'Mojamusssa' · 'Judge Lee Han-young' · 'Miss Hong' .. TV Dramas Selected by AI for Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals [First Half-Year Review ⑥]

*This content was translated by AI.

• [2026 ★ First Half-Year Review]

In the first half of 2026, numerous dramas won viewers' affection on TV, including MBC's 'Judge Lee Han-young' and '50%', SBS's 'Model Taxi 3', 'A Wonderful World', 'Manager Kim', tvN's 'Undercover Miss Hong', 'Secret Gratitude', 'The Legend of the Army Cook', ENA's 'Honor: Their Court', 'Climax', 'Scarecrow', and JTBC's 'Efficient Meeting of Single Men and Women', 'Everyone Fights Their Own Worthlessness', and 'New Employee Kang (Chairman)'.

Key factors driving drama popularity include ratings, artistic quality, and buzz. In this first half-year review, AI selected three works that received the most positive public evaluation, awarding them gold, silver, and bronze medals. (Data reference: Google Gemini)

Three works that earned high praise as 'well-made' from critics and viewers alike for their solid production quality and profound direction made it onto the ranking.

"A masterpiece by writer Park Hae-young that delicately comforts the deepest human emotions"

'Mojamusssa' (script by Park Hae-young, directed by Cha Young-hoon) stood out for its unique dialogue and message, as well as a fresh cast combination. Writer Park Hae-young, known for penning 'My Mister', showcased her signature deep insight into the human inner world, portraying the universal modern-day complex of 'envy, jealousy, and feelings of worthlessness among successful people' in an extremely realistic yet warm manner.

The performances of Gu Kyo-hwan as a perennial aspiring director who has never been promoted in 20 years and Ko Yoon-jung as a movie studio PD under extreme pressure left a lasting impression. 'Mojamusssa' was evaluated as a work where the perfect synergy of director Cha Young-hoon's direction (who previously presented 'When Camellias Bloom'), writer Park Hae-young's script, and the actors' performances came together flawlessly.

'Mojamusssa' honestly and calmly expressed the emotions that modern people wish to hide, while the explosive emotional arcs of Gu Kyo-hwan and Ko Yoon-jung created a synergy effect, earning praise as "a healing drama that makes you reflect on life."

'Mojamusssa' achieved a peak viewership rating of 5.3%.

"A well-made genre work that cleverly and solidly realizes the thrill of web novels"

'Judge Lee Han-young' (script by Kim Kwang-min, directed by Lee Jae-jin) captivated viewers with a tense acting showdown between Ji Sung and Park Hee-soon. The intense brain battle between Lee Han-young (played by Ji Sung), who returns to 10 years ago from a corrupt judge to punish evil, and Kang Shin-jin (played by Park Hee-soon), a giant evil within the judiciary, pushed the drama's immersion to the highest level.

This drama was hailed as a 'model case for adapting web novels into dramas' because it maintained the fast pace typical of return-type web novels while not missing the weighty messages and details of a courtroom drama.

'Judge Lee Han-young' was a well-made courtroom thriller that upheld the pride of terrestrial genre dramas in the first half of the year. It vividly depicted Judge Lee Han-young's fierce struggle against immense power and a cartel within the judiciary, delivering a thrilling catharsis to viewers. The story, which could have easily become heavy, was engagingly presented through a tightly woven script and clever editing, while raising weighty social issues in each episode. It was evaluated as a masterpiece that secured both ratings and artistic quality.

'Judge Lee Han-young' achieved a peak viewership rating of 13.6%.

"A cheerful retro office comedy that evokes nostalgia for the 1990s"

'Undercover Miss Hong' (script by Moon Hyun-kyung, directed by Park Sun-ho and Na Ji-hyun) approached viewers in a unique way with its charming characters and retro sensibility. Set in late 1990s Yeouido, the premise of a 30-something elite securities regulator going undercover as a 20-year-old low-level employee was fresh. Shin Hye-sun's playful comedic acting and her chemistry with Ko Kyung-pyo as a former lover drove the drama cheerfully.

This drama received acclaim for its perfect historical accuracy and mise-en-scène (visual direction) that seemed to faithfully recreate the end-of-the-century sensibility of the 1990s. It delicately captured the joys and sorrows of office workers just before the IMF crisis and the atmospheric air of the era, earning praise as "a masterpiece that is both funny and touching." In particular, Shin Hye-sun's transformation in acting, leading the drama with her playful style, drew significant attention.

'Undercover Miss Hong' achieved a peak viewership rating of 13.1%.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.