Below are the different kinds of hugs you can expect in Korean dramas.
1. The Back Hug
A back hug is a trademark for romantic K-dramas. This hug shows how much the man appreciates the woman he loves. Vice-Chairman Lee Young Joon (Park Seo Joon) used the back hug to Kim Mi So (Park Min Young) in What's Wrong With Secretary Kim?
Female leads can also do this sweet gesture, just like how Yoo Hye Jung (Park Shin Hye) gave Hong Ji Hong (Kim Rae Won) a back hug when she was going to leave in Doctors.
It is not always a romantic move. It can mean something like "Please, protect me from my eomma". Deok Sun (Lee Hyeri) gave Jung Hwan (Ryu Jeon Yeol) this kind of back hug in Reply 1988.
A back hug can also mean stop and do not hurt someone, like what School 2017's Ra Eun Ho (Kim Sejeong) did to Hyun Tae Woon (Kim Jung Hyun).
2. The Tree Hug
This one is quite similar to a back hug. A tree hug happens when the other person did not expect it and made him or her freeze in place. Han Seung Joo (Uee) did this to Oh Jak Doo (Kim Kang Woo) which caused him to look stunned and unable to move in My Husband, Mr. Oh! There are times when the person could not resist and hugs back the person.
Some dramas show the wrist grab after the tree hug. Wang So (Lee Joon Gi) grabbed Hae Soo's (IU) wrist before pulling her in a warm embrace.
3. The Drunk Hug
This is the same with tree hug but the person hugging is drunk with soju or makgeolli. The drunk person confesses his or her feelings and this makes it more relatable. This can also happen after the breakup. Joy (Eun Tae Hee) hugs Kwon Shi Hyun (Woo Do Hwan) while she was under the influence of alcohol because she misses him in The Great Seducer.
4. The Bear Hug
This is the best hug to give to someone who had a stressful day. It happens when a man keeps his girl wrapped up in his arms to give her warmth and to melt her worries away. The woman also reciprocates this sweet gesture without thinking twice.
This hug can also be a PDA that shows that the couple is not afraid to show the world how much they love each other. It can be seen in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, where and Jung Joon Hyung (Nam Joo Hyuk) hugged her jealous girlfriend Kim Bok Joo (Lee Sung Kyung).
You can also break a heart while doing a bear hug. Watching a handsome second lead witness this can also make you feel a little sad.
5. The Gajima Hug
Gajima also means "Please, don't go!" in a Korean sentence. This hug is demonstrated in the lonely scene where Goblin's Sunny (Yoo In Na) said goodbye with the Grim Reaper (Lee Dong Wook).
Gajima hug can also be done to save the loved one from inevitable death. Eun Tak (Kim Go Eun) sobbed while doing this hug to Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) in Goblin.
