Here's are the positives that K-Drama has brought into my life:

1. So many romantic comedy/romance series, so little time! I've mentioned this elsewhere but K-Drama really is the best at this right now.

Plus Noona Romances - it's great to see this given that Hollywood is still all about casting FLs that are 20 years younger than the MLs when it comes to love interests.

2. New friends - Both the folks I've converted to K-Dramas and Beanies here! And everyone's awesome!

3. Renewed appreciation of East Asian male beauty. Even though I am East Asian myself, I have not been attracted to East Asian men for many years because they represent a terrifying risk - the risk that if I married an East Asian man, I'd basically be trading my horribly patriarchal family for horribly patriarchal in-laws OR more likely, stuck with TWO horribly patriarchal families who treat their women like second-class citizens.

But the K-Drama Oppas playing some great non-toxic male characters in feminist-leaning dramas (aka K-Dramas produced after 2015) have given me a reason to appreciate some Asian male beauty.

It's just appreciating their handsome mugs for now though because:

(a) I know K-Drama writers are presenting a fantasy or, hopefully, signposting what they hope would someday be the case (aka non-toxic men who would make great partners).

(b) The state of the Korean patriarchy and misogyny right now is downright frightening.

4. K-Drama-land is so prolific that we'd never run out of decent entertainment. So there's that.

5. Discovering K-Drama soundtracks - These are some seriously gorgeous songs, especially the ballads from romance series.

Oh, there's no question but that I'm most grateful for the Dramabeans community.

I love the Beanatariat for supporting one another during absolutely terrible drama endings (you know which one I mean this year...), for hyping each other up during mid-drama slumps, for encouraging people to branch out and watch new types of shows, for making folks laugh in the commentary, for caring when things are going wrong IRL, for posting amazing imagery to the Fan Wall, and for generally being unceasingly excited and interested in all things K-drama.

Dramabeans is my happy place, and I don't mind being the cheeseball who says it: I love you guys.

I'm thankful I fell into the world of K-dramas! I "discovered" them while I was in grad school, and they quickly became my favorite form of fiction, a lovely bit of escapism from everyday stresses. During the pandemic, I switched my viewing habits to nearly 100% dramas, and also introduced my mom to dramas, and she was quickly addicted, too. Now, dramas are a shared hobby for us, and something we enjoy discussing together. In May of this year, I joined Dramabeans, and I've so enjoyed the community here, the cool Beans I've come to know, and how welcoming everyone is! I love that dramas meld all my favorite genres, tropes, and themes, and also add in a moral or lesson-learned for the journey. I love that they aren't afraid to be emotional, and that they run the gamut of the emotional experience, encompassing everything from laughter to tears, often in the same episode. I love the focus on romance, families, and good friends. I love that stories are told with genuine warmth, rather than cold and cynical detachment. And I love that they tell a complete story, with a narrative progression that includes a (usually) satisfying ending, rather than dragging on for years and years without resolution! Good dramas can function like good literature, holding up a mirror to help me reflect on my life, and providing a window to new experiences and perspectives. I love that the focus on all the elements of storytelling means that I not only have favorite actors, but also writers and PDs. Dramas have also prompted me to start learning Korean, which - although slow - has been so fun and rewarding! All in all, I'm thankful for dramas.

Although I started Kdramas out of boredom, I now use them as a form of escapism from real life, but that doesn't mean I do not learn anything from them.

I have been going through the typical asian "Get married, settled down" pressure for the past 3 years, so through this year's "Strangers Again" drama, I gained new insights into the age old concept of marriage. It is not just the drama, but the beanies discussion on the diverse couples in various phases of their married life opened my mind to the different thoughts surrounding marriage such as how your parents see it, how you want it, how your partner might want it and how it affects the ones around you.

Apart from the one specific topic mentioned above, I always loved how Kdramas highlight the value of family (related or found families), celebrate the friendship, bromance or sisterhood and show the joy in eating/sharing food and appreciating the little gestures/kindness in life. Sometimes, dramas also get real and cover the negatives extremes of family/society to give the people courage to love themselves and put themselves first.

