The cringier the better

Second hand embarrassment brought by Korean dramas

Isn’t love swell? It is even better when watching others fall in love while making mistakes that will have one’s full body convulsing to the point they would have to pause the show to process what they just watched. May or may not be speaking from experience. However, if watching others dramatically learn about themselves and the one they love all while facing factors that may put roadblocks in their relationship is up your alley then…

Imagine this, you are 39 and your 40th birthday is approaching. Your one dream in life is to become a parent but there is one problem: you are devastatingly single. Now you are presented with a variety of options, none of which are appealing, since unfortunately as a single woman in Korea, it is extremely unlikely that you will have the ability to adopt, get a sperm donor, or have artificial insemination. Thus you must pick, multiple one night stands with random men with the off chance that you may get pregnant and they will want nothing to do with the child’s life, quickly get married and pregnant which is highly unlikely considering the dating pool of people in their early 40s, or ask the man or one of the three men closest to you to donate their sperm. 

In “Oh My Baby,” these are the choices that Jang Ha-ri must face. Going through despair and with all hope seems lost, what is a woman to do? Will she be able to marry and have a child? Or, must she beg one of her male counterparts for help? 

Consider this, the love of your life does not love you back. A harsh reality for most, an unrequited love that has gone on for years. Unwavering determination for their heart which seems unattainable. The two of you face many ups and downs throughout life as they literally have grown up as next door neighbors. Do you continue to fight for a person that is clearly uninterested in everything that has to do with you because of your unyielding heart? Or, do you transfer your love to the transfer student who is supposed to be focusing solely on their athletic career but instead makes you their number one priority? 

For young highschooler Chen Xiaoxi this is her daily life. In “A Love So Beautiful,” the contrast between the two students vying for another’s affection makes one’s heart squeeze in anticipation. After all, should she go down the route that will guarantee love and partner with a successful swimming career? Or, should she chase after her childhood crush which could lead to a world of heartbreak or childhood dreams come true?

Two words. Marriage Pact! What do you do when your whole life comes crashing down due to a medical diagnosis? Of course you sign a marriage pact with one of the most eligible bachelors who just happens to be a CEO of a major corporation that shows their affection in the most dramatic of ways, and coincidentally happens to be a donor match for your life-changing surgery. 

“Well-Intended Love,” as a low level, D-list actress Xia Lin must fight to keep her life and her acting career. When CEO Ling Yizhou makes her an offer that’s almost impossible to resist, marriage. How will their married life prosper and how long will they continue their public yet contractual relationship?

If school was not hard enough, imagine going to school with four elite bad boys who are seemingly out to get you! Now add love to the mix. With almost every person in school looking up to them, one wrong move and they will all be looking down on you, especially their fan club. The most powerful clique in school all having their eyes on you may sound like a dream to some, but to the girls from “Boys Over Flowers” and “Meteor Garden,” it is a nightmare. From the boys trying outlandish ways to compete for their affection, to the gossiping and bullying from their jealous school mates, these girls’ lives have been turned upside down. Can this truly be a situation where love conquers all?

Similar titles include, “Hello, My Twenties,” showcasing five college roommates discovering themselves and their newly found love lives. “Thirty-nine,” three best friends reach the cusp of their 30s and struggle together through life and love while coming to terms with middle agedness. As well as, “Accidentally in Love,” young heiress ditches her wedding, popstar runs from his dad’s, and the similar pressures the two face push them together unexpectedly.

The world of Korean Dramas or K-Dramas is best observed when everything the characters do can have you squealing, jumping, and repeatedly pausing. These cute Asian romances have many wishing that their own love lives progress in similar ways, but the adorability of many of these shows are unmatchable. Nevertheless, do be prepared for major secondhand embarrassment and feeling all of the emotions the characters do ten-fold.