korean Drama Awards! Here we look at some of my favorite performances and dramas in each genre this year. In addition to this, you can check out the big list of my favorite dramas of the year in my Best Korean Dramas of 2024 post. Let’s check out what my favorites of the year were:
Best Actor:
Kim Soo Hyun (Queen of Tears)
Kim Soo Hyun gave a terrific performance in Queen of Tears. His character, Hyun Woo, starts out a little rocky, but he soon develops into the most caring man you could ever meet. He gets a bit more perfect with each episode as he will go to any length to help his wife. Kim Soo Hyun really brought the emotions, and his tears always tugged at my heart.
Best Actress:
Park Min Young (Marry My Husband)
Park Min Young was great in Marry My Husband. We watch her character, Ji Won, grow from scared and timid into a strong woman who won’t hide or back down anymore. There are plenty of satisfying moments as she sticks it to those who wronged her, and Park Min Young was fantastic for the role.
Best Romantic Comedy:
Lovely Runner
Lovely Runner is a fun time travel, romantic comedy. It has a well-developed and multi-layered story that remains pretty engaging all the way through. There’s a super sweet romance at the center with a big, fated sort of feel to it. There’s plenty of humor and lots of fun characters. This is a series with a lot of heart. If you like time travel and rom-coms, Lovely Runner is a great entry in the genre.
Best Melodrama:
Queen of Tears
Queen of Tears was quite a fun watch. Even though it had some issues, the production value is high with a solid story throughout. The main couple is engaging with a very strong, independent woman in a Hae In and a dedicated, loving, and swoony man in Hyun Woo. Emotions run high with some interesting dramatics, and there’s a lot to see with this one.
Best Historical:
Captivating the King
Captivating the King was a very well done drama that I quite enjoyed. It has a gripping story that is filled with political intrigue. We see engaging character journeys and excellent performances from the actors. There’s family, friendship, romance, loyalty, betrayal, and revenge all at play. All of the elements are woven together nicely.
Best Couple:
Cha Eun Woo and Park Gyu Young (A Good Day to Be a Dog)
The romance was super cute with Cha Eun Woo and Park Gyu Young in A Good Day to Be a Dog. They start out at odds, but there’s lots of fun shenanigans during that time. Then they draw closer and develop solid communication. It was beautiful to see how deeply they cared for each other. I really enjoyed this couple.
Best Bromance:
Cha Eun Woo and Yoon Hyun Soo
(A Good Day to Be a Dog)
I quite liked the little bromance we got between Seo Won and his nephew Yool in A Good Day to Be a Dog. It was on the humorous side with a lot of fun, but they were also there for each other when it counted.
Best Girlmance:
Park Min Young and Song Ha Yoon
(Marry My Husband)
I picked an unconventional girlmance with Ji Won and Soo Min in Marry My Husband. These longtime best friends seemed to have a good relationship on the surface, but it was all an act for Soo Min, since in reality, she is extremely manipulative and will do whatever it takes to get what she wants. She sticks with her fake BFF role hard though, and it made for a very intriguing relationship between these two.
Best Villain:
Song Ha Yoon (Marry My Husband)
Song Ha Yoon wins Best Villain for her standout in performance in Marry My Husband. She was a perfect fit to play the sweet and cutesy fake persona of Soo Min who actually has a very dark side. As the mask starts to peel back, we see this interesting mixture of sweet and manipulative that frequently made the character hard to read. Then towards the end, we see her really go off the rails and get a wonderful performance as the true Soo Min is revealed. Fantastic job!
Best Kiss:
Cha Eun Woo and Park Gyu Young – Transformation Kiss
(A Good Day to Be a Dog)
Cha Eun Woo and Park Gyu Young share an unusual but very meaningful kiss in A Good Day to Be a Dog when he overcomes his fear and saves her from her curse with a special kiss.
Best Costumes:
Captivating the King
I always enjoy the costumes in a good historical, and Captivating the King had a nice array of traditional Korean attire from palace robes to military uniforms to lovely hanboks worn by nobles.
Best Soundtrack:
Serendipity’s Embrace
While Serendipity’s Embrace was a pretty basic drama overall, it had a fantastic soundtrack that I quite enjoyed. Not only were there so many wonderful songs, but they were actually utilized really well throughout the drama. It definitely added something nice to the series.
That’s a nice little highlight of some of the dramas, actors, and moments that made an impression on me this year. Definitely some memorable times!
So who were your favorite actors and what were your favorite dramas in 2024?
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