Thanks for the wonderful post. Your articles always give a new insight about the way l perceive dramas. We mostly see most of the screen time dedicated to the OTP. Even if they get separated which may not be either one's fault but rather due to circumstances(or in most of the cases, IT IS someone's fault), we see them reuniting after few years or months, having become wiser (or not) and ready to tackle the challenges of being together armed with more determination and knowledge of the past mistakes or regrets. But we don't often see that with regards to the friendship portrayed in the dramas. Thanks for pointing that out and also giving examples where that's not the case.
"And it gives me much hope that even as I grow older and it becomes harder to make new friends or keep old ones, there are new friendships waiting to be discovered and old ones that will stand the test of time." Exactly! I hope so too.
I have only watched AOY. But seeing how many people liked the other dramas you mentioned, I'll definitely watch them someday.

Insightful writing as always, @greenfields. The promise of new friendships waiting to be discovered in those dramas gave me hope that it'll also happen in my life as well. That I don't need to be that sad when my friends and I drifted apart because life happened. It's okay. There will always be new friends to be made and new adventures to be experienced.

When you are 60 awoken with that K-drama binge headache, Beanies like me will bring you some virtual hangover soup to the rescue. And by virtual hangover soup, I mean recommendations of more dramas to watch.

Or pictures of oppa. That helps too.

This is such a wonderful post @greenfields !!! I teared up reading it, as I am in a similar place, the only one who is both still single and in the US of my former beloved roommates...
I need to watch Lingerie Girls Generation now ~~
I cried as well throughout Age of Youth, both seasons, because it reminds me so much of my years in university, when I took for granted my ability to make friendships easily and see my friends daily. I loved when Yi-na came back and us viewers were able to see that she didn’t disappear with her move. Because, like you said, history remains for both parties even when time and distance make it feel like a friendship has ended. Friendship is another form of an OTP, and just as important and impactful.
I’ll be there with you watching dramas in my sixties ~ here’s to growing old gracefully with dramas!

I am the same. Making friends as an adult is so hard but Buam-dong Revenge Club gave me hope. <3 Such a great drama.

You always wrote wonderful posts and I always relate to them! I didn't experience changing schools often, but I am a type of person who is easily untraceable. I remember some of my friends during school days, but I don't keep in touch with them. Same goes to college days - I have some friends that I still contacted but due to time and life changing, the nature of friendship also changed. It doesn't mean we forget each other, the friendship stays in heart. I'm kind of person who try to avoid attachment with other persons - even my colleagues at my previous jobs I don't usually contact them. When we are too attached with other persons, the easier we get hurt over. I started to be that way when my best friend was so focused on her dating life and I felt lonely - that was when I started to go eat alone, spend time doing things I like. My principle if you want me, I'll try to be there for you even though we don't meet / talk to each other often. I'm a type of person who always welcome new friendships and it doesn't mean I totally forgot the old friendships - it's just part of life.

I appreciate female friendship in kdrama, as it feels relatable and bring back some old memories, although I agree there wasn't much about loss of friendship so far. Anyway, reading this remind me that I have yet to re-pick up on 20th Century Boy and Girl, maybe in one fine day! Currently I'm also watching a cable drama "The Best Moment To Quit Your Job" - slice of life drama which also depicted about female friendship in 20s and their hardship.

Oh yay! Thank you publishing this, DB Staff! ^^ To be honest, I was kind of unsure of this month's essay, so I'm very happy to see it. :)
And to Beanies for their love! ^^;

Fantastic post @greenfields. I can relate to a lot of it - the constantly moving schools, the friends marrying and moving away. I find a lot of shows have people who have been friends since birth but not a lot concentrate on friendships found in later life. Most of these shows are still on my to-watch list but I'll definitely check them out soon.

Thank you @greenfields. Agreed with all friendship. One of my favorite friendships additional to your list is our old mules relationship in "Dear My Friends." My good friends and I often time talked about this kind of friendship and have like their friendship 30 years from now; like whose kid would be take Wan's position - the one we can always get pestered - LoL.

This was so gorgeously insightful and superbly written - congratulations! And I second that - that dramaland has one of the best approaches to the subject. Great post.

I loved this post @greenfields. As someone who's left the country where I was born, I'm no longer in touch with anybody I went to school or university with. So, like you, it's the ones where people make new friends that do it for me every time. That's why Buam-Dong Revenge club was one of my favourites last year too. Nothing helps you make new friends like a common enemy ;-)

I haven't seen Lingerie Girls' Generation and AoY2 is still on my watchlist somewhere but now I'll have to watch both of them straightaway.

