Here's Why I Love K-Dramas

Let me be the first to admit that I used to hate the mere thought of Korean dramas. I have been heavily into Netflix for the longest time, but I never, EVER thought of giving Korean dramas a try. This is mostly because I associated it with my late grandmother, who spent all day talking about her favorite K-dramas; but also because the entire Korean 'look' never appealed to me. I was one of those people who would roll her eyes when she'd see a K-drama meme or snicker internally whenever a friend would swoon over an 'oppa'.

Today, I live in a room filled with K-drama paraphernalia. From my lamps to my stuffed toys to my skincare, my life has turned completely around... AND I HAVE NO REGRETS.

I got thrown into the world of K-drama completely by force. I was at my ex boyfriend's house when he asked me what I wanted to watch. I'm pretty sure I wanted to catch up on something cool, like 'Altered Carbon'; but he brought up Korean dramas, after which I rolled my eyes the Anj way and - as 'politely' as my resting bitch face could - I replied "Pass." He turned one on anyway, completely dismissing how I felt, and we proceeded to watch 'Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo'. This is probably the only good thing that guy has done for me. :p

Despite not having a crush on any of the characters or even relating to anyone in the show, I found myself hooked. So hooked, in fact, that I requested to go to a Korean grocery store the following day to look for the sausages that Kim Bok-joo was always munching on in the show. I finished the show in two days.

After that, and without admitting it to my then-boyfriend, I watched 'What's Wrong with Secretary Kim?' in secret at home. That's when I discovered Park Seo-joon, and my world has never been the same since. Caramel candies and sausage snacks suddenly became a part of my arsenal. I have the 'Hardworking Cow' and 'Good Job' stuffed toys on my bed. And the obsession has escalated even more since then. I was a closet K-drama fanatic for the longest time because I felt bad for how I reacted to my K-drama fan friends back in the day; but now I wave that Hallyu flag loud and proud.

There are various reasons why I love K-dramas, in general. Let me list them down here:

Here's Why I Love K-Dramas

The men are attractive for some reason.

Korean men were NEVER my cup of tea. In fact, whenever I start watching a K-drama, I NEVER find any of the men in it attractive right off the bat. However, the more I watch a show, the more I find myself drawn to someone in it - and then I start crushing on them like crazy. I guess this just goes to show that I've never been the type to fall for someone because of how hot they are. Most of the time, I find myself drawn to a character because he kicks major ass, plays a certain instrument, or acts a certain way.

And despite oppas not being "manly" men, them being a gentleman in these shows (despite being tampururot or arrogant sometimes) always wins them bonus points. I think this might also be because they remind me so much of the Disney princes of my childhood (which I only realized after seeing Lee Min-ho sitting atop a white horse in 'The King: Eternal Monarch' yesterday). 

They make me kilig.

If you know me at all, you'll know I am NOT a fan of cheesy shit. I hate rom-coms. I hate anything cheesy. And it takes a lot to make me kilig. I find myself warming up to K-drama characters the more I watch them, though, and then I find myself grinning like an idiot at the screen, giggling like a school girl, screaming in annoyance of how kilig I am getting, and even slapping whoever is near me.

They build up their characters incredibly well.

From the lead characters to the supporting characters, you can count on Korean dramas to deliver characters with full personalities and intricate back stories that will make you connect with them on a deeper level. Even supporting characters get a good enough backstory for you to care when something happens to them. In fact, I find myself caring about the supporting characters more than the leads sometimes (cases in point: 'Crash Landing on You' and 'Descendants of the Sun').

They are relatable.

Regardless of which K-drama you decide to watch, you will come to find that there are characters in it that are relatable on some level. From the masungit leading man who is actually a softie deep inside to the leading lady who feels ugly or invisible because she doesn't know her worth, there is always someone you will be able to relate to on some level. And they always pepper in quotable quotes that will make you feel understood, too.

There are deeper underlying themes.

As mababaw as K-dramas might seem in the eyes of those who have never watched them, there are many K-dramas with deeper underlying themes. 'What's Wrong with Secretary Kim?' and 'I am Not a Robot' deal with trauma and its effects, for example, while 'The Third Charm' deals with loss and reminds us not to judge others because we never know what they're going through behind the scenes.

They have introduced me to a new culture.

Although I have lived all over the world all of my life, Asia remains one of the continents that I have yet to explore fully. Thanks to K-dramas, I have been introduced to another new culture - one that I have completely and madly fallen in love with. I love everything about Korea: the food, the scenery, the language, the people, the music, the alcohol... I find myself wanting to keep going back and exploring the country more, and I have even taken it upon myself to try and learn hangul.

There is always something new.

It doesn't matter what kind of genre you are in the mood for, Koreans will have something for you to watch. Love zombies? Watch 'Kingdom'. Looking for something more action packed? Check out 'Healer' or 'Vagabond'. They also have period pieces, fantasy shows, and sci-fi shows. Just take your pick. The best part is that they constantly release new shows, so you'll always have something new to look forward to watching as time goes by.

They make me want to fall in love again.

AWEWWWWW. Hahaha. But it's true. I don't remember the last time I was in love... like REALLY in love. But watching K-dramas kinda makes me want to believe in love again. I won't expound na coz I'm shy. :p

They make my mind and heart happy.

The most important reason of all is that K-dramas have done wonders for my mental health. When I'm having a bad day, watching an episode instantly perks up my mood. Losing myself in a good K-drama for hours on end without thinking of anything else somehow makes everything else better and while I cannot promise the same results for everyone else, I do encourage you to at least give it a try.

Are you a K-drama fanatic, as well, or are you like past-Anj who hates the thought of it? :p