[Theme of the Month] K-drama therapy
by DB Staff
Anyone who watches K-dramas knows that K-drama therapy is a real thing. There’s something about our 16-episode sagas that give us just what we need — whether that’s catharsis through tears, a good laugh when we desperately need it, or some kind of encouragement that we can pull from the story.
Sometimes it’s obvious how a drama can comfort and inspire us (like Twenty Five Twenty One does with Hee-do’s incredible exuberance and effort), but sometimes K-drama comfort comes in the smallest of packages. It’s a line that speaks to us, a character arc that teaches us something about ourselves, or even just a drama that’s able to lift our mood and take us out of our circumstances.
Has a K-drama ever provided you comfort? Were there shows that came to you at a time when you needed them? Tell us your story of K-drama therapy.
To submit:
- Email your submissions to hello @ dramabeans.com. If you have a registered Dramabeans account, include your handle so we can link to it.
- Include at least 1 image, though more is preferred.
- Suggested length: Between 500 and 1,000 words.
- Deadline: We will post these on a rolling basis, so we’re taking submissions now. We will cut off accepting submissions on March 26. If you miss this month, join us for a new theme next month!
Thanks to @flyingcolours for the topic this month!
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Tags: Theme of the Month
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1 KS stuck on 🥰 Aegiya KHAAJA🥰
March 1, 2022 at 6:38 AM
oh wowww... and damn kdramas are my therapy for the longest of time and am sooo excited to read how this therapy is for other beanies.. thanks for this theme DB❤
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2 Kurama
March 1, 2022 at 6:55 AM
Oh, during a moment, I thought it was about therapy in Kdrama... They're rarely well adressed... Or, the characters need it but it's like it doesn't exist in their world.
Dramas are a good escape from real life but not to the point to be a therapy for me.
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3 Soyesterday
March 1, 2022 at 10:49 AM
Absolutely none, for me Dramaland is purely for entertainment.
But i will say theres a rom-com from 2014 called "Its Okay, That's Love" that i think did an excellent job in portraying mental illness and its effects on patients and their families without being completely depressing, its one of the very few dramas that stuck with me for years after it ended.
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4 earthna
March 1, 2022 at 11:03 AM
Definitely A Poem A Day (literal translation You Who Forgot Poetry). I used to write a lot of poetry back in high school and it really helped so much mentally and emotionally. Life got to me and somehow, I stopped writing. I watch the drama months after it finished airing. It really came to me without notice and I had no idea what it was even about but it was exactly what I needed. It felt like the show was speaking to me because I forgot poetry. Woo Boyoung is bright and positive despite the challenges she faces everyday. She doesn't give up and is always kind. I aspire to be just like her. Seeing someone in a drama be comforted by poems like I did before really gave me comfort. The couple was also refreshing and mature.
This drama opened up the world of Korean poetry for me and I bought a few books. I'd open them every now and then and they give me comfort as well.
💙💙💙
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
June 1, 2022 at 11:54 AM
Yes that drama was a beautiful way to introduce poetry.
I also liked one of the poems from the drama Romance is a bonus book. I just looked it up again it’s from a book: I want to give you my most beautiful thoughts by Na Tae joo. The bit they read is about how we are all ‘stars travelling across the universe’… It is a book the author wrote for all daughters. It’s just beautiful.
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earthna
June 2, 2022 at 5:13 AM
I'll look it up! Thank you! Na Tae-joo is such a good poet.
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5 Queenie_elizabeth
March 1, 2022 at 4:30 PM
Reply 1988 gave me comfort.
I still listen to Lee Juck's Don't Worry My Dear and it lifts my spirit.
Kdrama is a priceless therapy for me.
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
June 1, 2022 at 11:56 AM
It’s one of the special dramas and that song is one of the classics from the OST.
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6 verzaholicbee
March 2, 2022 at 4:07 PM
Perfect timing, I have a question: is there any way to block usernames and/or words on this website? Because I struggle with my mental health, and there are people whose comments are always negative or off topic, and I can't deal with them (obviously they have the right to post what they want, it's my problem.)