Thanks for a great write-up

Lovely write-up. Why DON'T we have those friendships where a friend will automatically turn to a friend in time of need? Simply because it does not ring true to real life. As you said, in life, we all move on, we all change, and while that does not change the moments or relationships we had, the reality is that when it comes down to it, you're your own person after all

Great post! I’m so bad at making new friends so I’m thankful to my childhood friends because although they have their own family now and things are not the same as when we were younger, I can always rely on them when I need them.

I’ve watched the three dramas and I was actually torn between AOY girls & BRC ahjummas as my favorite girl gang in the year end awards so I voted for them alternately. :D

I really really reaaaally liked your article @greenfields and it really resonated with me and how I feel about the shows you mentioned, which I have all watched too.

I'm not currently single, but I am THE chick in my group of friends who use to be single for so long (4 - 5yrs in a row) that I had to learn over time to deal with the feelings of friendship lost or a loss of closeness with my friends. It was a bit heartbreaking and yet, exactly as you so wisely said, non-dramatic and natural and organic.

So, like you, when I watch beautiful friendships on tv, I feel soooo good! and yes, my friends are just one call away, and it's not the same always-together-closeness that it was when we were in our teenage years or 20s, but the friendships turn into a dependable and loving sisterhood that (so far) stands the test of time & distance.

cheers to awesome sisterhoods of all ages & backgrounds !

Aww this was so well written and relatable as I am in my midtwenties and my best friends are now in other cities or married or both. I've lost touch with my high school best friend and that really hurt. I haven't seen any of the three dramas you wrote about but I'll try to watch them if/when I can. Two are not available at all in the US. I am currently watching the first season of Age of Youth though.

"And it gives me much hope that even as I grow older and it becomes harder to make new friends or keep old ones, there are new friendships waiting to be discovered and old ones that will stand the test of time."
Beautifully expressed greenfields. :-) I hope so too.
[You have a very good way with words, I felt that from your previous article too]

Congratulations on getting published @greenfields ! Thanks for a wonderful read! I can't tell you how close this has hit home. Makes me miss my girls and I literally just saw them yesterday!

Great post 😊 I really enjoyed reading this and those dramas are on the top of my watch-list now. I can relate to how you are feeling and it's nice to have some dramas that highlight those kind of friendships and, like Buam-dong Revenge Club, show that new friendships are always waiting to happen even when we're all ajummas haha

You made think of my friends, right now where at different stages jn our life, they've already graduated and are looking for jobs but I still have a few years so we've drifted apart a little bit and it makes me anxious thinking about the future of our friendship, but your article gives me hope I know will always be there for each other and I know they'll wait for me.

I think LGG will be the next show I watch with my k-drama club. We’re all ahjummas and are valuing our new friendships with each other now. We’ve all been married for over a decade and a half each and value these “girl” relationships even more now than in our youth. However, Buam-dong Revenge club sounds like something we’d all hilariously enjoy too! Thank you for another fine essay! And speaking from experience, it will never be too late to find loyal girlfriends now or in your future!

Thank you for this lovely article, greenfields! I enjoyed reading it and actually started watching "Buam-dong Revenge Club" yesterday because you got me so interested in it. I have a vague memory of hearing about this drama and thinking it might be interesting, but somehow I lost sight of it - and I was not as interested then as I am now, because of your view of the friendships in it.

I find friendships to be one of the great things about kdramas, especially friendships between women. I agree entirely that female friendship gets far too little attention in entertainment media in many countries - mostly the former "friends" turn to rivals as soon as a man appears on the scene, which, argh. Can't tell you how much I hate this tired old trope. I like romance as much as the next gal, but the love of friendship is by no means lesser, less strong or less important than romantic love, and often lasts far longer in real life. It shouldn't be treated so cavalierly and casually in series. (Sorry, went off a little there. ;-) )

So thank you for the drama watching tip, I really enjoyed the first ep, and can't wait to see the friendships develop! :-)

Thank you for this beautiful post @greenfields

I've been in a slump recently because of the lack of interactions with friends, since like you, most of them are abroad and even if they are in the same country, live so far away from me. It also doesn't help when everyone is busy with their own lives (damn you adulting) making it even harder to create an opportunity for a reunion. Whilst everyone seems to be living their lives and changing, I feel like I'm the only one holding onto the past and wishing for those friendships to come back to me. But as I do this, I realise I'm losing myself into darkness.

Reading your post left me slightly bittersweet but also with hope. I'm grateful for the recent drama trends that tackle issues more close to the hesrt because I also could never relate to the drama troupes of childhood friends and growing old together since I've never had that. Many of my friendships have come and gone, only memories remain of that time and place. It is difficult when you feel alone and all you hope for is to have someone to care for you but there's no-one. I guess I just need to accept that the friendships I make will always be different from the standard drama norms.

Thank goodness for all these new dramas and again thank you for this post.