One gesture you see repeatedly in kdramas is the wrist grab. It's a controversial kdrama cliché that has both fans and critics among netizens. Part of the controversy has to do with the fact that it's mostly the man who does the grabbing and he's often dragging the heroine somewhere she doesn't want to go.
The wrist grab usually happens when the hero realizes his feelings for the drama's heroine and must make a statement about them. He might grab her wrist when he realizes how much she means to him. The kdrama hero may suddenly realize his feelings because they are about to part ways. Or he may see her growing closer to his competition.
Or she may already be dating him and be ready to break up with him because of the unacceptable way he acts. The wrist grab is all about showing the woman your feelings and claiming her as your own. It's supposed to make a man seem strong and in charge, but conversely, it makes a woman seem like she has less of a choice in what happens next.
In order to grab her wrist, the hero might have to run after her and dramatically turn her around. Or he might grab her wrist and drag her behind him. He might merely pull her away from his competition, as Lee Min Ho did in "Personal Taste" and twirl her into a kiss that's a gentler way to expresses his feelings.
Kdramas make the wrist grab seem like a romantic move but how many women really want to be grabbed or dragged or even kissed without consent? It might not be so pleasant in real life. And if you really want to grab a woman's attention, why not just take her hand? Maybe it's one of those gestures that are fun to watch but not fun to experience.
Which dramas have the most grabs? It's not a scientific count but "Secret Garden," "Prosecutor Princess," "Brilliant Legacy" and "You're Beautiful" all have quite a few.
In "You're Beautiful," Jang Geun Suk grabs Park Shin Hye's wrist to bring her closer and Uee's to push her away. In "Secret Garden," not only does Hyun Bin grab Ha Ji Won's wrist several times but there's also a rare wrist grab scene between two men when Yoon Sang Hyun grabs Lee Jong Suk's wrist.
Kdrama women have been known to occasionally grab wrists too, but then it's played for comedy. Although in "Flower Boy Ramen Shop," Jung Il Woo has occasion to grab Lee Chung Ah's wrist, in the last episode she grabs his and drags him away.
What do you think about wrist grabs? Romantic? Too aggressive? One of the best clichés in kdrama? Let us know.