In short, I always tell people Kdramas are more than romance.

I love Kdramas and DB because both stick with me through thick and thin while I was going through rough patches IRL. I’ve gained wisdom and clarity and genuine care from Beans whom I don’t know irl, but their care feels real to me and often brought me genuine happy and relief tears: Knowing that I am never alone.

I have a long essay to write, which I am going to do in a 24 hour upcoming flight (in which I also mean to cram the last five episodes of My Dearest even though I have gleaned every bit of the recap our dear @alathe posted, and also watch Twinkling Watermelon and Cast away diva and....sigh!)
But for now, until I can write the essay, I will only say this - K-dramas changed my life, how I see relationships, and a renewed appreciation of the man that I married.
And Park Hyung Sik LOL!

This is my 10th year watching dramas and it still boggles my mind as to how easy they are to access nowadays. I love the way they transport me into the stories, I love the feelings they evoke in me- there’s a kdrama for every mood- angst, revenge, quite thoughtfulness, lighthearted…I’ve never felt lonely after being introduced to the world of drama

I'm grateful for so many things when it comes to K-dramas; for keeping me company, for giving me comfort, for being unexpected sources of wisdom and learning, for really helping me fill in my pinyredt fashion board, for the windows its opened for me in terms of community amd friendship, for all the laughs, the tears, and the heart flutters, for being something that I can enjoy with my mum - the list is endless tbh.

Something I've felt really grateful for though recently is the variety and creativity that goes into the production of these stories. Especially as a fan of fantasy, I'm so grateful that there are so many projects that explore so many different types of tales that are delight to watch, flaws and all. Sometimes the premises are so wild, I wouldn't haven ever even thought of them in my wildest dreams and it unlocks so many avenues of creativity and world building in my own head. And even if it's the most cliche story ever, sometimes that's exactly what I'm looking for so that I can stop watching Twilight for the 288283838th time to get my cliche fantasy romance fix 😂

K-dramas make my life happier, and coping with the real world is easier. In a moment when I was really bored with almost everything Western productions were offering, I suddenly found that I had hundreds of Asian shows to watch.
I have met new online friends, fabulous actors, beautiful stories, wonderful music...

The joy that k-dramas bring me is comparable to what I found in animes and mangas when I was a teenager, or even more.

There are so many ugly, unpleasant quarters of the internet, and DB is a glorious breath of fresh air in the midst of all of that. I've been stunned with how rarely over the 14 years I've been visiting the site I've encountered a genuinely cruel or hateful comment, even when people have wildly divergent opinions on something. So yes, I'm incredibly grateful for the supportive, enthusiastic community here.

I'm also grateful that to have stumbled into a pop culture niche where most of the writers are women writing for a predominately female audience. While there are plenty of works by men that I love (including some Asian dramas), I find that much of the entertainment industry seems geared towards teenage boys, so finding a piece of it that isn't has been a joy.

I’m grateful for Kdramas as they portray Asians as normal individual people while breaking western stereotypes.

They don’t instinctively know karate.
The men aren’t asexual.
The women aren’t exotic sex objects.
They aren’t side characters.
They aren’t the token minority with the same personality.

I’m grateful for all the positive and personal support from the beanies. There is something special about this particular community that doesn’t exist elsewhere.

“The less you know about the person, the deeper the conversation gets.” – Ko Yurim Of Twenty Five Twenty One

For me, this quote seems to explain this platform best.

I’m grateful for the tireless DramaBeans moderators and writers.

I’m grateful that they are attending to whatever gripes the beanies have.
I’m grateful that they read and respond to beanie ideas and suggestions.
I love how some of the previews aren’t just cut and paste marketing material - I love how we get a personal touch on upcoming shows whether it’s longing or sarcasm.
I’m grateful for some of the best written recaps here.

