The world of Korean dramas is a vast and diverse one, but what they all have in common are the stories that keep us hooked. From heart-wrenching tears to deep belly laughs, these shows create worlds we can’t help but get lost in. But why do we love them so much? Let’s find out!
1) The Characters
There’s always an interesting character who faces his or her own unique trials and tribulations while learning about themselves along the way. Whether it’s a spunky school girl with crushes on boys or an ambitious woman struggling to make ends meet as a single mother, there’s someone for everyone to relate to. And you’ll never catch ’em giving up easily! In some cases, you need to look past the crying which can get a bit old after a while, but not all dramas are the same.
2) The Pacing
It’s not always about dramatic scenes; sometimes it’s all about what the characters are saying. And they do say a lot of things worth making a note of. The way these K-dramas address some of the most common themes when it comes to human life is different from how western cultures perceive these things.
But back to the pacing. The idea is that whether a series is filled with dramatic scenes, action-packed, or more talking and lamenting, they always have a hook coming up that will grab your attention. They’ll keep you guessing until the very end with unexpected twists and turns!
3) The Plot
From melodramatic love triangles to comedic misunderstandings, these stories never fail to engage us and give us something to talk about. We can’t wait to find out what will happen next! It should be mentioned that this is mostly the case, but there have been a few dramas that were a tad too boring, but the chances that you will encounter some of them are pretty slim. The plots are mostly well constructed and most often than not do not fail to entertain us and maintain our attention.
4) The Music
Whether it’s a soundtrack from the drama itself or added in as background filler, Korean music is simply beautiful. We can’t help but get up and dance along to the catchy tunes or have a good cry to the more emotional ballads. A word of advice though, some songs will get repeated pretty often which can be a bit much.
5) The Heartbreak
Even with the happy endings, there are plenty of things that can go wrong along the way and leave you crying in despair (or at least wiping away a tear or two). We love how these shows make us feel and how they manage to get you right in the feels! However, if that sort of thing is not your cup of tea, do not worry because there are various genres including action and thriller to enjoy.
6) The Reality
From actual Korean culture to realistic social issues, it’s always interesting to find out more about a country. And of course, we get to see plenty of the beauty of it in these drama series. There’s just something about beautiful cities and everyday life that will never get old and always get us dreaming of another life. However, many series often show the struggles and social issues that are unfortunately quite common in Korea, but also how these issues changed or evolved through time. Caution is advised as after all, the series are just that – TV series and certain elements might be inspired by reality, but they do not necessarily depict true events as they happened.
7) The Witty Dialogue
They’ll have you laughing out loud with some of the things these characters say! The subtle jokes might not always translate directly into English (or they’re just not that funny), but it is fun to try and understand what they mean as you watch along! The remarks and banter are pretty great in some dramas more than others, but it is entertaining nonetheless.
8) The Love
From tender puppy love to steamy romance, these shows are full of cute couples who will find a cozy place in your heart.
Another interesting aspect regarding love is that most people who end up together actually have a deep connection since before they were introduced on the show. Some knew each other since childhood even if they do not recall or even before that if you can believe it! It seems to be a bit of a trend. I wonder whether that is how it goes in real life. Probably not! At least I hope so as otherwise you pretty much lucked out if you have not meant the love of your life while in diapers.
9) The Melodrama
And here we have a very special element that tends to be present in most if not all. It might sound like a bad thing, but this is actually what makes these dramas feel more real and relatable even if they happen to take place in a fictional world. There’s no denying the popularity of the infamous Kdrama sob scenes as the actors and actresses will tug at our heartstrings with their well-executed tears. They can be over the top as sometimes, there are too many of them, but they manage to make us cheer on our favorite couple.
10) The Cuteness
Even with all their strength, these characters are often very adorable when it comes to their significant others. They’ll be affectionate in the most ridiculous ways, but they just can’t help themselves! However, this is another element that makes us go crazy for these lead actors and actresses aka the cute factor which takes our already deep love for them to the next level.
11) The Fashion
From gorgeous wedding dresses to well-chosen corporate suits, you can see just how fashionable Korea is! Whether it’s big cities or small towns, characters are always looking their best with trendy outfits and accessories that may very well be worth more than our first car. We can only dream of looking half as good as they do.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are more than enough good reasons why we love Korean dramas. They make us laugh, they make us cry (most of the time), and they give us all the feels! Truly, there’s something for everyone in the world of Korean dramas. If you’re not already a fan then it’s time you found out what all the hype is about! Give a series a chance and see what might happen!
Not sure where to start?
If you are not sure where to start, we recommend you check out our list of the best office romance Korean dramas out there.
What do you like about k-dramas?
*This article is not sponsored. This article contains affiliate links which means that Cafebiblioart might receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make any purchases by clicking the links included in this article. Thank you for your support. It is you that keep us going.