Hallyu gave viewers a slew of entertaining series this year and with that 5 notable K-dramas were nominated for the 2022 APAN Star Awards Best Drama of the Year.
Hosted by Girls' Generation Yuri and Jung Il Woo, the annual ceremony will take place at the Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX) in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province on September 29.
From the star-studded cast, to fan favorites and those that reached global fame, these K-dramas delivered intense popularity but only one will be declared the winner.
Here are the 5 remarkably strong K-dramas nominated for the Best Drama 2022 APAN Star Awards.
'Squid Game'
Netflix named "Squid Game" as the streaming giant's "biggest-ever series launched" following its global fame after making its worldwide premiere in September 2021.
For months, the 9-part-episode series dominated Netflix's top 10 most watched movies, ranking first place in several countries.
READ MORE: Emmys Nominations 2022: 'Squid Game' Makes History After Scoring Multiple Nods
A year after it was released and scored several recognitions both local and international, "Squid Game" is among the five contenders and one of the strong competitors at the 2022 APAN Star Awards' Best Drama of the Year.
'The Red Sleeve Cuff'
Starring 2PM's Lee Junho and Lee Se Young, the duo captivated millions of hearts after landing the lead role in "The Red Sleeve Cuff."
At the time of its broadcast, the MBC historical K-drama had a perfect streak at the top spot in Most Buzzworthy Drama and Actor rankings.
On top of it, "The Red Sleeve Cuff" wraps up the season with double-digit ratings after garnering average nationwide viewership ratings of 17.4 percent respectively.
In an interview, following the success of the historical K-drama, director Jung Ji In mentioned that she "did expect a certain amount of positive reactions" but "didn't expect this much love and support from everyone."
'Our Blues'
The first part of 2022 opened with a notable healing K-drama featuring the star-studded cast of "Our Blues."
The omnibus-style K-drama follows the story of people living in the countryside of Jeju island which stars Lee Byung Hoon, Shin Min Ah, Han Ji Min, Lee Jung Eun, Cha Seung Won and the comeback of Kim Woo Bin to the small screen.
Besides the stunning cast lineup, "Our Blues" gave viewers a sense of hope and an element of lightness with its feel-good vibe.
'My Liberation Notes'
The fourth nominee for the 2022 APAN Star Awards' Best Drama of the Year is none other than "My Liberation Notes."
Despite starting off with low ratings, viewers were drawn to the unique story and the mesmerizing chemistry between the "worship couple" featuring Son Seok Koo and Kim Ji Won.
Besides the duo, "My Liberation Notes" also showcases the impressive performance of Lee El and Lee Min Ki as they play Kim Ji Won's siblings.
'Extraordinary Attorney Woo'
Without a doubt, the hit ENA series "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" deserves a spot at the 2022 APAN Star Awards nominees for Best Drama of the Year.
The rom-com series' popularity reached domestic and international grounds fans are drawn to the synergy of the cast, especially lead stars Park Eun Bin, Kang Tae Oh, and Kang Ki Young.
It is safe to say that "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" is one of the strong competitors for the ceremony's Best Drama of the Year category.