The found family dynamics
How it is important to let it out and tell people you are in pain and ask for help
The idea that things will get better as long as we don't give up

I'm grateful for kdramas because they bought me hours of entertainment, new possibilities and new things to learn. A whole new world to explore.
I'm happy to have found that the female gaze can develop and federate.
I'm thankful to have found a new "niche obsession" with a community (it takes me back in time to the beginning of blogging). It gives me something to focus on and escape to.

Also, I learned that I do not have prosopagnosia. I just don't have the time to focus on the facial characteristics (or name) of the new person I meet IRL.

I’m grateful for dramas as another area to explore.
I had watched many Japanese films and some Chinese films but not dramas.
With streaming platforms DramaFever & Viki accessing dramas became easier.
My wife and I were looking for something beyond Masterpiece Theatre ,where the Masterpieces were running thin.
We had checked out most drama dvd and vhs sets from the library or the video store .
Once we started watching K dramas,I needed somewhere to read about or talk about the dramas we had watched .
Dramabeans is where I found the best recaps , a tradition that carries on today.
I’m not a writer but I like a good story
I’m not an actor either , but I do appreciate good acting
Same for directing, I can spot good vs bad
I try to find shows that have three things, a good story , good acting and good directing.
I appreciate the Beanies recommendations for good dramas.

1) Kdramas made me discovering Korean food 😍 Now, my whole family likes to eat Korean food. When we take my parents in another country, they always ask us if there is a Korean restaurant because sadly, the one that was in our region is closed now.

2) The format : it's nice to have a beginning and an end to the story (even if it's not good). There are too many US shows that were cancelled with a cliffhanger at the end of the season, or the shows that continue again and again that really need a stop.

3) Production : it really made me intereted in the costume/styling, the lights, the sets that are really places and not fake sets that look cheap, etc.

4) The community : it's really nice to talk about them with every Beanies!

Thanks to @javabeans, who created this site in 2007, I have been able to watch K-dramas for a long time. Unfortunately, we've lost many great K-drama blogs in the past, so I'm grateful to the current owners and @db-staff for keeping the site running. I am thankful for the diverse community of beanies here, who embrace each other's unique qualities. As a history enthusiast, watching sageuk dramas has deepened my understanding and appreciation of Korean culture and history. I'm thankful for this experience!

1. New perspectives: thanks to kdramas (Kpop and Bollywood movies), I kept getting curious about other cultures. That made me more understanding as a person. "People can do that or this" "people can think like this" "it's just different, not weird" "wow, I can't believe that I didn't know/noticed that "thing" we say in my country is racist".
Maybe it's because I found dramas when I was really young, but they helped me question a lot of things, reflect and become more tolerant and respectful.

2. Art! I'm so grateful I became a little kid obsessed with Korea and meet so many new artists! My favorite illustrator is Korean (Moonassi), some is my favorite movie directors are Korean, same for most of my favorite actors, and same with music. Besides Kpop, I've found so many other good artist that I'm pretty sure I would've never know about if it wasn't for this obsession of mine.

3. Language! All the Korean I know is 90% thanks to kdramas. My hate for dub and love for subtitles, my impatience (that sometimes won't even let me wait for the subs) and the unhealthy amount of dramas I've watched helped me learn a enough of Korean to have to look at the subtitles most of the time, so I'm extremely grateful for that.

4. Friends (+unforgettable childhood memories). 💚 I became friends with my bestie months before I watched my first kdramas. We were close, but I don't think she was my closest friend at the moment or maybe she was, Idk lol. But it was after I discovered kdramas and kpop that we became inseparable. I introduced her to kpop/dramas and that gave us practically or own world. We already were kinda weird for only listening to music in English, but that was like weird level 1. Then we became the weirdos that only listened to music in Korean (weird level 100) and kept dancing weird stuff in the classroom (weird 1000). Thankfully, this isn't kdramaland or a teen movie (pretty sure we would've been bullied or something in a kdrama or teen movie lol), and we were able to make wonderful memories during our childhood and teen years.
It was like our own universe. Well, it still is.

