Content warning: this article may contain spoilers.
It’s time to bid farewell to 2024! Another great year for television, from rom-coms to thrillers to drama, there have been stories that kept us on the edge of our seats, bursting out laughing and/or crying, and left us waiting for the next chapter.
Before stepping into a new year, here is me looking back at some of my favorite shows of this year:
1. Gyeongseong Creature – Season 1 & 2
Note: Season one was split into part one (December 2023) and part two (January 2024).
Set in Gyeongseong (present Seoul) under colonial rule in 1945, Yoon Chae-ok’s (Han So-hee) search for her missing mother leads her to Jang Tae-sang (Park Seo-joon), an affluent pawnshop owner and informant. As they team up, they go up against a vicious creature created in the underground of a hospital.
Focusing on worldbuilding and character development, season one goes off to a slow start. The pace though speeds up in the second half as the events and twists start to unfold. Season one ends on a bittersweet note, but not without a cliffhanger and an end credit that fast forwards to the year 2024, setting up the next season. Season two, on the contrary, hardly leaves any breather, and looks like a different show: this one was shorter, darker and action-packed.Â
The chemistry between Chae-ok and Tae-sang was one of the highlights. Although built in a haste and their romance doesn’t get much focus due to circumstances constantly keeping them apart, the love story retains its sincerity as it becomes their driving force.
Season two again doesn’t end all happily. There is another cliffhanger that teases a bigger disaster – please, please, please, make season three. Now on Netflix.
2. Nobody Wants This – Season 1
Joanne (Kristen Bell) is a skeptic, Noah (Adam Broody) is a believer. She is a dating podcaster; he is a rabbi. They are opposites and yet are attracted to each other. They begin a relationship that soon faces hurdles as their different lives clash, making their future uncertain.
The series shows relationships and individual growth in a mature approach. Joanne constantly has second thoughts about being in a serious relationship, and she has her reasons for that. However, seeing Noah’s perspective makes her reflect upon her own viewpoints and pushes her to change that. Noah, understanding this, gives Joanne the space she wants. As disagreements happen, both acknowledge and communicate their own insecurities for a resolution, which makes it more grounded. Â
As a rom-com, there are many laugh-out moments throughout, especially in the scenes with their families, who aren’t all ecstatic about their union. It remains to be seen what’s in store for them as the season ends with a big decision taken by both Joanne and Noah. Now on Netflix.
3. Marry My Husband
When a terminally ill Kang Ji-won (Park Min-young) discovers an affair between her husband and best friend, she gets killed. She is then transported back in time, giving her a second chance to amend her fate and seek revenge.
Binge watching this show was a very good idea, because I was captivated from the first episode. The best part was in fact Ji-won, as she transforms from a pushover to a headstrong person determined to defeat a despicable Jeong Su-min (Song Ha-yoon). She often looks back at her initial past to see what could’ve been otherwise and better, which helps her to be calculative in her every move. It seems to work for her. But when other characters join, secrets begin to unravel, which further complicates Ji-won’s plans with an unexpected turn of events.
There is a good blend of comedy and romance as well. For the most part, the love story avoids overshadowing Ji-won’s main goal, but still has its finest moments. Ji-won had me always rooting for her as her story came to a satisfying conclusion. Now on Amazon Prime.
4. One Day
Narrated over 20 years, Emma (Ambika Mod) and Dexter (Leo Woodall) first meet at their graduation. Instead of pursuing a relationship, they become best friends as they go their separate ways.
Emma and Dexter are flawed and different: Dexter has no practical steady life goal while Emma does. But opportunities and decisions bring them into a position they hadn’t anticipated. Starting off as immature young adults, they grow as they learn from the difficulties thrown at them. What keeps them going is their long-distance friendship, and it’s hard to see their imperfections when they are together.Â
The series is an adaptation of the novel, so I initially already knew about the tragic ending. But still, having to go through that was tough. Despite Dexter’s faults, having to see his world constantly fall apart just when the sun seems to look brighter for him, especially in the end, was heart-wrenching.Â
One Day is about two people trying to figure themselves out while heavily relying on each other, and the beauty of it lies in its simple storytelling. Now on Netflix.
5. AlRawabi School for Girls – Season 2
New school year, new students, new problems. Sarah (Tara Abboud) is a persona non grata who strives for recognition. When she finally becomes a social media sensation, she gets warped in the pursuit of levelling up with Tasneem (Sarah Yousef), the most popular girl at school. But soon, Sarah starts to realize the detrimental effects of social media when she lands in hot water.
While season one deals with bullying, corruption and family honor, season two puts the spotlight on the youth’s obsession with social media and the social media paradox. The topic of mental health is also explored with Tasneem’s character, which further shows the external and internal pressures faced by them to keep up a certain appearance that is just a mirage.
I was waiting to see the aftermath to the horrific ending of the first season. It is made clear in this season that the community hadn’t quite recovered from the previous events, which were a wakeup call for reforms within the prestigious school. The characters from season one have a short reunion to mourn a personal loss before bringing their story to a supposed end.Â
Unfortunately, the school is struck with another tragedy at the end of this season, leaving me to wonder if it was indeed necessary this time. Now on Netflix.
Honourable mention: Culinary Class Wars – Season 1
In this Korean reality cooking show, 100 chefs split into two teams between the veterans and newcomers specializing in local and foreign cuisines compete to win the prize money and gain the position of being the best.
Little story: I started watching this show while preparing this article. Not on my watchlist, I had it playing in the background, until it caught my attention halfway through the first episode.Â
The 12 episode battle starting off with 100 chefs coming down to one winner, had me intrigued. As it went forward, the challenges intensified, with some requiring chefs to prepare multiple dishes nonstop in a short period of time.Â
It was an entertaining watch that had me pressing the “Next Episode” button each time until I finished it way before I expected to. Now on Netflix.
So many shows to watch, but not enough time. Although there is some catching up to do, I am excited to see what 2025 has in the pipeline.