One of the most popular themes in kdramas is the "poor girl meets rich guy." The poor girl is usually a hardworking cheerful optimistic type that just happens to meet the heir of a large conglomerate or country and wins him over with her amazing personality. You can tell her sincerity because either she does not know he is rich or a prince or both or she does not care.
Critics of this type of drama say it encourages women to think about marrying men for their money but the kdrama heroine who blatantly sets out to do that rarely wins the kdrama prince. And really, it's a tale as old as time. Cinderella met her prince and left her life of servitude to become a princess. Jane Austen's heroine Lizzie Bennett met Mr. Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice," hated him but then humbled and married him. Bella met the eternally wealthy undead Edward in "Twilight." And those heroines either did not know who their loves were when they first met them or did not care for them.
And generally in kdramas, the heir is usually a jerk whose personality needs to improve before he can win anyone's sincere love. Lee Seung Gi in "Shining Inheritance," Lee Min Ho in "Boys Over Flowers," Jung Il Woo in "Flower Boy Ramen Shop," Joo Ji Hoon in "Princess Hours," So Ji Sub in "The Master's Sun" and Hyun Bin in "Secret Garden" are just a few examples of heirs who need a serious personality lesson. And who better to get it from than the sweet, head-on-straight Candy-Cinderella girl.
And if kdrama women do want to marry for money it's usually because they are sacrificing themselves for their families. One of the few dramas in which the girl admits she is out for money is "Cheomdamdung Alice." In that drama Moon Geun Young sets out to get Park Shi Hoo to marry her but she's only doing it for her family. Ditto in "Princess Hours" when Yoon Eun Hye agrees to marry the annoying prince to honor a contract signed by her grandfather. Her family is deeply in debt. Fortunately, for those two heroines, their prince in shining armor will truly love them and they will make him a better person.
In "Mary Stayed Out All Night," Moon Geun Young is tempted very briefly to honor her father's wish that she marry the rich drama producer Kim Jae Wook. Debt collectors also torment her father. But Moon has to stay true to her heart, as she loves the poor penniless Jang Geun Suk, who, surprise, becomes a rock star.
There's nothing wrong with wanting the man you marry to be able to take care of you as long as you are really marrying for love. But poor people rarely marry rich people in real life. Rich people tend to marry each other, because that's whom they know. Maybe that's what makes "poor girl meets rich guy" kdramas such fun fairy tales.
What do you think about this classic kdrama theme? Does it give women the wrong idea?
