I'm a Korean Drama Junkie.
How it all started:
A coworker and I were talking about how we tend to binge watch shows on Netflix. She told me that her daughter found a show called "You're Beautiful," a Korean Drama. It's in Korean, naturally, but does have subtitles in English. She said it was really good and suggested I watch it.
After completing a Doctor Who marathon, I popped on You're Beautiful and watched 4 episodes straight through. I COULD NOT TURN IT OFF. It's the story of a girl posing as a boy in a boy band. Desperate to not get caught. the scenarios, acting, OVER acting, and facial expressions are simply hysterical. I was hooked in one night.
The beginning of an obsession:
I fell in love with the characters, the story, the love triangles, the fun, and the drama of You're Beautiful. When the series ended, after 16 one hour long episodes, I found myself missing them and wanting for more. I wanted to see the second male lead find love. I wanted to see more. Just... More. I hit the web to feed my obsession. I read actor bios. I read fan websites. Then I found it... The female lead and the second male lead in a DIFFERENT Korean drama together. This time, the second male lead was the first male lead. HE WAS GOING TO GET THE GIRL! I queued it up on Netflix and binged a new Kdrama, Heartstrings.
From Kdrama to Kpop:
I'm not going to lie, I developed a creepy kind of crush on Jung Yong-Hwa, the male lead. Ahhhh.... He's an excellent actor with an excellent pout. Both Kdramas were music based and I fell in love with the music from them. As a stalked Jung Yong-Hwa online, I learned that he was the lead in a band called CN Blue. My next natural progression was to follow his music! A new obsession was born.
From CN Blue, I found FT Island - featuring Lee Hong Ki, also from You're Beautiful. I began following his band, as well. I've fallen in love with many Kpop songs, but my favorite is Pray by FT Island. It's an amazing song and I love that there are no lines drawn in Kpop as there are here in the USA. This song has distinct Christian themes but the band is not exclusively Christian. I never quite understood why here in the USA there needs to be a line drawn. Why can't a band do both Christian and secular tunes? This song simply rocks. Give it a chance, OK?
Here are the lyrics, translated to English:
All the lies that whispered in a different reality
The truth disappears and gets trapped in darkness
My shouts get smaller in this powerless reality
They're just meaningless things in this world of lies
See you now? See me now? I'm broken in my faith.
Oh please God hear me? I can't do anything.
Oh please God tell me! In this frozen world
Oh please God hear me? But the day I shout out
So I won't lose my way...
I'll Pray. I'll Pray. I'll Pray...
I'll pray for you.
This path repeats again in this fight that can't be won
Even when I go against it, only my scars grow
When I open my eyes, the results are already in
I'm getting used to it, but it's all meaningless
See you now? See me now? I'm broken in my faith.
Oh please God hear me? I can't do anything.
Oh please God tell me! In this frozen world
Oh please God hear me? But the day I shout out
So I won't lose my way...
Oh please God help me
Look at me, I'm here alone
Oh please God help me
Only with cold tears
Oh please God hear me? I can't do anything.
Oh please God tell me! In this frozen world
Oh please God hear me? But the day I shout out
So I won't lose my way...
I'll Pray. I'll Pray. I'll Pray...
(My shouts get smaller in this powerless reality
They're just meaningless things in this world of lies)
I'll pray for you.
I'll Pray. I'll Pray. I'll Pray...
(When I open my eyes, the results are already in
I'm getting used to it but it's all meaningless)
I'll pray for you.
For the love of a culture:
I suppose that the next logical progression is for me to fall in love with the culture. Things are so different in Korea. There is a respect for elders that is reflected in attitude and speech. There is a formal language used with strangers, elders, and to show respect, as well as an informal speech used with someone of the same age or younger, and friends. The food is different. I'm fascinated with traditions and history. I want to learn the language. I've purchased ingredients to cook authentic Korean dishes. I just bought my first bottle of Soju, which, by the way, they seem to drink ALL the time in Korean dramas. It's like a rice vodka, from what I understand. I'm waiting for the weekend to try it!
What's the Point?
So, why did I decide to blog on this? Because I want you to try it out. Watch You're Beautiful. Get hooked. I'm watching it again for the 8th time right now, BINGE! Fall in love with a new culture. I have gotten my sister hooked on the dramas and I convinced my hubby to watch one with me. They really are fantastic.
And in case you need the eye candy reasons to watch, here are a few of my favorites:
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