Korean wave

Sep

2021

Feel Good Korean Dramas

Reading Time: 6 minutes

It is now normal to feel down these days with all the negative things happening around us. It is okay to not be okay every once in a while but we cannot allow the negative emotions to control our lives. We have to do our part in turning our day into a good day. If you are a Korean drama fan, what better way to do it than watching lighthearted feel good Korean Dramas.

1. Crash Landing on You (2019)

Crash Landing on You is about a South Korean heiress who crash landed in North Korea. She was paragliding when a sudden storm blew her over towards the other side of the Korean Demilitarized Zone. She was then captured by a North Korean captain with his subordinates who were assigned to patrol the area. The story revolves around their adventure as the group tries to return her to South Korea without alarming local authorities.

Video Credit: The Swoon

Although the storyline sounds heavy because it touches a very sensitive topic. the relationship between North and South Korea; the drama proved to be quite the opposite. It is one of the few dramas wherein you will laugh so hard yet also cry so hard. The story is so good that it will be hard not to binge-watch. And then put two good-looking veteran actors with superb chemistry on the cast. They have the perfect formula for good Korean drama. No wonder, it is one of the most viewed Korean dramas of all time.

2. Full House (2004)

Based on a manhwa, it is about an inspiring scriptwriter who was tricked by her friends and lost her house named “Full House”, which was built by her father. The house was sold to a celebrity. In her desire to get the house back, she entered into a contractual relationship and they ended up living together. Initially, they don’t get along well but they later fall in love with one another.

This one is a classic romantic comedy. Although compared to dramas of today, this might seem a bit dated for some, the actors did a good job in making their actingMr Q believable. It is light, funny and romantic to see the leads finally give in to one another’s feelings after so much bickering. This is one of the first dramas responsible for starting the whole Korean wave thing.

3. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021)

The story is about a dentist who lost her job in the city and decided to move to a seaside village in the country. There she met a mysterious man, who is well-loved by the town people. He helps everyone around the town including the new dentist.

Video Credit: The Swoon

As of this writing, the drama is still showing but it has already become the highest-rated drama in cable television history. Although the whole story is yet to be revealed; so far, it is a simple heartwarming romantic story of ordinary people away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis.

4. Lie to Me (2011)

Lie to me is about a nice, beautiful and single since birth civil servant. In order to not lose face with her friend who she felt betrayed her after the latter married her long-term crush; she lied to she is already happily married. After another friend saw her with the male lead, a rich heir to a hotel conglomerate, rumors started circulating that she is married to the chaebol. One lie led to another and another which led to the two agreeing to pretend to be married.

The story is a classic old-fashioned type of romance that is just light and sweet. With a charming female actress, great chemistry among the leads and a simple plot, it is one of those dramas that you can rewatch again and again.

5. Mr. Queen (2020)

The story is about an overconfident male chef in the Blue House who got transported back in time. He suddenly found himself in the body of a queen during the Joseon period. He did his best to get out of the chaos but had no choice but to make the most of the situation. It is all about his struggle with his identity and at the same time his discovery of the power struggle happening around him during that time.

Mr. Queen is not just your typical time travel romantic comedy. It has an intense historical plot but at the same time very hilarious. Some scenes will make you laugh uncontrollably. It succeeded in making the viewers feel a roller coaster of emotions.

6. My Love From Another Star (2017)

This drama is about an actress who fell in love with her next-door neighbor who happens to be from another star. Yes, literally an alien who has been in Korea since Joseon dynasty who is finally completing his mission on earth and is set to go back to his planet in 3 months’ time. The self-absorbed, beautiful and crazy actress kept on getting involved with his neighbor that he was forced to save her multiple times using his supernatural powers. And before they knew it, sparks began to fly.

The drama is sweet, silly and very funny. The lead actress is very beautiful yet outrageous and very hilarious. The lead actor is handsome, cold yet very knowledgeable. He has all the characteristics of an ideal man plus more given his extraterrestrial vision, hearing, speed and strength. The drama became so popular that even luxury fashion items worn in the drama got sold out because of high demand. Even sales of food and restaurants that were featured in the drama also reported increased in demand.