And of course I can't forget about beanies! The lovely people that made kdrama viewing a 1000% better! It's always fun to be here and read all your stories or thoughts. It's amazing to have a place where I can share all the love I feel for this obsession no one else around me send to understand. It's really nice to have met people that will listen to what I have to say about my kdramas without judgment. This is the nicest place on the internet and I found it thanks to kdramas, so I'm really grateful for that!

5. Happiness: Kdramas make me happy. And I'm really thankful for that.

definately this community. no matter what happens in life even if I get dipped over the edge, you guys are like an air mattress, bbbboing, I come here, I feel seen, understood and bounce right up.

but also the insight. because we do be discussing way more than dramas, like from food allergies to human rights, and dramas are like our prompts. sometimes I come here are well people be basically rewriting constitutions and getting a PhD in history. It is a sort of dravaverse university, so many dissertation subjects right at hand.

I am also grateful for the ridiculousness of dramas sometimes because nothing is as fun as developing alternate scenarios or beta versions with the same starting point.

and of course, I am grateful for zombies.

Education and distraction.

Education in a sense that I always learn something new from dramas - be it bits of language, culture, history and so on. I LOVE learning, esp when not in a traditional "showing bunch of questionably useful info down one's throat" manner but by naturally picking up things I find interesting.

And for the distraction, well... my life currently is hard and bleak, so being able to focus heavily on something else, esp when that something is beautiful and inspiring, is a great gift I'm very thankful for.

I'm grateful to kdramas for many reasons, but these are the two main ones:

1) They Kept Me Sane During the Pandemic: I started watching kdramas before the pandemic, but early on in the days of home-all-day-feeling-stircrazy-and-possibly-clinically-depressed, I subscribed to Viki. All of a sudden, there were so many rich, immersive stories at my fingertips. I worked, cleaned, exercised, hung with the family, and did whatever else I needed to do in the morning, and then from 1pm until dinner I huddled around my laptop and reminded myself of the power of fictional worlds to remind us what is wonderful (and sometimes terrible, but mostly wonderful) about the real one.

2) Bonded Me and My Mom When We Couldn't Visit In-Person: My mom was very, very scared of Covid, so I didn't see her in-person for almost two years. But early on, I introduced her to kdramas and although she only ever subscribed to Netflix, she watched about 30 dramas within the space of just a few months. She'd text me her opinions on the shows and actors and although we didn't always agree (she LOVED Lee Jong Suk and I'm sadly allergic to him; she found CLOY slow and hard to get into, and it's still one of my faves) it was so much fun to share our love for the genre. She has since passed, but I still sometimes say "Mom, you'd love this show" when I happen upon a drama that ticks all her boxes. Still struggle to watch any show with LJS in it, though (sorry, Mom!).

The thoughts. It's the thoughts that are left with me at the end of every watch that I'm grateful for. Some thoughts stick with me without leaving, while others even though I no longer clearly remember them, they still linger in my subconscious and I'm sure that once in a while they slip through.

I see dramas as a form of education too. It's not everytime I watch solely for pleasure. So when dramas entertain me and at the same time educate me, it makes me grateful. Forest of Secrets 2 Ep 1-3 showed me how to make a nonchalant take accountability even though it is common knowledge that there's no way for the consequences to be meted out on them. I've tried it and it worked.

And then there are the dramas that touch the core of family matters and hit very well - the ones about couples encountering uncomfortable situations in their marriage. I'm always grateful for the dramas that find a way to bring them together, reminding me of what brought me there in the first place(18 Again). It's not that I am foreign to what the drama said, it's that I'm grateful a work of art is echoing my perspectives exactly. Strangers Again Episode 5(the one with the Female CEO's daughter) remains my best episode for this reason. The way it touched the core of the effects a negative vibe from an extended family can bring to a marriage was well worded.

And then there's the dramas that give me costars I didn't know I needed.

Has dramas inspired me? I'm not so sure. But I know for a fact that they've given me a true learning experience.

