5 Fun Kdramas from 2011
The Certified Noonas are doing a 12 in 12 Challenge this year where they try and watch a drama, movie, or anime from every one of the past 12 years. So we thought it would be fun to take a look at some older Kdramas that older fans might have missed, or newer fans might not have heard of.
The Challenge
To start off, I’ll share with you my picks for the #CN12for12Challenge. If you’d like to hear more about mine and the other Noonas’ picks, check out our YouTube livestream on the subject. I decided to do two challenges this year. The first one is for dramas that are on my Plan to Watch list or On Hold list over on MyDramaList. The second one is for sports movies from each year.
1. White Christmas
I shared my personal challenge lists in part because my 2011 drama pick is a drama near and dear to the DramaCurrent heart. Back in 2018 we held a Kdrama Club chat about this particular drama. Over on the Certified Noonas podcast, one of our earliest episodes was about the first couple of episodes of this unique holiday drama. I’ve always meant to get back to finish it, but there was always something newer and shinier that came along to distract me. Thanks to the #CN12in12Challenge, I finally got around to finishing this dark and twisted tale, and I’m so glad I did.
If you are looking for something a little different from the normal kdrama, this shorter series is definitely that. It stars a young cast of now very famous faces. I kept wondering where I knew one of the leads from and then realized that he is the male lead in a daily drama that I’m currently watching. The story revolves around a group of students who’ve stayed behind at their very prestigious private school over the Christmas holidays. But if you’re expecting some warm, Hallmark romance you better look elsewhere. These students stayed behind to solve a mystery, and that mystery coupled with a terrible snowstorm and some stranded strangers might wind up ending their lives. The storytelling in this drama is very unique and it gets pretty dark, but if you’re up for it, it is well worth the watch.
CW: suicide, violence, bullying
2. Birdie Buddy
Okay listen, is this the best Kdrama I have ever watched? No. But it was my first Kdrama and if you can get past the terrible wig on the male lead in the first few episodes, I think it really is a pretty good drama. Birdie Buddy tells the tale of a young woman who loves golf more than anything. Her family sacrifices to help her train in the sport in the hopes that she might one day be able to play it professionally. This drama still stands out for me because the main plot remains the sport throughout the story. We don’t get sidetracked by romance or fall into a major office politics/business takeover tale. The story is mainly about two very different women at very different places in their pro sports journey and how their talent at a sport they love affects their lives.
Is it too long? Yes. 24 episodes is almost never the right length for the average drama and this one definitely falls into the filler episode trap. If they had cut it down to 16 episodes, there would have probably been a very tight sports story that people would still be checking out and talking about today (totally biased opinion). As it is, I fast forward through a lot of nonsense when I go for a rewatch. But, if you like sports stories and long for a female-led drama that isn’t just about romance, I do recommend giving this story a shot.
3. City Hunter
Full disclosure, City Hunter is a drama that I dropped. But I had a problem with a very early plot point that pissed my mom heart off so much that I simply could not keep watching. And when I say early, I mean I only watched half of the first episode before walking away. So why is it on this list, you might ask? Well, if you got to mydramalist.com and search for dramas released in 2011 by popularity, this is at the top of that list. People love City Hunter. And why not? It’s got Lee Min Ho, Park Min Young, and lots of action. It’s a revenge drama about a man betrayed by his country who survives that betrayal in order to kidnap his best friend’s baby and raise him to get revenge.
This drama was adapted from a popular manga series. The story of revenge and romance remains a popular drama to this day, and chances are that if you’ve been roaming in Kdrama circles for any period of time, you’ve heard of it. Since I haven’t watched much of it, it’s hard for me to say how it holds up, but the cast is a charismatic one and that first half hour that I watched had me absolutely riveted. So if action revenge stories are ones that you enjoy, maybe give this older drama a spin
4. Scent of a Woman
This is another one that I personally have not watched yet, but I’ve heard so many good things lately that it is definitely going on my list. Multiple people I know watched Scent of a Woman for their 2011 pick for the challenge. One minefield that we often have to navigate when we are looking at “classic” Kdramas is the toxic male lead that we’re supposed to pretend “isn’t really that bad”. Not to worry with this one. Lee Dong Wook apparently plays one of the nicest male leads ever, especially for a 12 year old drama.
The story follows a woman who receives a terminal diagnosis. Determined to enjoy the last months of her life, she quits her job and sets out to live life to its fullest. Enter romance! If you love a tearjerker romance or are just a big fan of the Wookie, it sounds like this older drama is worth a trip to the past.
5. Warrior Baek Dong Soo
No great drama list would be complete without adding an historical (sageuk) drama to the mix. Warrior Baek Dong Soo is an action historical loosely based on the true story of a Korean folk hero known as a master of various martial arts. This drama looks like a fun one… well, as fun as a darker historical can get. I haven’t watched it, but my experience with sageuks tells me that more than one person will die and there will likely be tears at some point. But it also looks like there will be some excellent fight scenes and it’s always interesting to learn more about actual Korean history.
This drama also sports a fantastic cast. The leads are played by Ji Chang Wook and Yoo Seung Ho, and they are supported by Yeo Jin Goo, Nam Ji Hyun, and Hong Jong Hyun to name a few. Much like with the previously listed White Christmas, it’s fun to watch the adult actors we enjoy in their fresh-faced youth stage. The drama itself seems to be somewhat polarizing, but that is pretty common throughout dramaland. People love what they love and hate what they hate. If you love historical Kdramas and are looking to watch something action-packed in that genre, this looks like a good bet.
Take the #12for12Challenge!
If you’re interested in participating in the 12 for 12 Challenge, you can download the templates for the challenge from the Certified Noonas website. But don’t feel that you have to use the templates. You can choose all your dramas ahead of time like I did, or just fill them in as you go. If you want some more drama ideas, come join the Certified Noonas’ discord or check out their YouTube channel or other socials.
Another great way to get drama suggestions from other fans is to come join us at the #KdramaChat we hold on Twitter on the first Monday of every month. Come hang out and meet other Kdrama fans as we chat about what we’re currently watching and some of our past favourites. It’s always a fun time!
