At They Don’t Kiss Until Episode 16, I rate all drama on a five-point scale out of five categories.

The ratings are as follows:

Romance dramas 🧀 🧀 🧀 🧀 🧀

Romances and romantic comedies are rated out of five cheeses because, you know, sometimes they can be cheesy, but oh so delicious.

Classics, Thrillers, Dramas 🚛 🚛 🚛 🚛 🚛

Classics, thrillers, and suspense dramas are rated out of five Trucks of Doom (thanks, Reddit) because we all know a drama isn’t truly a drama unless someone is inexplicably standing in a crosswalk long enough to be hit by a box truck they absolutely could have avoided.

Everything Else 🍜 🍜 🍜 🍜 🍜

Comedies, hybrids, and uncategorizable chaos are rated out of five steaming hot bowls of ramen because it is not a K-drama if there is not a scene where someone is eating a pot of ramen.

How I Break Down a Drama

📖 PLOT & PACING: Is the story well-paced and coherent?
Are there major plot holes, unanswered questions, or moments where characters behave in ways that make no sense just to move the plot along?

A strong plot doesn’t have to be complicated; it just has to feel intentional.

🎭 ACTING: K-dramas feature an interesting mix of idol-turned-actors and formally trained veterans — and that contrast can be thrilling or disastrous.

I look at:

  • emotional range
  • chemistry
  • whether performances feel grounded or veer into overacting

(And yes, K-dramas have some of the best child actors out there.)

🧠 CHARACTERIZATION: Are characters dynamic or one-note? Do the motivations make sense? Do I root for the heroes, or find myself oddly invested in the villains?

The best dramas make every character feel human, even when they’re awful.

🔁 TROPES: I love tropes. That’s the whole point of the blog. I love the deep hugs the main lovers give each other, the desperate character begging on their knees and rubbing their hands together, and the plucky ingenue finding herself in a secret relationship with a stern, outwardly unappealing yet lovable, wealthy CEO.

Tropes can be comforting, transporting, or exhausting — depending on how thoughtfully they’re used.

🎶 OST: Some dramas live and die by their music. A great OST can haunt you long after the drama ends, anchor a scene forever in your memory, or simply heighten your emotions.

All in all, think of this rating system as a conversation starter rather than an official score. I’m no Siskel and Ebert, I’m just a girl with a computer who watches a lot of K-dramas.