Curiosity let me hit play on my first kdrama ("Signal"), and a sudden ongoing ordeal followed by grief let me stay in kdramaland since then. There is a quality in many kdramas that lets me stay in touch with my ongoing emotions, a lot of cathartic crying and laughing is caused - there is an emotional quality that many western dramas lack and whose mechanics I don't fully understand, but I notice this resonates with me very strongly and has also a healing capability.
Some are just the best escapism and distractions there are.
And sometimes you can even take some practical advice away (besides food suggestions, but these are almost a given in kdramas! 😋): for a long time I had trouble sleeping. I tried many things to no avail. Then I watched "Live up to your name", and that gave me the idea to try acupuncture. I found a Korean lady with a lot of experience practicing acupuncture near me, and not only could she heal my sleeping problems but took care of a few ailments more. Plus she's so fascinated by my fascination with Korean food, culture and language that we're meeting privately in Korean restaurants now! I found a friend thanks to kdrama. And thank you, Kim Nam-Gil! 😉 (And seriously, you should watch this drama even if you have no health problems! It is really great!)

Discovering dramas was like discovering a whole new world! Grateful for piggyback rides, fateful meetings, wrist grabs, heart-wrenching cliffhangers, emotional tears, bloody palace intrigues, white trucks of doom, amnesia, second lead syndromes, childhood connections, colorful umbrellas, unusual allergies, birth secrets, amazing soundtracks and so much more!

I'm going through a really difficult time in my life, and Kdramas have helped me through it a lot. They give me something to look forward to each week, no matter what life is putting me through. They've also introduced me to some wonderful people (including Beanies!) and some really great music. Prior to Kdramas the only Korean song I listened to was "Gangnam Style," lol.

Finally, they've given me countless "feels." I got into Asian dramas because I am finding western media so lacking in romance stories lately, and that is the only type of story that really interests me. Feeling butterflies is seriously all that I want from my romance stories, and Kdramas have delivered that more consistently than most other recent western media at this point. The closest I've come otherwise is romance novels

Its really late on a snowy near-solstice night but I have to respond to this prompt. This morning I read a piece in the New York Times about the book/movie adaptation of Larry McMurtry's Terms of Endearment. It was a very successful H-wood film that got shot down for years before sweeping the Oscars. It is about a mother-daughter bond with all the baggage. It is beautiful.
All Kdramas are an imagined society of sisterhood. They shine a path forward for all of us who simply want a world of kindness, clarity and support. That is what I am grateful for on my screen/in my brain.
Dream on Beanies - we will make our world happen.

I love/am grateful for the way k-dramas allow themselves to be slow sometimes. Those moments when they stop and let the character ( and you) think. Having incredibly beautiful people who can show expression on their faces helps with all those long close ups. Also, the slowness in the almost theatrical way many shows are produced- using moving cameras and pullbacks to show a different facet of the scene ( someone else was in the background!) instead of multiple cut scenes.

I am so happy I discovered kdramas! When they started popping up in Netflix I wasn't interested at all, and even annoyed LOL But I was deep in depression and burnout mode and everything I watched or tried to watch triggered anxiety, so I was stuck watching *Friends* and *The office* on a neverending loop (I know every line by heart). I watched *The king's affection* just to try something totally different and I was instantly hooked.
I also love that bc of kdramas I discovered a new language! I've been studying Korean since I started watching in January this year, and I'm OBESSED with the language! With that comes culture, which I love learning about, and then of course there's Korean food and skincare LOL I regularly have tteokbokki with soju, I have a small collection of Korean makeup, and even a Goblin plushie. Also! Beautiful music!
Another thing is that I was starting to think I was becoming asexual LOL Because the men I see in my country are NOT my type, I can't stand big bulky bearded muscular men, and that's all I see everywhere, in person and on tv. I've always been attracted to "pretty" boys and men with a softer side to them and BOOM! Enter Korean men, and let me tell you, I am not asexual at all. I have about 10 Korean crushes, on a rotating schedule, depending on what show I am watching. Swoon <3 Oh, also girl crushes. Also, I think Korean women are the most beautiful on the planet and I'm not lying when I say I wish I looked like that! I've always loved the "flat face" that Asians in general tend to have, so everything I watch is pure eye-candy. In a respectful way.
Also, kdramas are short, nothing like 19+ seasons of *Grey's anatomy* etc. So you can watch something from beginning to end in a short time!

