Korean Dramas 101

I have a major obsession with Korean dramas right now. I guess you could say, when I fall, I fall hard. While I'm still a rookie, I've watched a good handful in a short amount of time and here's what I've learned so far:

Koreans Love Drinking

In K-dramas, people are always drinking--especially beer or soju. I guess when I think about all my Asian friends, the best drinkers are the Koreans. They also don't get Asian glow like the rest of us, so I guess they can drink that much.

Food is at the Center of Asian Cultures

I feel like in Korean dramas, people are always eating, and actually eating. There's always food and that's just Asian culture. I get really hungry watching these series. There's lots of fried chicken, ramen, even all the Korean side dishes get me hungry for some K-BBQ, and in one series, one of the characters owns a corn dog stand so I finally got my fill of K-dogs. I've noticed a lot of Subway sponsorship, too, which  I find interesting.

Koreans are Well-Mannered

Based on the series I've seen, it seems to me that Koreans are very well-mannered. Even my mom mentioned that to me, and I think it's because they bow a lot more than we do. Watching Korean dramas has really made me appreciate the manners and values I was raised with, particularly respect for others (especially elders). 

Modesty Matters

You won't see sex scenes or even overtly passionate kissing in these dramas. At least of the dramas I've watched so far, you rarely even see unmarried couples sleeping over at each other's homes. And it's not done in a way that feels out of touch with reality...not like Lucy and Ricky sleeping in separate beds because you just can't show a man and woman in bed together. Modesty matters in Asian cultures and what these K-dramas accomplish is simply great storytelling without gratuitous scenes. They'll talk about sex or reference it, or it's inferred, but it's not explicit. So, they don't feel out of touch with reality either.

Not Your Typical Hollywood Formula

I think one thing I enjoy about these dramas is that they don't follow your typical Hollywood format and don't always have the "happy ending" that's expected. I've found myself oft wondering how a series will end, and even if not a "perfect happily ever after," I'm usually satisfied with the ending. I hate endings that leave me disappointed or confused.

They're Like One Long Movie

Korean dramas are basically one super long movie. Of the ones I've watched so far, they've all been 16 episodes with each episode between an 1 hour and 1.5 hours long per episode. If you watch one that's heavier on the drama, or is a little slower, it can take a few episodes to hook you. But if you watch one like CLOY, you will not want to turn the TV off and may find yourself up until ridiculous hours watching it.

​Have you or are you watching Korean dramas? What do you love about them?