A K-Dram-AddiKt is born

Good Morning AddiKts,

Today we are going to try something a little different on TCA. A "guest post" from a newbie to the K-Drama world. Having just completed her very first K-Drama ever. We are so excited to share her newbie perspective. And to be honest I was with her, pretty much, every step of her first journey. I kind of had no choice though, as I was getting messages via FB, every few minutes, after each episode, the whole way through. Ü which I loved!!!! It was so exciting & it kind of felt like I was experiencing the drama, she was watching, all over as a first time viewer again. Thrilling. I remembered all the reasons I loved it myself. I even rewatched a few of the episodes again. We're so grateful she came up with this idea & hope you all welcome her to group therapy. {{giggle}}

 Happy Reading AddiKts.

 Saranghabnida,
Unnie & Dongsaeng

A newbie to this addiKtion world and how it all began…

My addiKtion began 6 months ago when I started seeing these gorgeous Asian men popping up on my friend Jessica’s Pinterest board. I had no idea what was going on, it was so unexpected. I am not one for holding back my curiosity due to social mores, so I sent her a message saying, “Please tell me what is going on?!” She gave me an enlightening description of a world of Korean dramas, music, and of course the gorgeous men. I felt so grateful she was willing to share this unexpected side to herself. I love learning about other people. I wanted to know more and so she led me to watching an episode of Secret Garden. I was intrigued. I thought it interesting and I loved experiencing something from another culture. I then got very busy, life took hold and the amazing “world” Jessica so described did not.

A little over a week ago, I found myself watching Camp Rock and I continued long after my little girls had already moved onto their next adventure. I was shamelessly completely engulfed in the show. About half way through, after trying to justify why I was watching a preteen Disney show by myself, Jessica and her wonderful world popped into my mind. I decided I was watching this show for some of the same reasons Jessica had given to me for enjoying her Kdramas. The show was clean and fun. At that moment I decided I needed get more information from Jessica.

I have to admit trying to get “started” in this Korean entertainment world is a little intimidating at first. There is so much out there that you don’t even know where to begin. So, the next day during Sunday school (sorry teacher) I got my information. I was directed to TCA’s wonderful blog detailing everything I needed to know. Of course my dear Jessica also helped me along by a detailed FB, what a great addiKtion mentor right? I got home from church and plopped on my bed and decided I was going to check out a Kdrama. After figuring out which sites worked on my phone, I was led to beginning a drama called Playful Kiss. This is where this wonderful world of my own addicKtion took hold.

I am sure I don’t need to tell you how many episodes or how long each episode is in the Playful Kiss drama but I was lovingly reminded by my friend Jessica when I was on episode 12, that in 48hrs I had spent 12 hours of my life watching a Kdrama. (thank you Jessica :P) I didn’t get much sleep in the next 2.5 days. My cell phone was constantly streaming episode after episode of pure enjoyment. I just couldn’t get enough! How can they end these episodes like this? Don’t they know we need to stop and get sleep, or do dishes, or feed kids?!

I enjoyed so much about PK. I loved the actors. I loved the nuances I was learning about another culture. I loved how I was swept away into a fun, amazing, storyline that made me laugh and cry and even want to throw my phone in frustration. What I thought would be interesting is to give a newbie’s review of PK, some of my favorite scenes and what made me watch 16+ hrs of tv in 2.5 days!

                Even though I noticed the gorgeous men in PK, I immediately fell in love with Oh Ha Ni. I loved the way she was playful.  I loved how she could be completely horrified with embarrassment but continue on anyway. I loved the scene that showed this side of Oh Ha Ni. 

Her crush, Baek Seung Jo was having trouble getting something out of the vending machine and Yoon Hae Ra tried to embarrass Ha Ni by calling her out to help Seung Jo. She came over to the vending machine and used her skills to free the trapped item. 

I also loved her child-like happiness about life. 

In this scene, I loved how she just hopped out of the car and was so excited about her vacation. I can’t express my love for Oh Ha Ni without one of my favorite scenes. 

Noah’s snail is her nickname and this is what she explains to the school interviewer. She explains that she doesn’t have much but she won’t ever give up. I love that! Ok…I also can’t talk about Oh Ha Ni without talking about her wild fantasies. Some of my favorites were the Matrix inspired one and the one where she is part of a gang and is going to make Sung Jo like her.

                What an interesting romance this was. It would’ve never been played in the U.S. I am sure. Baek Seung Jo was just so cruel to her and she was so willing to take it. I had a hard time overcoming it until he gave her that one kiss! 

“Try forgetting this.” I sure couldn’t! There was so much cruelty by Seung Jo and then he would show so much interest for Oh Ha Ni. What a crafty show that made me hate and love Baek Seung Jo constantly throughout the show. His above average looks helped him too…forget it…his God like looks helped a lot!

          

I did flip flop over another person and that was Bong Joon Gu. I hated his character in the beginning of the show. He was so annoying. Then came, little by little, the more grown up version of Bong Joon Gu. The devotion became more grown up and I even was rooting for him a few times. I cried so much towards the end when he was so distraught over Oh Ha Ni and Baek Seung Jo’s relationship. One person I never got over hating was Yoon Hae Ra.  

How could she have said what she said to Oh Ha Ni right after the couple just got married?! I almost think she was way more cruel than Seung Jo.

                Some miscellaneous moments of PK really caught my attention as a newbie. I loved the scene where the new Sunbae confesses to Oh Ha Ni. 

He was so confident, happy, and of course called her princess. But where did he go?! He was only there for 1 episode. I also loved the foreigner that came at the end as a match for Bong Joon Gu. They matched so well.  What little thing that caught my eye was how refreshing it was to watch a show where men could be affectionate, in a friendly way, to each other. I loved how Oh Ha Ni’s dad and Baek Seung Jo’s dad had such a great friendship that in one episode I saw they were holding hands while walking down the street.  Again…another thing that would never have popped up in U.S. tv.

                

As I end my bearing of my newbie soul to you about PK, I do have one question… what the heck was the deal with those teddy bears at the end?! 

I thought they were creepy in the beginning and that is how it remained throughout the show. Creepy. Anyone else feel the same way?

                

Korean dramas: clean, fun, refreshing, teaching, emotional ride including those passionate romance scenes. Less is definitely more in this case. No overt sexuality does not mean that you can’t feel the romance. In fact the exact opposite happened for me.

No, I don’t know all the lingo of this wonderful world. I don’t know all the actors’ names and birthdays and none are on my Pinterest boards…yet. I am here though and there is no turning back.

Lovingly,
Your newest “AddiKt,”