Yes, It's all about the journey...

(my two cents on Kdrama and Hallyu addiction)

by Joowandah Kim

Hi, hello, annyeong! 

I really don't know how to start this... uhm...just exactly like how I don't remember why I became so immersed into the world of Korean dramas. I guess, just like any other Korean drama addicts, it all started with the phenomenal Meteor Garden. The next thing I know was big TV stations (in the Philippines) has started importing Taiwanese dramas. Unfortunately, none of them got it big like MG. Oh well, that was until they discovered Korean dramas...


At first it didn't interest me at all. Back then, I was too young to remember or to young to even bother on what's happening on our local entertainment. But Full House came. It was just about the time for my hormones to kick in. I can't clearly remember how I became so addicted ( It was a decade ago) but one thing's for sure, I love Justin (Lee Young-jae)  and Jessie (Han Ji-eun) to pieces. I even do countdowns to the next to be aired episodes, (to my dismay) only to see them in 20 to 25 minutes airtime (Yep, I counted it.) I was like "I waited for hours and that's all you can give me?!"  Argh, the world is truly unfair!

My addiction didn't stop there, I have learned that patience is truly a virtue. Full house become a hit and with that, I've got to know some other Korean dramas, through local TV, of course. I know most of you will be like, "What?! But we have internet connection a decade ago!" Sadly, I'm not one of those who have easy access to the net. Still, I've managed to become one of the loyal fans by just relying on what's being aired on TV. I didn't even have a penny to buy those pricey CDs or DVDs.  

As years pass by (and by watching  more and more dramas), I became totally drowned to the world of Hallyu. I am not only addicted to kdramas, but also to the culture it portrays. From the food that they are eating, to the clothes that they are wearing.

...And most importantly, the Korean namjas. Do I even have to mention those gorgeous and six-packed abs these Korean actors have? Do I?

When internet in my country became popular (when most of the people have access to it) -  that's when my addiction raised up to the whole new level. I started to join forums, watch fanmade MV's, download OSTs and the best of all-- stream kdramas.  This is the no-turning-back moment for me.


My family and my friends can't understand me, they watch Kdramas too but not enough to be addicted like me. I guess Kdramas cannot influence them as easy as what Kdramas did to me.

So just like any other Asian parents, they prohibited me of using the internet. And I was thinking, prohibiting me for these "petty" habits that I have? I only do drama marathons (arg, why can't they understand it?).

So just like any other teenagers who was warned not to do the things they "want" to do the most,  I rebelled. And by rebellion, I did exactly what they didn't want me to do (errr...secretly?). I marathoned my korean dramas on their sleeping hours, I put the volume on mute since I just can read the subtitles. And then what happened? I ended up not going to school for the next few days. I pretended to be sick- with all kinds of sickness I could think of. And by not going to school means, not being able to do my homework, pass quizzes and exam, and worst of all- I failed some of my subjects. That's perfectly normal for a fangirl, right? But, nah...don't do that youngsters.

Now I'm on my early twenties. And fully employed at that. teehee...

Excuse me, what?

Yes, I made it through college, I am a "normal" human being after all. I did learn from my mistakes...of not skipping work anymore because of drama (instead, watching dramas at work, works!) Learning from my mistakes doesn't exactly mean ending my drama addiction, I just learn how to manage my time and do some negotiations with my parents just so I could still watch my beloved dramas legally.  Heehee.

 

One would guess that I've been watching kdramas for a decade now means I must've gotten tired of it. But you're wrong. I am fully aware of their flaws, of how many times they use the same plot and cliches, but watching a good drama is like falling in love again. That feeling that you know that you will get hurt but you can't help but love again. Oh well, that's the whole essence of falling in love, right? By experiencing and learning from it. Sugarcoating aside, that is kdrama for me.

To quote from my all time favorite kdrama, My Name is Kim Sam Soon:

Hee Jin: She might be all sparkly now, but with time, she’ll be just like all the rest. However bright she may shine now, as time passes, it will be like she’s a nothing, just like the way we are now. Jin-Heon-ah, even knowing this will you still go (from me to her)?


Jin Heon: People, even knowing that they will die, still try to live.