My Ajusshi/My Mister (TvN)
(March 21-May 17, 2018)
Mostly downbeat, moodiest OST (which IU sadly didn’t sing her own song in this OST, but she wrote one of this OST songs, Dear Moon), some good conversations, the slowburned relationship of IU and Lee Sun-kyun, the most beautiful, greatest cinematography and the most incredible, most fantastic writing from Park Hae-young are well-fitted in this emotional-wrenched life healing psychological, socio-economical Kdrama. Starring singer-actress IU and pre-Parasite actor Lee Sun-kyun (five years before his death on December 27, 2023) and directed by pre-When Life Gives You Tangerines Kim Won-seok, this Baeksang best drama-winning got me weeping and crying from start to a satisfied, peaceful, happy ending. My best (and most emotional, tearful) highlight was the final episode’s death and funeral of female lead’s deaf grandma. Despite its struggles and its challenges, it carefully tackled issues such as domestic violence, depression and even infidelity, contained a lot of facial expressions, focused on poverty and the toxic office politics and also, this Kdrama concluded that it found with resilience, brotherhood (courtesy of three brothers) and redemption.
Honorable mentions:
Mr. Sunshine
Just Between Lovers
Sky Castle