7. Oh My Ghost (2015)

Imagine what happens when an ordinary, shy and timid girl gets possessed by a lustful, virgin ghost. The ghost died a virgin. She believes that the only way to move on to the afterlife is to lose her virginity. She then takes over the female lead’s body every now and then to seduce the male lead to sleep with her.

The drama is romantic, hilarious and very entertaining yet creepy at the same time. Although the show gets too dark for your typical romantic comedy; viewers will get a good laugh and definitely enjoy the show. Moreover, it is not just about the main leads; one will also enjoy the friendship developing between the ghost and the female lead. It is a must-watch for those who are seeking something new.

8. Oh My Venus (2015)

Oh My Venus is a story about a lawyer who was once considered Daegu’s Venus or the prettiest girl in her hometown. But she had became obese and unattractive causing her boyfriend of 15 years to break up with her. The male lead is a personal trainer to Hollywood stars who reluctantly agrees to help her lose weight.

Video Credit: KBS World TV

It has a simple storyline but it deals with real issues on obesity and self-image. These are serious issues that can greatly affect an individual’s health and concept of one’s self. It is light, heartwarming and interesting enough to watch.

9. So, I Married An Anti-Fan (2021)

This is about a magazine reporter who unintentionally witnessed the rude behavior of a famous celebrity. She subsequently got fired from her job. After assuming that the celebrity was the one responsible for her dismissal, she later did some crazy things that made her infamous for being known as his number one “anti-fan”. A television production team saw this an opportunity to come up with a new show wherein the famous star will be forced to live with his anti-fan. After the two started to get to know each other, they begin to realize that their initial perception of one another is actually just a misunderstanding and they end up falling in love.

Video Credit: iQIYI

Although the storyline is generic and typical of romantic comedies, this drama is quite relaxing and funny. Its romantic scenes and little surprises along the way will keep you hooked. And before you know it, you are already binge-watching. The lead’s chemistry is real. Viewers will find themselves rooting for them.

10. Weightlifting Fairy Kim-Bok-Joo (2016)

Weightlifting Fairy is about a young college student who works on pursuing her dream into becoming a professional female weightlifter. As she navigates through college life, she falls in love with a handsome doctor and begins to question herself on whether she should pursue her dream or just be a regular girl.

Video Credit: Viu Philippines

Inspired by the life story of a Korean Olympic Gold Medalist, Weightlifting fairy is a good coming of age drama. It is heartwarming as you go through the character’s journey and discovery of herself. It is light but full of life lessons especially for those who are yet to discover their passion or calling in life.

Is there anything that you want to add?

Special thanks to Pia Angelica Gabriel, Ma Ganda Yap, Anna Dolor Fernandez, Kit Andaya, Peachy Viniegra-Lin and Cha Flores Encina; members of the YLS Kdrama Group for their drama recommendations.

Feature Photo by Asad Photo Maldives from Pexels

Apr

2021

Why I Love BTS

Reading Time: 8 minutes

I am in my late 40’s and I am a proud member of the BTS Army. If you have been living under a rock, BTS is a seven-member boy band from South Korea who has been capturing the hearts of millions of people around the globe. Mind you, joining fan clubs is atypical of me. In fact, it is the first time I ever joined a fandom in my whole life. Although the Bangtan boys are handsome and very talented, especially when you are watching them perform with their in-sync choreography; those are not the sole reasons why I love BTS. There are many artists out there who are equally or even more good-looking and talented than the seven boys, but there are deeper reasons why the group has caught my fancy and are breaking international barriers.

How I Found Out About BTS

I first learned about BTS when I heard my teenage son listening to one song over and over again. The song was Boy with Luv by BTS with Halsey. Although I like the melody of the song, being the authoritative parent that I am, I quickly check the English translation of the lyrics of the song. Yes, I do that. I screen songs, games, TV shows and other media content that my child is into. My belief is that media content has an effect on the subconscious mind of a child. Too much violence, inappropriate sexual content and offensive languages can have a negative impact on the well-being of a child. Since I found the lyrics wholesome, I let him be.

