What Your Oppa From Korean Drama Doesn't Tell You

By Da Yeon Eom on July 5, 2016

Nowadays, wherever you are, it is not rare to see groups of people discussing the latest episode of the Korean drama that they were able to watch through Viki, Dramafever, or Youtube. They would exclaim about the character developments and plot twists that captured their attention. And by discussing them, they form a bond through the topic of common interest.

Korean dramas have gained the attention of a global audience for many years. The reasoning behind this phenomenon can be attributed to simple storylines, humorous dialogues, and unique Korean culture that is often advertised in the episodes. Also, more than often, there is usually an element of romance that encourages the viewers to keep watching for the satisfying happy ending.

Image via: hollywoodreporter.com

It is easy to see the Korean dramas and wish to visit the country to find the soulmate for your fairytale adventure. Whether it is Do Min Joon from “My Love From Another Star” or Go Hye Mi from “Dream High,” characters in the K-dramas are often depicted as too irresistible to refrain from booking the one-way ticket to Korea.

However, the reality can be very different from what the Korean dramas portray. The Economist states that more individuals in Asia are willingly choosing to live the single life. While the dramas promote couples overcoming challenges and successfully getting married in the end, the spiking divorce rate and the number of population that is eligible, but un-wed, suggests a wake-up call.

The millennials have been rejecting the traditional notion of getting married and settling down. They prefer to keep on dating and advancing in their careers before deciding to take on familial responsibilities. Also, the economic burden of going on dates on top of the living cost of residing in metropolitan areas can be overwhelming enough to choose stability over romance.

According to data, the majority of people in ages 15-24 no longer believe that being in a relationship is a necessary component to leading a productive life. Because of the Korean societies’ competitive nature and frequency in cases of overworking its employees, it can be difficult to establish oneself as successfully financially independent. Often, there can be no room for dating in one’s busy schedule or not enough opportunities to meet someone new.

In Korean dramas, the characters may have an abundance of monetary funds without having to work themselves over the limit or have enough time to look their best at all times, but the reality is not so. It is all too easy to get caught up at work all night, get stressed enough to have health issues, or occasionally look less-than-perfect.

Image via: dramabeans.com

Behind the well-lit scenes of Korean dramas, the actors work almost 10 hours a day on perfecting their performances. Much like the portrayal of Korean societies in the dramas, the facade of what the audience sees doesn’t include all the effort that goes into keeping the picture appealing. And only by keeping the glossy image, the Korean drama industries make enough money to keep producing more of the hopeful love stories.

In the end, there is nothing wrong with watching Korean dramas and fantasizing about your version of “Boys Over Flowers” or “Cheese in the Trap.” In fact, I would encourage to watch more to spread the Hanryu effect. However, it would be recommended to dive into the culture that makes the stories fascinating and to research about the problems that are not so evident in the dramas.

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