To celebrate its 20th anniversary, JoyNews24 conducted a survey asking 200 industry insiders to weigh in on 2024’s best dramas, variety shows, films, and top performers. Two dramas emerged as fan favorites, each capturing 60 votes to tie for “Best Drama of the Year.”
tvN’s Lovely Runner became a surprise hit, launching Byeon Woo Seok to stardom and inspiring a dedicated fanbase. The time-travel romance follows Lim Sol (Kim Hye Yoon) as she goes back to 2008 to save her idol, Ryu Seon Jae (Byeon Woo Seok). Though its top ratings peaked modestly at 5.8% (Nielsen Korea), the show’s social media traction was explosive, with endless reels and shorts flooding platforms even after its finale. Byeon’s star power soared, while Kim Hye Yoon also captured audiences’ hearts in the role.
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While Lovely Runner was an unexpected phenomenon, Queen of Tears was a sure bet from the start, pairing top stars Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won with renowned writer Park Ji Eun, known for hits like My Love from the Star and Crash Landing on You. The show broke 13% viewership by its fourth episode, climbing to a record 24.9% for its finale—the highest ever for the network.
Another major success of late 2024 was SBS’s Good Partner, which earned 17.7% viewership and garnered 19 votes in the poll. Featuring Jang Na Ra, Nam Ji Hyun, and more, the legal drama was written by a 13-year veteran divorce attorney, Choi Yoo Na, and stood out by providing insightful “divorce done right” solutions rather than indulging in sensationalism—a fresh take for the genre.
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SBS’s Connection, starring Ji Sung in his first role in two years, and Netflix’s The Whirlwind, led by Kim Hee Ae and Sul Kyung Gu, shared the fourth spot, each receiving 8 votes.
Other notable titles in the poll included Black Out and Korea–Khitan War, with 7 votes each. Rounding out the list were Pachinko 2, The Frog, The Judge from Hell, A Killer Paradox, No Gain No Love, The 8 Show, No Way Out: The Roulette, Pyramid Game, Bitter Sweet Hell, and Love Next Door.
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