During that time, BTS was already gaining popularity in the west. So, imagine my surprise when I began seeing news about them from publications that I follow. Just a quick background, I don’t normally read the mainstream news because it is full of negativity. I am also not much into entertainment news. My leisure time was limited to the two-hours I allot each night watching two episodes of Korean Dramas. I do stock options trading so I mostly read business and economic news from Economic Times, Fortune, Forbes , The Wall Street Journal and the likes. And I’ve noticed that since that year, BTS with their company Big Hit Entertainment, now rebranded as Hybe Labels, always shows up in business and economic articles. So, that’s when I began to read about them.

The BTS Story

Humble Beginnings

I have nothing but admiration for people who are able to succeed despite their humble beginnings. And BTS did exactly that. The Kpop industry is infamously known for its years of strict and intensive training from packed schedules, extreme diets to the pressure it subjects its trainees. To be able to complete training and debut as a Kpop artist is already an achievement by itself. What is more laudable is that BTS had to undergo all this without the financial support and influential backing of a big entertainment company. In fact, Big Hit Entertainment was already on the verge of bankruptcy then. There are even stories about how BTS performances were shortened and even cut from broadcast by major television networks. What is worse is that there was even an instance where they were humiliated live during an interview. It is so easy to give up given such circumstances, but they did not. Instead they used the hate, discrimination and criticisms as fuel to hone their skills. Bounded together with a common dream, the group had to overcome struggles not just in their professional lives but also in their personal lives as well.

Commendable Achievements

Today, eight years after their debut, BTS is now a global phenomenon. As I write this, they dominate 70% of the uppermost tier of the World Album Charts. They broke numerous records from Billboard charts to different music awards in Asia, Europe and the Americas. Their names can even be found in the Guinness Book of World Records 18 times. A joint study conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Culture & Tourism state that their song Dynamite alone was able to bring US$1.43 billion dollars in the South Korean economy and was able to generate 7,928 jobs in the middle of the pandemic. To be able to accomplish all these at such young ages is truly remarkable. And to be able to use your talent to be a blessing to others is really commendable.

BTS Performance at the Grammys from BANGTAN TV

BTS Music

Inspirational Lyrics

One of the reasons why BTS became so popular is that a lot of people resonate with the lyrics. The messages are familiar. Thus, listeners are hit on an emotional level. Most of the songs nowadays talk about the same topics – love, friendships, breakups and death. But BTS songs are different. Yes, they also talk about love and friendships but they go beyond that. They talk about hope, aspirations, dreams, challenges, happiness and struggles in life. They even took it further by talking about mental health, social issues and challenging the status quo. Because of the messages of their songs, they were even invited not once but twice by the United Nations General Assembly to be the guest speakers in front of member representatives from 193 different countries for their Love Myself Campaign.

Here are inspirational quotes from some of their songs:

DREAMS and GOALS – “What is the you that you dreamed of? Who do you see in the mirror? I gotta say, Go on your path. Even if you live for a day, do something. Put away your weakness. “- No More Dream
HARD WORK and SACRIFICE – “I worked all night, every day while you were out clubbing” – Dope
HOPE – “The morning will come; No darkness no season is eternal.” – Spring Day
LOVE YOURSELF – “I’m the one I should love in this world, shining me, precious soul of mine. I finally realized so I love me, not so perfect but so beautiful.” – Epiphany

Diverse Genres

If you are going to compare my BTS playlist to that of my son, one will be surprised that only about 20% of the songs are the same. That is because BTS music is so diverse that they have released songs from multiple genres.

To illustrate, my son is more into contemporary music such as pop, club music and rap. His favorites include:

Pop Funk – Boy with Luv
Kpop – Dimple, Pied Piper
Contemporary R&B – My Time, Serendipity
Pop – Save Me, Fake Love, Black Swan
Electronic Dance Music / Club Music – Cypher Part 4
Rap – Ddaeng

Although we both like pop, I, on the other hand, prefer slow songs such as ballads and those a little in between. My favorite songs include:

Pop Rock – Spring Day, Friends
Pop – Zero O’Clock, Life Goes On, Magic Shop, Stay Gold, We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal, Just One Day
Latin Rhythm – Filter, Airplane Pt 2,
Indie Pop – Sweet Night
Ballad – Still with You, Epiphany

My point, whatever generation you belong to or whatever preferences you have for music, BTS has something to offer.