Their beauty makes me stop and stare and marvel.

Hello everyone, I have a big smile on my face reading you as I’ve experienced many of the same things. I’m so grateful too!!

What I can add is that I’m grateful to k-dramas for:
- Showing great female friendships and sisterhood. It made me want to experience it more in real life.

- Providing entertainment almost free of racism. I’ve read about a handful of shows that were racists against black or muslim people in the past 2-3 years and I was able to easily avoid them. Just unthinkingly because the stories are about Koreans, I (a black woman) don’t have to be on my guard and absorb racism when I want to relax. It’s really appeasing to me.

- Low-key challenging the hegemonic western narrative of the world. For example, my cousin loved Squid game because it was the 1st time she watched a show where US americans were the bad guys! Lol Also, the International Monetary Fund role of bringing Korea’s economy to bankruptcy and impoverishing millions of people in 1997-98 which is what the IMF and the World Bank have constantly done to global south countries.

- Not hypersexualising women, letting actresses were normal clothes, not having to be sexy or a sex object on screen. Almost no nudity, raw dialogues or raunchy sex scenes, etc. It’s not perfect but I still find it unwinding.

- Improving my wardrobe and fashion sense! lol

Good things:
1) source of entertainment and comfort during the ups and downs of life
2) pointing the way to this wonderful dramabeans community
3) introducing me to korean food since I would not have tried it otherwise
4) it also led me to appreciation of kbeauty products

A little late to this, which allows me to say that I agree with parts of what everyone says above. But I did want to say that for all their interest, and for all their escapist appeal, kdramas can be as repetitive, derivative, silly and as badly acted, staged, and written as any other television across the globe. And for all its flaws, Netflix allows access to some excellent global television.

So in the end, what I am thankful for is not just the kdramas themselves, but their international audience, especially as represented with Dramabeans. Through this site I have met virtually some wonderful, brilliant, and diverse commentators, who have eased what has at times been a difficult transition for me into retirement and senior citizenship.

Meanwhile, the staff is always impressive in their writing and analysis. I think it says something that beyond the recaps, which always capture some aspect of the shows that I haven't thought of, and the features, which bring up different aspects of past dramas, even the announcements of upcoming shows and premiers are fun to read.
In particular, I want to thank @missvictrix, not just for her own interpretations and humor, but for presiding over this site for the last few years with grace and intelligence.

While my gratitude certainly extends to the founders of Dramabeans, way back in the first decade of this century, what I am most thankful for are those who are participating in its current incarnation. The recaps, analysis and emotional reactions enrich even silly stories about grim reapers, demons, time travelers, ghost taxi drivers and women turning into dogs. I'm willing to waste the time watching these shows in order to be able to benefit from reading the discussion of them, so thanks to you all!

Kim Go Eun feverishly praying for Gong Yu pretty much represents me :) Love the header!

I am grateful for having developed my first ever, hobby!!! I've been so busy with my career, raising a family and all the serious concerns of life that I never developed a hobby. No hobbies left me stressed and as the world and life got scarier, I really needed to find something to just enjoy. My family and friends roll their eyes at me when I say I watch k-dramas---but their loss. This is my hobby!! So, thanks Dramabeans for being a place to just enjoy---no pressure!!!

I'm grateful k-drama was there via Hulu and Dramafever (RIP) when I stopped paying for cable to save money.

I'm grateful k-drama showed me something of Korean culture (of which I knew nothing) and more East Asian culture (I'm Chinese by way of Iowa).

I'm grateful k-drama gave me some momentum in learning languages (childhood Chinese Sunday school lessons were a failure, but an Asian language with an alphabet where you don't have to learn nine different tones? Sold!)