I stopped reading the Open Threat for that reason, but last week a comment on the section "What we’re watching" triggered me badly and I've been having dark thoughts all week. Kdrama in general bring me comfort, and I love to read the beanies' comments because I don't have any real life friends who watch kdrama (actually I discovered one last week! she lives in another city, but it was really exciting.)
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egads aka Dame Maggie
March 2, 2022 at 4:40 PM
Unfortunately, no. I'm sorry that someone here is causing you pain.
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parkchuna 🍉
March 5, 2022 at 9:00 PM
Open Threat, literally.
I hope you get super reading+scrolling skills to avoid those comments/users!
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Ally
March 11, 2022 at 12:56 PM
@db-staff So I don’t know there is a way to block certain users so you cannotsee their comments, but it’s a great idea. There’s a few people that I would rather not read on the open thread or beanie wall as well. With that said, I used to be very prolific on the OT, and rarely post there now, for similar reasons. So it would behoove the staff to block known perpetrators of racism, sexism, and overall vitriol.
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7 Robbin
March 2, 2022 at 5:58 PM
Sometimes I swear it's the other way around.
Lately I seem to be stuck on passionate but doomed romances. I need therapy after my Kdramas.
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8 ex-beanie
March 4, 2022 at 1:22 AM
Just 2 dramas...
My ajusshi
Human Disqualification / Lost
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9 tabong is ironing the crosswalk
March 6, 2022 at 6:45 AM
I love this topic.
This has happened to me with a lot of dramas, tbh. Some dramas have appeared in my life like gifts.
The most recent (2021) experiences are 'Be My Dream Family', 'Mad for each other', 'Run On', 'You Are My Spring', 'Yu Mi's Cells'. Especially Be My Dream Family since it was the only drama I watched the months I was on a drama slump. That drama appeared when I really needed a family, and they fixed everything I couldn't fix in real life.
But my first healing drama was Flower Boy Next Door. I remember starting the show and thinking Dok Mi was brilliant since she found how to work from her house and get everything deliver to her. I was making plans about how to go to school from home and then this cute little idiot called Enrique took Dok Mi's hand and helped her face the world and that made me feel so warm... It didn't cure my anxiety or anything but it definitely made me feel better and gave me hope. I've rewatched that show soooo much, and it always has the same effect.
Other mentions could be: Live, Be Melodramatic, My Ahjussi, Reply 88, Prison Playbook, At Eighteen, It's Okay to not be Okay.
Dramas that I loved the first time but I loved more when I rewatched them beacause they appeared at a great time: Shopping Wang Louie, Fight for My Way, Misaeng.
I even want to mention shows that gave me so much peace for no particular reason: Still 17, Boyfriend, Find me in Your Memory, Sweden Laundry.
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
June 1, 2022 at 12:25 PM
Wow you like a lot of the ones I like for this reason too.
I started to watch Find me in your memory but it got too scary for me so I had to stop but wanted to read up on the recaps to see how it ended but I couldn’t find them on here I was so gutted.
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tabong is ironing the crosswalk
June 3, 2022 at 7:30 AM
:( So you didn't find the recaps? You don't know how the show ends? It has a cute ending.
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Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
June 3, 2022 at 8:03 AM
Guess what I put out an appeal and one of the Beanies gave me the details of somewhere I could read the episode recaps so I know the twists and turns and the ending. I am glad it was a sweet ending but I definitely stopped at the right time as it would have been too stressful for me.
I love this community♥️
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tabong is ironing the crosswalk
June 3, 2022 at 9:04 AM
I'm glad you found it. ^^
I don't know if you would find it too stressful, but You Are My Spring is a nice drama. It would be great to watch it after FMIYM.
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
June 3, 2022 at 10:54 AM
I have looked at this one as it sounds great but I keep seeing the murder element and that puts me off starting it.
tabong is ironing the crosswalk
June 3, 2022 at 4:36 PM
I understand. At the beginning it can be a little bit much but then it gets better. It doesn't have that much relevance (or maybe is because I skipped those scenes, Idk).
You can also read the recaps and see if it's worth the risk.
Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️
June 3, 2022 at 11:20 PM
Good plan pre warned is the way to go if there is way to avoid those scenes but keep the rest I can do that.