6 things Korean dramas can teach us
For quite a while now I have been enjoying watching Korean dramas on Netflix. Some of the things I like about them are that they usually have great acting, solid story lines and great characters. Here are five things Korean dramas teach us.
There is always good in the world
Even in the gritty K-dramas about corruption and crime - there are always characters who do the right thing despite the circumstances. There are also often people who despite not having any connection with a character may help the character out. I love this ‘there is good in the world’ reminder in K-dramas.
2. Things don’t always end up as we expect
Many K-dramas don’t end up how I expect - maybe I’ve seen too many Hollywood endings. While I won’t spoil anyone watching, dramas like Crash Landing on You, don’t have the endings I would have predicted. Another thing I notice in K dramas is that sometimes where there is a choice where the woman could follow the man and lose her dreams -she doesn’t! The couple find a way, even if it means delaying their plans.
3. Getting what you want can be challenging
While most good stories have the hero’s journey, e.g. the hero faces challenges and then prevails, many K-dramas have a good reminder that getting what we want can be difficult. Characters need to be brave and open; confusion can prevail, and it can take a couple of attempts. That’s like life really - things aren’t always easy, sometimes we need to pick ourselves up and try again.
6 things Korean dramas can teach us about life. www.betterlifetemplates.com. Picture: Netflix.
4. Having good friends is important
Maybe I haven’t taken much notice but in most Korean-dramas (K-dramas) except where a character is a bit of a lone wolf, there is always a best friend listening over soju to the woes of the main character and cheering them on. Often the friend is a little quirky themselves. Its a reminder that life is best shared.
5. Everything is better with food and drink
Many K-dramas include characters catching up over food and drink. Some characters who are going through a hard time might have a little too much soju and pour their heart out (or be a bit drunk). It seems like the traditional meals all have lots of side dishes and food is a way of caring for a person e.g. the mother or grandmother doting over the person with food they have made.
Koreans consider food as medicine as well as nutrition. Meals are meant to be shared with others - which is probably why we see it so much in K dramas.
It reminds us that sometimes having a good meal with friends or family can make us feel better or encourage us or help us talk out what is on our minds.
6. Uniqueness is to be valued
Many K-dramas feature people who are quite unique. For example, Attorney Woo has autism, and Prosecutor Hwang in Stranger had surgery which makes him less empathetic than others. The dramas show that being different can be a strength. They don’t hide the characters traits but show how they can make the person’s uniqueness can be a value.
My recommendations for K-dramas
If you haven’t already watched some K-dramas, I highly recommend them. Some are dubbed while others are subtitles. I tend to prefer to read subtitles are there is something strong about the way characters express themselves in K-dramas. My top recommendations if you want a K-drama that will make you laugh would have to be Extraordinary Attorney Woo, crash landing on you, Crash Course in Romance, and King the Land. Happy watching!
