[2018 Year in Review] Finding myself on Dramabeans

80 December 29, 2018December 30, 2018

by Guest Beanie

Woohoo Waikiki

Usually, I don’t participate in year-end reviews. The end of one year didn’t really feel like an end or a beginning to me, it just meant the holidays. Then 2018 happened, and boy was this a year that will always stand out in my memories.

I started this year feeling lost and worried. I was unsure if I was on the right path: was I in the right career, the right city? Even dramas failed to lull me into forgetting my problems, as I slipped in and out of my biggest slump since I started watching dramas eight years ago.

Yet somehow, despite my slump and likely because of my anxiety, this year found me more active on Dramabeans than ever before. As I commented and posted, I was given the nickname “Coco” by other Beanies, as it was easier than continually typing out my three-syllable handle as we chatted for hours about favorite actors, books, recipes, and gardening.

Grand Prince

It might not seem like a big thing, but in the physical world I have never gone by a nickname. I have rejected any attempts to tamper with my real name through sneers and death glares, yet somehow this new moniker seemed to fit the cyber part of my life.

As Coco, I rediscovered my love of writing thanks to Dramabeans’ theme of the month and I developed an obsession with gif stories. The shared humanity of this online community has taught me so much about life as we Beanies share our experiences and cheer each other on. On days when I felt lost in myself, I could come to Dramabeans and know there were other Beanies who have felt similarly. My fellow Beanies would cheer me up with gifs of Yoon Shi-yoon, or discuss the ethical dilemma of hot serial killers in dramaland.

Personally, I believe that each person is multifaceted and complex. We all have different faces that we show at different times and in different situations. Here on Dramabeans, I discovered (perhaps rediscovered) Coco, the part of myself that loves writing and making up makjang plots. As Coco I can be unashamed of my oppa treasure chest, which is FULL after the glories of Hwayugi early this year. (Say what you will about the plot, any drama with Lee Seung-gi, Lee Hong-ki, Sung Hyuk, and Cha Seung-won together will always get my attention.) Here on Dramabeans I won’t feel out of place for talking too much about Six Flying Dragons or Father is Strange, my first ever 50+ episode dramas! A win for 2018!

Hwayugi

Once I took up Beanie recommendations, I was taken temporarily out of my slump by dramas like Woohoo Waikiki, My Husband Oh Jak-doo, and Thirty But Seventeen. These comedies hit a chord with me as they showed people striving to follow their passions while trying to find themselves and be responsible adults. These dramas showed me that being an adult does not mean you automatically have it all together. Being an admirable adult means embracing the journeys and hardships that come along with each of our dreams.

As I look back on 2018, I know that I could not have made it through the real world without dramas and Beanies, who helped me to embrace the journey I’m on. I’ve undergone my own personal becoming, and I’ve embraced a part of myself, which will now always be called “Coco.”

Father is Strange

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1 bbstl 🧹

December 29, 2018 at 4:52 PM

"Oppa treasure chest" thank you for that image for the ages! 👏🏼

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