I'm grateful I can spend the evening watching not 99% Caucasian TV (sometimes I play a game while watching a show that I call Spot the Asian).

I'm grateful to k-drama for expanding my palate, starting with a search for omurice in SoCal Garden Grove Koreatown, and this year my favorite discovery is Korean street toast (Gilgeori toast).

Just got to join in this one. So many things to be grateful for in kdrama land. For me, first and foremost is this community. It probably took me half a decade to get into k-dramas after having heard of it. I got more into it with this dramabeans community with its incisive, fun, and overall community-feel, even when we are disagreeing. With the Korean culture, mores and norms being different from what I am familiar with, having dramabeans made kdrama watching educational. With the pandemic we experienced however, I am most thankful for dramas being picked by Netflix as I was able to pull in friends who were never into dramas to have a try. Now I have a small group of friends to update with and they have watched more than I have in my 17 years or so watching with their 2-3 years. And they are grateful to me for it. Lastly, along with the food and appreciation of things Korean, I also appreciate life's lessons imparted in the dramas. Friends often remark on my positivity amidst life's rough patches. I just say, life's a drama. We can create the ending we want.

Ever since I stumbled upon the world of Kdramas five years ago, I never felt alone again; there's something magical about the way they weave stories, touching on poignant themes with grace and delicacy. It feels like they reach out through the screen, offering a warm, healing embrace that soothes the soul. These dramas paint a picture of a world filled with hope, understanding, and forgiveness, even in the darkest times. Their simple beauty and a sense of humility and wisdom make them irresistibly appealing to me.

There's this unique flair in Kdramas that goes beyond mere entertainment. They're like a masterful tapestry, interlacing various genres so seamlessly. Imagine a blend of romance, drama, comedy, and action rolled into one captivating package. And what's more, they do this while keeping things family-friendly, steering clear of any vulgarity.

What really tugs at my heartstrings is how Kdramas delve into subtle emotional and societal issues in a realistic and relatable way. It's like they're telling your story or the story of someone you know. Whether it is the complexities of family life, the ups and downs of the workplace, or the inner turmoil of personal struggles, there's always a thread in these stories that I find myself connecting to. They navigate through the maze of emotions like grief, loss, betrayal, and forgiveness with such finesse and empathy. Each episode can feel like a journey through your own heart and soul.

I've also come to deeply respect how Kdramas give every character their due, regardless of their role or background. In a landscape where only the main characters often get the spotlight, Kdramas stand out by ensuring that every voice is heard, every character brings in the flavour, and every character’s story is diligently brought out, bringing a sense of justice and balance that is refreshingly different from what I've seen in other media.

Then there's the pacing - oh, the pacing! Many Kdramas take their time, slowly unravelling the story, allowing us to truly get to know the characters and their world. This slow-burn approach makes the emotional payoffs all the more rich and fulfilling. It's not just about moving from one plot point to the next; it's about living the story, feeling every heartbeat, every tear, every smile.

And let's not forget the visual and auditory feast that is the production quality of Kdramas. The stunning cinematography, the hauntingly beautiful soundtracks, and the overall high production value - they all come together to create an immersive experience that's hard to pull away from.
To put it simply, Korean dramas take me on a trip through love, life, and the intricacies of the human heart; they're more than just entertainment to me. They bring joy, to be sure, but what truly matters is that they also educate, heal, and form an invaluable bond with us.

I am grateful for all the wonderful, snarky in the best way, and cool people I have virtually met through DB who helped make my first trip to Seoul memorable with such great recommendations.

Thanks to kdrama I also found a hidden passion for creative writing with fanfiction.

It has also been a pleasurable way to escape from my high stress life with lots of cute romance, thoughtful life lessons, and so many pretty faces to stare at. It is hard to remember that only 3 years ago I reluctantly got dragged into watching CLOY by hubby because I thought I hated to have to read my shows. Now I only read shows. 🤣