The power of squee — defined as a word used to express great delight or excitement — cannot be denied in dramaland. While a drama can’t float for 16 episodes on squee alone (or can it?), a hefty dose of squee sure helps you get through some of the more sloggy bits of your drama. Mostly saved for those OTP moments that make you go, “Eeeee!” at a frequency only dogs can hear, what drama brought you the most squee this year?
Not to be confused with the famous Editors’ Picks, this bean series is much like our other DB team posts — each writer sharing their feels. We’ve chosen our Bean of Greatness and Bean of Disappointment, and now it’s time to add your choice for Bean of Squee in the comments, and join the Eeeeee!
missvictrix: While I considered choosing Perfect Marriage Revenge here (because Seo Do-gook), I think my maximum squee came from Destined With You. And you know, Rowoon. A silly role in a silly drama could have stayed just that, but there’s something about Rowoon as Jang Shin-yu that just exploded my heart. Kinda like he did with Sunbae, Don’t Put on That Lipstick and The King’s Affection. This guy is able to convince me of his undying adoration for the female lead in every single drama he’s in, and it never loses its authenticity. And for sure, watching Jang Shin-yu fall in love — and all the pretense and hypotheticals and conflicts we got during that journey — created all the squee for me. It’s kinda rude in a way. Dramaland pulls up a teenage fantasy (say, a super handsome and awesome hero is madly in love with you despite all objections and obstacles) and then creates a story around it to give it legs. Long legs.
mistyisles: I very nearly gave this one to Castaway Diva, but I think I need a Bean of Tears for that show, because it probably made me cry more than squee (and I mean that in the best of ways!). So instead, my Bean of Squee goes to Twinkling Watermelon! While I award this bean to the show as a whole, though, Ha Yi-chan honestly could have earned it all on his own. And if not on his own, then he earned it for his beautiful, earnest teenage romance with Chung-ah (“Magic Castle” in sign language, anyone?). I have mixed feelings about the time travel and the leading lady (character, not actress, to be clear), but overall I had a wonderful time watching this show — and, especially, watching its characters grow.
DaebakGrits: King the Land has earned my 2024 Bean of Squee because I honestly squeed non-stop throughout the whole dang thing. It was light, fluffy, and (mostly) devoid of the usual drama and misunderstandings that try to separate the OTP and prevent them from becoming a couple. From start to finish, it was a rom-com focused on our couple meeting and falling in love, and the fact that it didn’t deviate far from this genre is largely why I’m giving it my Bean of Squee. Plus, this drama had some top tier swoony moments. For starters: the kisses. Seriously, Sa-rang and Won’s first kiss was so hot that, if the sprinkler system wasn’t already dousing them with water, they’d have set that kitchen on fire! And the way he asked for consent! (*makes incoherent noises of approval*) But outside the obvious squee-inducing moments, there were a lot of subtle interactions that made this OTP one of my all time favorites, like all the little ways that they both showed affection and demonstrated that they supported each other’s dreams unconditionally. Their relationship was just so healthy and that alone is squee-worthy.
solstices: When a show’s title literally means “Flower Scholars’ Love Chronicles,” you know you’re in for a swoonworthy ride. The Secret Romantic Guesthouse had plenty of heart-fluttering moments to go around, from our OTP’s amusing bickering to our side couple’s heartfelt journey of forgiveness and healing. Shi-yeol certainly stole the show — and my heart, too — with his thoughtful sincerity and quiet selflessness! Beyond just romantic relationships, though, what truly made this show my drama catnip was its portrayal of love in all its forms. I cheered when Dan-oh courageously protected her inn and her loved ones; I giggled when the Ihwawon family bantered and joked at the dinner table; I gasped when our scholars showed up for one another time and time again, proving that they had one another’s backs even when circumstances threatened to tear them apart. This show was chock-full of heart, and it deserved every last squee I gave it.
Unit: Is it possible to give this bean to a character? Because Jang Shin-yu from Destined With You is my hands-down winner. I wish I could say it was the drama’s romance that made me squee, but it was all Jang Shin-yu. Cheesy Shin-yu, charismatic Shin-yu, conflicted Shin-yu, flirty Shin-yu, protective Shin-yu, petty Shin-yu, puppy-eyed Shin-yu…basically, all fifty shades of the recklessly in love character. From his exasperated self-admonishment: “Get a grip, Jang Shin-yu!” to his corny one-liners like: “Don’t make that face. My heart flutters,” I can’t fathom how the cringe and delivered-with-a-straight-face dialogue made me squee the way it did, but I couldn’t help being smitten. He was the one who drank the love potion, and I was the one who was enchanted. “My feet won’t move because I miss you.” No, my heart has refused to move on because I miss you, Shin-yu. What are you going to do about that? You know, the romance in itself wasn’t that bad. It was actually sweet, and the OTP gave me the 300 years of longing kiss that had me squee-ing into my blanket and forgiving all their past, present, and future transgressions. But when you place Shin-yu (who “died” to end noble idiocy) side by side with Hong-jo (who was always getting into some dumb trouble or the other), it’s clear at whose feet the bulk of the squee lies.
Dramaddictally: Bean of Squee? Is there a choice here? King the Land! Such a squee-worthy drama. From fan service to steam to the lead actor’s suits and smiles — I was stomping my feet and covering my mouth to conceal the high-pitched sounds that each episode provoked. Granted, anything Junho-adjacent probably has me reacting this way. But I loved that this drama was unabashedly old school with its tropes and didn’t try to hide its intentions. It was designed to be 16 doses of feel-good and I took the prescription without complaint (well, at least the first 12 doses), while the drama did its job and made me excited to return each week. To top it off, covering this drama was a blast. The amount of love in the comments (amidst abundant ill will for the show) was truly inspiring. The fact that so many Beanies had such fun following along is enough to make any writer squee.
alathe: Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim Season 3! Pass the bovie one last time, because this patient is experiencing dangerous levels of squee! There’s nothing more satisfying than sinking into a show and feeling like it’s greeting you with a warm hug. I relished every moment with Teacher Kim and his ragtag band of rule-breakers. Season 3 gave us ambitious plot twists, extending beyond the ivy-covered bounds of Doldam itself, but it also left room for some iconic moments with the characters we know and love. There was that silent, anxious surgery when the power went out! Eun-jae and Dong-joo facing off over rival treatment plans! Teacher Kim and Nurse Oh debating the nature of leadership during Doldam’s final hour! At this point, everything I know about medicine begins and ends with the word ‘hemoperitoneum’… but everything I learned about creating a lovable ensemble cast? Well, that’s all Doldam too!