pyeongchang 2018 (my very first ever post about my addicKtion) 7/7/11

*Originally posted on dongsaeng's personal private blog on 7/7/11*





Who else is so flippin' excited that the 2018 Winter Olympics will be in PyeongChang, South Korea?! WooHoo! Fighting!!! ^^

I suppose now would be a good time to come clean with my sort-of secret addiction. Hi. My name is Shannen and I am a Korean drama addict.

It all started one day about, oh I don't know, 6 months or so ago. I was cruising my normal sites, and on the front page of Hulu, a picture caught my eye. Down in the corner under Featured Content or something like that was a girl wearing a gown and the title "My Princess". Now, you have to understand something about me. Gowns get my attention. I love big fancy dresses. If I am in the library and there is a book with a picture of a girl in a gown, I'll at least pick it up. Every time. It's something that catches my attention, and this particular day on Hulu was no exception. A girl in a gown with the title "My Princess"? My curiosity got the better of me and so, on a whim of fancy, I clicked on that picture. My life has not been the same since.

I was hooked. Immediately. After a few days of obsessively watching this program, I sheepishly admitted it to my BFF. Thank goodness she validated my obsession by becoming obsessed herself. It's been a fun roller-coaster ride of subtitles and pop culture immersion and a lot of texts back and forth between that BFF and myself with a whole lot of "OMO! So-and-so just did XYZ!" I of course have my favorite actors/actresses. I'm a frequent visitor to sites like DramaFever, Viki, Eat Your Kimchi and Drama Wiki. I'm starting to understand some words and expressions. I'm starting to think in those words and expressions. I get upset at the subbers who put names in place of the honorifics. Last night, I dreamt in Korean. Well, the people in my dream were Korean. While all my friends watch the Bachelorette this summer, I'm watching a K-d that has its own Bachelor-type show in it. I've found myself watching a lot less American TV, opting instead for my beloved K-d. On a tough day when I need to unwind, I find myself reaching for the mouse instead of my remote.

Thankfully, the initial infatuation stage has passed. I've managed to temper my addiction and keep it manageable time-wise. I no longer spend hours upon hours watching late into the night. Now it's become just a normal part of my life. I take a quick hit when I need it and then move on. There really is a reason why almost anytime you see "Korean drama" there's the word "addiction" attached to it. I don't know what it is about them. Okay, yes I do. I love the romance, comedy and mild drama that they bring. I love that it's real romance, not the hot-and-heavy-jump-into-bed-the-moment-we-finally-realize-we-have-feelings-for-each-other variety that prevails in all American romances. They're just plain fun. Who knew?

So that, dear readers, is my confession. Lock me up and throw away the keys, just make sure I have a computer with internet access. ^.^