@janey Thank you for the write up and sharing your thoughts!! Yours has been the most relatable in all the "Theme Of the Month" posts I've read so far in October =) The struggle(s) are so real!! Now that I've read this over and had time to think upon it, I realized that I am in the exact spot you are in, in terms of drama-watching and drama preferences/taste. It wasn't so much that fantasy genre dramas were my go-to ones before, but more like the lovey-dovey first loves/I-love-that-person-to-the-point-I-can't-live-without-them type of genre and plots, but it's actually no surprise, because my first ever K-drama, that started it all and opened my eyes to K-Dramaland and forever changed my life, was "Winter Sonata" with Bae Yong Joon and Choi Ji Woo back in '02 LOL Nowadays, I find myself not even able to even watch the first episode, let alone survive and try to keep my attention at least up until episode 5, if I read the synopsis and find it too over-the-top XD I can't even remember the last K-drama I watched that had even a little bit of extraordinary in it... Oh wait, I DO remember lol It was "Strong Woman, Do Bong Soon" from this year, and I actually loved loved loved it and still love love love it, but a lot of my loving had to do with the cast, especially the OTP <3 Hehe

This article is so sweet (sweeter than slice of life genre actually), I probably feel this way because of how you've described everything in the last three paragraphs. And the concluding para is the best really. It reminded me of the final scene in reply '88, beautiful, sweet, nostalgic, painful and most importantly, very truthfully depicted.

"Let’s Eat felt way too real when I watched Lee Soo-kyung eat dinner by herself in front of the TV, while I ate dinner watching her. " so.real.

P.s. In reply '88 who knew of jung hwan's crush?? I thought nobody new....?

I think the reasons you touched on in this wonderfully written piece are exactly why I have been having a drama slump lately. I am starting to find that great characters are getting to be more important to me than a twisty story line...not to say I don't still love my fantasy or thrillers, but those, as you say, "characters who feel lived in," are such an important part of dramas for me. The plot or the twist might be the reason I tuned in, but those great characters are the reason I stay.

This months' theme is making me miss my favorite shows, Misaeng, WFKBJ, DMF. There is a general lack of slice of life and coming of age shows in dramaland but I guess this year had them even less.

@janey Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful, warm essay. Though I'm new to K-drama, you've echoed many of my sentiments towards television drama in general. Thanks to you, I just queued up Dear My Friends in my ever-growing watchlist.

Slice of life really is great at making things I have never done feel relatable. I never threw my friend a breakup party like in Age of Youth 2, but I did help give advice on how to get rid of the memorabilia that relationships can generate. The best slice of life dramas, in my opinion, give you nostalgia for a life you never lived. Answer Me 1997 was set in a different era than I grew up, on the other side of the world, but still felt like my high school experience in a way.

Thank you so much for this post. I really felt like you at most times. I have to admit that I'm not a fan for a decade like you, but I have been a fan for a while. The longest I haven't watched a K-drama in a long time is a month. That's all I can do for now since I'm still a college student. But I really relate to this well!!!!!

"Have I ever tried weightlifting or spent all my savings just to see my crush? Definitely not." True, so true. Watching these dramas, however, they seem so real and realistic. I still feel second-hand embarrassment for some of the scenes in these dramas.

"It’s usually the character-driven plot that does it for me."
^Me too!

I love this piece of yours, @janey.
Especially the last three paragraphs. My thoughts exactly.
On how these dramas wakes up all the emotions you have inside.
When the theme of the month was presented, the first drama I thought of was Dear My Friends. And I was waiting for all the features to mention this drama and finally you mentioned it. I totally love that drama even though I cried for like every episodes. Way too many realizations. Clap Clap for this piece! 👏👏👏

The Lonely Shining Goblin wasn’t doing it for me, and Heo Joon-jae and Shim Chung’s love story spanning centuries in Legend of the Blue Sea didn’t really pull me in either ,Tks god Iam not the only one. :) ordinary characters leading ordinary lives, dealing with ordinary problems it´s the most.fantasy dramas for me is tooooooo much.I love the warm,sweet,romantic and optimistic way to show things because in the real world things already are thought.More love please <3

You nailed everything I've been feeling when it comes to kdramas recently. It truly is the character development that does it for me and not the over the top romances/scenarios.

Okay...I teared up reading this. This is such a good post, exactly what I've been feeling these days. I'm currently in a drama slump and been searching for that THE SHOW that would pull me back to the K-Dramaland again. #pleaseprayforstrangerpal

"It’s usually the character-driven plot that does it for me." This!
I easily drop dramas, especially lately but when a drama makes me invested in a character, that's when I stay until the end.
A lot of the time it's the small (relatable) moments that are the most powerful.

Oh God... just the mention of Dear My Friends made me want to curl up in a ball of tears. The drama killed me, and still is. I relate so much with it, because of 2 reasons. My relationship with my mother & father, and having been raised by my mother & grandparents. I cried every single episode cos it hurts so bad, it's good.

@janey ... beautiful piece! The examples you gave also resonate with me and were the ones that saved me from a huge drama slump.

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-ju was amazing ... and it's one drama that delivered from start to finish, without the awkward, often what-the-heck turns that kdramas take ... where the storyline is either forced, non-consistent or completely illogical ...

Through Oh Hae-young Again, I discovered Seo Hyun-jin, an acting gem, and I remember thinking ... "Wow, I have to check out everything she's been in," which made me watch Let's Eat 2 right after.

And then I watched King of High School and Seo In Guk's story and his grandpa just made me fall, once again, for the "the passionate chasing of dreams, cherishing friendships, overcoming awkward stages, falling in love for the first time, and trying to find yourself every day" ... hands down!

Thank you for sharing, janey :)

Great article! Now I'm married with kids, but when I was single I probably also experienced that moment where I'm eating dinner alone in front of the television while watching a character on screen eating dinner alone in front of a television... touche!