Korean television.
Right now your eyebrows are probably raised up into your hairline as you try to understand that.
I am addicted to Korean dramas, and it has been as surprising to me as to everyone else who knows me.
No, I'm not Korean. I'm not Asian of any kind. I don't speak Korean. I don't even have any Korean friends. Up until about four months ago, my sole exposure to Korea was summed up by serving kimchi in the cafeteria at college.
It all started when Netflix recommended a show for me with 5 stars. Nothing ever gets recommended with 5 stars. For me, anyway. I read the synopsis and was intrigued by the storyline. Captain Awesome happened to be out for the evening so I knew he wouldn't be offended by any cheesy girly-ness. So I started the first episode.
(Looking back, I don't even think I realized the show was Korean or subtitled until it started. Not that either of those things would have stopped me.)
I was hooked within minutes.
It started with curiosity about how the storyline would play out, but quickly became about the characters. The main girl was so sweet and pretty, I couldn't look away. Actually, all the characters were pretty, girls and boys. But what really held my attention was the love story that started growing quickly.
Image courtesy of www.dramanut.com
This is the cover picture for the drama, "You are Beautiful," my first Korean drama and the beginning of my obsession. While it is almost embarrassingly cheesy and the acting is terrible, this drama was where I got started, and there are elements of it that are just about perfect. One moment I was cringing at the ridiculousness of the writing, and the next I was fighting back tears at the sweetness of a portrayal of genuine unconditional love. Like I said before, it was a surprise.
And that's basically why I love Korean dramas. It's all about the love stories. They tend to be really sweet and intense. There are tons of cheesy moments, including plenty that make me roll my eyes or blush in embarrassment. But then there will also be the sweetest, most poignant scenes. I've laughed, cried, gotten angry, shouted at my computer screen, and completely fallen in love with the genre.
I have a feeling that there will be many other posts about Korean dramas in the future. I can't wait to share my favorites! Until then, I will try to not be quite so silent...