Hidden References

No BTS song is a stand-alone, meaning everything is connected to something else. Every frame in a music video is full of clues and secret messages that refer to either a past song or the personal life of a member. They also give hints of future works or releases. Sometimes, the intro of a song is connected to an outro of a past song. Not only that, their songs give references to specific books. For example, the whole Map of The Soul series is derived from Carl Jung’s analytical psychology on the Map of the Soul.

As a result, their songs are like embarking on a journey with the member’s personal and professional lives whether individually or as a group. And in each step of the journey, they never failed to include the BTS Army in the depths of their narratives.

So watching a BTS music video is no longer just for entertainment purposes alone. It is like solving a puzzle or a mystery. You have to look for clues and hidden meanings. It is thrilling and mind-boggling. And sometimes, one needs to read books to fully understand the meaning of it all.

BTS Personality

Authenticity

There are millions of BTS content in every social media application out there. Unlike other artists wherein content is limited to videos of them on stage or pictures taken by paparazzi; BTS has as many videos of them off-stage as well as on-stage from the time since they were newbies. One thing worth noticing is that the boys are consistent with their behaviors. How they acted a decade ago is exactly the same as it is today. Each member is so funny. They laugh at the silliest of things. They fight over food. The maknaes are always goofing around. And their hyungs are trying hard to maintain order in the group. I love how each one has a unique personality that complements the group.

It’s so easy to fake a personality for a while but to be consistent for almost a decade, that’s no longer fake. Those are really their personalities. They are not afraid to show their weaknesses. That’s why a lot of people can relate. They are not some idol on a pedestal, they are just normal human beings like you and me.

A Way to Connect

One good thing about them is that there is actually a way to connect with them through V-live. Sometimes, the group or a member of the group will go live and talk and just answer questions from fans. I have seen how fans will literally tell their problems and struggles in life and the member will do his best to answer and give advice based on his personal experiences. How cool is that!

BTS Army

But what I love the most about them is their positive effect on their fans.

The BTS Army is the official fan club of the septet. Already millions strong, it is not just your typical fandom. It is a community. With a common goal of helping the septet reach out to unchartered territories. Legions of fans helped translate BTS song lyrics and video contents into several languages to ensure that BTS gets introduced to new audiences and be internationally recognized.

But what’s special about the Army is that they go beyond supporting the group. Since BTS is also popular for their philanthropic works, it is not surprising that BTS Army is not far behind. When BTS launched the Love Myself Campaign with UNICEF, BTS Army made individual donations to UNICEF on the individual members’ birthdays. When BTS donated $1 million dollars to Black Lives Matter, Army matched that amount and donated a few days later.

True, there is always a toxic minority in every fandom that gives the organization a bad reputation. But as a whole, this passionate fandom has been using their influence for positive change. They helped Korean orphans be sent to school. They raised money to bring medical help to Syrian refugees, to provide clean water to families, to help LGBTQ refugees living in poverty, to donate 100 cameras to assist kids in Kenya learn about photography and to donate toys to children suffering from cancer.

BTS Effect

On a personal level, I too have experienced first hand the positive effect of BTS.

For one, BTS served as a bridge between what seemed to be a widening gap between an adolescent and a parent relationship. This is not only true for me but to my friends as well. BTS made it possible for parents and their children to reconnect and create a deeper bond with one another.

Second, BTS served as role models and inspiration for many. Seeing how they were able to survive and conquer their difficulties gave their fans hope to never give up and fight for their dreams. Their messages are very inspiring especially during this pandemic. If there is anything, they showed people that there is always light at the end of the tunnel and that dreams do come true.

In addition, it is not just their passion for their craft and determination to succeed. Fans also learned to love themselves. I personally witnessed the positive changes BTS had on my child. My son started taking care of himself. Drinking lots of water, having a skin care routine, reading books, being fashionable, finding his passion, working hard and not giving up are just some of the habits he had adapted for himself with BTS as his role models. As a parent, I am truly grateful for that.

“Kim Namjoon! Kim Seokjin! Min Yoongi! Jung Hoseok! Park Jimin! Kim Taehyung! Jeon Jungkook! BTS!”

How about you? Are you a member of BTS Army too? I would love to hear why you love BTS too.

Image Credit from Bangtan TV, BTS official page